𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 ➪ «𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛»

ch. XXV - 《safety is overrated》

oOo

They were almost at the Quarry. After the adrenaline had trickled down on the ride over, Diana had started worrying. Had everyone gotten out safely? What would her parents say when they found out about how much danger she'd been in? How would the survivors react now that her secret was out? Would it spread? Would she have to bring justifications? Would she be ostracized?

She had many anxieties over that matter.

The rush of air whipped her hair in front of her face. Diana curled it behind her ear and looked out the rolled down window at the sparkling waters of the lake. She was enjoying the scenery until her stomach started turning and clenching due to Glenn's carefree and nausea inducing driving around every curve.

She slapped a hand over her belly and glared at Glenn. "Can you stop that? I know you're doing it on purpose, man, it's not funny." She felt something rise up her esophagus. "I will puke on you, Glenn, I ain't warning you twice."

Glenn laughed, then shouted over the blaring of the alarm, "You're such a spoil sport, Diana." He started driving straight nonetheless, a teasing smile on his lips. "That better?"

"Yeah, much. Thanks, stupid-ass." Diana pouted to hide a smile.

Glenn snickered at her irritability. He drove up the entrance road and into camp where many people were already there to receive them. Among them was Shane, whose stalk in their direction and deep furrow of his brow could only indicate trouble for them.

Diana rolled her eyes at the sight of him. The alarm in her ears made it easy to guess what his scowl was about. It annoyed her because she agreed with him this time.

She and Glenn climbed out of the car. It was even louder from the outside and Dale was shouting at Glenn to shut it off.

There was a confusing jumble of noises. Shane demanding the hood to be popped, Amy drilling Glenn about her sister's whereabouts and wellbeing, the car alarm resounding in her head. The amalgamation made everything seem to spin.

Diana huffed with nausea and bent at the waist while grabbing on to the roof of the car. "Ah Dios mío," she mumbled under her breath.

She walked around the front of the car and shoved the borrowed machete into Shane's grip. "I didn't need it," she informed without sparing him a glance and shouldering her bow purposefully. Then, she turned to Amy, whose eyes were wide like she was on the verge of tears. "Andrea's fine, alright? Everyone made it out safely."

Jim finally turned off the alarm by disconnecting something under the hood of the car. It engulfed them in welcomed relative silence and Diana heard Amy ask, "Is that true, is she okay? Is she alive?"

"Sweet baby Jesus, am I that questionable?" Diana mumbled and rolled her eyes half-heartedly.

She heard her name being yelled in her native tongue and was almost thrown off her feet by a large body colliding into her. She was enveloped in strong arms that she recognized all too well. "Pai? Hey you, I'm okay, man, I'm okay," she said from above his shoulder.

She put her arms around his middle and patted his back comfortingly. She heard her dad sigh deeply, a shuddered, emotional sigh that prickled Diana's heart. "Hey, I'm back in one piece, nothing's missing. I'm fine, I'm safe."

He finally let go and held her at arm's length. His face wasn't zealous with hazel-green eyes bright because his daughter's safe return - like she'd expected - instead, the lines of his face were hardened, accentuating his age. A frown deepened his crow's feet and the crease between his brow. He looked aged with worry and ire.