We, who Survived
Chapter Twenty-Eight

The journey back was difficult. The Mutie was heavy and brought Gem trouble with both pulling it and the harness digging into her rock plating, causing it to snap from the friction created. She then had to rely on us with helping her by pulling and pushing. Vector trotted along by my side almost teasingly. When we did get to the base, we had to make our way to the back where the garden used to be. Then there was the challenge of building a solid snow ramp over the thorny, overgrown hedge and pushing the beast over the top before joining it in a panting mess.

“They’re back!” Someone shouted, their voice familiar. We were so tired and hot that we were lying in the snow trying to cool down. The crunching of boots in the snow followed the voice before a grinning Max came to lean over me, offering his gloved hand. Taking it, I took a deep breath and prepared to be hoisted onto my feet just as Gem and Vector hurtled over the hedge, barrelling into Jacob and sending him onto his back again. Everyone who was checking out the Mutie instantly backed away as they gazed at Gem in fear.

“What the hell happened to your cat?” Max’s eyes were wide open, his mouth gaping slightly as Gem shook off the snow sticking to her fur. She then began walking towards us, causing Max’s fingers to dig into my upper arms.

“She had a growth spurt, unlike you shorty,” Jacob snickered as he tried to redeem his pride while dusting off the snow on his pants and jacket before picking up Vector and glaring at him. “If memory serves me right, we have a meeting to hurry to.” He placed Vector back down after his frantic wriggling and gazed up at the sky.

Fern came to stand in front of me, patting Gem’s head then turning his eyes towards Max, narrowing them and raising an eyebrow. Max sheepishly stepped away from me while I just puffed out my cheeks. Fern smirked.

“Why don’t you take us to the meeting room? I am sure you lot are shivering through those pathetic jackets of yours.” Max flinched as Fern walked past me, brushing his shoulder against mine, to join Zed and Jacob. I snorted and slung my arm over his shoulders.

“Come on Maxie, he ain’t that scary!”

“He’s your boyfriend, you are used to his intimidating eyes.”

Max pouted, something that did not match his buff outer body. Smiling broadly, we made our way inside and to the meeting room.

When we got there, it was no surprise that Spark had everyone already gathered in a hushed meeting. As we entered, anger flickered in Spark’s eyes as his eyes found Max next to me. Maria came to give me a hug before whispering that we should just sit next to her before things heat up faster than needed. So that’s what we did, took our seats right next to her and Jae.

“I see you decided to carry on without us even though we made it back before midday,” Jacob said nonchalantly, picking at his nails. The more I saw him act carelessly around Spark and the others, the more I understood his way of subtly telling them that he was keeping tabs on them and their movements or actions towards us by prodding at pressure points.

“You are here now so shut it.” Spark’s eye twitched as he fixed Jacob with a glare before carrying on. “I still don’t understand why you even care or want to be here,” Spark growled, slamming his palms onto the table.

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. Why was he being so difficult all of a sudden while everyone else was going with the Cree’s presence just fine? He stopped making sense the day I saw him after being with Fern for what, five days? Unbelievable.

Crossing my arms, I leaned into my chair and stared blankly at Spark until our eyes locked. “They came here to help Spark. If you so badly want them gone, we can get going as early as now but if we go, who is going to help our people find a way to adapt to this new world nice and steadily? Who will be willing to go out in the freezing cold and hunt for fresh meat when the stock of the corpse outside is eaten? Use your big head already.”

“Listen here, Nate. If I wanted them gone, you would be staying right here where you belong,” Spark snapped, clenching his hands into fists. “You have no right to go gallivanting off with these strangers!”

“He very much has the right to his own decisions but don’t worry, the strangers just looked after him a little better than you have in the two days he has been back,” Zed muttered, stretching in his seat, arms crossed over his chest and a bored expression on his pale face. “It’s true and you know it, jackass.”

“You know what, just leave already and take your trouble with you,” Spark’s voice was becoming toxic, causing the atmosphere in the room to become tense and constricting with each breath.

Fern started to snicker, catching everyone’s attention and almost making me think he had caught Spark’s crazy. I placed my hand on his thigh and his fingers almost immediately laced between mine.

“You are a dictator and you haven’t even noticed it. What have you told these poor people?” Fern waved his free hand over the leaders around the table. “You were all chosen to be leaders for a reason, Maria for her advanced medical history, Jae for his defensive knowledge but for you, I don’t understand why they picked you. I bet you already told them that they aren’t meant to lead this amount of people but you are for some shitty reason.”

“How dare you-”

“Bloody hell Spark, keep quiet!” Dean hissed, standing up. “Fern is right. Since the station fell and you found out you were one of the five selected, you have been pushing everyone around without the others knowing. But we know how you really act when you’re alone with us. Dictator seems pretty much accurate vir ’n man soos jy, vul twak*.”

