They Walk

Chapter Forty Three

Sometime later found me sitting on a cot, starring around at everything as if I’m in a haze and not really here. Gabe had managed to score us a couple cots and linens that were being stored up on the stage for new people. Thankfully we counted, and Claire found us a free spot in the back of the Stadium between an elderly couple and a young woman with two young little girls.

When we were setting up the space for ourselves, the kids played with Barbie dolls on the floor and watched us while their mother was fast asleep on her cot. It would seem we’re not the only ones that had a rough time of things, and I’ve been keeping an eye on the kids for the last couple of minutes. As for the elderly couple, they have been telling us all sorts of gossip about the Collisee, since they said they have been here for the last week before most of the people arrived.

Apparently, it wasn’t so smooth sailing when people first got here.

I guess that would explain the guard’s with guns that are stationed at all of the doors.

After we set up our cots, Claire had left us almost instantly and has been pacing through the rows and rows of cots searching for her mother. I could have helped her, but I didn’t want to leave the little girls alone, even though I know it’s not my responsibility. Gabe has been talking with the supervisor of the sleeping courters for a little while, since we had to give up all of our weapons when we first came inside. We had to sign in to a roster and list all items of weapons that were ours.

Even though we were reassured that if and when we left we just had to sign our stuff back out and take them. To say that it didn’t set well with us is an understatement. I suppose that would explain why I feel so lost at the moment; it’s not a good feeling having no protection, especially the ax I’ve relied upon recently.

“…penny for your thoughts?” Gabe says as he sits down beside me on the cot, and joins me in watching the girls play.

“Just a penny…is that all? With what’s on my mind, you could make a fortune.” I say as I lay my head on his shoulder.

“Well I somehow lost my wallet, but we could use kisses as a substitute. What do you think?”

He leans back enough so that he can wiggle his eye brows at me, and gives me his best mock smoldering look. I can’t stop the giggle that slides out of my lips, as I push him back when he tries to kiss me. The girls on the floor start giggling too and the way they stare up at Gabe it’s like he’s the moon, and I definitely feel the same way. So in order to please our young audience, I pull Gabe to me and plant a smacking kiss on his cheek. This makes the girls sigh.

When they go back to playing I scoot closer to Gabe and nestle into his side.

“So, we’re really weaponless in here aren’t we?” I say softly.

“It could be worse I guess, they seem mostly sure we’re safe, so I won’t go revolting just yet.”

“That’s good then, I don’t want us getting voted out of the house just yet.” I say only half joking.

Gabe pulls me close to him and rests his chin on the top of my head.

“I wouldn’t go as far too wholly trusting big brother yet, but it’ll do for now.”

I nod my head in agreement, since I was pretty much thinking the same thing when he came back earlier. The woman on the cot beside ours wakes up then, and sits up and begins coughing. Her girl’s discard they’re dolls, and run over to her. One of them pats her on the back, while the other reaches for a bottle of water that is on the floor below the cot. When the coughing ceases and the woman lays back down and shut’s her eyes, I suddenly feel like I didn’t have to keep an eye on the children after all. It would seem they are the ones who are looking after their mother, and that is just one of the many things on how messed up things are. Gabe raises his arm that is around me and places it on my hair and holds me closer, and I wish again that I could be closer to him still.

“How are you holding up Mag pie?” He whispers into me as he lays his cheek on my forehead.

I sigh into him, and really try to think how I am, but even I don’t really know.

Everything has happened so fast and we keep losing people, first with the accident and now with Sam. I can’t help to think if I was just stronger and hadn’t gotten surrounded he wouldn’t have had to save me, and he would never have gotten bitten. But I can’t say this to Gabe, for some reason I can’t fathom, I don’t want him to know that I keep getting weaker. It makes me nervous that maybe I’m not completely healed, but that’s a luxury I can’t get into right now. If anyone, especially Gabe thought I might not be well, they’d never let me go searching for my parents. It doesn’t make sense I know, but it’s something I have to keep to myself.

The way Gabe’s arm tenses around me, I know I’m thinking to deeply, and he’s getting worried.

“I’m still holding, I guess.” I say softly.

He pushes me away gently and peers into my eyes, and I try not to look away so that he doesn’t think I’m lying. But I think he really knows me better than I thought, since I think he does think I’m lying.

“Losing Sam like we did isn’t easy, and you don’t have to pretend everything is fine. Not with me Maggie.”

“I know.” I whisper.

Being this close to Gabe, his eyes are so blue and I can’t stop my hand from rising from my lap and gently placing it on his cheek. He leans into it and closes his eyes with a sigh and I’m just sliding my hand down his jaw when someone clears their throat in front of us. Gabe opens his eyes with a groan and we turn to see who interrupted us at the same time.

It’s Claire, and she has her arms crossed and is glaring at us with a smile.

“You know it would really help, if you could…I don’t know, maybe stop touching long enough to find my mom with me.” She says as she sits on my other side on the cot with an exaggerated sigh.

I pull out from Gabe’s comforting arms and face Claire.

