SOJOURNER (III): tmr gally

41: I shouldn't lie

Leo 41

Thomas shuffles beneath me, but I try to cling on to sleep for any second longer. I can still feel the sun beating against me so I keep my eyes shut. My skin feels tight. Even though I am trying to avoid the day, I can feel it weighing into my skin.

"Don't wake her up," I hear Harriet hiss. I keep my eyes close, assume she is talking about me. Hopefully, Harriet is talking about Teresa, but I don't dare let the hope open my eyes.

"Why?" Thomas asks. He stills next to me.

"We have questions for you, not Leo," Harriet continues. So, she is talking about me.

"What can't she know?" Thomas stumbles on his words. I can hear him leaning in closer to her, straining against the ropes that tie him to the tree. "Have... have you decided not to kill me?"

"Don't be a stick," that's Hilde cutting in. "We'll still get murked if we don't."

"Our Rachel died though, a long time ago. We wanted to see what you would do in our shoes." Harriet's voice is smoother and less accusatory than Hilde's. "Would you kill Rachel for a chance to let all your friends live?"

"He could've been briefed by Dawn or Leo already," Hilde snaps back. "We could just be wasting our time."

Harriet doesn't answer. I don't know what she does. It may be easier to eavesdrop while pretending to be asleep, but it is significantly harder to understand what is going on.

"Sonya suggested asking you," Harriet mutters, quietly. I can't tell if Harriet whispers because Sonya is sicker now than before, or if she is dead. I hope neither. Honestly, I've got nothing against the majority of the girls here. Especially Sonya.

It already sucks enough that Marie died.

"Weigh in then, stick," Hilde sighs. She plants herself against the ground.

Thomas shifts slightly, causing me to move. I try not to show signs of waking though. "Honestly, I wouldn't kill me."

Someone stands up. "Told you this was a waste of time."

"I'm serious," Thomas offers. "Like, this seems like a test by WICKED. What good would come from killing me?"

I can feel my chest tighten. Where is Teresa? She can't be nearby, or else this conversation wouldn't be happening. Most of the people who support us have died or disappeared. Hilde and Harriet never were the biggest fans of Teresa, but those are two of the most cutthroat girls here. They'd do anything to keep everyone alive, including killing Thomas.

"He's just trying to save his own skin," Hilde continues, hissing to Harriet.

"Not entirely," Thomas continues. He jolts underneath me, but I manage to keep my eyes from fluttering. "The trials have all been to measure our reactions to things, right? Like, the Killzone stuff?"

Neither of them answers him, at least not for a beat. I shouldn't jump to Thomas's defence, no matter how much I want to protect him. It'll only draw attention to him. What good will that do me?

"The kid's looking out for his own neck," Harriet sighs.

"He's right though, so the group has a right to hear him out before we axe him," Hilde cuts her off, looking around. She kicks me in the leg, and my body jolts. "Quit pretending to sleep, would you? You look like a load."