Stars Of Our Lives

Picking A Metaphorical Lock On A Metaphorical Door

The following morning was quiet and empty.

Nothing had changed. There was still endless amounts of chattering as Krel and I sat at the tables, crackers and dried fruit between us. There was still laughter echoing across the tunnels. Still the smell of dirt and the feel of dozens of other bodies in the wide room with us.

But it was different without Eli.

Steve had slept in that day. I knew he was awake when I glanced at him, but I understood if he didn't want to get up. Not yet at least. So I left him alone.

Krel and I sat across from each other in complete silence, my knee bouncing uncontrollably under the table. I wondered if Eli had reached Trenton yet. Probably, after walking all night. He might even be asleep right now, taking shifts just like when he was on the road with us. Or maybe they never made it to Trenton at all and some ring of creeps found them and -

"Is that a hickey?"

My head shot up. "Huh?"

Krel glared as he pointed to my neck. "That."

"Uh . . ." I yanked my hair over my shoulder. "No. It's a mosquito bite."

He did not look convinced.

I saw Steve out of the corner of my eye, slowly working his way toward the table. He lowered down next to me with a blank look on his face. The way he was moving, the way his breathing was so deep but so quiet, it reminded me of a zombie. Like the life had been sucked out of him.

"Hey guys," He said.

"Hey mosquito," Krel replied.

He looked up. "Huh?"

I shot Krel a glare as I tried to laugh it off. "I'm sorry, my little brother is a -"

He kicked me under the table.

"Ouch!"

Oh, that is it.

"I was going to say," I launched my foot into his shin. "An annoying pain in the ass!"

"Oh, Aja - um . . ."

I turned my furious glare towards the voice, coming face to face with Jim. He glanced between Krel and I. Then back at Steve.

"Do you guys . . . need anything?"

"Maybe some bug repellent."

"Argh," I shot to my feet, slamming my palms on the table as I glowered over Krel. But he was just giving me that stupid, shit-eating grin he always gave me when he was being smug. 

The little bastard.

"Uh, Aja?"

"What?" I snapped.

"Claire's awake and . . . Seamus and I think you should be there, you know, for when we try . . . picking the lock?"

"Oh," The anger in me deflated a little. "We're doing that now?"

He gave a nervous smile. "Preferably."

I stepped back from the table, Steve catching my hands as I did so. He gave me a small glance from underneath his blond lashes, the tiniest plea to stay with him. I gave his hand a squeeze.

"I'll be back soon," I promised.

He exhaled softly, but released my hand. Krel mimicked a gag.

"And I'll be back for you sooner," I growled, stabbing a finger at him before whipping around and following Jim out the tunnel. Ugh, that kid. The next comment he makes, he'll be losing some teeth.