The Nemesis Syndrome

41. Eliza

Eliza had never realised one word- one stupid, simple name could make her feel like she wasn't alone in the world. She knew Leo was by her side and knew he would be until all this was over, but she hadn't really believed it. Until he said one word that made her want to grin forever.

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid.

It was stupid. But it also made her feel...strangely normal. Despite everything that was happening.

But then....she mentioned his promise to her, and she felt his flicker of hurt, quiet shock, and she wondered if she had made a mistake.

Somewhere along the line, that boring life he had promised her had become something different. Something that wasn't quite boring and wasn't that slow, and something that involved this friendship that was strange and odd but just a big part of her life now she couldn't imagine it with anyone else.

And she didn't know if Leo knew that yet. Didn't think she wanted him to know, because she couldn't form words for what it might mean.

They walked in silence for a while, Eliza not knowing what else to say to make the mood around them lighten.

Until Leo looked up and met her eyes.

'Eliza?'

After all this was over, she was going to ban everyone from being so serious.

'What?'

'Why were you so scared in the car?'

She remembered the sound of the car door shutting, the tiny space suddenly feeling like there was no air inside it.

'Because we didn't know him and didn't know why he's so interested in us?' She was a terrible liar. Her chest was tight and she didn't want to talk about it or think about it.

'It was more than that.'

'No. It wasn't.' She glared at him. 'Keep moving. I want a bath.'

He studied her for a long second before turning around and walking again.

She was starting to hate trees. If there weren't branches hitting her head, she was tripping over roots.

But they were good cover- and stupidly, it was the same government that had pitted them against each other to kill the other that had decided they had to be planted.

It was a few generations ago, when the leaders of the world suddenly realised that the world was going to be ruined in a few years if they didn't do anything. International laws started up to make everything biodegradable, to look after the planet. And a part of that was trees. Trees everywhere. One in every garden, outlining every park, surrounding every village and town. Trees specially engineered to grow quickly and help clean the air more than they used too.

Eliza didn't understand the specifics- having ignored them all in school- but all she really cared about now was that the same trees saving the planet also meant she and Leo could go almost anywhere unseen.

More silence, more walking, until Leo slowed.

'I think we are nearing a village.'

She could still see nothing but trees. 'How do you know?'

He smiled at her. 'I use my eyes, 'Liza.'

She stuck her tongue out at him, and he chuckled.

'Look.' He said, stepping behind her and tilting her head up slightly. 'The distance between trees is growing, and listen-' all she could hear was the sound of his breath on her ear. 'You can hear cars.'