Trees towered over us as we headed toward the city. Though I’d never admit it, I was still on guard, fearful of rat people who may jump from the branches above.
Alden, however, continued forward without a bit of caution. I suppose Fickle had told me rat people were currently unsighted, though I wasn’t sure if I could consider her word entirely truthful. It was in character for her to throw me off just for the fun of it.
“You’re walking awfully slow,” Alden’s voice was flat, not even looking over his shoulder. “Are you planning to make it home before sundown or not?”
Without a word, I picked up my pace, coming to follow at his side. Seeing as I was about an inch or two taller, perhaps the rat people would take him first. Prey upon the weaker of the two of us. Unfortunate, sure, but I’d still be able to make a run for it. Alden had said it himself: I was the most valuable of the group. My survival took top priority.
We pushed onward in silence. His eyes were fixed ahead, drooping around the edges, and tinged with exhaustion. Through the haze, I could just barely catch a glimpse of something hot and fierce burning beneath, though it was too brief an appearance for me to make it out. His hands stuck firmly at his sides, not even swinging as he walked. Whether from discipline or some other emotion, I was unsure. Nonetheless, he looked borderline frightening with that blank stare and those emotionless movements.
The silence had gone from comfortable to awkward in the span of a few seconds. Perhaps because I was used to a life of constant noise, or perhaps just because it was human nature, I felt obliged to break it.
“Are you okay?”
Whatever trance he was in broke immediately once I spoke. The exhaustion in his eyes lifted, his hands began to swing, and his cheeks forced the edges of his eyes upward.
“Of course I’m alright. Why do you ask?”
“Well, it’s just that,” My words began to fail me. “I guess you just looked a, uh, bit upset, I suppose.”
“Upset?” He raised a brow. “I think you’ve got me mistaken. A bit tired, sure, but not upset. Not now, at least.”
Oh, so he was planning to be upset later then. Nice.
“Oh, that’s…that’s good.” What was I supposed to say? ‘Good thing you’re not upset now, or else I’d be running in terror’? “For a minute there, I was pretty sure you were.”
“I’m not,” He spoke definitely, allowing no room for argument. “Are you?”
“Me? No, of course I’m not upset. Why would I be upset?”
“For any reason. Perhaps because you threw up your hamburger. Quite sad for such a meal to end up as garbage puke, no?”
I’d momentarily forgotten about that. Guess I got too caught up with the rat people.
“Yeah, I suppose it’s a shame, but I’m not as much upset as disappointed.” I pulled my hoodie close as it began to drag on the leaves. “I don’t even understand why I threw it up anyway. Seems evolutionarily stupid to waste food like that.”
“It likely had some form of bacteria or virus on it. With the food at the school, I wouldn’t be surprised. Your body probably expelled it before it could make you sick. I’d say quite evolutionarily intelligent. Some diseases can be quite deadly, and we wouldn’t want you dying on us, now would we?”
Alright, Smarty McSmartypants. Way to make me feel stupid.
“I’d rather not die, yeah.”
“I’d rather not have you die either.” He turned to look at me over his shoulder. “You’re a valuable resource, Brash. You’ve got connections that the rest of us could only dream of. Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for someone like you?”
A chill ran down my spine.
He didn’t give me a chance to speak. “Our cause was on the brink of collapse just a few months ago. Even now, we’re still rebuilding from a period of instability, but I believe that you hold the key to healing us.” Sunlight glinted in his eyes, reflecting a borderline blinding pink. “I’m going to be depending on you, Brash. A lot of lives rest on your shoulders. However, don’t forget that I’m also here to help you. You’re not just my resource; you’re my friend as well.”
Friend? There was no way I’d just heard that right…had he just called me his friend?
No one had ever called me that before.
