The Touch of Infection

Chapter 33: Before the Apocalypse

The next few days were quiet, they thought yet the basics of how the place worked. Bringing attention to their language and teaching her few basic phrases about it. Amite would spend hours patiently working with Carisa and how she should be around the commanders.

Carisa leaned against Marnik drained of the days work, "This is so much to take in."

He smiled down at her, "You'll get the hang of it." he looked over at Amite and Ezhno, "It's late, we'll see you tomorrow, Carisa needs some sleep."

Amite grabbed Carisa's hands and looked her in the eyes, "You know what to say if anything happens, right Carisa?"

Carisa snickered and nodded, "Yes, Amite."

"And what are the words?" Amite tested her to see did she'd remember.

"Bloody murder, I should scream it as loud as I can." Carisa was so amused every time Amite made sure she'd remember.

Amite nodded to herself, "We're just a few rooms away. I'll surely hear it."

Carisa hugged Amite and closed her eyes, "Thank you for looking out for me..."

Amite was confused a few seconds before she hugged back, wrapping her hands around her and setting her head on top of hers, "Well if I don't who will, Marnik isn't exactly good at it."

Carisa laughed and stepped back, "He does alright. Besides he was the first to really care for me... in years."

Amite smiled brightly at her, "Well there's at least three of us that care about you now." She'd never expected that a human, something she just used to study would be a friend. Having studied humans she knew that such a title really had meaning in their groups, even after the apocalypse a real friend was one who'd go down eaten beside you.

Carisa looked at Ezhno and felt awkward, "I don't think you'd like it if I hugged you." Instead, she held out her hand to shake his, "You really scared me at first, and still do a little. But it's nice knowing you Ezhno."

Ezhno took a second but shook her hand, "You're a little amusing..."

Ezhno went and opened the door, Amite giving Carisa one last glance and whispering, "Bloody murder, don't forget."

Carisa nodded holding in her laugh, watching the door close behind them.

"You trust me," Marnik said.

"Of course I do." She replied watching the sparkle in his purple eyes shine like tiny stars.

"That makes me so happy." Marnik wrapped his arms around her from behind, his tail wrapping around her legs.

She giggled hugging him back, hearing him continue, "I'm never leaving you. I'll never lie, I won't ever think of hiding anything from you. I'll protect you, even if it means dying in the end."

Carisa looked worried a second, "No, don't go dying on me."

He chuckled, "I'll try not to." He buried his head in between her shoulder and neck, "What do you want to do tomorrow?"

She pushed him off and brought a hand to her chin, "I wanna meet H." She scratched the back of her head, "Since I got here I've mostly been in this room. Marnik I want to meet more of your friends, see your hobbies. Maybe you can teach me your native language."

He nods to everything she says, "Well yes to all of that... but it'll take time. There are many people around here I know and I'm sure they'd like to meet you." Walking into the bedroom with her he paused, "But for now go to sleep."

"Where are you going?" She leans her head to the side, standing in the middle of the room. He was about to leave when she'd called out to him.

"I'm letting you take the bed, I don't want Amite skinning me alive." He said in a more teasing manner, and about to close the door.

"It's not the first time we share a bed, come on." She ushered him in the room while he was still unsure what to do, "I won't tell her, just keep your hands to yourself."

"Or you'll scream Bloody murder?"

"Yes." They both laughed, Amite was so overprotective it was a little funny. Her intentions were good and that's what mattered.

Removing the sheets of the bed, finding the material soft to the touch.  It was like nothing she'd ever touched before. When she got in the bed she laid down still looking at the ceiling, "This bed feels weird."

"It fine, you're just not used to it," sitting beside her he, grabbing her hand with one of his, "If you don't get used to it, we can always change it."

Holding his hand tightly she turned her back to him. She wanted to ask so many things, question his life. How'd he got to earth, what he did when he arrived? But what had he been living before getting to earth? Would her questions seem to intimate for him to answer? Would he refuse even talking about it?

Opening her mouth she hesitated, but mustered the courage to ask, "What did you use to do before coming to earth?"

He was quiet a second too long, "I've spent my whole life being a soldier or a scientist. Not originally with the commanders I have now but I've always worked alongside my own kind. Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious, don't you wonder what I used to be before you met me? Before the apocalypse?" She felt her words sink, just as much as her heart. The memories made her ache and she just felt saddened at the memory.

In silence, he drowned in guilt at her words, 'before the apocalypse'. Turning to look at her he saw the tears welling up in her eyes, "What were you before the apocalypse?"