Beyond What We Know [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 9 - In-Between Frames

I... think I know what to do.

It had been four days. It was time for the monthly market trip and I was obviously tagging along for this one. Kayla was coming with CK and I, and it was the perfect opportunity to initiate the plan I'd devised. It's a pretty simple one, really: I had left my phone charging overnight so there would be no accidents or surprises, and was going to use it to snap a picture of an empty, clean wall in a place that would be easy to find – the destroyed buildings behind the market – so that I could come back to it later and see if anything had changed.

"Ella, we're ready! You coming or what?" Kayla called me from outside the house and I sprinted downstairs and out the door.

"I'm here, I'm here!" I jumped into the truck and made myself comfortable in the back seat to the lovely sound of CK chortling at the apparatus I caused.

I was looking out the window the entire time and didn't even realise how fast we got to the market. We all stepped out of the truck after CK parked it and made our way to the leader.

"Hey, Brett, how are you doing?" CK shook his hand and Kayla and I waved and smiled.

"As good as can be, my friend, you know how it is", he chuckled and smiled back at us.

They were a small community, actually half the size of our own, but they were crazy efficient. There was a large van sitting in the middle of an imperfectly built circle consisting of just a handful of small wooden stands with once colourful awnings, now dull and greyish due to frequent use and exposure to the elements. The stands didn't have any food products on them; instead, they had miscellaneous devices and mechanical parts – it was their specialty. We had made a deal with them when we met them after moving to Eaglecreek. We'd provide them with fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat, and in return, they'd hook us up with whatever spare stuff they could find that looked like it could be useful. I guess you could say the two communities developed a sort of symbiotic relationship – and it worked wonderfully well.

"We brought the usual", CK pointed at his pickup truck, resting merely a few dozen feet behind us. "Got anything new? Maybe along the lines of fuel? Or construction tools? Ours are giving out and I'd hate to be caught off guard, you know?"

"Off the top of my head, I'm not quite sure, but I got a feeling luck may be on your side, fellas."

"Hey, Brett? Mind if CK and I check out those buildings over there?" The three destroyed buildings that played a crucial role in my plan.

"Oh, you mean the ruins? Yeah sure, just don't wander off too far", he winked.

CK gestured at me as if asking "what was I doing" and I gestured back telling him to come with me. He sighed and pulled a folded paper out of his back pocket, which he gave to Kayla after exchanging a few words. I assumed it was a list of some of the things we needed. She accepted the list, nodded and followed Brett inside the van. As for CK, he jogged up to me as I undauntedly marched toward the partially decayed buildings.

"Ella, what is this about?"

I whipped out my phone. "I'm gonna have you as a witness. None of you will be able to doubt me once I get this done."

"This is about the graffiti, isn't it? I should've known you wouldn't let it go..."

I stopped and he stopped moments after. "Of course I'm not letting go. Not until I either find out that it's just some dumb kids thinking they're funny, or find out that there's actually something going on. CK, I have everything but good feelings about this. Why is it so hard for the group to trust me? Why is it so hard for you to trust me?"