The Killer In Me / Troy Otto

Chapter Two: Part Fifteen

It was a new day, they just finished digging the grave before the sun began to rise over the tree line ahead. A coldness hung in the air from the chill of the night a sudden change from such hot temperatures but it was a welcome change, some relief from the never-ending burning of their skin. Emmy watched the sunrise as she so often did. The pink and orange colours stretching across the still darkened sky to welcome another day but this day wasn't welcomed with a warm embrace, it was a day of mourning, hurt and anger.

Emmy had brought herself to sit at the guard rails. Her legs dangling over the edge with the heels of her boots tapping against the metal sheeting, dirt still staining her skin. She adjusted the hood of her jumper over her head. It was going to be a long day the brunette just wasn't prepared for especially seeing her best friend barely holding it together but the tap of metal caught her by surprise. Turning her gaze she noticed a mug of coffee sitting beside her.

"How are you doing?" Daniel asked leaning against the railing.

"Kind of a pointless question isn't it" she didn't bother to turn to her father just continued watching ahead.

"At least you tried, Em. You tried to save him" her father attempted to comfort her.

"And failed... It was pointless, dad" Emmy rubbed her hand to her forehead in frustration.

"You tried sweetheart and that's the point" a warm smile began to form underneath the dark stubble " it's so easy to give up especially now but you never do. You didn't fail. Scott was... He was everyone's friend and a good man. You tried to save him, Em. That's all anyone can ask" with a gentle nod of his head he left back down the ladder leaving the girl alone once again.

:::

The funeral was hard to get through, emotions ran high as the watched their deceased friend become buried under the earth. Fighting tears Emmy held Brady's hand as it quivered unsteadily, Kai stood beside them his head hanging low, he hadn't spoken much since it happened none of them had really and when the funeral was over that didn't change as they stood in the yard with the fresh grave in front of their feet.

"I'm sorry, Brae..." Emmy squeezed the blonde's hand.

" It's not your fault" Brady sniffled not bringing her eyes from the ground.

"Kai, are you okay?" Emmy glanced over to the other blonde who's eyebrows were deeply furrowed making it obvious he was in deep thought.

"Yeah..." his voice shook but he was quick to clear his throat to cover it "I have guard duty so... I'm gonna go" he spoke before practically running off.

"I never thought I would see Kai serious" Brady spoke as both their gaze followed the young tattooed man.

"He just lost his best friend.."

"We all lost someone today" Brady sighed "you know..." her eyes wandered the yard "I always liked there wasn't many we had to bury, like it was safe here" her eyes were quick to close tightly as though trying to keep tears from spilling once again "but it's not really... We aren't safe anywhere..."

"Brady..."

" Dont.." she shook her head the mess of blonde flew around her face "please don't... Just go to the infirmary, Em take care of the people we have left" she sniffled once again "before we lose another person" Brady spoke before running off. Emmy wanted to go after her best friend comfort her, tell her it would be okay but she didn't know if it would be and Emmy had known Brady long enough that sometimes she needed space so for a moment Emmy was the last one standing at the graveyard. It was small but it had only been a few weeks and this was the second grave they have had to dig giving a sort of fear amongst the camp.

:::

The infirmary wasn't too busy. Doc's door was shut as usual she mostly handled the sick and wounded cases while Emmy helped with what she could. She would never get that degree she always wanted but it wouldn't stop the brunette from trying to learn how to help everyone she could. To her surprise, the office she usually used was closed. With a twist of the doorknob and a simple pushed it opened for her to be faced with Troy Otto, the ash blonde's eyes travelled over the bed that had been in quite a state yesterday before those baby blues landed on her.

"You cleaned up" he acknowledged.

"Yeah... Couldn't exactly leave it could I" she sighed stepping into the room "what are you doing here?" He didn't reply simply held up his bandaged hand. With everything that had happened, she forgot about removing his stitches.

"Right... Take a seat" The brunette nudged her head to the examining table beside the desk he gave a nod and took the seat as Emmy began gathering what she needed.

"You're hurt?" He more questioned those blue eyes taking in her movements.

"Yes.." Emmy didn't look at him when she answered but quickly gulped back a lump that was suddenly forming in her throat.

"Was he apart of your family?"

"In a way" Emmy answered flatly as she began to remove the bandages from his hand.

"In what way?" He seemed genuinely perplexed by it.

"In the way of almost everyone has been turned into flesh-eating corpses and if you're lucky enough to find other people who you grow to care about... They can become your family" she explained focusing carefully as she took the scissors in hand and began to remove the stitches of his hand.

"But their not really your family" Troy responded his eyes flickering from the newly healing wound to a deep in thought Emmy.

"Troy..." she sighed "just because someone is blood-related doesn't always make them family. Sometimes you go out and make your own family" she snipped the final stitch of his hand before going into removing them "your family are the people who care about you..." Emmy's dark eyes trailed up she couldn't help it with his deeply intent gaze upon her taking in her words "the people who fight for you, help you, support you that's your family" she was upset with Troy still of course but today she didn't have it in her to hold that hostility however Troy was more curious with thoughts of why people reacted the way they did trying to understand that than anything else. People he knew had been lost and that never fazed him too much only on very few occasions had he been affected but it was still interesting to him to get answers and Emmy's explanation had left him curious. Though there were things they had in common there were some things the pair were complete opposites and that was interesting.