Walking Amongst Them (Among Us, Book 2)

Getting Better

"Can Kodi read to me today?"

I glanced at Michael. Since my talk with Beck the night before, I'd been doing everything in my power to avoid him. Which meant I'd spent the better part of the morning with Abby. He'd once told me that he'd go at whatever pace I needed to, but I didn't want to focus on us right now. It felt wrong, and I didn't like that it felt that way.

Michael looked at me in surprise, "I suppose so, did you want her to read-"

He didn't have the chance to finish though, because Abby was speaking over him.

"Can she read Alice?"

I blushed, and Michael simply laughed.

"Can I stay while she reads or would you like some girl time?"

Abby sat up a little, squishing her nose up a bit as she pondered his question. Michael raised an eyebrow, and Abby smiled cheerfully.

"You can stay. Girl time."

She had been feeling a lot better when I walked in this morning, and I hoped it was a sign that she would be allowed out of bed soon. She had been too weak to do much more than take what medicines we had and sleep. Now she seemed to be full of energy, and ready to go outside where she knew the snow was.

I grinned at Michael, and he rolled his eyes in return. But instead of complaining over having been called a girl, he cuddled in next to his little sister and looked at me expectantly.

"Story time, Kodi. Read to us."

Abby turned to him sharply and gave him a look I didn't understand. Michael amended.

"Read to us, please."

"Sure," I laughed, "just let me go see where Adam put the book. I think he stashed it somewhere."

Outside the tent was always colder than I expected it to be. The small heater inside letting me forget that the wind and snow were unforgiving. I would have put on my other coat, but I knew once I returned to the heated tent I would only start to sweat. It made me wonder if Abby had winter clothes.

I found Adam by the fire, sitting next to Clarke and Sam. Leo lay at Sam's feet, ever the watchful. I found it a little amusing that whenever my dad seemed to walk by, Leo growled. But it also made me sad to see him, as he reminded me of Chip.

"Hey Adam, do you know where the copy of Alice in Wonderland went?"

Clarke tilted her head, but I ignored her silent question, eyes focused on Adam. He looked up to the sky, as if the clouds could answer my question for him, and sucked in a soft breath.

"I don't remember . . . I think we might have left it at the safe house," he admitted sheepishly.

"When he says we," Sam interjected, "he means himself."

Adam punched Sam in the shoulder lightly, "It was an accident."

I shrugged at them, "It's fine, I think I can remember it anyways. It's not that hard. Abby just likes the pictures that the book had."

He nodded, and apologized again. I shrugged him off and smiled, letting him know that it really wasn't that big of a deal, and headed back to Abby's tent. Inside the tent I had to explain that the book was gone, and then I told it by memory.

Abby stayed up for the entire story. Part of me was happy that she was feeling so much better as to stay awake, but the other part was getting tired of telling the long story as I tried to recall most of the details. Towards the end I started to slip on the details and simplify it, my voice getting tired from the long winded tale.