Citizen Z

Chapter 35

516 days since the virus spread.

Around 3 am.

It's pitch dark, no source of light anywhere. There isn't even a moon tonight, it's just darkness. You can't even see out, that's how dark it is. In the distance, you can see Pete's camp lights through the thick trees but it's minimal.

Luckily Ray managed to sneak his torch before they took us hostage. It's currently on the ground, lighting up everything, well what there is to light up. There are just a lot of shadows and we can barely see each other.

"Let me out!" Mikey cries, banging on the cell's door for the hundredth time, but a strike of thunder silenced his cries.

It's storming terribly outside. Heavy rain with lightning and thunder. The lighting cracks loudly.

We're all wet and freezing.

I'm not sure where they've taken us, but it's just a bit outside of the camp. We were forced to keep our heads down or else we would've been shot.

I'm not even joking, Pete doesn't play nice.

We've been locked into some weird tree cell thing.

There's a huge tree which they carved into and just added a cell door. There's absolutely no way out of this thing, the tree is too thick for our blades to cut through and the bars are too strong to bend. The lock is way too sturdy to break.

I really don't know how we're going to get out of here. We can't get out, trust me, we've tried. Everything, we tried everything.

I'm sure everything will work out, right?

The cell is cold and wet, muddy too. The water leaks from the top of the tree's leaves, making everything mush. The heavy rain pours in here as if it is a waterfall, making mud as thick as cake batter.

Damn I would love cake right about now, sorry, not the point.

I'm absolutely freezing and wet, so is Frank, Mikey and Ray. We're really just trying to survive the night.

These conditions are inhumane.

Pete and their guys don't really care if we parish, as long as we make it until Bert and the gang gets here. As long as they get their reward, they're happy. They left us here with nothing, not even a blanket or food, while they sleep in their cozy tents which blocks out the rain.

Who thought this would've happened 24 hours ago?

Actually who thought everything we've worked and fought for the last few months turned out to be for nothing? We had so many obstacles and problems while trying to get here.

And it was all for nothing, we just got fucked over. Again, just like every other time. Can't we just get some form of peace? What have we done that was so wrong?

I'm frustrated, just thinking about this whole mess makes me want to burst out in tears and give up.

What else am I suppose to do?

Just accept to being one of Bert's trophies?

Everyone is frustrated and annoyed, there's definitely tension between all of us.

"Cut it out, you're going to hurt yourself." Ray says bitterly, he sounds pretty pissed off.

Mikey puts his head against the bars and sighs deeply, then turns his back to the door and slides down the inside of the tree trunk to sit down. He rests his arms and head on his knees. He sighs heavily.

Ray and Mikey sit miles apart from each other, exactly the opposite of us. I guess they don't find it comforting to be close to each other , especially in a time like this. Ray is sitting alone in the dark, furthest away from us.

I know Ray looks and sounds mad, but he still cares about Mikey. He just shows it in a interesting way. Much different than I do.

I guess he just needs his space?

Frank is cuddling with my arm as he watches everything, that's his way of feeling comfort. I know he's petrified of the storm, he feels safe when I'm with him. Frank's freezing, he's shivering as he sits next to me. I've already given him my jacket, I don't have anything more to give, I wish I did.

His head gently rests on my shoulder as he holds it. I rest my head on his, watching Mikey looking miserable. I can tell he misses Ray.

I wish Ray would just comfort him, he needs it now more than ever.

Frank holds my hand, trying to warm it up by rubbing it up and down to get the blood flowing. It's staring to work, I can actually feel my fingers.

"You're freezing, are you sure you don't want your jacket back?" Frank asks, looking at me with his pretty eyes and soaking hair.

"I'm okay, sweetheart. You just stay warm." I say and kiss his forehead. I could feel him smile under my lips as I kiss him.

Frank snuggles up with me and makes me hold him around his waist, making sure he can get as much body heat as possible. Well, I think it will help me more, I'm as cold as an ice cube.

"We'll get out of here, I know we will. We just need to stick together and get through the night." Mikey says and crosses his legs, now leaning against the inside of the tree trunk as he sits down.

Mikey suddenly stands up and walks over to me. I watch him as he walks up to us. He comes to sit down on my other side, then also cuddles himself up with me. He's freezing too.

"Your hands are so cold!" I squeak as he puts his freezing hands under my shirt to warm them.

Ray remains stubborn and sits on his own, I can see him shivering from the cold too. Body heat would make it easier for us to make it through the night. I could feel myself already heating up.

"Come sit here with us, you'll feel better," Mikey says, kindly inviting Ray to come join the snuggle fest going on, "We need each other to get through the night."

Ray rolls his eyes for a second, but then doesn't hesitate to come and snuggle up with us. He quickly walks up to the group and decides where he's going to place himself. It wasn't a hard choice, I expected him to sit next to Mikey as he did.

Before he sits down, Ray takes his jacket off and then throws it over his and Mikey's chest, trying to warm them up. Mikey stops holding onto me and then cuddles with Ray, while still keeping thorough, direct contact with me with his back. The closer we are together, the warmer we will feel.

Mikey holds tightly onto Ray and Ray just rests his head on Mikey's, holding him close. His arms are around him.

I could see the adoring twinkle in Mikey's eye. Mikey really loves that stubborn man, with all of his heart. I can see that.

"What are we going to do?" I ask hopefully, looking over at Ray for answers.

There's a moment of silence.

"I don't know, there's no way we're getting out of here. They got us, for real this time." Ray sighs and Mikey rubs Ray's hand with his thumb.

"Don't be so negative, Ray, we've been in worse situations than this and we managed to get out too. I know we might be cold and wet now, but we have each other. What's the silly name we gave ourselves when we started traveling together? uh..oh right! Killjoys, and Killjoys stick together, no matter what. We're family." Frank says overly cheery, sitting up from my shoulder.

Ray smiles from under his huge fluffy fro. It's sticking up in all directions from being in the rain. I can't say I don't look any better.

"We'll be okay, I'm sure we will," Ray says and pats my shoulder from a distance, "Well, I'm definitely heating up now."

I'm sure we will be...

Please....