The Sky Beneath Us (on hold)

FIFTEEN

Day 27. 20:41.

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Avery sat at the patchy entrance gates to The Settlement, a rusted assault rifle in hand and a wide smile on his face. In the fourteen days he was here, he had settled in more than comfortably. At the beginning, he stayed on the floor of Becca's place for a few nights, then moved into his own shack when Mark and his fellow Builders constructed it. He didn't mind sleeping on Becca's floor - it was comfortable when the blankets were put down first. He and Becca had grew damn close in the time since his rescue, and well, that made Avery's blood pump fast even just thinking about it. There was something there between them, but Avery dared not mention it to her.

The Settlement itself had almost doubled in size. New people joined them regularly. Chad was struggling to stay off the alcohol, which was a scarce commodity in the colony. He was out of Sadie's hospital just a day after Avery, and signed up to become a Runner - to scavenge for booze no doubt. Wesley took a full week to recover, and even now walked with a limp. He was usually found helping Sadie in the stuffy confines of the hospital - a good way to stay busy until he was ready to commit to the Fighters. A marine would be a great addition to a force of two SWAT police officers, a former soldier and a band of 'trainees' - Avery among them. But he was learning. He, Pam and Sid were fitting in well amongst the older hands. Every day they trained, and every day Avery became stronger.

"What the heck are you all smiley about?" Eve enquired, appearing beside him and punching his arm gently. She pulled up a nearby stool from inside the door of the security office and planted herself firmly on it, leaning forward eagerly to hear any gossip Avery might have had.

Avery turned on his chair to face her, setting the gun down beside his feet.

"I don't know...I'm just, happy. I'm here two weeks, two weeks, and it feels like...well, home".

"This is our home" Eve whispered quietly. Her usually upbeat and flirty vocal tone flattened. There was a strained look upon her face, almost a look of pain. Avery leaned closer to his friend.

"Hey, Eve, what's wrong?" he asked, now concerned.

"Nothing. Well, yeah something's wrong. I just, I miss home you know?" she replied sadly. "I told myself that I'd go back, once this Flip thing ended. One month on, nothing's changed. I feel like I've abandoned a part of myself. It was my family home, after all".

Avery felt a sharp pang of pain deep inside him. Family.

"Do you think about them much, your family?" he asked, trying to block the urge to break down. No, he must not, he was stronger than this.

"I do. Every day. But they're dead, I know that for a fact".

"How? Maybe they survived the Flip?"

She sighed sadly before replying in a sorrowful tone.

"They died before the Flip, Avery".

Ignoring his own despair, Avery leant closer, placing his hand on her shaking knee.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Are you alright, Eve?"

"I'm sure she's just fine" came a voice from behind him.

Both jumped in their seats and looked towards the origin of the voice.

A tall, blonde man leant against the wall, a hunting rifle slung over his shoulder and a cold glare in his eyes. His fists were clenched around the strap of his backpack, his knuckles pronounced threateningly.

"Brady", Avery sighed, "you're back".

"Yeah, I'm back, and you didn't even hear me coming, let alone the group of Runners behind me. Seriously Eve?" he darted his finger towards Avery, "this is what we're relying on to protect us from scum?"