We walked for a long while down a gravel path, I, trailing a few steps behind everyone else, as to avoid four pairs of eyes digging their sights into the back of my head. They let me keep my supplies and weapons but the unified sense of distrust about me was obvious in the scilence they kept. Eventually though Tom pointed out a small, clearing where we would camp for the night. We, included me, I guess I earned my keep for the night.
We made a fire, pitched a few tents (they had three 2-person ones with them, Ben lent me his and shared another one with Hal,) and cooked some food. Matt gave me an extra can of soup he had in his pack, I felt bad for taking it, but I felt just a bit more hungry. They were essentially kind at heart, even when they didn't say much at all. Tom broke the scilence.
"So, those people back there weren't your family?" He asks me. I shake my head no.
"So, what were you doing there?" I relay the story of the crash and how I was really about to leave when they had arrived to retrieve their things. Tom nods his head as I talk, processing all my words, really they all do, and I find myself thinking how weird it feels to have people really listening to the words coming out of your mouth. When the apocolypse came around, everyone kind of slipped out of the business of listening and into the one of acting.
"Where is your family?"
"My dad left pre-aliens, my mom and brother," my throat tightens "didn't make it, unfortunatly."
"I'm sorry to hear that." he says solemly.
We sit in scilence again.
"Well, if you've got no place to go, we'd love to have you come back with us to Charleston. We have a settlement there." He flashes a warm smile, apparently he decided I was a non-threat to them. At least not an immediate one.
"That would be nice." I say back, returning the gesture. We then spiral off in idle chatter. They tell me about what life is like in Charleston and the opportunities they have there. Tom tells me that I'll most likely be asked to be a fighter because of my experience in treking the outside world. Eventually, Matt and Tom go to sleep, leaving, Ben, Hal, and I to talk.
"So what were you looking for before we came in the picture?" Hal asks. Out of all the Masons he's definetly the most abrasive of the bunch, but it's still not that harsh compared to others I've met.
"I was looking to get back with some people I knew, we got seperated while fighting off a group of aliens. You know, the crusty ones?" They both chuckle. My thoughts on the other hand, flicker to the picture, to Rebecca. I decide not to say anything to them about it yet, not when I was barely getting aquainted with them.
"You mean skitters?" asks Ben smiling. "I guess so. That's a funny name for them." We all chuckle a little bit in unison. It feels good to have some normal human interaction.
"What were you guys doing when they took your stuff?" I ask them, which shifts the mood into a more serious tone.
"We were looking for our dad's wife Anne and our newborn sister, Lexi. It seems that they ran away, or rather Anne took Lexi away with her." Looking at Ben's eyes while he says this, I know there is more to tell.
"Welp, I'm going to use the bathroom and go to bed. I suggest you both do the same, it's a long journey back to Charleston." Hal says before walking away from the fire.
"Why are we going back to Charleston if your m- Anne is still out there with Lexi?" I ask Ben.
"We need more supplies, and we've been traveling for a week and could use a break, especially Matt. He sees Anne as more of a mom than Hal or I, not to say that we don't, it's just, he's especially close to her."
"But you haven't found her?" I probably should have stopped where I was but I was genuinely curious.
"No, but -" His voice wavers a bit "I'm coming to fear the worst." And with that I leave it alone.
"Do you plan on killing us in the night or leaving or something?" He asks me with one brow raised.
"No, I think I'll check out what the big deal about Charleston is, and I wouldn't have anyone to show me around if I killed you all. Are you planning on abandoning me in the morning?"
"No, that's not the plan as far as I know, I would have to talk to my dad though, it's all up to him." He winks at me and we both laugh again. I could get used to something like this, I think.
He gets up and stomps out the fire. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Good night..."
"Cecelia."
"Ahh yeah, goodnight Cecelia." He says, and goes to shake my hand, which was awkward but nice. And I couldn't help but go to bed, with the corners of my mouth pulled up in a tiny grin.
