Disease

After our talk earlier, everyone finally ate breakfast peacefully. The tension slowly died down and everyone laughed and shared stories about what they did during their quarantine amongst others. However, there is something about this that was different from what we had a few days ago when we were still ‘truly’ having fun during our vacation.

When we were done everyone huddled together in the living room again. Vince finally returned from his walk but he is no longer the same guy that we met before. He looks gloomy, sad, as if there is this dark shadow surrounding him. He was one of the nicest guys that I met but he looks like he is barely living.

Now we started to plan on what we are going to do with the fence. Since Aspen and I would be going back to the city we are excused until we get back. The rest of the group is divided into different assignments: Vince, Erica, and Natasha would be for the security guarding the carpenters which are: Logan, Sebastian, and Jaden, while Nikita, Olivia, and Elora will be assigned for the household chores cooking for the group, cleaning, and inventorying our stocks. Since we don’t know when this subsides we all decided to limit our consumption. We even suggested trying to plant vegetables and crops once we have completed the fences.

“Okay. Anything else?” Logan asked.

“No. We’re all good.” Sebastian answered.

“Okay. We’ll start working tomorrow. For now, we’ll get some rest. Jaden, come with me in the back. We’ll check the equipment that we’ll use.”

“Sure.”

“I’ll come with.” Aspen answered, “I’ll look for tools that Myla and I can use later.”

“Sure.”

We each then went to do our own stuff. I joined Elora who was on her way to the kitchen but when I noticed her discomfort I rubbed her back.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked, seeing that she is holding her mouth and clutching her stomach.

“I’m good.” she said a few minutes later.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah I’m fine. I think I just ate something funny earlier.”

“Okay. Do you want to drink some pills? I think I heard Logan tell us earlier that Aspen was able to retrieve some medicine.”

“No, I’m good, I just need water.”

“Okay.”

For the rest of the morning we just talked and played some board and card games missing the time where we are all together. When afternoon came we prepared lunch and ate. I was about to join the others again with another round of Uno when Aspen called me.

“Yes?”

“Come with me.” he just said before walking outside. I furrowed my brows confused because one of the rules that Logan told us that we should follow is that we shouldn’t wander around outside since it’s dangerous.

I just sighed and followed him thinking that Aspen is with me at least we’ll be safe. When we got outside a cool breeze hit my skin however there is something in the air that sends shivers down my spine. The smell. There is something different from when we first came here.

“Myla.” Aspen called again when I just stood there looking at the forest.

“Coming!” I jogged down to where he was rounding the cabin as we went to the back. There I saw the rest of the gang in front of what looks like a makeshift target holding guns. I froze, my hands starting to shake a little but I held it with my other and tried to compose myself smiling at them as they greeted them.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“Target shooting.” Aspen replied, “The others will have their turn learning tomorrow once we leave. Logan made an exemption for us in order to prepare for the trip. We will be leaving tomorrow so I need you to learn how to at least aim. ”

I immediately shook my head, “No.”

There is a greater possibility that you’d get into a shooting accident when there are firearms in your home. That’s why we never have any back at the house. Especially after what happened before… I promised myself that there is no way that I would be associated with that ‘thing.’ But I do understand and respect that it was Logan’s family’s decision to have these. It just makes me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t know that there is this side of Logan.

“We don’t know what to expect out there Myla you have to learn in order for you to protect yourself.”

“B-But.”

“This isn’t up for discussion. You learn how to shoot or you can’t come with me tomorrow.”

“What? You’d go there alone.”

“Yes.”

“You can’t, that’s dangerous.”

“I can take care of myself. But I won’t be able to help you all the time once we’re out there.”

“What if...”

Aspen just looked at me as if he isn’t afraid nor affected by the situation we are in. He was too composed which made me uncomfortable. It’s as if this is so normal to him.

I met his eyes again and just like earlier I couldn’t see any sort of emotion. His dark eyes are just like a void. I gulped just nodding and walked beside him as he gave me the gun that he was holding. I saw that there was a silencer attached to it. Maybe Logan had told them about his observations about Theo’s blindness.

My hands were shaking when I reached for it. I almost dropped the heavy metal when I felt its coldness. But I just gripped it stronger trying to focus on my breathing, careful not to lose control.

“Your grip is tight enough but hold it properly. Don’t point it at anyone.” he said, raising my hand but I hesitated, afraid I might hurt someone, “Don’t worry that’s not loaded.”

I nodded, raising my hand finally as Aspen moved to my back, his hand grazing my arm as he fixed my stance. My worry was now replaced by embracement. I can feel his breath fanning the side of my face as he aligned my arms to the makeshift target. I can feel his body heat radiating on my back and my legs feel like jelly.

“Take off the safety.” he said as I felt heat rise to my face with the way he said the words ‘take off.’ I just shook the thought in my head and focused on the gun and did what I was told. Next Aspen instructed me to try to press the trigger but I couldn’t despite knowing that the barrel is empty I couldn’t. I just can’t.

“Myla.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do it.” I said as I stepped away from him feeling my body shake as I dropped the gun. I looked up, stopping the tears that were threatening to fall down blinking a few times but my efforts were in vain as I immediately wiped away the tears looking away from Aspen as he is now facing my back. I felt Aspen’s gaze on me for a few seconds before I heard him sigh.

“We’ll just take a break.” he just said until I heard crunching sounds of leaves until they slowly died down indicating that Aspen was now far away from me.

I stood there for a few seconds trying to even my breathing. I count a few times in my head trying to calm down, closing my eyes. When I finally was able to compose myself, I made my way to the nearest tree and sat on its roots. I can see Logan practice shooting with Vince. Aspen was just standing beside Logan watching them. My body began to shake again hearing the noises but I tried to zone it out hearing a crunching sounds and I looked up and met eyes with Jaden who is smiling at me before taking a seat on my right.

“Hey.” I greeted him.

“’Sup.” he replied smiling, “So you learning how to shoot?”

I nodded, “Aspen told me that I should learn if I am going with him outside.”

“So, how’s that going?”

“I can’t pull the trigger.”

“Why?”

I bit my lower lip, “Not comfortable with the idea of shooting.”

“I understand. But you must know Aspen is only doing this for your own safety.”

“I know. How about you?”

“Well we are living in a different world now Myla. In order to survive you must first learn how to protect yourself. ”

I don’t know but the idea of the word ‘protect’ to justify us ‘learning’ how to use these things bothers me, “I see…”

We were then enveloped with silence feeling the wind as we watched the rest of our friends learning how to shoot. Logan is now finished and is talking to Aspen. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but Aspen had his brows knitted as Logan was explaining something. My gaze then moved to Vince who was quietly staring at nowhere holding his gun.

“Is it safe for him to be carrying that?” I asked Jaden who was just like me just watching.

“He might look unstable with the way he is acting now but Vince is fine. It’s been a week. I think he finally accepted that Theo is sick and he can’t change back until we find a cure.”

I looked at Jaden resting my arm on the trunk of the tree and asked, “Do you agree with it?”

When he noticed my movement he then faced me, “Agree with what?”

“Finding a cure.”

He looked at me as if he was reading me before smiling, “I was reluctant at first. I thought we should just kill him and put him out of his misery but after your speech earlier I understand. We should at least try. We owe it to Theo.”

I smiled, “Thank you.”