The Aftermath

Chapter 2

A soft orange glow brushed the horizon, as the sun began to set for the night. Lukas leaned against a dirt hit to the side, watching as the last of the survivors stepped into their own dirt huts to wait out the night.

       "Hey! Lukas!"

       Lukas unfolded his arms in surprise to see Maya and Gill standing in front of their hut, waving him over. Smiling at them, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and approached them. "Hey guys,"

       "You coming to join us?" Maya asked.

       Lukas' eyes crept over to the shelter that Jesse and the others were camping inside. "Uh, actually, I was hoping I could help out the others for a while. Catch up with you later?"

       "Man, why do you even hang out with those losers?" Maya scoffed with an eye roll.

       Flames roared in Lukas' eyes. "What did you just say?! Those losers just saved the entire world!"

       "So you admit they're losers?"

       Lukas scowled. "What? No! I was just quoting you!"

       "Cut the crap, Lukas," Lukas and Maya snapped their heads up to face Aiden. Lukas and Aiden glared at each other with such an intensity that it looked as though one of them could explode at any minute.

       Aiden stepped out of the shadows. "I can't believe you would ditch us for that loser, Jesse. Well, she's less of a loser now that her stupid pig is dead. Good riddance, I say."

       Lukas was shaking furiously. "You. Take. That. BACK."

       "Make me, oh mighty 'leader'. Pft, some leader you are. You were the one who ditched us."

       "I came back for you guys!" Lukas screeched, shutting them all up. He hated the way his voice cracked as he yelled. "I came back for you guys, because I was worried about you. Jesse even let me go, knowing full well that it was YOU who I was saving!"

       He was panting now, about to pummel Aiden and the others to the ground, but instead he lowered his fists and clenched them at his sides, gritting his teeth. He turned his back on them and said in the darkest voice possible, "I'm starting to wonder why you guys were even worth the risk."

      He stormed off.

•••••

       The silence in the dirt hut was heavy, as Axel, Olivia, Jesse and Petra settled down for the night. Petra was dipping her bandana into a bucket of water, scrubbing off all the dirt and grime that had gotten into it over the past few days. Had it been days? Weeks? Petra lost track of the time after she had gotten stuck inside that Wither storm.

      Her body shook at the thought, and her grip tightened on her bandana as she sought to find an anchor to the present. Her eyes were fearful, but after Petra took a deep breath to calm herself down, they returned to a soft stare.

       She rung out her bandana then went over to sit near Jesse, Axel and Olivia around a fire. Olivia was busy tending to Jesse's wounds, cleaning every cut and bruise.

        Jesse didn't make a sound, and instead stared into the fire. Petra watched as the flames danced in her unblinking green eyes and sighed. It was... scary, seeing Jesse like this. She was curled up in a ball, hugging her knees. Her eyes were bleary and ghostly, and her mouth was open slightly ajar like she was in mid-gasp.

       She looked like she wanted to cry, but she had run out of tears.

       Just when Petra was about to suggest that Jesse should sleep, The door swung open, and an angry Lukas stomped in. He shut it loudly behind him, causing Jesse to cringe slightly. The blonde was grumbling under his breath, his face red as an apple. He yanked off his ocelot jacket and tossed it into the dirt.

       "Everything alright dude?" Axel wondered. Petra was surprised. Usually Axel was... aggressive towards Lukas.

       Lukas was apparently surprised too, because for a moment the anger was wiped away with a single blink of confusion. He nodded. "Yeah... I'm- I'm okay."

       Petra noted the hesitation, and got to her feet, going close to him so only he could hear. "You want to take this outside?" She asked.

       "I-what?" Lukas said. "I told you I'm fine."

       Petra raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You're really gonna argue with me about this?"

       Lukas sighed defeatedly, knowing full well that Petra wasn't going to leave him alone. He nodded and stepped towards the door. Petra looked at Axel and Olivia, who looked like they wanted to come too, but didn't want to leave Jesse alone.

       "We'll be right back," Petra promised. With that, Lukas and Petra left the hut.
  
       "Alright, what's going on?" Petra questioned.

        Lukas clenched his fists, the anger returning and showing on his face. "It's the other Ocelots! They're just..."

       "Mean? Untrustworthy? Horrible friends?" Petra offered, folding her arms.

       "Well, I was going to say 'infuriating', but... yeah!" Lukas realized. "I can't believe they still act that way towards Jesse, Axel and Olivia, even after they just helped saved their lives!!"

       "What did they say?" Petra asked darkly, gritting her teeth.

       "Aiden insulted Reuben, Petra." Lukas glowered. Petra's eyes widened, and Lukas almost turned and ran at the sight of the pure anger inside of them.

       "How dare he!" Petra snapped. "How dare he!"

       "I can't believe I went back for them."

       Petra placed a hand on his shoulder. "But you did, because you're a good friend, and if those stupid jerks can't see that, then they're not worth it. Those, those snakes. The next time I see any of their faces, I'm gonna punch them into inventory piles."
   
       Lukas let loose a single laugh. "They'd better watch out."

      "They'd. Better." Petra said threateningly. She punched Lukas playfully in the shoulder. "Come on, blonde guy, let's go back inside."

        With that, the night settled, the moon high in the sky. All of the citizens bunked down for the night, whether that meant going to sleep or not resting at all due to fear.

       Jesse had finally managed to fall asleep, much to the others' relief. She was lying on her right shoulder's side, her chest gently rising and falling. The raven haired girl had managed to bury her face into Axel's chest, who had wrapped an arm over top of the girl like she was a stuffed bear. He was sleeping as well, holding onto his best friend and not letting go. On Jesse's other side, Olivia was turned so that she was facing Jesse's back. Olivia had laid a comforting hand on her friend's back, sighing blissfully in her slumber.

        Petra and Lukas smiled at the sight as they entered. Lukas grabbed his jacket, shaking off the dirt before laying it gently over the three friends. Then, he and Petra settled down themselves.

       Lukas stared into the fire before closing his eyes, with a burning hope in his heart that everything would be okay.

      And it would be. He knew it would.