Alamort | Troy Otto

1.18

[1.18]

Night had already fallen when she came back. Only Walker was waiting for her, leaning against the fence of the ranch. She parked the truck and turned the engine off. She stayed still for a few seconds before opening the door of the truck and getting out. When her eyes fell on Walker, he was staring at the scarf that covered Klah's head.

"It all happened too quickly," she started with a cough, still feeling the ache in her throat, "I couldn't do anything." The man didn't say anything, but he nodded, acknowledging Thena's words. "I'll be in my cabin, if anyone needs me," she said before walking away.

The moment her head hit the soft pillow, Thena finally realized what Troy's banishment meant. While there would be peace, it wouldn't last long, even with Madison and Walker keeping everyone in their leash.

And soon, everything went to hell.

Madison and Walker left to find water as apparently, they only had six weeks left. The former militia came to her, at first just Cooper, but then Blake joined and even Terrence. They told her about what was happening, the double dipping of the Nation, and soon even Nick joined in. The tensions between the two groups were stronger than ever, and it only took three days for everything to go to hell.

Thena was by the well, leaning on it as she supervised the people taking the water. Supervising, though, was a big word, full of responsibilities. It didn't suit what Thena was going. She was just sitting by the well, smoking a cigarette as Nick stared at her, reminding her every minute or so that smoking wasn't good for her health (acting as if she didn't see the cigarette in his hands).

The moment Alicia approached one of the women taking water was the time Thena really started to pay attention to what was happening around her. She listened closely to the conversation and had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. When the woman started to yell, everyone's attention was gathered on the two women.

"She's a damn co-operator!"

Nick intervened between the two, taking away the container from birth their hands, and Thena approached the two warily.

"You care about them more than you care about us!"

"There is no them and us!"

"Then you're an idiot!"

At those words, Thena stepped between the two women. "That's enough," she said loudly, but the blonde didn't listen to her. A few words were heard from one of the men from the Nation, and before Thena could even blink, people just started arguing.

"Everybody, shut the fuck up!"

At Thena's loud and raw voice, everyone turned silent to watch her. She was breathing heavily, a hand massaging the bruised skin on her neck under her cream-coloured scarf. Alicia gave her a thankful look to which the older woman nodded at.

"We only have six weeks of water left," said the Clark girl, making Thena freeze. If she knew what was on Alicia's mind, she would have probably never separated the angry individuals. Her words would only make them angrier.

Murmurs started floating through the crowd. Everyone was confused, scared, even angry.

"If we don't work together, we will run out, and we will die. It is that simple. So please... stop."