Guilt (A Zero Spin-Off)

ThirtyTwo - Kyle

It was well into the next day when I woke up to whispers nearby. I had fallen asleep sometime after the sun had come up and based on the dim, orange lighting breaking through the closed blinds, it was safe to say I'd slept the day away. It was unlike me to sleep so heavily and it was unlike everyone else to let me. At first I didn't care enough to make out the whispers but the more aware I became the more attention I paid to the conversation. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I peeked through to see Ella sitting on the couch next to Hunter. Miles and Joel weren't in the room, either they were sleeping or making sure that Zero wasn't joining the army of the undead. I knew they hadn't gone out - we were good enough on supplies and there was no chance in hell they'd let me sleep while they left.

The truth was, I needed the sleep. We all did and though I needed it less than some in the house, I was grateful all the same because for the first time in several days I woke up feeling good instead of exhausted.

"I just thought you should know," Ella whispered. "I didn't want this blindsiding you."

His head hung low, his elbows resting on his thighs while Ella sat next to him, hesitant to reach out. Finally, she rested a hand on his shoulder.

"If that's it, that's it," he said quietly. "Doesn't change anything."

"It doesn't?"

"Not a thing."

She sat back, looking at him, studying him as if looking at his profile would reveal the truth of his statement.

"You should go sit with her. I'm sure she'll wake up soon."

"How sure?" He sat up, renewed with hope.

"Her temp leveled out a couple hours ago. I'm reasonably sure she's going to wake up any time. You should be there when she does... I just wanted you to be prepared that she may not know you."

Surprised, I shifted and Ella glanced over at the movement. Her lips curved into a smile that wasn't altogether happy, but not completely sad either. Hunter looked at me over his shoulder and nodded, turning back to Ella, he said something to her that I couldn't make out and then left to sit with Zero. I sat up straighter in the chair, stretching my neck. Mid-yawn I asked, "What was that about?"

She shrugged one shoulder. "Zero's going to be okay."

There was a lot of information I knew she was leaving out, but none of it was important to getting us the hell out of here. The skipping over whatever it was that Ella and Hunter had been whispering about didn't bother me.

"You don't sound happy," I focused on what was bothering me.

"Just tired."

I wasn't buying it. Something was a little off about her though I didn't know what. Standing from the chair, I moved to sit next Ella on the sofa. Whatever it was that was bothering her, I wanted to know. She leaned back a little and looked up at me.

"You aren't thinking about running off again right?" I asked.

Laughing, she shook her head. "No." Ella sighed and met my eyes. "But you ever just...It's nothing. I'm just jumping at my the sight of my own shadow."

Couldn't exactly blame her for that. It was amazing sometimes, what people could overcome. In order to survive. In order to finish a job. Ella hadn't been a person anyone would have pegged to keep it together but, for the most part she had. Being a little jumpy wasn't rocking in a corner somewhere, so I figured we were doing alright.

"Have you slept at all?"

Again, she shook her head, letting her hair fall in her face.

Standing, I offered Ella a hand to help her up off the couch. Her eyes widened in question.