PARADOX ↦ ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

22

The sky was black for the early morning, rain falling as Keith looked up at the ceiling. He could hear it fall, the thunder in the background. The three sets of bunk beds were in the small, shed-like building that the five were placed in for the night, locked until they could be put with the other workers. It had been a week since they arrived at the Galra camp, and they have been getting less and less reports from Lotor. After their initial meeting, they would be told when the rival camp would be notified. Keith still wondered how Lotor was able to get on good terms with the other group, it was all so confusing.

There was the sound of creaking below him. Keith sat up slowly and looked down, seeing Lance sit on the end of the bed. Lance looked up and saw Keith. "Sorry... I didn't mean to wake you..." he muttered slowly.

"No... I was already up." Keith reassured him, bringing his knee up and looking down at the boy.

Lance nodded before he put his head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees.

Keith noticed the way he acted, getting the feel of hurt and worry. He hesitated to speak, but soon asked Lance, "You okay?"

Lance turned his head slightly, not up enough to see him, but to signal he heard his voice. "To be honest, I don't know."

Keith sighed softly before he shifted, moving down from the bed and slowly climbing down the rusted ladder. He then sat about a foot away from Lance, his elbows on his knees. "You want to talk about it?"

Lance shook his head, but brought up another subject. "Lotor said he would stay in touch, but every time we try and get the girls to talk to Lotor, they just say he's busy with another task." Lance sighed with annoyance. "I mean, I know he and the camp leader, whoever the fuck that guy is, are like family or whatever Ezor told us. But still... I feel like he needs to at least tell us what's going on."

Keith nodded. "I get what you mean. Narti said he had a plan... but they needed to hurry... but it's been days since I've heard anything else."

Lance nodded as well, looking around. Each of the others were asleep, Pidge alone in her own bunk. The others had tried to keep her happy since Rover and everything at the factory. "I don't know if I'm ever going to see my sisters again." Lance mumbles, soft enough as he looked up at the girl, sleeping in the top bunk to his left.

Keith listens, looking at Pidge and then at Lance. "I'm sorry..."

"No. It's gonna be fine. I just..."Lance said, his hands running through his hair. "I look at her, and Hunk, and I realize they are all I really have left. You know?"

Keith looked at the ground for a moment, thinking. "You were together since the beginning, longer than that really."

"I know..." Lance said softly, looking away. "And right now, they've both been hurt. All because I couldn't stop the guards..."