บท 11: Chapter 11

UNEDITED-

Marisol POV-

August handed me the key and I slid it into the lock.

I turned the handle slowly, silently pushing open the door. Stood in the hallway and seemingly ready for war.. were Alex and Samantha, each wielding weapons, each with the same crazy, frantic expression written across their faces. Samantha had the katana and Alex now with a crossbow that I'd ordered online.. that wasn't even supposed to be delivered yet.. I wonder what else came early. "Much better than a frying pan" I chuckled.. her face quickly changed.. her eyebrows furrowed..

The crossbow hit the floor with a thud.. Alex ran to me, throwing her arms around my neck.. I winced in pain but hugged her back tightly.. "Sol what happened?" She glanced to my eyepatch with wide eyes as she held onto me.

"I found August.." I tried to smile, to conceal my hurt but it was obvious.. I went looking for two and I came back with one. "-And them".. I gestured to Natasha and Storm who just waved awkwardly in the doorway.

"I'm glad you're alive.." Alex smiled to them, slowly taking a step back from me.

I approached August taking his hand in mine. "Want to watch a movie with Sam?" I kneeled down to his level.. might as well make the most of the power while we have it, and I need some time to clear my head. He just nodded with a little smile. "Good boy" I pulled him into a quick hug before I passed his hand over to Sam who smiled knowingly at me, I mouthed 'thank you' and they slowly walked off to the living room together.

"So this is your house?" Storm asked looking around.. glancing over some pictures that were hung on the walls, her eyes stopped at one and she walked over to it.. it's a picture from when we went to the zoo as a family for Forrest's 7th birthday. "How did she pass?" She asked still looking at the picture..

"What?" I asked confusedly, she turned to face me.

"August said your brother is with your 'mama'.." What do I say? I can deny it but who is that going to benefit now?

"How is not important" I spoke plainly before leaving the conversation.. I walked off down the newly bare hallway and towards the kitchen.. After an awkward moment of silence between them I heard the girls begin conversing as I walked.

"I can't believe your alive" Alex sounded genuinely happy to see them..

"Yeah.. Willow is too but we took her home yesterday.." I heard Natasha say as I entered the kitchen.

In the kitchen the table and two chairs had been stacked against the front window. At least they listened to me. I just need a moment to myself.. a moment to think. I closed the door, resting my back against it as I closed my eye and let out a deep sigh.. I thought I was alone but I wasn't. The smell of smoke made me look over.

Betty was sat at the the other end of the kitchen, one leg crossed over the other and a cigarette perched between her lips. She reminds me of a movie star from the 60s. "Good to see you still kicking dear" She said removing the cigarette from her mouth and holding it between her fingers.

"You too.." I smiled back as I walked to take the empty seat next to her.. "Do you have a spare cigarette?" I asked.. I don't even smoke. Samantha quit last year and I haven't had any since. I would only really smoke when we were on a break together at work.. I know social smokers are the worst but I basically was one. It was just something to pass the time while we sat there.

"I suppose I can spare one for you.." Betty raised her eyebrow taking another puff as she opened the pack that had been sitting on her lap. The same brand my dad gets.. come to think of it.. Betty didn't have anything on her when she came in..

"Where did you get them from?, my dad gets the exact same brand" I asked curiously, smirking to take the piss.

Her eyes glanced to me and back to the packet. She looked like a deer in headlights before a smile flickered on her face and she giggled.."You caught me" She held her hands up and I couldn't help but chuckle too. She handed a cigarette to me and passed the lighter over. As she passed the lighter her hand touched mine, she stopped there for a few seconds, her face was emotionless and paused before she slowly pulled her hand back and started to act normal again. There is definitely something going on with her.

As I thought on it some more I tucked some loose hair behind my ear and placed the cigarette in my mouth. I was in the middle of lighting it when an exaggerated gasp came from right next to me. With my newly sensitive hearing it sounded so loud I nearly shit my pants. "What? what? what is it?" I asked panicked as I looked to Betty..

"Darling what the fuck happened to your ear?" Betty put her hand over her mouth.

"The virus.. it's changing me".. I admitted in a serious tone.. she regained her composure and slowly took another puff in thought.. "Have you noticed anything strange happening?" I asked.. she stayed quiet. "Betty?"

"I feel things.. see things." She looked to me..

"What kind of things?"

"I.." She thought for a second, trying to find the words.."I can't explain it..".

"Just try as best you can.." We are both immune but clearly different.. I try to be as comforting as possible for her to open up to me.

Reluctantly she began talking again.. "Well, when it first happened, I wasn't sure what it was. After I was bitten, you touched my shoulder and I felt.. pain. Somehow I knew it was different to my own. It was an aching in my entire body until you took your hand back. The next time you touched my arm and I saw.. I-"..

"You saw my mother right?"

"Yes.".."since then I've seen many things I wish I hadn't.." Betty sparked her cigarette again after noticing it had gone out. I left mine half smoked in the ashtray on the bedside table they had brought down from Marcus's room.

