Drabbles and Containment by A Forum User

Containment Part 9

~Sang~

FIVE YEARS LATER

I opened the door of apartment slowly, trying to stop it from creaking. The edges of the wood were decaying, and it was so swollen from water damage that it might as well not be there. But even the little privacy it offered was always appreciated.

The floor was grimy, overlapping footprints pressed into it. The crooked blinds let in some dirty yellow light and it highlighted floating dust particles. Books were thrown on the floor, and decaying furniture was littered everywhere. A chin-up bar was over a doorway and an old fixed up exercise bike. Part of the floor was completely clear, where I did my training.

"Home sweet home," I mumbled to myself.

"Sang?!" Ben's voice echoed. Ah damn. I meant to sneak in, and stop him from finding out I left.

"Yeah, it's me."

He appeared around the edge of the door. His now ever-so-familiar face was contorted in a mix of anger and relief. Odd.

"Where the fuckin' hell have you been?" Ben demanded, storming forwards.

I shut the door gently behind me and prepared for the onslaught.

"I-"

"No. You promised, Sang."

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"I promised nothing. We need the Cards, Ben."

"Like fuck-"

"We need the Cards and you know it."

His eyes shut and he pinched the bridge of his nose. Weathered lines on his face became more prominent the sadder he was, and it pained me that I put those there. But it was for the better.

"You... You could have at least told me," he mumbled.

My body ached with lactic acid from the fight, but it didn't pain me as it used to. Now it was nearly pleasant.

Ben hated it when I fought. The Ring was one of the few entertainment choices in our Quarantine Zone, and people were paid in ration Cards to fight there. It wasn't exactly legal, but for a few pieces of stolen food, most soldiers kept their mouths shut. I did it a lot, because I knew I would win.

It didn't mean that I never came out with battle scars though.

"Yeah... Sorry."

He shook his head and looked up.

"So, how many of the Cards d'ya get, lil' darlin'?" A small smile was there, containing a whole lot of hope. We didn't eat well, but usually we got enough. The last couple of months had been hard though. Rations were being cut, and the soldiers were spread thin.

No one had announced anything. But we all knew why. The Quarantine Zone was being breached. More infected were getting in by the day.

"Six, but if we're sparing, I reckon we could trade it off with the Butler family for some canned stuff. Or..." I trailed off, slightly unwilling to say what was next.

He raised a dark eyebrow.

"Or?"

"Or we sell these; we pay for tickets out of the quarantine zone and-"

He was already walking away.

"I'm not doing that. We're not doing that. It's safe here, Sang!"