Chapter 9

                                    

                                          
warnings: language, violence
Chapter 9:
402 Years After the Virus; Month 9; Day 1

A harsh knocking on the door woke me up. I didn't know how long it'd been since I'd fallen asleep, but I was on my side on the floor and stiff. Sabre, because I could only assume it was Sabre, knocked on the door again. I languidly pulled myself up and opened it. For a moment, I thought I was still asleep because Sabre had a young, dark skinned boy by the collar of his shirt, looking none too pleased. 
"Let me go," he hissed, "This is my house." 
"Waking me up by hitting my over the head isn't what I call hospitable," Sabre growled, "No one hurt your sister." He dropped the boy, who brusquely shook him off with a glare and walked into the room.
"Where did they take everybody?" I asked. 
"They just pulled into the square with their armored trucks," he said, "Told everyone we had to evacuate." He let out a breath and glanced at Leola, still sleeping away. "She thought it was time to play hide and seek. My parents and I were trying to get her to cooperate, but the Officers barged in. They cuffed my father, who just wanted to get Leola, and my mother was dragged away. I tried too, but I was hit in the head." He reached up and touched a spot near his temple. It was too dim in the room for me to see anything, but I was sure there was a horrendous bruise. 
"How long was she alone? We only arrived today." He looked at me again, his dark eyes filling with fire again. 
"Three days," he said, "I wasn't going to let my little sister die because of some stupid asshole behind a desk. So, I escaped and ran back here." He seemed to have a chip on his shoulder and couldn't have been any older than sixteen. He was lanky with hands and feet too big for his body at the moment. 
"We escaped our evacuation too," I told him, "And happened upon your town. This just happened to be the first door I opened to see if everyone really was gone." The boy kept his hostile gaze and stance.
"So you just walk into people's houses?" he asked in a stubborn manner. 
"Well it's a good thing we did," I snapped back at him, "Leola has been fed and taken care of." He lost some of the hostility and looked at her again.
"Did you play dolls?" he asked.
"Yes," I answered. He let his shoulders drop.
"I guess you're alright then," he said, "Let's let her sleep." 
He walked out of the room, passing Sabre with a glare in the doorway. I yawned and picked up my sword and bow before stepping into the doorway, however, Sabre didn't move out of the way. I turned and slid by him, not looking at his face because he clearly wanted to say something. I made it to the top of the steps before he caught me. His hand enclosed around my upper arm.
"We're leaving," he growled, "Now."
"No," I stated, trying to pull out of his grip, "I want to talk to this kid and figure out if he's heard or seen anything else." 
"You don't need to talk to some kid, we'll figure it out on our own." There was already a flash of jealously in his eyes. I scowled.
"Don't be such an asshole," I hissed, "You don't have to be jealous of a kid, Sabre." 
He frowned bitterly, but let me go. I'd been expecting him to literally twist my arm until I agreed to leave. I turned away and tried not to look like I was hurrying away from him. The kid was in the kitchen finding something to eat. He looked up when I walked in and set the sword and the bow on the table.