Just Survive Somehow

Chapter 70 - Soup and Stories

It was the moments where I learned about someone's individual strength and all of their overcoming that I started to feel the group connecting. Right now we had so many unfamiliar people. Laney, Denise, Andrew, Christian, and Onnie were all great additions to have with us.

We barely knew each other and in a world where every time you step outside you don't know what kind of danger could be lurking, it's important to know who you're counting on to have your back when it matters most.

I gently grabbed Luna's hand and led her towards the group. We'd set ourselves up in a quiet neighborhood home for the night and everyone was spread out in the living room. Ahren had started a small fire in a trash can to heat some cans of soup for everyone to eat.

I sat down on a small couch with Luna and listened as Andrew talked about his past. Ahren handed everyone a small bowl of soup and we ate quietly while we listened.

"At the beginning, we went to a refugee camp near our home in Wisconsin. I guess we're a long way from there now... It was me, my wife, our two eldest kids a son and daughter, and Christian, our youngest..." He glances over at his son who was sitting next to Ahri on the floor. "The guards at the camp got sloppy and people with bites started slipping in. Then they started turning and soon enough the whole camp was in havoc. When things fell apart, we got separated from our eldest son Damien. Haven't seen him since then..."

"We were with a few other families and couples from the camp. One of the couples had made it out of the camp with an RV. They picked us up along with others and we just kept driving. We went through a lot together... That little group was it for us for a while."

Ahri chimes in. "What happened to it?"

He shrugs. "What always happens... Some of us died, some of us got lost, we just ended up losing each other one way or another."

"If you don't mind my asking... what happened to your wife and daughter?" Frankie asks hesitantly.

He pauses, taking a deep breath and focusing on Christian. "My wife... She was... She-"

"It's okay..." I tell him, feeling his pain from across the room.

"They made us watch." Christian says quietly, catching everyone's attention.

"Christian-" Andrew starts.

Christian ducks his head and looks at his feet.

Andrew continues. "It was horrible."

I sigh heavily. Whatever had happened to them must have been unimaginably horrible. The thoughts running through my head were alone enough to make me want to down a bottle of whiskey.

Poor Christian must have been so young to witness whatever had happened to them... It reminded me of Ahri watching Allie and Cat die right in front of her. Her own sister shooting another woman and being shot down not even a minute later. She'd watched it all happen so fast. Her sister, the closest thing she'd ever had to a mother, was dead in front of her just like that.

"It's okay Andrew... We all have our moments we can't bring ourselves to talk about." I tell him.

He nods and leans back into the couch, going silent.

Frankie started talking about the station and got everyone intrigued. As she told her story about the station, part of my mind began wandering back to Andrew.

He couldn't even speak of what had happened. I had moments from my past that I barely talked about because of what they did to me. Whatever had happened, it still hurt him to this day. I'd drank myself so far that part of me just felt numb to the things that haunted me.

I don't know how long my mind had been wandering because the next thing I know Ahren was being asked questions.

"So you guys have been together from the start? You knew each other before?"

Ahren nodded as he looks between me and Ahri. "Yeah... we've been through a lot together."

A few people start looking at me and I begin to feel the pressure to speak.

Come on Sasha, say something.

"Ahren's my brother. Deeper than blood could ever bond us."

He nods at me we share a look together. As we held that look, I could feel that bond between us. That connection was deeper than ever. Ahren was my brother. We owed each other our lives and we were always there.

"Ahri... she's more of a daughter to me than I ever would have imagined."

Ahren nods in agreement and looks at me. "I never thought I'd see her without Cat but she couldn't have ended up with a better mom than you."

There's silence after that and I take in just how much Ahren's words meant to me. I'd been so worried about failing Cat and ruining Ahri but Ahren had watched everything for so long and still thought she was lucky to have me.

"I couldn't do it without you..."

He shrugs it off and goes silent. 

"Was Cat her mom?" Laney asks. 

I shake my head. "No, Cat was Ahri's sister. My best friend for many many years..." 

"What about the quiet one? What's your name again...?" Onnie looks at Luna as he asks and she slowly looks up.

"Luna."

Onnie nods and the group has slowly begun focusing on her. She sits silently, pursing her lips. 

"Luna used to be with a larger group but a lot happened and after the station fell apart... it just got worse. She and Fletch, the man we lost a few days ago, were in a group together before they found us at the station." I briefly explain some of her history so she doesn't have to. 

Onnie smiles softly at her. "I'm sorry for your loss." 

She doesn't respond.

Ahren cuts in, "It's getting late... We should all probably try to get some sleep before tomorrow. Another big day ahead of us. Hopefully, we can make it in six more days." 

The group splits off. There were 3 bedrooms in the house, two queen size beds and two twin beds along with 2 couches. 

Ahren and Frankie took one of the queen-sized beds. Laney and Denise took the other. Ahri and Christian got the twin beds and Andrew offered to sleep on the floor in their room. Onnie took one couch and I gave Luna the other one.

That left me on the floor. I had no complaints though because giving me a bed would be a waste of time. I never slept anyways. 

I'd decided to go stand on the porch and stare at nothing for lack of something better to do.

"Sasha?" 

I spin around to see Luna sheepishly coming through the door.

"Hi, Luna. Are you alright?"

She shakes her head and stands next to me.

"Do you wanna talk-"

"No." She interrupts me and I fall silent.

"I just don't want to be alone."

I nod silently and we stand together on the porch. As much as I was keeping her company, she was doing the same for me. It was hard being alone. I spent too much time alone... Too many late nights hating myself and drinking myself away.