Red Spider Lilies [TPN]

Chapter 17

"I can't believe it, we're going to a party! A real party!" Gilda exclaims. "Thank you so much for inviting me."

"No problem, the guy at the coffee shop said it was, and I quote 'A party that is sure to piss off the soldiers'. And since the ministers right hand man is in town, the soldiers can't do anything to us since they got all the paperwork filled out for it." I make a braid along the side of my head, tying it off with a clip on ribbon.

"Though it's kinda funny when you think about it. You would think that the Ministers right hand would be more uptight but he's the guy who has been able to... keep him semi in check." Gilda mumbles off. "As much as you can, at least."

"Right, but let's not focus on that. Let's focus on getting ready and having fun... and not getting caught."

Gilda nods and gives me a thumbs up, and with a grin, quickly says. "This is going to work out just fine."

—-

"Emma, you are stupid." Ray glares down on me. "Now get back inside."

This was not a part of the plan.

"But why? Ray, please let us have fun."

He sighs and gently pats my head, though his facial expression stayed the same. "Emma, this isn't a good idea-"

"-It's only a bad idea if we get caught." I pitch in.

"-Right, still bad. Even worse with those outfits, where did you even get those shorts?" His rant continues. "Even worse, Gilda is too young to be going to a party run by the coffee boy." He sticks out his tongue in disgust.

"Ray, Coffee guy is fine, and Gilda is almost as old we are..." I grab his hand. "If you're worried why don't you just tag along?"

Ray looks at Gilda and then at me. But with a tired look on his face and sigh leaving his mouth her responds. "Fine."

—-

"This is not fine, Emma. We don't know her, we don't know these people. Honestly, Emma, are you trying to die?"

"As a matter of fact, I do not have a death wish. But I do have a new plan that Gillian and her friends will help figure out so we can all collectively make it to safety."

Ray grimaced and looked over at Gillian, who was casually leaning on the door awaiting his response. Slowly he returns his gaze to me and let's out a sigh as he rubs his temples. "Okay fine, but I'm going to have to establish one thing. If they look ever so suspicious, even for a second, we leave as fast as possible."

I smile confidently and signal Gillian to come over. "Don't worry, we won't have to."

Gillian begins walking over and stands next to me. Now that he was on board, in a way, she could probably include herself in the conversation.

He looks at Gillian and with a rather sinister look on his face says. "Well, Gillian, I'm glad to be working together. Now can you take us to your friends so we can meet them."

"Of course, follow me, guys. They're gonna be so excited when they meet you, Emma, and..." she paused for a second. "I never caught your name, actually."

"Oh it's nun-ya-"

Before he can finish I slap his arm. "His name is Ray, and he's got quite the sharp tongue let me tell you."

Ray rolls his eyes but I pay no mind and smile to Gillian. "So take us to your base please."

—-

"Hello, I bring new people, everyone say hi!" Gillian walks in, Ray and I step out from behind.

I look around and see that most of the people here looked around our age, all of them gathered around a small table at the center of the room sitting on couches.

"Hi there, my name is Emma and this is Ray- he doesn't like to talk too much so just ask questions through me." I say extending a hand.

They look around at each other and stare until one boy decided to take up on my handshake.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Nigel. These guys here are a bit surprised that you're here. But nevertheless, we are excited to bring you to our home."

"Thank you for letting us stay here, the most kindness we've been showed by anyone since things went to hell. Literally." I said trying to lighten the mood, only Gillian chuckles while the rest shot each other off glances.

"... well, would you guys like to eat?" One of the boys said.

—-

Later at the table I had found out that the boys name was Oliver. He was a young man and seemed to have a serious face at all times, unless you actually talked to him than he didn't seem so intimidating.

"I say considering we've been living in an abandoned city, we have some pretty good potatoes." Gillian said.

"Ah yes, good potato with sides of potato and maybe-clean water." Said Oliver. "We live the peek of straggler life."

There was a small chuckles between the people at the table who were picking up after themselves, well all but Violet and Ray, who seemed focused on their own things.

"So, Emma, was it? What brings you two over near here? This town leads to nowhere." One of them asks. "The names Zack, by the way."

I shoot a glance at Ray who is playing with his fork, looking at it with the most bored expression you could ever see on someone face.

"Well, we planned to go to the border to ask for asylum. Though Gillian, recently told us of the sudden change of the refugee place." With a sigh I give out a small smile. "So we're changing our plans."

"Is that so? We're just sitting around, avoiding trouble." He takes a plate and walks with me to the sink.

"Ah I wish we could do that, but I feel like every time we stick around for too long things get really bad." I set down my plate gently into the sink and stare at it for a minute. "It always involves me getting directly injured... though better me than Ray, can't imagine lugging him around with a gunshot wound."

"A gunshot wound? So you encountered some soldiers." Zack responses rather surprised. "I haven't seen any of them for awhile now. But more importantly, you're also implying that you got shot?"

I lean against the counter and smile awkwardly. "Well that was a little while ago, a week or two. My leg is fine now."

"Are you sure? Me and Sandy over there were med students, one of us could take a look."

I tilt my head ready to ask further, like if he knew how to remove bullet shards, or if my leg was fine in general, but Ray quickly interrupted.

"Well, I can say that Emma should be fine now." He hangs his arm over my shoulder and pats my head. "Look at her, in tip top shape. Ready for anything. She took down a soldier in her condition, actually-"

I slap my hand I've this mouth and smile nervously. "You know maybe it wouldn't hurt if people with more than basic medical training looked at my leg, Ray. So, I wouldn't mind if you two took a look."

Zack smiles. "Sounds good, I'll go tell Sandy."

We watch him walk out of the kitchen to go converse with the others. It's all good for a moment.

"I tell you we can't trust them yet and you go on and let them look at your injury? Emma, why are you like this?" He sighs leaning onto me.

I shoot a glare as I push him off of me. "They seem to be good people, Ray. You're just a doubtful man." I scoff. "Actually it's too rash to call you a man. I should call you a boy considering how much of a jerk you are to them."

Ray glared at me back. "And you're being to naive to be considered an adult. You're not 8, you should know not to be so trusting of people  who you are, at best, only aquatinted with."

I glared daggers back at him. "Try and stop me from having someone with medical training look at my injury. Unless you want to resort to physical restraint nothing you say will make me change my mind on my decision."