AM13 Outbreak Shorts

One Year On - Sixteen (Katie)

Katie

"Still no sign of him?" Ryan asks me smugly.

I sigh but don't turn around to face him. I don't want to give him any satisfaction. His words are getting to me, of course they are, but I don't want him to know that.

"He mustn't be back," Ryan continues, poking the bear. "Or you wouldn't be forlornly leaning over the fence, wondering where he is as darkness shrouds us."

"Shut up," I shoot back pettily. "He'll be back any moment and I just want to wait for him alone."

But of course, Ryan ignores me and he climbs up the ladder to join me on my plank of wood. The watching post which is usually manned by a guard but today just has me.

"You used to like me," he reminds me. "I think you liked me for a long time?"

I swivel and stare at him, wide-eyed. "You knew?"

"Of course I knew! I just didn't go for it then."

"No, you had two other women as girlfriends instead."

I focus my eyes back out on the long path ahead of us. The long, dark, empty path which Oliver and Danny have to come back down any moment.

"Yeah, but they were never quite you, were they?"

He shimmies closer to me in a way that I'm sure he assumes is cute, but is actually quite annoying. I make a point of moving away.

"Oh, come on, Katie. Don't be like that. I'm sure I hurt your feelings by never reciprocating your feelings, but I'm here now. So are you. There must be a reason we have both survived."

"The reason we are both alive is because of Oliver. Make no mistake about that. He saved my life over and over again and he rescued you from the hospital as well."

Ryan says nothing, but I notice his arm edge towards me. Once upon a time I would have given anything for Ryan to notice me, but that time is long passed now. I only want to be with Oliver, nothing about Ryan attracts me anymore. I don't think it ever will. The apocalypse has brought out a different side of both of us and I don't like what it's done to him.

"Ryan. I asked you to leave me alone and I stand by that."

His finger reaches out to brush down my cheek and I snatch away as if I have been shocked.

"Katie, everyone is having fun here but you. This is the end of the world and people are taking that as an excuse to have a good time. Me and you could have some fun."

I'm horror struck by this, I absolutely cannot believe he's saying these words to me. What the hell is wrong with him? Oliver goes and five minutes later he thinks I want to be with him? No way. Not a chance in hell. But I already know that asking him to leave will be pointless because he just won't go.

For now, I'm stuck.