“Want to play a board game after dinner?” Addie asks, skipping past me on her way to take her turn in the bathroom.
For every day that this place has sucked a little more of the life out of me, it’s funneled it right into the girl, looking happier than ever. She has a new friend, the most exciting thing that’s happened to her since she can remember. Seeing as she was only four when they arrived at the bunker, all of her memories are within these walls, and it breaks my heart as much as I’m relieved at everything Zane and Hunter have protected her from.
While the world above us would slaughter Hunter and Zane if given the chance, it would be far crueler to Adelaide. Not only is she incorruptible, but she has an inner light that’s nearly blinding. She’s a flame, but the moths she draws in are bloodthirsty, corrupt people intent on snuffing out that inferno like a personal challenge.
“Sure, sounds good to me.”
Grinning, she closes the door, and I head into the room we share. Putting in a random movie, I grab a notebook and pencil before stretching out on the small bed. She joins me a little later, nestled into my side and focused more on my snake doodles than the movie.
Opening her mouth, she snaps it back shut before gently tugging the pencil from my hand, flipping to a new page and scribbling,Is that them? The people that Zane saved you from?
Pursing my lips I write back,Took me from, not saved.Theywere the ones that saved me, protected me. Not everyone on the surface is evil, there are good people too. Just... not as many, and they’re harder to find.
Her face scrunches up in contemplation and she takes her time before tentatively starting her next sentence.Is the ocean really as big as it looks in movies?
I glance at the words with a sad smile.Bigger. It seems like it goes on forever.
She wiggles into a better position.And the sun really shines so bright that it burns your skin from millions of miles away?
Sure does.
Her pencil hovers above the paper for a solid minute before she scratches out everything until it’s unreadable. Flipping the page back to my sketches, she hands everything back and slides off of the bed, taking a seat at her desk. Grabbing a book, she opens to her bookmarked page, effectively shutting down the silent conversation.
Far too soon there’s a knock at the door, Hunter letting us know dinner’s ready. I drag my feet, but don’t make any excuses to look like I’m avoiding the impending injection. All that would do is raise suspicion, put Zane’s guard up more than it already is. It’s a fine line to walk; not wanting to appear like I’m fighting enough that he decides to start tranquilizing me into submission, while also not accepting everything so easily that I’m clearly up to something.
Lifting the hem of my shorts a bit, I set my foot on one of the dining room chairs, Zane waiting with a syringe in hand. The pinch in my thigh is brief, and he hastily adds antibiotic ointment and a band aid before breathing, not wanting to take the risk of smelling my blood and it setting him off. That’s one of the few things I can appreciate; he wants to keep me all to himself as much as some of the other crazy people out there, but his ‘righteous mission’ is a bigger obsession than the pull of my blood. He’s used to the presence of Adelaide, so maybe it’s his own form of tolerance, or it could be the fact that we’re related for all that I know. Still, he’s never once tasted either of our blood, strictly focused on keeping it safely stowed away beneath our skin.
Hunter pushes his food around his plate, glancing up at me quickly and away several times. I do him the courtesy of pretending not to notice, letting him have all the time he needs to gather his thoughts or courage to ask whatever’s bugging him.
Dinner comes and goes, Zane rising from his seat and grabbing his wallet off of the counter. “I’m going to do a supply run, so don’t wait up. Any requests?”
Addie raises a hand, bouncing in her seat. “I’m nearly done with the last book you brought back, could you see if they have an update on when the next is going to be released?”
He gives her a thumbs up. “You’ve got it. And if it’s too far off, I’ll see if there’s a new series to keep you busy in the meantime.”
“Colored pencils?” He looks at me in surprise and I shrug a single shoulder sheepishly. “I like them more than crayons. If I’m going to sit around coloring for hours, might as well enjoy it.”
Zane dips his head, looking pleased that I’m starting to come around. “You’ve got it. Hunter?”
Hunter starts clearing the table and I get up to help. “I’m fine.”
Zane scrutinizes him for a moment before suggesting, “Not even a new video game?”
Hunter’s eyes flash with hostility for a brief moment. “Food’s more important. We have another mouth to feed now, so we shouldn't be wasting money on pointless things.”
Adelaide looks down at her plate guiltily and Zane narrows his eyes. “These things aren’t pointless, Hunter. We need to find happiness in whatever we can, and just because you don’t see the point, doesn’t mean you have any right to ruin that for others. There’s more to life than just existing.”
Hunter drops the plates in the sink with a clatter, turning around to pin Zane with a glare. “Like. What?”
Slowly, I inch closer to Addie, unsure how badly this is going to escalate. Zane’s jaw ticks before he releases a long, slow breath. “Bringing someone new into the fold is a huge adjustment, and I can’t blame you for feeling like your space is getting overcrowded. I’m sure Risa wouldn’t mind sitting out if we cancelled training tomorrow and the three of us played a game together instead, for old times’ sake.”
Grabbing his keys, Zane crosses into the far hallway. “You don’t need to worry about the money, Hunt; I’ve got this. I promised to take care of you guys, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. You have enough stress without adding budgeting onto your already full plate, so relax and trust me, okay?” Hunter simply tilts his head, but the stubborn set to his face undermines the action into one of defiance and Zane sighs. “Hold down the fort while I’m gone?”
With that, he disappears, the sound of keys jingling and the locks sliding into place behind him. I strain my hearing, listening to his footsteps fade on the stone stairs until another door unlocks, swinging open before a chain rattles, trapping us inside. Whereas I used to think we were in a variation of a tornado shelter out on some farm, I’ve since discerned that we’re under a house, a set of cellar doors sealing us beneath the basement.
We all wait with baited breath before Addie gets up to start on the dishes, dispelling the tension in the air. From what I’ve seen, Zane’s never given them a reason to be afraid of him, but I have that same tick of nervous cleaning, like being productive and cleaning house will ensure the person that’s upset has no additional trigger to set them off.
Hunter scrubs a hand down his face. “Sorry, Addie. I didn’t mean-“
