Am I Alone?

Chapter Four

David, Lucinda, David, Lucinda, David, Lucinda

I was going insane. No food or water left. Dehydration and starvation taking their toll. My mind was chanting the same names over and over again, as if thinking their names would bring them here, and end my suffering.

David, Lucinda, David, Lucinda

All of the buildings were empty, all of the land burnt. I wandered aimlessly through the dark landscape, unconsciously licking my lips, my mind continuing to chant those two words over and over again.

David, Lucinda, David, Lucinda

As I became more and more thirsty, my thoughts became more incoherent.

DavidLucindaDavidLucindaDavidLucindaDavidLucinda

My time was running out. I had to find the man, and David and Lucinda. But how could I do that? I woudn't even know where to start. I had only found them before by coincidence. They could be anywhere. My thoughts began to slow as my vision began to go dark.

David... Lucinda... David... Lucinda...

*****

I awoke to find a bottle of water pressed to my lips. I gulped it down as if my life depended on it- which, I suppose, it did. I could feel the effect even as it began to trickle down my parched throat, erasing the pain and dryness that was there. I realised that my eyes were still closed, and peeled them open with great difficulty. A young boy was knelt beside me, holding up my head as he poured water into my open mouth.

He was cute, in a fourteen-or-fifteen-year-old way; he had soft green eyes, partly hidden behind a curtain of dirty black hair. His face was covered in dirt, but that only made him cuter. Not in a I-wanna-kiss-him way, in an aww-he-would-be-perfect-for-my-sister kind of way. Not that she would ever meet him.

I didn't recognise him, but his name came instinctively to mind: David. The David that I was looking for? Who else could he be? There was barely anyone here.

I pushed the water bottle away from my lips, intending to ask him who he was, to see if I was right.

"What's your name, stranger?" I asked, my voice slightly hoarse from lack of use.

"David. David Vernon. What about you?" I was right. But why was I sarching for this boy?

"Alana." I left out my last name, just in case it would mean something to him, like it used to to so many people.

"Nice to meet you." We shook hands. "I'm afraid I don't have any food with me, but I have some back at my house- well, my cave. Maybe we could head back over and get to know each other a bit? Man, I haven't had the chance to say that in a while. Would you mind if I took off my shirt? It's bloody boiling out here."

I shook my head no, then reached for the bottle. I didn't take my eyes off him as he peeled off his shirt and threw it to the ground. I stopped drinking when I saw the scars and fresh cuts all over his chest.

"What happened?" I whispered, my mind immediately bringing back the pictures of what happened to my sister. I shook them off, refusing to face them again just yet.

"Couple of fights with a demented man. Haven't seen you around, have you?"

"As a matter of fact, I think I have." I described him to David, and he frowned.

"That's the one. You aren't hurt? How did you manage that? Maybe he just has it in for me." He laughed. I smiled back, but didn't join in with his laughter.

"Maybe we should get going. It's getting dark, and I don't want to be around when it's dark. I haven't heard any animals, but you never know."

"Oh, there are animals, alright. Dangerous as hell, the lot of them. Don't want to cross them." He held out a hand to help me up, and I tried not to stare at his scars as he lifted me off the ground.

"How far away is this place?"

"Well, that would be telling." he winked and began to walk towards a collection of tree stumps. After a moments hesitation, I followed him, thinking that nothing could be worse than running into that psycho again.