The Final Female

Chapter Nine

I was pushing the eggs around on my plate. Yes, I was grateful for having a real meal again and not getting giddy at the sight of canned beans, but I was also still on edge... all the time.

I trusted Zander, of course I trusted him. It was the others I didn't trust.

I felt like eyes were crawling all over me. Their heads turned away when I met their gaze. I decided that is what I would do, look at every pair of eyes head on as they came at me. They all looked away after a while.

Most of them anyway. Jay wasn't as easy to shake. I decided to hold his stare and he didn't give in like the rest of them. Finally, hating the way I couldn't make him turn away, I lowered my gaze and pretended to be interested in my eggs once more. I could practically feel his grin.

"They're disgusting right." Patrick says.

"Yeh." I say, thinking of the eyes all around me, before I realise he is looking at the eggs. "Oh, no. They're fine. Way better than what I've had in a while." I give an encouraging smile.

"I miss the blueberry pancakes my mum used to make. I never did like eggs." His smile is there, but distant.

Giving him a small smile I bump his shoulder with mine.

"I'll make you blueberry pancakes again one day. They won't be the same as your mums, but I'll try."

"Thanks Alex." His grin seems genuine. He's one of the only people here that looks at me in a different way. Still in a sense of need, but for a different reason. He needed a mother, a female influence. The best I could be was his friend.

A hand claps down on my shoulder and I tense.

"Hi Isaac!" Patrick pipes.

"Hey kid. You been working hard?" 

"Yes! I recon I could be a trooper soon." Isaac just smiles. I get the gist that the guys around here treat Patrick like a little brother, and the last thing they want their little brother doing is going out into the world with a weapon in hand... just in case.

"How are you my dear?" He switches the conversation to me and once again, I'm glaring at my eggs before I turn.

"Fine." I try and make it seem like I'm not saying it through my teeth.

"Well I would love your company this morning." He smiled, extending his arm. My skin was crawling. I wanted to say no, but that worried me even more. I would be damned before I took his hand though. Standing up I walked past him and out of the eating area. I could feel him following behind me and they stares on my back. 

Once he caught up and we were out of view of everyone else he placed his hand on the small of my back and lead me towards the shopping centre building. I jumped at his hand, but he ignored it and continued to guide me forwards. We walked in silence for what felt like forever. I wanted Zander, I wanted Patrick, hell at this point I would go for bloody Jay. We stop at a sort of lounge area that has been made up out of various stools and sofa's that have been taken out of other shops. He motions for me to sit, and I do so reluctantly. 

My first thought as he sits down on the same sofa facing me is that there is no door to this room, I have an escape if I need it. The glass doors that would open themselves have been wedged open much like other doors in the store have been.

"I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable, I'm not meaning too." He says after a short while of me being silent and glancing back and forth towards the door and him.

"Why am I here?"

"I just wanted to talk."

"About?" I say after he pauses.

"Look, I'm going to be honest. I get that you must be scared. I mean we are all scared shitless! The worlds fallen to pieces and most of the people left don't have a bloody clue how to rebuild it. But I get it, you are probably scared for many different reasons to the rest of us. I just don't want you to think that you are only here for those reasons." He took a breath. The way he was speaking made him seem sincere. With no one else around, the entire cocky personality left and he was just... real. 

"How can I trust you. Any of you." 

"I know I act all 'top shit' but I only do that so the guys follow me. Genuinely, no bullshit, you're not here for the twisted reasons you may think. A few of the other guys and I made this place to be a safe and civilised area in a dying world. I've been out there, I've seen how the Heat has changed what would have been kind men. You are here, because we are bringing any stragglers we can here. If you had been a guy like we thought, Jay still would have brought you in. The world is dying, and all we are trying to do is keep it going for the rest of whatever lives we have left." He seemed shy too, almost embarrassed. I slight stutter graced his lips and this cute awkwardness surrounded him.

"You should be a motivational speaker."

"Second place public speaking at Dawson SHS represent!" He tried to joke, it didn't reach his eyes. Memories of real life, not this horror movie, couldn't be talked about the same way anymore.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"For what?"

"Reassuring me. I don't know why, I mean don't get me wrong... I still have some major doubts, but something about this place just seems right... almost normal. I don't know why, and I hope I don't regret it, but I just feel like I can talk to you guys in a way I couldn't at the other camps I've been at. So thank you." I didn't say the 'T' word. Trust still wasn't something I wouldn't be coming by anytime soon.

His sheepish smile that seemed shy threw me off. This guy was completely different one on one than he was in front of everyone. 

I guess this was what The Heat did to people. But then again, there have always been fakes in the world.

I just hoped he would find himself soon and realise he didn't have to act all tough in front of the others... Isaac was an utter sweetheart.