The Strong Will Survive

Chapter Forty-One - Lilith [EDITED]

This chapter was written by Ky Le Van! Be sure to tell me how you think she did in the comments :)

[Update: Ky Le Van wrote this chapter, but Isabel edited it]

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Benji and I spent quite a while looking through Lydia's file. There was, after all, a disturbingly extensive amount of information. I could tell that Benji was deeply distressed by what Dr. Morte had done to his little sister, and I gave him a quick yet fierce hug. "Hey, it'll be okay. We can help Lydia become her old self again. Trust me. It's like Bucky in Civil War. Did you see that movie?"

I decided to shut up while the hole I was digging myself into was still relatively shallow. Why would I make a fandom reference when one of my best friends - the boy I had a crush on - was in such emotional peril? I felt so incredibly selfish. Why would I talk about my interests to compare them to a very real, very terrifying situation?

A sudden snore interrupted my self-hate session. Jared was fast asleep on the ground behind us, propped up against a wall. Okay, I thought. That's the three of us accounted for. Where was Ken, the authority back-stabber?

Trying to swallow my apprehension at Ken's absence, I clicked around the numerous files on the computer, trying to find all the information on this mysterious organization I could and commit it to memory. There were several files on various tortured "bugs," seemingly one in each nearby cluster of apocalypse survivors. There were also files on the higher-ups in certain companies and organizations to keep track of who had been zombified and which of these companies and organizations our captors could easily take over. (I didn't know what good that was now, since all companies were dead and useless.) There was nothing in the files about KC, however. At least we had that.

I was temporarily pacified by this information - or lack thereof - about KC...until I found the file I had been unconsciously searching for: a document on the people running this strange cave community. The leader, Dr. Morte, was not actually a doctor. He was a psychopath on the run from the law. At least, when there was still a law to run from.

I groaned. Our luck just got better and better.

He had singlehandedly escaped a high-security prison - he would tell nobody how - and adopted the alias of the nefarious Doctor Morte. In fact, all of the people in this veritable cult were criminals of rather high magnitude.

However, that, sadly, was the least of our problems. Lydia was in trouble, KC was MIA, and the remainder of our merry band of misfits were all injured from what the "doctor" had done to us. What was this ragtag trio of teens supposed to do about any of that?

Suddenly, I heard a thump that startled me from my troubled thoughts. Benji had passed out from exhaustion. I sighed as I glanced down at him. I had thought that he should get some rest, but he had insisted on standing guard for the entirety of the time I was attempting to find something more - anything more - about Lydia. Being passed out didn't count as real rest. Speaking of sleep, why couldn't I? I haven't felt tired for... How long had it been since we were captured? Days? Weeks? Months? Merely hours? We hadn't seen daylight in a while, so my concept of time was severely warped.

There was another thud, and a groan. Jared had awoken from his power nap and accidentally hit his head against the wall. "How's the web search going?" he asked blearily.

"Okay. I found out a lot, actually. For example, we were captured by a cult of criminals. Also, there are a lot more kids like Lydia - bugs."

"Crap. That's...crap." He rubbed his eyes. "Captured by a cult of criminals? That's rather poetic of you."

I smiled slightly. "I've written enough in my time." Wistfully, I reminisced on my writings - fanfiction. All of it fanfiction, some of it not even safe for my brother's or parents' eyes. It had been a delicate system, writing in front of my parents. They would ask what I was doing on my phone, and I would refuse to show them, or quickly open an innocent game. I had hated their prodding. What I wouldn't give to have them demand to see my phone now...

Jared and I sat in silence for a little while, just thinking to ourselves. Finally, he glanced up at me, and asked, "Can I tell you something?"

"Yeah, sure, Jared. What's up?" I bent and began to arrange Benji into a more comfortable position. Finally, I just sat on my knees and pulled his head onto my lap.

"I'm going to break up with KC."

I made a slight strangled nose and Jared hurriedly explained, "No, no, it's not that I don't like her. I do. Just not...in that way."

I was utterly lost. "What?"

Jared sighed, looking like he was readying himself for something nervewracking before continuing.

"I actually...like guys, and I thought that I could start a completely new life after the apocalypse. You know, just forget who I really was and...rebuild. I thought that I liked KC in the way that she thinks I like her, or that I could force myself to, but it just doesn't feel right, and it's not fair to her, either."

He paused again. I looked him in the eyes, silently urging him to go on. I was curious - there was obviously more to his story.

"I had a - a boyfriend back home, and that's why I was homeless for a while. My parents kicked me out for being gay." Jared stopped, his eyes widening in shock at his own words. Then he chuckled and shook his head. "There, it's out. I'm gay. Thanks - thanks for listening, Lilith. I know you have your problems, and I'm sorry to give you mine. But you have to swear to God above not to tell anyone."

"Of course not, Jared. Thank you for telling me." I reached over as much as I could without upsetting Benji and rested my hand atop Jared's, offering him a smile. "Jared, you'll always be one of my best friends. Your parents might have been stupid enough not to see how amazing you were, but now you have a new family. And this one isn't going to underestimate you."

Jared smiled gratefully at me, and I knew now was not the time to confirm what I already suspected had happened to his boyfriend.

Suddenly, KC ran into the room, a stressed expression on her face. Without preamble, she said, sounding incredibly rushed, "I did a thing. And the thing was stupid."

"KC!" I shrieked, transferring Benji's head to the floor and rushing to hug her.

"KC!" Jared parroted, grinning. "Um, did you hear anything we were just talking about?"

"Every word. But it's okay, Jared." KC smiled tightly. "I'm cool with it. You should've told me, though, before we got into - " She waggled her fingers at the air between them. "But onto the thing I did. We need to either lock a door and hide or get the heckin' heck out of here!"

I swallowed my panic. "KC, what did you do?"

"Let's just say I ticked some people off, and they're running towards us right now with big guns - and I ain't talking muscles. So let's do something about it!"