Gory Glory // l.t au

13 - Louis

Louis

It was nearing twilight as the moon began to loom across the starless sky. All five of us sat gathered round a fire. The only sounds that could be heard were the crackling of the flames licking the night air and childish back and forth banter between Ehron and Leila. I swear, those two are going to be the death of each other.

I really, really don't like this boy. I hate the way he looks at Leila like she's a piece of meat. She doesn't notice it – she's too naïve, but the stares he gives her...it just gets to me. Leila's an extraordinary girl and she deserves better than him.

The hatred-filled glares he has been sending my way also haven't gone unnoticed by me. Every time we accidentally make eye contact, he scowls at me with absolute disgust. I don't know why he hates me so much, but I have a feeling it may be to do with the fact that Leila and I are friends. I think it's jealousy.

I don't trust him – at all. There's something about him that just makes my skin crawl. To be honest, I wouldn't say it out loud, but I want him gone. I want him away from me and I want him away from Leila. I admit there's nothing really bad about Helen and Rob, they seem like nice people, but I'd like it to be just me and Leila again. It seemed easier that way.

I was jolted out of my train of thoughts by the sound of Rob's voice. “So, Ehron, care to explain how on earth you survived – what, four days? – in the city by yourself?”

“Well,” Ehron began, stretching his limbs, “As you both know, I went into the city to get some food. I was going into a store when a Target came from round the corner and attacked me. I managed to pry it off me and shoot it, but the gun shot attracted a whole bunch of 'em. I sprinted into a petrol station where I boarded down the doors. I was stuck there for what I can only assume was a few days 'cos I had no concept of time. But they eventually left so I escaped out the back door and then I found you guys. And Leila here was kind enough to take me back here,” he grinned, swinging his arm over her shoulder. She seemed unfazed by his contact, her face remaining blank. She swiftly shoved his arm off her.

“Touch me again, I'll kill you,” her voice was abnormally calm.

“It sounds like you've been to Hell and back, darling. I'm just so relieved you're safe now,” Helen breathed.

“So where's your gun now?” Leila questioned.

“Huh?”

“You said the gun shot alerted the other Breathers. So where's the gun now?”

“I dropped it and ran. It's probably still outside that store”.

“That was a little dumb, don't you think? Weapons are valuable right now”.

“Oh sorry, do you want me to get my time machine out?”

“I'm just saying it was thick of you to dispose of a perfectly good weapon”.

“It was a spur of the moment decision. I wasn't thinking”.

“When are you ever thinking?”

“So, um, Leila, tell us about yourself,” Helen interrupted their bickering, her voice higher in pitch than I think she intended.

“My name's Leila, I'm nineteen, and if you're here you go by my rules. That's all you need to know”.

“Come on, Leila, if you don't open up, how do you expect us all to get along?”

“When did I ever say I wanted to get along with you all?”