"Like what?" I asked.. The only other people here are Sam, Bella and Alex.. Which one of them is she talking about?.

"Darling, it wouldn't be right if I told you.. from what I've gathered while being around these ladies is that you are hiding things too.." She paused taking another puff. "If you don't know.. it's because they don't want you to know" ..As much as I hate to admit it.. Betty is speaking the truth.

"You're right.. I just, care about them.." I sighed.

"And they clearly care about you.. I'm honestly surprised they still have hair from all the stress of thinking you were dead..".. I shook my head with a smile. I can't help but feel a warmth from that, sometimes I feel like friendship is just a convenience for most people.. The past few years I've had no choice but to not even try to find the good ones, apart from Sam and that is only because she confided in me first. Anyway the only way to know if someone is really a friend is to test them. Like with Alex.. I told her something I didn't want anyone to know, she obviously betrayed my trust and proved she is not my friend.. 'was' not I mean. For some reason amidst this thought my mind flew back to the moment Betty handed me the lighter..

"Betty what did you see this time?" I asked.

"This time?" She asked as she stubbed her cigarette out in the ash tray.

"When you passed the lighter, what did you see?" I don't want her to see anything.

"I did try, but I didn't see anything.." Betty replied calmly.

"Honestly?" I hope she's telling the truth. Yes I said I didn't want to lie anymore.. that's not the same as someone knowing things I'm not ready to share.

"I have no reason to lie to you darling.." Betty looked me in my eyes and somehow I could feel in my gut that she was telling the truth.

"Okay, well I'm glad you're alright" I smiled as I got to my feet.

"You too" She responded politely. I bowed my head slightly and turned to leave the room. I could still hear the girls nattering in the hallway.. they probably didn't even know I was there.

"- Mr Day appeared out of nowhere and hit Marisol in the face, there was blood everywhere.." Storm informed enthusiastically.

"- Luciana said she will never be able see from her left eye again.." Natasha chimed in.

I tuned out their conversation after hearing this again, quietly continuing my journey through the house. I peeked into the living room to see Sam and Auggie cuddled together on the couch, Bella sat next to them. After seeing he's okay I made my way up the stairs and straight into the boys bedroom, closing the door behind me.

I walked over to their white double dresser, opening Forrest's top drawer I pulled out my old mp3 player from underneath his socks. I turned it over to see where I scratched 'SOL' in the black paint on the back. Forrest crossed it out and wrote 'EST'. I laughed for a brief moment until I remembered that I'd never see his cheeky face again.

I turned it on and put the ear phones in.. it's fully charged too, that's a bonus. The first song that plays is Otis Redding, Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay. I slowly walked over to the wall that faces the door and sat down against it. I closed my eyes and listened. Only when I tasted the salt on my lips did I realise I had been crying. I wiped my eyes and sure enough, they were sopping wet. I wish I could think more like Otis, but I bet he wouldn't be this chill if he were me. The song soon finished and another began to play.. Goo Goo Dolls, Iris.

After what felt like an hour of listening to a bunch of different songs that my mother had chosen for me, the atmosphere in the room changed. I could feel it shift on my skin, my eyes pinged open to see Alex stood in the doorway. I waited a second before pulling the headphones out.. "Sol?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" She asked with furrowed brows as she closed the door behind her.

"No.. not at all.."

Alex walked over and sat down next to me. She didn't say anything else as she took my hand.. quickly putting her other hand over it.. "Sol you're freezing.." She moved a hand to my cheek, the smell of it.. it was sweet like honey, I was lost for a moment before I pushed her away from me.

"I'm not.."

"But your skin-"

"I'm not cold." I couldn't help but reply in an annoyed tone.

"Okay.." Alex sat back up straight.

"Has anyone tried the radio?"

"Yeah but nothing came through so far.."

"hm" I pondered on what to say next. "Did you really think I was dead?" I asked as I switched off the mp3 player and wound the headphones around it.

"You said two and a half hours"..

"Yeah well.. I'm sorry" I was naive, I know that now.

"It's alright.." Alex smiled reassuringly.. "You can have your watch back now.." She said as she went to unfasten it.

I stopped her with my hand on hers.. "Keep it.. I need to go back out anyway." I took my hand back and looked to the floor.

"You're not going anywhere.." As my eyes slowly move to meet hers I see a plain expression on her face.

"What?.." I chuckled unable to hide my amusement.

"Look what happened last time.. we have what we need here until someone comes to get us"

"Surely we would have heard something by now.. and besides I've already said yes" I can't back out..

"Fine.. then I'm going with you.."

"Definetly not"..I shook my head.

"You can't stop me.."

"You know what?.. do whatever you want" I tried hard to brush off my emotions as I stood up..

I heard her get to her feet as I walked towards the door.. "Marisol Stop" Alex demanded, I stood paused with my hand on the door handle.. slowly I took my hand away and turned back to her. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?"..I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Like you're responsible for everyone.."..

"I just don't want anyone else to die" How does she not understand that?..

"Neither do I.." ...

