Us Against the Apocalypse

16 - Something's Not Right

Leaving the pool, though it was temporary, felt somewhat poignant, as if she was locking away a chapter of her life. She knew she'd be back, but whether she'd be back as the same person was currently unknown.

It all depended on whether the visit provoked any memories.

Best case scenario, it would, but nothing extreme enough to force her out of her current home.

Nick had to have been wrong - there was no way she'd really leave. The small group of them were now heading across piney terrain towards the nearby school; part of Bluebell wished she'd called the whole thing off when she'd still had the chance.

Not only were they risking their lives out here, but Bluebell wasn't even sure whether she wanted it, and if something happened then it'd all have been for nothing. The risks were small, sure, but they were still there.

'Is this whole thing worth it?' She turned to Arlo who she happened to be walking alongside; his eyes flickered in her direction the second he heard her speak.

'Is what worth it?' Arlo, who'd been thinking about something else entirely, needed confirmation.

'This whole adventure, if that's what you can call it.' Bluebell shrugged half-heartedly; in hindsight, she wasn't sure whether Arlo had been the right person to ask. 'I'm not sure if I wanna do it anymore.'

'It's a bit late for that.'

'I know...'

'At the end of the day, it's not gonna do much,' Arlo pointed out. 'We all knew from the start that it was shit. This isn't even your school, after all. It's just a field trip if nothing else.'

'Yeah, you're right...'

Arlo didn't think replying was necessary in the situation so kept his mouth shut.

Bluebell's main worries hadn't been quenched but she supposed that Arlo had at least made an effort, and that in itself was helpful enough. All she needed to do now was get this whole thing over with. It'd be a nice day out with some friends, nothing more and nothing less.

If that was the truth, then why did she feel so uneasy?

'You guys are really dragging behind!' Harley called from up front, scribbling in his diary as he plodded on. 'Can't you speed up a bit?'

Arlo, perhaps to prove a point, sprinted off and stopped by Harley, almost knocking him over in the process. After this, a playful argument between them ensued, and Bluebell was still left behind. She sped up, joining Leo at the front of the group, and wondered what to say.

'Are you excited?'

As it turned out, he was the first to speak anyway. Bluebell wasn't totally sure whether to lie and keep him happy or tell the truth and crush his heart. It was anyone's guess which she'd actually end up doing.

'I can't help but worry about everyone at the pool,' her brother went on, 'even though I know they're in good hands. I guess it's just because I'm so used to protecting them. Also, I've been thinking...'

'About what?'

'Do you think that, after finding out about our father, you were running through the forest to find me?'

It was an option that even Bluebell, who'd gone through pretty much every scenario in her head, had never considered before. She'd expected that she'd been running and left it at that - she'd never linked the location to the situation at all. Had she even known that Leo lived there?

Instead of expressing her opinion directly, she decided to change the subject. 'Why did you even move to the pool? You could've stayed at home with me. Don't answer if it's personal.' One of the biggest questions being Leo's sister rose was why they hadn't been together in the first place.