We, who Survived
Chapter Sixteen

The sun had sunk down about an hour ago. Maria and I were still in the library reading. My book was based off hunting while Maria’s was on the evolution of weaponry. The spear design had been given to Spark and his team who had worked on making the basic shapes and the three prongs at the end of each spear. In some of the previous primal weapons we looked at, stones were used as the tips for easier piercing into fish and to prevent them from wriggling off.

“I think I’m gonna call it a night,” Maria yawned, closing her book and placing it on the table. “You going to sleep in your room or in here?”

“Depending on how far I get into this book. Though, I will probably go back to my room. I don’t want to have to wake up to Ming next to me again.” I looked at her and she smiled before getting up and ruffling my hair. Maybe I forgive too easily but when Maria left, I missed her presence.

It didn’t take long until I was yawning and walking down the hallway, my blanket wrapped around my shoulders. My eyelids were getting heavier with each step I took. When I finally arrived at my room and reached for the handle, I found it being pulled from under my fingers as the door opened. Ming stood in front of me, mouse-brown hair braided over her slim shoulder, a fake smile plastered over her plump lips.

“Oh, what are you doing here, cutie?” Her voice was sickly sweet, words coated with a venomous undertone. Being too tired, I couldn’t deal with her attempt at being friendly.

“Why would I not be here? This is my room,” Growling, I narrowed my eyes. Ming ran her eyes up and down my blanketed form, disgust gleaming in her dull brown eyes. Movement behind her caught my attention. Spark was there, olive-green eyes narrowed in anger with his lips pressed into a straight line. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Ming, leave already. You have said what you came to say, so go away” His voice was hard as steel, expression twisting into a snarl as she innocently glanced his way. When he locked eyes with me, he snorted as his anger subsided. He subtly tipped his head, gesturing that I moved to that side. Stepping out of the way, I watched as Ming was roughly pushed out of the doorway. She stumbled and landed on her hands and knees. Without giving her a second glance, I slipped into my room and fell onto my bed. Spark growled some words at his ex before shutting the door and sitting by my side.

“I know you’re tired but you haven’t had a bath and need the ointment on your back.” He rubbed my shoulder, the action making me bury my face into my pillows. “Come on Bookworm, I’ll throw you in if I have to.” Moaning, I sat up and glared at Spark who just grinned innocently, the anger from earlier gone. He left me to strip as he went to fill the bath. Wrapping my towel around my waist, I left the bedroom for the bathroom.

“Don’t fall asleep in the bath,” Spark warned as he left, eyes glancing at my chest for a second.

Mumbling under my breath, I climbed into the bath. I soaked for a long time, having trouble keeping my eyes open as I washed. I was halfway done drying myself when Spark walked in. Heat covered my face as I hurriedly covered myself with the towel. He managed to mumble a quick sorry before leaving hurriedly.

I left the bathroom with a heavy feeling deep within my chest to see Spark sitting on my bed. He had seen everything now. Deep, hidden scars, scratches and old dark bruises.

“I can put the ointment on tomorrow if you want?” He offered softly. Shaking my head, I went to get a pair of sleep shorts.

“Rather get it over and done with.” In silence, I changed under the towel and brought my sleep shirt, Spark’s loaned shirt, to the bed. Spark massaged the cream into my skin and wound until he was satisfied and I pulled the shirt over my head. Out of nowhere, Spark hugged me.

“Spark?”

“I should have knocked, sorry,” He mumbled into my shoulder. I nodded, staring at the wall in front of me. When he let go, Spark was back to his old self.

“Well, I will see you in the morning or in the library.” He stood up, ready to go back to his bed but something made me grab his shirt’s hem. He turned to look at me quizzically.

“C...c-could you sleep here tonight? I can’t sleep when a rainstorm begins.” Lowering my eyes, I let my arm drop to my side.

“Sure.” Spark smiled, climbing under the covers. After a slight hesitation, I pulled the covers under my chin. I felt Spark’s arm around my waist before his lips against my cheek. His heartbeat was rapid in his chest when he pulled me to his side. Turning in his grip, I pressed my forehead against his chest and took in his warmth. Listening to his breath, I felt a nagging feeling in my gut, as if something was telling me what I was doing, was wrong. With little thought to it, I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.

Steam rose up from the rocks where the sun’s rays rested. The air held a nippy edge to it, drawing the conclusion that winter was sadly on its way and we were unknowingly in autumn. This explained the lack of wildlife in our area and that of predators. With our slim luck, they were all hibernating and keeping their eyes off our weakening group.

