Buzz

Red knuckles and wide eyes

Valarie POV

I could still hear the gunshots behind us - although softer. The crunch of the forest floor was like screams in the night. The cold blackness seemed to wrap around my very body. I kept my eyes trained steady for any sign of danger - a rustle in the bush. Anything.

And that was the problem. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to the others. They also stopped, "We're moving too slow." My eyes found the idiot who managed to get hurt inside camp. He was sweating - no doubt from the pain. But survival comes first, pain comes later.

"I-i can go faster", he said through gritted teeth. We couldn't afford to go too slow or a mosquito might land on us. "If we go too slow a mosquito could land on anyone of us. If that happens, one or more of us will turn. We need to move faster so they don't have that opportunity."

"Why would we turn if a mosquito bit us?", that Logan person asked.
"Because blood is the mode of transmission", Will and Elizabeth said in unison. Although, Will said it stoically whereas Elizabeth said it in awe. They looked at one another, Elizabeth seemed sheepish with Matt on her shoulder. Will was as emotionless as ever. I can't even imagine a time where he had readable expressions. But that's a waste of time.

"Let's move."

_______________________________________

I was so close to killing Matt. Hearing him grunt and huff the whole way. I wanted to kill him for being so loud, he was even limping loudly. I also wanted to kill Elizabeth for always whispering to him. Words of encouragement and subtle flirting. I noticed that - despite his silent nature - Will was more quiet than usual.

I had thought I'd broken him out of his shell. He just stared straight ahead but somehow I knew he was straining his ears to listen to the conversation. Thankfully the outline of the cabin was straight ahead so I'd get there without being branded a murderer.

I heard the front door open, "Gloria stay inside." It closed and we all made it inside. Adjusting from almost absolute darkness to even dim light was stunning.

I opened my mouth but Gloria beat me to it, "Give it a rest, I only lit it when I could see you guys coming." I gave her a blank look but set my sword and the bags down. I managed to grab a shotgun, three pistols and an automatic rifle plus maybe two days worth of canned food and peanut butter.

I heard another grunt and spun around to Matt who had just sat on the bed with Elizabeth's help, "Do you plan on making that noise all night?"

Matt just looked down and mumbled a soft apology. I scoffed and sat down on the floor. Being in this cursed cottage made me feel uneasy. The memories appeared in such multitudes. The very dust seemed to shout the name of the previous owner. It took lots of work to shut out the ghost of my past. She's dead and should remain so.

"Matt let me check your ankle", I had forgotten that Will was a doctor.
"It's fine, I can do it", Elizabeth said abruptly.

That's when I noticed it. Will was showing emotion - a volatile one. His body froze and his muscle seemed to clench. His jaw looked like it had locked and his fists clenched slightly. He suddenly turned around. And walked calmly to where Logan was sitting.

Matt then seemed to tense - which was visually easier to pick up since he was larger and less composed than Will. The whole situation was a mess. One I didn't understand. I always struggled understanding emotion, it seemed so unnecessary and illogical to me. Of course I felt emotion but I never understood it, anger, joy...love. It made no sense. It was all a chemical reaction, none of it was real or significant.

I could however understand that there was a competition between Matt and Logan for Will. Ironically Will had no idea it was happening. I would've never pegged him as oblivious.

"Are you okay?" I heard Will ask Logan boredly. Logan had been suspiciously quiet the whole time walking here. I took in his demeanor, red knuckles and wide eyes. I know those eyes, so I started paying him full attention.

"The camp is gone, the people are probably dead and we're all alone in this shitty, rundown cottage with basically no food. Like sitting ducks, man...", Logan breathed out. He started rocking back and forth hugging his knees to his chest. I clutched my sheath closer and kept a firm hand on the handle. People show their biggest change in a situation like this. Reality has started crushing down on him.

"Maybe there's another one, another camp somewhere. We need to find it. Find the other camp so we can be safe, so you can be safe. So we can have a future - a safe future", his wide eyes remained trained on Will and he seemed to be inching closer to him.

"Logan we'll be okay. You've survived this far - we all have - so we'll all be okay, just take a deep breath. Count with me, one, two, three, in, four, five, six, seven, out." Will continued showing him breathing exercise to calm Logan down. Curiously, I looked at Matt through the corner of my eye.

His face was contorted but not in pain, in sheer anger. His jaw clenched and his less red knuckles were turning white from force. But Matt was too soft. I could tell that about him. Too soft is dangerous. I would have to fix that. The world isn't sweet anymore, love stories aren't fashionable or sought after. They're dangerous. They get you killed.

Logan wasn't as soft, as far as I could see. And I'm good at reading people, so he isn't as soft as Matt. But he's far more fragile. Both of them are liabilities, but so is Gloria. I don't have a hand in this one. I can't kill Matt and Logan and expect Will to deal with it. He kept Gloria safe.

I heard soft snores and noticed that she had fallen asleep, "We will sleep in shifts, Matt you sleep first because you're injured", I said in disgust. He looked away timidly and I sneered - too soft. Soon enough everyone was asleep except for Will and I.

The silence was challenging but in a respectful way. We respected eachother but didn't trust eachother yet. We were smart to do so humans are more dangerous because we are capable of thought. Cannibals can't think and have no instinct for survival. Therefore, they can't betray you.

Will was twirling a blade around his hand and I kept my eyes trained on him.
"Matt is weak", I said calmly. He stopped twirling his blade and observed me carefully. I welcomed the gaze.

"Gloria is old", he said evenly. That was the end of our conversation. We were speaking truths but it was a negotiation. A failed one. He knew what I wanted and I knew what he was saying. He was saving Matt. For what reason? I couldn't understand. I suppose a romantic would claim love as the answer. How pointless.

I would know that caring for someone is a difficult and risky thing to do. Gloria isn't exactly an asset.

"Tell me about your dead husband", he said calmly.