“If we carry on like this, nothing will be done about our situation. Both of you sit down, please,” Maria said calmly, holding her hands up and gesturing for them to back down. I wanted to laugh. Spark was finally being shoved into the spot he deserved and Dean went full Afrikaans at the end.

“Now, I hear you guys managed to hunt down a monster of an animal?” Maria began, forcefully smiling. I had to give it to her, she alone shifted the atmosphere of the room to a brighter one with a change in topic.

Fern relaxed next to me, allowing our legs to touch as he began to describe how the Mutie came about and how it was hiding in the city not so far away. He then told everyone the promise he had told me but in more detail. Jacob added his bit about helping train those who wanted to hunt and Zed offered to help with the gardening and cooking. Fern would be moving in between them on days where he was not helping Maria with an updated list of ingredients to use on infections and other injuries as well as helping Jae with defence.

The meeting ended on a happy note with Zed going with Dean and Charlie outside to begin carving the Mutie’s corpse. A deathly silent Spark stomped out of the room, down a hallway and disappeared to who knows where. Jacob was with Jae and Joon who were talking to him nonstop, I could already see his ego growing. Fern stood next to me as Maria came and slung her arm over my shoulders.

“So, you are the one I need to properly thank for saving our sick people and looking after my Bookworm?” Maria teased, scrunching her nose up as she leaned forward as if she was sniffing the air.

“I guess, but I can’t really take all the glory, Zed and Jacob helped out too,” Fern said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Wait, we’re friends with Jacob now? I thought he was just there to get rid of me.” I cocked my head thoughtfully. Fern cracked a smile while Maria just looked between us questionably.

“He has a soft spot for you, what can I say?” Fern tilted his head, looking innocent as he casually gave me a once over. “And I can see why.”

“Oh my God do not flirt in front of me!” Maria instantly covered her face before rushing off with a muffled snicker. We both laughed at her actions. Fern’s arm replaced Maria’s as he pulled me close and pecked my lips. We were still smiling as we left the room.

The sun was setting and almost like a tradition, I was sat in front of the windows. My new room did not have the most spectacular view but it was better in other ways. Tilting my head back, I felt Fern’s arms tighten around my waist as he pressed his lips to my forehead.

Day two, besides the morning hunt and the drama that followed, had gone by quickly though my body was still complaining about all the unwanted exercise. Sighing, I leaned back into Fern, feeling him respond by shifting his body so we were in a more comfortable sitting position.

“I have to say, today was not as bad as I thought it would be,” Fern mumbled, resting his chin on top of my head.

“Yeah, at least your body doesn’t want to kill you,” I complained, trying to stretch out without grimacing.

“Give it some time, you will get used to it.”

“Coming from you and your fit ass body.”

Fern chuckled before kissing the side of my head. “We should get some sleep, tomorrow we start with your archery training.” Fern began standing up before he even finished speaking. He offered me his hand and I took it, being pulled to my feet and straight into a bearhug.

“I need to get my stuff from my old room first. I won’t be long, promise,” I said, yawning and walking to the door. Fern hummed as he watched me leave.

As I made my way down the hallway, Carly passed me. She had not noticed me since she was talking enthusiastically to a boy. I smiled at their interaction, wondering if something more would come out of it besides just being work friends.

My nerves were starting to kick in as I neared closer to my old room. The door was closed but Spark should not be here by this time, he would be with Maria or Jae. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Gripping the handle, I took a deep breath and pressed down, opening the door. Walking in, nothing had really changed. My old bed was messy and unmade but that was the only thing. My bag was still in the closet, my hatchet placed next to it.

Sighing, I walked as far as the middle of the room before I heard a click and an iron grip wrapped around my wrist, nails painfully digging into my veins.

“I thought you would never come back.” Spark’s voice sent shivers down my spine. Turning around, I gulped. Spark’s pupils were dilated, skin pale and a creepy smile stretched on his face. He was scaring me more and more as we just stared at each other.

“I just came back for my stuff,” I stuttered out. “Can you let go?”

Spark looked me up and down, his eyes narrowing. “I am never letting you go again, especially to that monster who stole you away from me. You are mine.”

My body was trembling, blood running cold at his words. His grip on me hardened, pins and needles spreading throughout my hand.

“S-Spark, please, you’re hurting me.”

“Never again.”

Events happened so fast. One second, I was standing and the next I was picked up and thrown onto a bed, Spark on top of me. His lips were on mine, his crotch grinding painfully against mine. I tried pushing back, biting his tongue and lips but it all just made him move faster. His hands were under my tunic then tugging at my belt. Tears were falling down my cheeks as he groped me, played with me. Dirty words dropped from his mouth like weights as his lips returned to mine. His right hand held my arms over my head as a piercing pain ran through me, making me scream and struggle. He held onto me tightly, not letting go as he continued.

I pleaded for him to stop, cried for help. Nothing worked... I felt so helpless as he ravaged my body.

A/N

*Vir n man soos jy, vul twak - for a man like you, full of rubbish

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