The ground crunched under our boots as we walked along the river’s raised bank, watching as Spark’s engineers worked together on cleaning the water wheel attached to a makeshift wooden structure they had pieced together. It would become a water house later on for emergencies and storage for unneeded spears and fishing supplies.

“If we learn how to make another wheel like that, we could move out here and leave that building behind. Imagine, we could build our own village given time!” One of the boys who walked in front of us said to his friend.

“Would be good too. We won’t have to rely on Trident on saving our asses every step of the way,” The other boy muttered in agreement, nodding his head and swinging his spear to point in the distance. “I claim that spot mine then.”

“I can’t wait to see what spring brings too. You two idiots would die in seconds when all the predators start creeping out of the trees,” Dean muttered as he held his spear tighter. “Maybe it would do us some good to lose people who only bring two brain cells to the table?” The two boys stopped in their tracks to glare at Dean. The muscled one stepped forward to grab Dean’s shirt and brought them face to face.

“We have ties to Daniel so I would suggest you don’t talk to us like that again. Got it?” Dean made eye contact and smirked, gripping the neck of the guy’s collar to bring them even closer to each other.

“I have Jae and Joon, even Spark but you don’t see me using them to threaten you. Why would I when I can easily teach you a lesson by myself?” Dean snickered. Rolling my eyes and sighing, I jabbed both of them in the side. They instantly let go of each other with a hiss and grunt, leaning away from me. The guy who I had not touched was glaring at me until recognition gleamed in his eyes. He backed away, taking his friend with him. Smiling, I took a hold of the back of Dean’s shirt and began to drag him away. No doubt he was giving the two rude gestures as he stumbled backwards. When we were far enough away, I let go of his shirt.

“You know you did-”

“Yes, I did. What would Charlie think about his best friend causing an unnecessary fight?”

“Technically they started it.”

“And technically you sound like a junior primary child. You enticed them by calling them idiots.”

We were quiet as mice as we carried on walking, listening to the river’s rush and our boots on the leaf-covered ground. There were no birds to be heard or berry bushes to be picked. Nothing around us reminded me of our journey here.

“You’re right. I have just been really stressed and tensed up with this situation we’re in. If I had my way, we would still be on that bloody station.”

“I think everyone misses their old lives but we cannot reverse it and probably should stop wishing our situation was different since all around us requires attention. For instance, the place we call home needs a fixing up.” I shook my head when Dean snorted.

“We can bring that up in our next meeting. Spark will be happy to see his Bookworm coming out of his shell.”

“Shut up.”

When we finally got to the chosen spot for fishing, we saw Spark already in the water with two others. Their spears were hovering just over the water’s surface.

“Have they caught anything?” Dean whispered to a girl with strawberry-blonde coloured hair in waves, her bright brown eyes focused on the people in the river.

“No, they just got in. I don’t think-” As she spoke, there was movement and the girl on Spark’s right lunged forward, her spear plunging into the water with a plop. The girl Dean had asked now had her arms crossed over her chest as the girl in the water brought up her spear with a wriggling fish caught in the stone prongs. “Nevermind.”

With no encouragement needed, everyone who came to fish dropped into the water and stood equal spaces apart. It was slow in the beginning before people got used to the action. I was running up and down the bank collecting the fish and placing them in a growing pile in the middle. Looking around, I scanned for plants with fronds. They would be perfect for packaging the fish and keep them off the ground.

“Whatcha doin’?” Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the strawberry-red haired making her way towards me, the bottoms of her jean legs soaked.

“Looking for plants to make baskets out of for the fish.”

“Oh... Can we not use those leaves over there? You can make bundles.”

She pointed to a bush with large green and white speckled leaves. The leaves would easily serve the purpose needed.

“By the way, what’s your name?” I asked as we walked towards the plant.

“Ruby.”

We shook hands and then set to work. We gathered as much of the leaves that would be needed to bundle the fish in threes. The throwing of fish onto the bank required us constantly going and adding them to the pile until we had everything packaged up and the people in the river were out and carrying their share to the Trident building.

“That was fun,” Ruby laughed as she bumped her shoulder against mine. I smiled at her before feeling arms come around my waist. Spark placed his chin on my shoulder, pulling me flush against him. “Hey Rubes, you keeping Nate busy?”

“More like the other way around. I suggested we leave you lot and adventure but nope, we had to stay and work,” Ruby joked and grinned. “Anyway, we better start getting this up so everyone can have a good meal for once.” She punched me in my arm before leaving and grabbing her two bundles.

“Ready?” Spark breathed against my neck, squeezing me before letting go. I nodded, smiling.

“Don’t hug me until you have had a bath. You stink.”

“I would not speak if I was you, Bookworm.”

Laughing, we both grabbed our bundles and followed everyone back home.

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