Underground

40

*This chapter could be triggering, read with caution*
Estelle
I look around for my box, huffing when I can't find it. "Aug?"
"Yeah?" He walks out from the bathroom, wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants.
"Where are my boxes?" I ask.
He looks over at me nonchalantly. "I unpacked them."
"Why?" I ask.
"It's my way of asking you to move in with me." He says.
Yes, three months later and I still live with August and September, though I haven't moved, we did find new Pangaeans.
"Wait, what?" I ask.
"Do you want to move in with me? Both because September and I are so used to you living with us, and because I think we're ready for that step in this relationship." He rambles.
"Yes, I'll move in with you, now where's my stuff?" I ask.
He walks over to his closet and opens it, showing an organized junction of his clothes and my clothes. "Your clothes are here, your knickknacks are scattered throughout the house, your makeup, toothbrush, and hair brush are all in the bathroom."
"You are a wonderful person August." I smile.
He grins. "Thanks."
"I have to get dressed." I smile.
He nods. "Go ahead." He walks back into the bathroom.
I grab a flannel and ripped skinny jeans from the closet. I change quickly, knocking on the door when I'm done.
He emerges. "You look cute."
I grin and walk into the bathroom, combing my hair, brushing my teeth, and applying makeup.
"When's Leeciy going to get here?" August asks from the door.
"Soon." I say.
Leeciy and I have volunteered to go and find Yeeva and Michoon.
August walks in, this time dressed in jeans and a sweater. "Promise me you won't get hurt."
I nod, looking up into his concerned eyes.
"This is the first time I haven't gone with you." He murmurs. "I can't protect you."
"We'll be fine." I sigh.
He envelops me in his arms, leaning his head onto mine.
"Leeciy's here!" September calls up the stairs.
August pulls away and places a lingering kiss on the top of my head.
"I love you." I say.
He grins. "I love you too."
***
Leeciy is an amazing driver, but he's amazing at everything.
"Scientist-number-one said I should talk to you about your PTSD again." He says. Leeciy often gave me casual therapy.
"It's gotten way better." I say. "I don't have loads of nightmares anymore."
Luca still does, so I gamble everytime I close my eyes.
"That's good, are you still writing in that dream journal?" He glances over at me.
I nod. "It's almost full."
"I'll get you another one." Leeciy says.
Leeciy moved into an apartment, and works as an intern at the labs.
"How's Annaliesee?" I ask.
"She just started college." Leeciy smiles. "She really likes being in debt apparently."
"Here." I point at forest on the side of the road.
He pulls over and we hop out.
He grabs the bag of food we bring to all Pangaeans from the trunk.
I take a few steps into the dense forest, waiting for Leeciy.
He walks ahead, looking around.
I follow closely behind him, humming.
We see them easily.
Yeeva somehow found a bright orange reflective jacket, and styled her hair into a ponytail.
Michoon wears a striped blue jumper and black pants.
They acquired weapons, a knife laying near Yeeva, and a sawed shotgun next to Michoon. 
I swallow thickly and walk into their camp.
"Hello." I say.
Yeeva grabs her knife. "Hi."
"I'm guessing you speak English." I say.
Michoon pulls out multiple textbooks. "Yes."
"He didn't take as well as I did." Yeeva explains.
Leeciy steps in next to me.
"Another one." Yeeva points out.
"I'm Leeciy, and this is Estelle." He explains.
"Alright." She says.
"We know who you are, no need to explain." I smile, kindly.
"Creepy." Michoon says.
Yeeva nods. "Why are you here?"
"To help." Leeciy grins.
"We don't need your help, Norisks." Yeeva sneers.
"We're like you." I explain.
"Prove it." She glares.
"Let me see that knife, I won't attack you, I promise." Leeciy says.
Yeeva hesitantly hands up her knife.
Leeciy places it on his palm and presses down, dark blood flowing from the wound.
"Gimme." I murmur, taking the knife and cleaning it on my pants. I press the sharp metal in my palm, purple blood rising.
"Pangaean." Michoon says.
I hand the knife back to Yeeva.
"So, what if we don't want to come with you?" She asks.
"You'll be glad you did." Leeciy says. "She saved me."
"We manage fine." Yeeva says.
"Stealing's going to out you as Pangaean." I say. "You do not want to go to the big government labs.
"Not all of us are stupid enough to get caught." She sneers.
Leeciy comes to my rescue. "It would be stupid of you to stay in these woods, once it gets cold, you'll get frostbite, which will turn into gangrene, which could kill you."
"We'll make a fire." She says.
"All the lumber will be wet." Leeciy says. "What water have tou been drinking."
"There's a stream over there." Michoon says.
"That could be flowing with parasites that will eat you inside out, which will end in death." Leeciy counters. "What do you eat?"
"We hunt the animals in this forest." Yeeva says.
"Cooked improperly they could give you salmonella, which won't kill you but it will be very unpleasant." Leeciy says. "Also, you shouldn't be out in the sun everyday, sunburn is the most common cause of skin cancer, which will kill you."
"No, I don't trust you." Michoon says.
"It's survival, Michoon, we leave or we die." Yeeva says.
"No!" He yells, grabbing his shotgun.
"I'm going without you or not." She says.
"Yeeva, think." He says.
She looks over at us. "I did, and I made up my decision, we go."
"No." Michoon growls.
Yeeva stands, Michoon following. "I'm not going."
"Then stay." Yeeva says.
"I wouldn't be able to live without you." I with that, Michoon puts his gun to his head and pulls the trigger.