Chapter 7 Mark
We continued to walk down the isolated streets, looking for any sign of life. As I watched Kyle getting involved with the little boy who fought those dogs for the little chunk of meat, I had to smile to myself. It was possible for such a Grinch to be an adorable caring puppy at the same time.
I had never thought it possible. A small pain in my back made me stop. "Mark?" Brooke paused and looked over at me, her eyes full of worry. She was great like that. I winced but nodded. "I'm fine." Why did I say that? My back was killing me! How could I be that stupid?
Brooke nodded her ok, and continued walking. I silently cursed myself for being stubborn, and brought up the rear of our little group. "Hey, man?" Chase fell back and walked beside me "You alright?"
I shrugged. "My back hurts a bit, but that might be just from the walking, and no rest." He nodded. "We'll find somewhere to crash for the night, I promise." Chase patted my shoulder and walked up to the front of the group.
I sighed and looked around. Nothing was striking me as friendly. The people glared at us from behind their curtains. Doors slammed shut, and locks were locked, as we passed by. I guess people weren't used to these many people in the district.
A large building lying across the street forced us to stop, and look at each other. "Alright. We tried. Too bad" I muttered, turning to march back to the boat. I would never admit it to the others, especially Brooke, but this place crept me out to no end. Ever since we docked, I'd been having the feeling we were being watched.
"No." Chase said strictly. Brooke grabbed the back of my shirt. "Not so fast 'tough' guy." She grinned and shoved me in front of her. "We'll go over it." And that's just what we did.
I continued glancing behind us as if someone or something unseen was following us unseen. But I always saw nothing but airborne plastic bags and dusty garbage. I hurried to keep up with the rest.
A couple hours later found us sitting on a ledge of a broken building. Broken glass littered the ground under our feet. We had little water and no food at all. I had a small about of hope we would find any. The whole city was in poverty.
"Hey, guys?" Emma squinted into the distance. "Is that.....water?" We looked out toward where she pointed. It seemed to be a pool of water a ways off. My mouth went dry just thinking about clear refreshing water.
"Water...." I murmured, standing. "What are we waiting for?!" Emma and I stared at the others, who still sat, not paying any attention to either of us. "It's not real." Brooke muttered. "Not real? What are you talking about, Brooke?" I shook her shoulders. "Water! W-a-t-e-r! We need more water. And there it is!"
She shook me off. "It's not real, Mark." She repeated. "it's a mirage" Chase explained. "A illusion of the sun, and heat." Kyle added. "I won't believe it!" I shouted. I had been two days out of water. I need water. They were just selfish!
Emma gave up and sat back down. "It's too hot to go check anyways, Mark." She sighed, and wiped her forehead. I sighed and sat down next to Brooke. "Fine...." I croaked. I was too tired to go look anyway.
"What are we going to do?" I asked Chase. "We are one person short, we are in Sector one. We have no idea where the Board is....." Kyle waved the map in my face. "Right." I corrected myself. "Blind idiot." Kyle mumbled, shoving the map back onto his lap where he and Brooke studied it.
"But we still don't know this place. We do know from stories that Freaks run rampant at night starting at sundown." I gestured towards the horizon at the sun. It was slowly, but noticeably going down.
"And it is, correct me if I'm 'blind'," I glared at Kyle, who completely ignored me. "Going down fast. We need somewhere to spend the night, and fast, or else we'll become a few more people short." They all looked at each other, understanding me.
"We'll be Freak supper." I continued. "If we don't get up and make an attempt to find somewhere to stay." Chase nodded, his face grim. "Let's go." The others stood, and smiled.
"Good job, Mark." Brooke complimented as she walked beside me. "Without you we would be still sitting there, in the sun, complaining about our thirst. We would have been there till nightfall, and been food for the Freaks."
I nodded. "Just helping." She nodded and slugged my shoulder. "You were a help so....thanks." Brooke smiled and looked head as we re-entered the Town of Death. Aka; Sector 1.
"So," I blurted out. Did I mention I hate the silence? "You and Kyle seem to be getting along well." A lump lodged in my throat as Brooke turned to look at me, still keeping a steady pace alongside me.
"Yeah." She said, carefully choosing her words. "We became 'friends' I guess during the trek across the Desert of Despair. But we are more like acquaintances." I nodded. She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Just wondering." I answered hastily, not wanting to give away any sign of hesitation, which is all I ever did in front of her. "Kyle seems like the guy to only care for himself....and Emma his sister too. He just seems....secluded. Over-protective. Always serious. "
She nodded. "That's because when he was younger, Their parents trusted him to take care of his grandmother while they were out working in the quarantined areas where freaks had made damages in fencing and other places. Kyle was there with his grandma when a freak got into the camp."
I stared at her. "There was a Freak in camp before a couple weeks ago when we left?" Brooke nodded. "Apparently so. Kyle was only 8, and Emma was only a few months old. Kyle said he was making his grandmother tae when the Freak tore into their tent and attacked his grandmother in the next room.
Kyle only heard screaming, and when he reached the next room, his grandmother was being torn apart by the monster. Emma was in a cradle nearby and was crying. The Freak turned to her and was about to grab her when Kyle attacked it with a kitchen knife. He said he'd never been so afraid. For himself and the life of his sister."
I glanced at Kyle who was up ahead in front of us. "Really?" I asked. "His grandmother?" Brooke sighed resentfully. "She didn't make it. But since then, he's been sworn not to let the same thing happen to his little sister."
I looked back at her. "He told you all that?" Brooke looked at me, her sarcastic glint in her eyes showing. "No, he slept talked the whole story, and I just happened to he there to hear it all."
I looked at her, my head tilting. "No, Freak brain. He told me." I laughed. "I know. I was just lightening the mood!" She chuckled a little. "Well. Mood lightened.." We continued to laugh about random, stuff till I caught Kyle glimpsing back at us. He shot me a lethal stare, before turning his head back to the front of the line.
He couldn't be mad at me...could he? I mean....What had I done to him? I hadn't done a thing to make him list me on his To-Murder list.....had I?
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