They Are Not Human

Chapter 13

Silence filled the nighttime sky, and it was bitterly cold. The wind was harsh, and would take your breath away with every strong gust. It took a while before anyone had the courage to speak up. Darrel came forward and suggested that we give the little girl a proper funeral, and not some shallow grave. Everyone nodded their head in silence as Darrel wrapped her delicate body in a few thin wrappings that he had.

Before we left the site I had to know where she was found, and if there was others that could be saved. Ruth informed that one of the guys found her in one of the chambers, near the front door, strapped to a medical bed. She said it was like they had just forgotten about her and left her there to suffer the worst way imaginable.

The little lump developed in my throat, as I thought about the suffering she had endured in her short little life. What a horrible way to go. These monsters knew no bounds. I could feel the fire ignite inside of me, and I made the silent oath to avenge her death. I didn't know what that meant or would entail just yet, but I knew I wouldn't let this go. The situation had permanently changed something inside of me.

The walk was a quiet one back; everyone lost in their own thoughts. It had to be almost midnight by the time we got back, and everyone was exhausted from the day. I briefly took note that the metal object was still embedded in Arlo's arm, and that he should seek medical attention before we did anything else.

I quickly approach him, and give him an awkward smile. "Hey" I say, not knowing how else to start the conversation.

"Hey" Arlo responds with some cheesy finger guns, looking unsure.

"So about what happened tonight..."

Arlo glances at the rusted object in his arm, and back at me. I could hear him chuckle as he recalled the gruesome memory. "Well, I have to hand it to you Zia, you definitely know how to leave your mark on somebody."

I gawked at Arlo in disbelief. There was nothing funny about this situation. I had lost all my morals in there, hurting him in the process, and all he could do was laugh about it? "I don't see what's so funny about it" I growl.

"You need to learn to lighten up". Arlo says dismissing my comment with a wave of his hand.

I just glare at him. Why was everything some huge joke to him!

Arlo registers the look on my face, and begins to back pedal. "Listen Z, I'm not saying we shouldn't talk about it, but I think the conversation can wait for the morning, given the circumstances of recent events. Dontcha think?"

He was right. There was too much to discuss right now anyways, and I was way too emotionally exhausted to do so. "You're right" I sigh defeated.

Arlo gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder that there were no hard feelings. "Ruth!" I hear him yell.

A few minutes later, Ruth comes hobbling over, and we sit quietly as she examines his injury. "So how did you manage this one?" she asks with motherly concern.

Arlo glances at me, asking me for permission on what to say. I gave him a pleading look to make up some lie. Normally I hated stooping that low, but I didn't want the crusaders thinking I was up to no good; especially since I was going to call this home for a while.

"Oh ya know," Arlo says hesitating for a minute "I fell..."

Ruth gestures to the object that was now on the ground, as she stitches him up with precision. "You fell?" she says with disbelief, trying to make sense of his terrible lie.

I could feel myself slap my forehead in disappointment. The lie was so lousy. Ruth gives Arlo a strange look, but decides to not say anything. She clearly had a lot of other things on her mind, and didn't have the energy to figure out what trouble Arlo had gotten himself into now.