Playing with Fire

17

"GET UP!" I kick Adam's sleeping bag over and over again.

"He ain't gonna wake up." Ruben tells me.

He's right. 

Adam looks so peaceful when he's asleep. Everyone stares over him and I am hiding a smile: that same smile which I gave Daniel last night.

"I'll make him get up." I pin my fingers together and jab him in the sides.

"WHAT THE FU-"

"You're alive. Good. Let's go-"

"We haven't had breakfast..." Ruben complains.

"Yeah. We're starving." Toboni adds.

I remember the food in my bag. I rush towards it and tip all of it out.

Everyone's mouth waters and they take a large stride but I stop them. "These are going to be rationed. When we get through a day, we get a small amount," I warn them. "If you disobey me or us, you won't receive any. Understood?"

They nod.

"JUST GIVE US SOME!" Ruben yells-

"Where's Willow?" Toboni asks.

Ruben snaps out of his monstrous behaviour and instantly begins to panic until a-

Mew?

"WILLOW!" he cries and picks her up, strokes her fur.

Bloody hell...

"Look, we need to set off. Now." I tell them all, annoyance slowly growing in my voice.

They all groan as I pick up the food and put it back in my bag apart from a piece of meat and I chuck pieces to them like I am feeding ducks.

"Better?"

They nod. 

"Now, let's go."

*

We walk through another forest, except there's a road. Not made of gravel or stones but the ones which I used to find in New Elizabeth: concrete with potholes. Beside the road is trees which arc over the path, the leaves leave small gaps for the sun to trend through its own path.

I look around me to see whether Jeanine has found her way to find us (which she wouldn't. I'm sure of it!) and all I can see is the trees, the road, Adam, Ruben, Toboni, Lee and Daniel.

But I see Toboni doing the same-

I can tell by her panicky expression on her face.

"I'm just getting paranoid..." I hear her whisper to herself.

I frown at her. 

Boy I hope she's alright...

"She'll be fine. I think." Daniel says.

I turn and I pin him into the tree.

"OH MY GOD LAWRENCE!" Adam tries to pull me away from him as I restrain him and press the dagger towards his throat. 

He grabs my arm but I stand my ground.

"STOP READING WHAT I THINK!!!" I yell at him, snarling at him.

"Lawrence?" Lee says to himself quietly.

I feel Adam tug onto my arm, trying to pull me away but I stand my ground. "I DARE YA! IF YOU COME NEAR ME AGAIN AFTER LAST NIGHT, I'LL KILL YA AND YA'LL BE SORRY!!"

Adam manages to swipe me off my feet and twists my wrist, making me release the weapon. I can hear a clatter underneath me - where the dagger drops - and he throws a fist at my shoulder. I wince in pain but I fight back the tears.

"Snap out of it!" he yells at the top of his lungs.

"DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT DANIEL'S BEEN HIDING FROM ME?!!"

Everyone goes silent.

"Lawrence no..." Daniel pleads silently.

I take off the jacket and empty everything out pocket-by-pocket.

Not just one but around a dozen needles fall to the floor with twelve tubs of a weird substance being contained in it.

Toboni gasps.

I turn to him and give him the most hazardous glare I could give but I don't retaliate. "Tell me: Daniel Alan Jack Eaton... Why are you carrying these around, you knowing it was there AND not telling me?"

I see him gulp down his response.

"Huh!" I raise my eyebrows, smirking but still giving him that impaling glower at him. "I see. I'm going ahead. If you're wanting to continue searching for safety, follow me. If you're feeling bad for that son of a bitch, stay. Your choice." I turn away and walk off. 

I don't hear any footsteps following me.

I look back to see them all - but Lee - frowning at me with sadness, guilt or/and concern.

"What?!" I snarl and I carry on walking.

* 

I have decided I have quit running with everyone and now I am alone, walking on the path and I know this will lead me to Haven. No matter what, it will lead me there-

TRAITOR.

I stop.

YOU LEFT EVERYONE AND YOU'RE ALONE. FOREVER. FIND. SEEK. KILL.

I feel myself collapse but something stops me.

Warm muscular arms rest underneath me, hoisting me up from the ground. I feel my nose bleed once more but this time, it's more severe. My vision is worse, everything feels heavy.

I cannot walk.

"It's okay, I gotcha," a male voice behind me says smoothly.