Still breathing | Original story

Chapter Twelve: Kevin

Word count: 4463

"Rise and shine." I awoke to the smiley face of Pat, I groaned and tried to push her away. My arms feeling weak.
"Man, anyone would think you was one of them things." Connor laughed at me as I aimlessly flailed my limbs at Pat. I closed my eyes and ignored him, my body aching all over. "Not a morning person ay?"
"Obviously not," Pat answered for me and I nodded my head in agreement. I was suddenly blinded by a light and sat up, my hand pressed to my temple. I rubbed my forehead softly, trying to rub away the headache. I've never had a hangover but I'm sure that that was what it felt like.
"Pass me my bag?" My voice was rough with the morning.
"What did your last servant die of?" Connor joked but I wasn't in the mood, my head was thumping in pain.
"Please," was all I replied.
"Come on kid," I heard Tyler snap followed by my bag being thrown at me. It hit my injured arm and a surge of pain went through me.
"Shit," I hissed. Tyler left the room as quickly as he had entered and without saying another word I scrambled in my bag. I pulled out my water bottle and took a huge gulp. It did nothing to help with my pain, but the pulse in my head was quietening down.
"You aright?" Pat asked sitting carefully next to me.
"Yeah..." I trailed off and looked up at her. She looked disbelieving and she had every reason to be "Just a headache," I smiled at her and stood up, air whooshed through my head. I saw black spots but they soon went as I carried on into the kitchen. The few left over tins were lined up on top of the counter for easy access.
The kitchen was too stuffy and I suddenly felt flushed. I took my jacket off, threw it on the table top and began to eat my food. Em entered shortly after, I handed her a can but instead of taking it off me she grabbed onto my wrist and began to examine me. The few scrapes along my arms from all the falls I'd had were still showing.
"What happened here sweety?" She asked me in a motherly voice, it was odd to see her sounding like a normal human without the edge of bossiness that usually resided in her tone.
"It's nothing." I shrugged. She tutted at me and bustled her way around the kitchen before she found what she was looking for.
"Pass." She grabbed hold of my arm again and began to attempt first aid, she clumsily put the plasters onto my many cuts. She shook her hand out as one stuck on her thumb, she sighed. "I better be better than this when the little one arrives, you know how kids are..."
"Where's the father?" I asked.
"Who knows where?" She scoffed. "Hopefully, dead somewhere." She seemed like she meant it, her eyes went as hard as stone. Whatever the father did, he was lucky he wasn't around Em who could kill him without fear of jail.
"Is Tyler alright with all of this? I mean it's a big thing." I felt like I was prying but I had been wondering if he would be able to cope with a baby in this world. Especially after I found out the baby couldn't be his.
"Yeah, contrary to what you may believe Tyler is a softie at heart."
I'd believe that when I saw it, he didn't seem all that soft. I'd only known him a day and he appeared to be very sharp and had a pent-up hatred towards a lot of people. The night before, I had seen another side of him as he told stories and yet he still seemed to be someone who would never trust me in a million years.
"I don't think he likes me,"I confessed.
"Give it a chance, it'll be different in a few days," Em assured me but I was still not convinced.
"Did he treat Pat and Connor like this?"
"Well no... but that was early on." She seemed a little defeated but that didn't stop her from carrying on. "Someone stole our food on the second day, it was Kyles girlfriend. After what happened with him, she blamed all of us."
"I'm sorry to hear that," I told her as I saw the obvious sadness she was feeling by recalling the memory.
"Oh, look at me rattling on." She laughed awkwardly and patted down the last plaster. "You're done anyway, don't want these to get infected now do we?" I smiled at her in thanks and she swiftly left with a can of food in hand.

About an hour later everyone had eaten and I was just about ready to leave the house. The sleep had long gone from my eyes and I felt more energised.
"Are we ready to go?" I asked the group as I shrugged my backpack on my shoulders. I grabbed the axe (that I learnt was called a hatchet) from the floor and twisted it in my hand. Feeling the weight of it made me feel safer.
"Em's staying here," Tyler replied.
"Who said that!?" Em outburst, an eyebrow raised.
"I did," Tyler confirmed. "The schools not safe and you're..." He looked down at her stomach, a tiny bump was showing but it wasn't much of one.
"I can drive the car, give you lot a quick escape," she replied. She was begging to be a part of it but her demeanour showed dominance. She held herself, raising her head, trying to get taller to look down on Tyler. She wasn't dropping the subject.
"Fine." He grit his teeth. "Let's go then."
He stormed out the door first and I followed shortly after.
"Keep an eye on her," I heard Connor whisper to Pat when he thought I was out of listening distance. I could almost feel his eyes digging into my back but pretended not to notice. He didn't trust me. Despite him trying to joke with me this morning, he didn't trust me.
We all piled into the car. Em kicked it in but soon turned the key again and the engine shut down. I heard her sigh.
"What's up?" Pat questioned.
"Almost out of petrol, we need to top up," she said and I dropped back in my seat wondering what else was going to go wrong. "The school isn't far, there's a petrol station a couple of minutes away. I'll go there and meet you at the school?" Em spoke to Tyler.
"Sure," he replied.
"Looks like we're walking," Connor said and got out the car.
"Sure does," Pat said as I got out my side and left the door open for her, she chose to climb out my side instead of Connors. I remembered what he had said earlier and wondered if that had influenced her choice.