Our Broken World

Chapter 33

We keep driving for quite some time until we're far away from the city; far away from the fight that is raging there. We make our way through the dark of the night, going back in the direction we came from.

I look at Mikey, who's peacefully sleeping in the back seat, Mr. Dino tightly enveloped in his arms. I managed to keep my backpack intact throughout the whole mess. I only did it for Mikey, so he could hug his Dino again. And now as I'm looking at him lying there so tranquil, I see it was worth it.

I turn my gaze to Dylan, his eyes watching the dark road steadily, his hands firmly on the steering wheel, his focus solely on driving. He catches me staring at him, looks at me and smiles. I smile too, and put one arm around his neck and the other one on his chest. I can feel his heartbeat underneath my palm, so calm, so steady, so alive.

I lean my head against his shoulder and say: ''We made it.''

He kisses my forehead and says: ''I always knew we would. With you as the leader, anyone can achieve anything.''

''Okay, now you're exaggerating,'' I say smiling. The truth is, I actually love it when he gives me compliments like that.

''Taya, with you, I'm never exaggerating. You are so strong. Stronger than anyone I've ever met. Stronger than any soldier or any monster that roams this world,'' He says seriously and I raise my head a little to look at him.

''You're strong too. Stronger than me,'' I say to him.

He looks at me for a moment and tells me: ''Physically, yes. But mentally, you've outdone everyone on this planet. Nobody could've done what you did. You've survived despite what you've endured. This world may be broken and crazy and ruined, but it makes you stronger and braver.''

I smile and kiss his cheek gently. ''It makes us stronger. We make each other stronger. And I couldn't have done any of it without you.''

I can feel his lips form into a smile as I press a quick peck onto them.

We soon stop, because we've been driving for a long time, so we're now far away from the chaos. Besides, we know that if we drive for too long, we will attract unwanted attention from the Mixed, even if we are on the main road, away from the big forests. So we park somewhere, at a seemingly old, abandoned lay-by, or at least that's what it seems like in the darkness of the night. Once we stop, we settle into the slightly uncomfortable, but warm car seats and slowly drift off to sleep. It's peaceful out here, but I still unintentionally wake up almost every hour to make sure Mikey and Dylan are both still in the car with me. I feel a little afraid of losing them again, but I also feel grateful that we're all back together, that they're both next to me again and I feel determined to keep it that way.

When the sun is only barely visible on the horizon, I wake up again, and realize I might've woken up less times than I actually though; I guess I really was exhausted. But I drift off to sleep once more, and fully arise in the morning, when the sun is slowly starting to make its way over the trees and light up everything around us. I look to my left and find Dylan gazing at me peacefully.

''I never realized you're so calm when you sleep,'' He whispers.

I smile and stroke his cheek. God, I love him.

After a few moments of much needed harmonious silence, I start a conversation that was bound to happen. ''What do we do now?'' I ask the question that has probably been on both our minds throughout the night.

''I don't know. I guess we keep going until we find a place to stay for a while. We can't drive around forever; we'll be out of gas soon,'' He says.

A little bulb lights up in my head and I say: ''You know, we could go to Rick's house. I know there're bodies there, but we could bury them. That house is fully equipped and it has its own water source and power plant for electricity. The location is secure, so it's quite safe. It even has a garden, so we could grow our own vegetables and fruit. Without the Mixed's blood, of course.''

Dylan nods and responds: ''It's a good idea. And I think we're not actually that far away from it. We could try to find it and drive there.''

I nod and say: ''Together we can build a home there.''

''Yeah. Together. The three of us,'' He says, puts his forehead on mine for a second and then kisses my lips softly, gently, while the sun's rays gradually start to wash over us.

''Would you please stop? I don't want to look at you smooching all day,'' Says a voice in the back of the car – Mikey's awake. He's still got bags under his eyes, because of the injection, but the boss guy assured me the effects will disappear. I think he wasn't lying, because I can already see Mikey getting better. I mean, if he's saying stuff like that, then he's definitely getting better and slowly returning to his former self.

''Oh really?'' I say playfully. ''So would you rather receive a few of these oh-so-terrible smooches?''

I grab him before he can slip away, and start tickling him. Then I bury him in kisses. He wiggles in my arms and laughs so much he uses up all the air inside his lungs.

''Stop it, Taya!'' He yells while laughing.

When I finally do stop, he looks at me sincerely and says: ''I told you, I'm not a little kid anymore.''

I smile. I know that. I've know it for a long time. This world made him grow up and see things from a different perspective. But no matter what, he'll always be my little brother.

And I am reminded of the fact that even though he has matured a lot, he is still a child, my little brother, when he sadly looks at me and tells me: ''I was so scared. But I knew you'd come for me. I knew you'd come. You promised. And you never break a promise.''

I stroke his soft, delicate cheek and say: ''Of course I'd never break a promise. I never will. Cross my heart and hope to live.''

Then I hug him tightly, feeling peaceful knowing he's here with me again.

He leans back into his seat and I instruct him: ''Put your seat belt on.''

He rolls his eyes and responds: ''It's not like we might have a car crash.''

''Hey, do not object and put your seat belt on, Mikey,'' I say again, looking at him seriously.

''Listen to your sister, young man,'' Dylan helps me.

''And why should I listen to you? Are you my sister's boyfriend now?'' Mikey says rolling his eyes again.

''Yes, that's exactly what I am. Your sister's boyfriend. So you better listen to me. I'm ever stricter than her,'' Dylan says, but with a gentle voice and a smile on his lips.

Mikey sighs as if disappointed and says, seemingly annoyed: ''Fine.''

But as he puts the seat belt over his shoulder, I notice a smile on his lips. I grin at him, but when he catches me, he immediately looks away as if he didn't see it. The smile is still plastered on his face though, and I know he's happy.

I'm happy too, and am probably beaming with pleasure when I turn in my seat so I am facing Dylan. He turns his gaze towards me and says: ''More like a soulmate.''

''What?'' I ask, looking at him.

''You're more like my soulmate,'' He responds, strokes my cheek and smiles.

''And you're mine,'' I tell him. We both smile at each other and then he starts the car and drives off into the direction of Rick's house.

As we're slowly, peacefully driving towards the rising sun, I observe our surroundings. Everything is broken and destroyed, yet right now, the world seems beautiful. It seems strong and persevering. It seems full of hope and happiness. We drive off towards a world that is not perfect; it's far from it. A world that's damaged, crushed and cruel. But it's not without hope and faith. Because it has us. It's our  world and together we'll make it better.