The Engineer

Chapter 8 - The Gift

I slowly start to wake up and I realized I cried myself to sleep again.

I hate thinking about it...the bite on my right shoulder hurts me.. emotionally..

I shake the thought away. I get up and head to the courtyard where I see everyone eating breakfast already.

Louis: Well sleeping beauty, how was your first night in an actual bed?

You: Would've been better, if my nightmares didn't come back.

Louis: Never had nightmares before, what was it about.

I tense up.

Clem: Louis..

Louis: Oh right, sorry.

I loosen up a bit and I give Clem a thankful smile.

I sit down next to Clem while Aj sits on the other side. Omar hands me a bowl of soup.

You: Gosh..having warm meals is.. weird.

Clem: I know, right? I wasn't used to it at first but honestly, I'm worried I might be getting too used to it.

You: Yea, I get that.

I go emotionless after those dreams, I've been getting them more and more and it's starting to hurt me.

Clem: You okay?

I'm a little taken back by the question and I stumble on my words.

You: Oh-uh..y-yea..yea just..bad sleep is all.

Clem: Okay..

She says sounding unconvinced.

After a little while we finish our breakfast and Omar takes care of the dishes.

Me and Clem continue sitting next to each other on the picnic table.

Clem: Hey Y/N?

You: Yea?

Clem: Do you think you wanna help clean the basement with me?

You: Course, takes my mind off things.

Clem: Thanks. The basement's over there.

She says as she points over two closed cellar doors.

I help Clem up and she trips a bit. I grab her by her stomach to prevent her from falling and she looks up at me.

We both stare at each other a bit as I feel myself getting nervous.

You: You-uh, okay?

Clem: Y-yea, I'm okay.

She gets her crutches and starts to hobble to the doors. We go inside the basement as I help Clem through.

The first thing I notice is the smell of a dead body. I've smelled so many dead bodies before that I sadly know that scent by heart.

You: What'd you guys kill in here.

Clem: Follow me.

I follow her to the other end of the basement when I see a man strapped to an old school desk.

You: Holy shit, what happened?

Clem: Tortured him.

My eyes go wide.

You: Pardon?

Clem: He knew where our friends were and where the boat was. So we tortured the info out of him.

You: Oh...I'm sorry you had to do that...that's not that easy for anyone.

Clem: Yea..yea I guess.