"Nice to meet you Imogen." Dan smiles at me "We should probably get going now."
"Where would we go?" Roman questions. "To the others." Dan responds.
Roman wraps my arm around his shoulder and we begin to walk, following behind Dan. As we walk i lean into him and whisper "Nice to meet you Roman." He turns his head to me and smiles a devilish smile. "Pleasure to meet you. Imogen."
We continue to walk, and I, limp towards the 'others'. After a while we reach what one might perceive as a campsite. There is a fire, twigs and leaves gathered together to form what looks like tents. And there is people. Actual people. There aren't a lot. Maybe 7 or 8 at most. As soon as we step onto their grounds, they all turn and face us. "everyone!.." Dan starts awkwardly, probably feeling as though he needs to explain himself. "This is Roman and Imogen. The survivors of the bus crash." He announces, and continues walking.
"Do you know what happened? With the bus I mean?" I ask, hesitant to hear the answer.
"Yes. The bus drove off a cliff, and crashed." He answered without facing me.
I wanted to ask how it crashed, and how. If it was an accident, or an attempt to have us all dead. But i didn't. I remained quiet. Partly because I already know the answers.
Dan guides me to a log bench to sit on, near the fire. Seconds later, a women appears with a bucket of water and kneels in front of me. Without approval, she begins to take off the sleeve wrapped around my knee from Roman's shirt. I hiss in pain and call out for Dan. "Relax." the women says "I'm only sanitizing your wound." though I still refuse to let the water touch my knee. "Trust me. without this, your leg will never heal." She proceeds to try and clean out my leg. I wince and struggle but keep my leg still.
I look over to find Roman hovering over me. "You alright?" He asks. "I will be."
"Do you want to rest or lye down, or something?" He asks once the women finishes up re-wrapping my leg. At first I think about declining. I feel as though I need to do something. I am so useless. What can I do with a crippling injury. I have been taken care of ever since i'v dropped down from that damned cliff with those damned people. I am not used to it. Being taken care of. I'v never needed it, or let myself need it. It feels so unnatural to me. But then again, non of this is 'natural'.
I nod my head and let Roman lead me to one of the tents made out of twigs and leaves. He sets me down and tells me to get rest. I lye there, forcing myself to let sleep take over. But it doesn't. Sleep is a friend that I feel that i might not see again. I close my eyes, and silently bid my goodbyes. There is nothing to do but wait. And think. And panic. I start to think of how or when this might end. Then I think of Dan, and the others that i'v seen. They've inhabited a source of savagery and insensibility. A type of fierce and coarseness that i could never see in myself. I fear the outcome out of this.
The rest of the hours are spent staring up onto the top of the tent. And reliving every memory I could bring myself to remember. Until I grow tired and bored of remembering. Becoming mentally prepared for the pain, I force myself to stand, refusing the need or help of anyone else. To my surprise, The pain has subsided tremendously, and I could almost move around myself. I abandon the tent and move to the fire, which is the only source of light in the pitch black darkness that i am surrounded by.
"May I sit with you" I turn and see Dan's face in the glimmer of the flames. I nod my head, and he takes a sit next to me on the log bench. He exhales and takes a chug out of the flask in his hands. "Where did you get that?" I ponder him. "This?" He guestures to the flask. "Oh, I keep this on my person at all times" He takes another swig, and the offers it to me. I take it and sip from the top. The look of disgust on my face causes a laugh to come from Dan. "Ugh! What is this?" I hand the flask back to him. "Bourbon." He says with amusement, and takes another swig.