“Still no luck huh?” I say.

She shakes her head, and I wrap and arm around her and pull her to me, and no the coincidental pose is not lost on me.

“You’ll find her Claire, she has to be here somewhere, don’t give up.” I tell her confidently.

“Yeah, don’t be so dramatic Claire.” Gabe says with a smile, as he leans around me to face Claire.

She leans around me and flips him the bird.

“Shut it Gabriel. The reason I came by though, is that a bunch of people are heading for dinner. I thought we could use the grub, it’s been a while I think.”

Gabe glances at me and then back to Claire, before standing up in front of us.

“I could eat. How about it Maggie, care to join me?” He asks as he holds out a hand to me.

Smiling while shaking my head I reach for his hand and he pulls me to my feet with ease.

When Claire stands up, Gabe guides us towards the doors still holding my hand. However bad things are and confusing, I still love the feeling of holding onto him and it makes me have a sense of peace. We have to zigzag through the cots, and squeeze around the stage in the middle of the room. When we reach the front of the room, there is already a line of people waiting to leave. I wonder what is taking so long, when I see two guards at the door taking a variety of flashlights from containers on the floor and passing them out to everyone as they pass.

Gabe seeing my confused expression leans close to me while we wait to leave.

“I saw those when we came in earlier and asked the guard’s I handed the weapons to. It’s for later when it gets dark, so we can find our way back here. They take them back though, a way to preserve battery life I guess.”

While he explained that, I watched a middle aged couple with three kids walk to the door next and the guard only gives them one flashlight. That doesn’t seem all that fair, but it would make sense though, making sure the kids stay with the parents. There are a lot of people here, and they can’t have an unlimited supply of flashlights let alone batteries. The wait in line isn’t as long as I’d thought and soon enough we are passing through the doors with our very own little blue flashlight.

Ironically enough, Gabe and I share one, and Claire has one of her own.

We follow the crowd out of the Stadium and out into the hallway, and within minutes we’re crossing into the wide expanse of the lobby. As we follow the group to the next hallway on our right, I try to ignore the banging of the dead against the steel doors, beneath the sounds of the people in the lobby. It’s easy enough though, because before we know it we’re halfway through the next hallway.

I notice that there aren’t any lamps hanging on the walls, and everyone clicks on their flashlight, us included. The hallway is shorter than the others, and opens up into a small lobby with double doors off to the left with a plaque reading Shrine Circus Stadium. They are wide open and have two more guards with guns stationed by them, and watch every one as they pass through.

The three of us stick close to one another as we pass through the entrance, and have a flashback to my first high school cafeteria nightmare, from the amount of people that are inside. The room is about the same size as where we are all sleeping, but has numerous large folding tables and chairs instead of cots. Along the back wall are tables of food and drinks, and have a dozen army dressed workers passing things out to everyone.

We follow the group of people around into the room and to the line for waiting for the food, but the lines moves quick, and before I know it we each have a bowl of cool soup and a bottle of water. Gabe leads us back into the mass of tables and he searches for a place for us to sit. Eventually we stop at a table that is only hallway full, and place out trays down and sit. There are two older couples, a few kids, and a young guy our age sitting here, and they all greet us when we are seated. Gabe and I sit beside each other at the end of the table. Claire sits at the end right in front of me and beside her is the guy our age.

“So what brings you all here to this fine establishment?” The guy asks as he glances between us.

“Oh you know the usual end of the world stuff…You?” Claire retorts with a wide smile, before she scoops us a spoonful of soup.

“More of the same stuff really. You guys just get here? I’m Hunter Wiebe, by the way.” Hunter says as he leans back and picks at his soup.

I watch him for a moment and can’t help to think that he could be a clone of my brother Dan.

They are both somewhat tall and stocky, but at the same time a little on the thin side. He has very accented cheekbones and they stand out as much as his deep green eyes. His hair is dark like Dan’s, but is on the short side with a little extra length at the top, which are slightly spiked. When he looks up and our eyes meet, the way his eyes darken sends chills down my spine and not the good kind.

I glance away to my own soup, and stir the stuff around while wondering if I’m even hungry at all, and try to ignore the fact that this new guy seems a little of kilter to me. Claire introduces us to Hunter and relays a reader’s digest version of what we went through getting here, and leaves out the people we have lost.

Just as well, it just hurts thinking about them. I can’t imagine having to explain the circumstances.

Hunter explains that he too is the new guy, having only just gotten there two days ago. He goes on to tell us that he was supposed to be starting training to be a police officer, but he doesn’t think that’s going to be happening any time soon. I happen to agree with that, and I only half listen to what they are saying and force myself to eat as much as possible. Gabe pitches in the conversation every so often, but mostly keeps quiet like me, and we let Claire take lead. When Hunter give me a strange look for the third time, I’m about to suggest to Gabe that we go back to lie down, when a woman comes up behind Claire. I glance up at her with wide eyes, and can already feel the tears building.

Claire turns and shrieks, I have to turn into Gabe’s shoulder, as she stands and embraces her mother.