A New Type of Realism

(22) Torment

I tried to find some words to say over the empty graves, but couldn't conjure anything up. My nose began to run as a few tears formed in my eyes, but I pushed them away. The wind picked up and began to howl in my eyes. I looked towards the skies. A storm was coming. I breathed in a few final deep breaths of fresh air, before turning around to retreat inside the compound, and to gently tell the others of the change in weather.

.......................

Maggie forgave me quickly. I'd been sitting in the corner of the room, keeping my distance from the group, trying to give them space to calm down. She'd come over with a mug of warm coffee, a few pillows, and a blanket. She'd placed the pillows and blankets at my feet, and had handed me the coffee. She'd given me a small whispered speech about how she didn't blame me, and that if I ever wanted to talk through my feelings, she'd always be willing to listen. I'd thanked her, and sipped the coffee gratefully.

Martin was a different story, he looked at me with such animosity that it put Slade to shame. Although Slade had calmed down somewhat after our brief chat.

Thankfully, and surprisingly, he hadn't told anyone about what I'd said. He knew I'd spoken to him in private for a reason, and knew that relaying what I'd said to the others would just spark another unnecessary intervention of some sort. I hadn't expected him to be worthy of any trust, but then I remembered that Cooper had trusted him technically with his life; they'd hidden from the hoards together for 10 days after all.

The atmosphere in the compound was heavy for several days, as we waited for the storm to pass. I'd gone to check outside earlier, but hadn't even been able to open the door more than a centimetre, due to the force of the wind. I knew we were safe in our base, and had enough provisions to feed a small army for a month, but the sound of the wind rattling the fences was chilling. I worried that the storm would blow them down, but then again, this base had been designed for worse situations.

Martin barely even looked at me for the few days we were stuck inside, but things had gone back to normal with Maggie. Slade had even warmed up to me slightly, although I was sure that we still both hated one another with a bitter passion. I'd tried to talk to Martin a few times, reassuring him that even if he loathed me, I'd still make good on all of my promises, whether he liked it or not. He'd only crossed his arms and turned his head away from me in response. Although Maggie had told me afterwards that she'd seen tears forming in his eyes, and a small sad smile find its way onto his face. I wasn't completely sure if she'd just made it up to make me feel better though.

After the third day, the sound of the wind had seemed to die down, and I once again, nominated myself to go and check outside. Upon opening the door, I was greeted with dazzling sunlight, that blinded me briefly, before I covered my eyes with my arm. I pushed the door open fully and stepped out into the outside. Once my eyes had adjusted to the light of day, I removed my arm from my eyes, and looked around.

I decided that it would be a good idea to check around the perimeter of the compound, just in case the wind had hurled an object that had broken through the fence, or had knocked down a part of it. I heard footsteps behind me, and looked to see Maggie emerging from the base in much the same way that I had. I smiled at her.

"Now all we need is a rainbow." She smiled. The sunlight always seemed to bring out the best in people. I laughed with her.

I told her about what I was going to do, and she agreed that it was a good plan. She followed me round as I walked, keeping me company round the large enclosure. There were a few worrying holes in the outside fence, but as far as I could tell, the internal perimeter had not been breached. I breathed a sigh of relief when I had finished my large circle. Maggie also seemed to be greatly relieved by our lack of discovery of a hole in our defences.

I noticed that Slade and Martin had both walked outside of the building, and sent a smile their way, although it was originally aimed more at Martin. I felt a ray of happiness in my heart as Martin held my gaze for longer than his usual two seconds before turning away to look around him. Maggie told them both about the breaches of the outside fence, but that the inside fence was still intact. Slade had actually smiled a genuine smile at that, as far as I could tell.

I went back inside the building and eventually removed with a pile of four chairs. The others had looked at me quizzically before I had started to set them out in the sunlight. I sat down in one of the end chairs and closed my eyes. I breathed in a large amount of fresh air; the air, although filtered, had begun to get a little stuffy inside our base.

The others joined me in the chairs, having caught onto my idea.

"I'm sorry about what I said." It was the first time I'd heard Martin's voice in three days. At first I had no idea that he was actually talking to me. I opened my eyes, confused, and looked to my side where the kid was sat. I smiled and waved my hand.

"It's okay, I kind of deserved it."

"No you didn't, I was angry, and upset."

I reassured him again, I hadn't held anything against him. I told him again that I would keep my promises, at which he just smiled and uttered 'I know'.

I closed my eyes again and let myself doze as the day went on.

My dreams, that had strangely been peaceful over the past three days, were suddenly plagued with images of Cloud:

Each image flashed in my mind in quick succession, creating some sort of old fashioned film. I couldn't move. As he came closer I began to panic more and more, until I started screaming. His hoard of infected walked slowly behind him, and soon caught up to him. Their groans and moans grew louder and louder with each step. Cloud gripped onto my shoulder and began to pull me towards him. My body shook as I struggled, and struggled, and struggled.

I awoke to Martin shaking my shoulders, and soon felt a sting on my cheek as my head snapped to the side. I opened my eyes. Slade had slapped me.

"That was a little bit unnecessary."

"You were sleeping like the... infected." Slade laughed sadistically.

I sat up, groggily and asked what the urgency was. Slade's expression turned grim as he stood out of my way, and pointed to the horizon.

"You led them right to our front doorstep." Slade muttered grimly.

...................