"I know.. I'm sorry, I just-"

"Find it hard to accept help?, or see past your own point of view?"..

"Stop, I don't want to fight with you.."

"Well that's easy then.. don't fight with me. We'll leave in the morning. Okay?"..Her bright blue eyes twinkled in the sunlight coming through the window and I found myself staring. "Sol?"..

"Yes.. okay" I nodded..

After another brief conversation we made our way back downstairs.. as we walked back past the livingroom I saw Bella, Sam and Auggie still sitting on the couch, now Betty has joined them too. I don't know what they are watching, I can only see that they all have their eyes glued to the screen. I left Alex standing in the doorway of the livingroom as I continued on to the kitchen, in search of something to wet my whistle.

"When are we leaving?" Natasha asked from where Betty had been sitting before.. Storm in the seat nexto her.

"I think we should rest for the night.. who knows, maybe someone will come get us" I made an attempt to get them off my back as I rummaged around in a couple of boxes, until I found what I was looking for. A can of grape soda.

"What if it's too late by then?" Storm spoke up. If it were up to me we'd go now but..

"The fact that we are going out at all is insane" Alex added as she entered the room.

"We don't have a choice.. we have to go today!" Natasha glared.

"Then you can take Sols car and go alone..." I nearly got involved at the mention of my car but decided that Alex knows what she's doing.. I think.

"We'll die on our own.." Storm whined.

I stood sipping from my can as the heated argument unfolded. In the end Alex was crowned victor, the corners of her mouth rose into a smirk as Natasha stormed off.. closely followed by Sky No.2.. I shouldn't really say that now that she's dead but it's still true.

"Look at you, finally standing up for yourself.."

"Shut up" Alex rolled her eyes at my patronizing.

After talking for a few more minutes we both walked into the living room, just as they were pressing play on the next movie. There was one seat remaining, next to August. "You sit there I'll sit on the floor.."

"We can both fit" Alex responded quickly.. I can already see it's going to be a squeeze.. but I can't seem to tell her no.

The movie had been playing for about half an hour when I noticed Alex had began lightly brushing the outside of my leg. I thought she was being weird with me, but when I looked down I saw that she was just playing with the fabric of my trousers. Her eyes were still fixed on the tv and she had no idea what she was doing.

The movie soon ended and I told everyone where they could sleep. Apparently last night they had the same idea as us and all slept in the living room.. Just from sitting here cramped for this long I know they could not have been comfortable. I told Storm an Natasha they can have my dads bed, Bella and Sam can stay in the boys room, Betty can sleep in the spare room, Alex can sleep in my room and August can stay with me on the couch.

"But I don't want to sleep down here.." August shook his head in protest..

"Auggie, I need to stay downstairs.."

"But I don't want too, I want to sleep in my bed.."

"And I wouldn't feel comfortable sleeping upstairs" Alex added, I rolled my eyes, about to tell them both the same thing when Sam intervened.

"I can stay with August, Bella can sleep in your room and Alex can stay down here with you.."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course.."..

"Is that alright August?" He nodded happily, before grinning at Sam.. He only likes her because she let's him do whatever he wants.. but I'm glad there is someone else here that he trusts.

--------

Bella helped me grab a few things from the kitchen, mostly crisps and snack bars but there is a large variety..

"You could have ordered real food Marisol" Bella sighed as she added another crisp packet to the already large stack in her hands..

"Can you shut off your teacher brain or does it just carry on forever?" I stocked up on snacks.. how could I know I'd be feeding 7 people?..

"That doesn't even make sense" She chuckled shaking her head..

"You're only proving my point..".. At that I left and made my way back to the living room, with Bella following closely behind.

"Grubs up" ..Anyone else want to dig at me about the food?..Apparently not. I left the room with a packet of crisps and went back into the kitchen. Seeing everyone eating made me feel sick, but I do need to at least try to eat something.

I opened the packet and placed a cheese and onion flavoured potato chip on my tongue.. slowly I chewed the crisp and swallowed. That wasn't so bad.. so I did it again, and again, and.. oh shit. I put my hand over my mouth but it was already too late, purple vomit exploded from my face hole, spraying back off my hand all over me. It all came up at once and when I was done I just stood there, astonished.. completely dripping with bile.

Food has never done that to me before.

NOTES-

Thank you for reading lovelies!!

I'm sorry, I swear I got stuck on this chapter for over a week.

I'm trying to learn how to be a better writer. I'm aware that I have a really long way to go. If you have any constructive criticism I'd be more than happy to hear it.

It's hard for me to tell if I'm making a good story or not, either way I have to carry on, your input could make a major difference.. and if you don't tell me where I'm going wrong I just have to assume that I'm killing it. HAHA joking I know it's not great..

This is completely unrelated I just wanted to document. I'm pretty sure I have the rona, my eyeballs hurt and my smell is all fcked up. I had a burger and couldn't eat it because my fcked up nose said it smelt like hair dye... full on ammonia man.. So if you have the rona or if you've had it in the past, my heart goes out to you. Anyway, have a nice day, Peace.