I curled up into a tighter ball in an attempt to keep warm. I didn’t know what day it was, but I knew it was still on the brink of winter or at least that’s what the temperatures made it feel like. The cold air blew through the broken glass and it caused our breath to show. Everyone else was still asleep in the warm clothes that I took from that house in Pennsylvania. They weren’t warm enough, but they were better than the summer clothes we were in. My body felt numb as we tried to huddle together in a poor effort to keep warm. I had really taken heating for granted before this winter. I stared out the window while lying on the bed, not really believing the amount of snow on the trees in the distance or on the rooftops that could be seen from our room.
The town was quiet for once. It seemed everyone was sleeping. At some point, everyone needed to rest. Suddenly, someone began to bang on the door. So I had been wrong. I ran to the door and used all my weight to keep the person from coming in. I tried to muster up all the strength I could as I pushed my shoulder against the door.
“Go away!” I barked as a low groan escaped me from the struggle.
I pressed harder against the door when my feet started to slip against the title floor. I heard the person mumble as they fiddled with the doorknob. I gave one last push and shoved the chair under the knob after I heard the click. I still didn’t trust the door and I leaned all my mass against it. I could still feel whoever was on the other side trying to get the door open. The person was not ready to give up for this area.
“Are they starting that already?” asked Cole, his voice groggy.
Cole stood up rubbing his head. His hair was getting long and grew out in every which way. Cole was not the only one who had lost weight from the long walks before we came here and smaller amounts of food we’ve had. I could see the results of weight loss on the others and I was afraid to even see if I looked the same way. Thankfully there was no mirror. The others hadn’t yet developed the hollow faces associated with malnourishment. I wouldn’t let it get to that.
“Yeah and it’s amazing they haven’t given up yet,” I grumbled still against the door, not really feeling it budging more.
“At least we can protect ourselves.”
I let out a sigh as I let my head fall back against the now still door.
“For how much longer though?” I sighed, my eyes glued to the ceiling, unable to meet Cole’s. His voice was stronger then I felt.
“You and I have been doing great with protecting them,” he spoke a tender tone, while he walked over to me.
When he reached me, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, bringing me into his chest. I rested my face against the nape of his neck, feeling the world draining all of my energy and hope from every fiber of my body. Cole’s other hand slowly, almost clumsily, caressed up and down my back. His head lowered so that his cheek was against my forehead. I slipped out of his arms, turning my back to him, so that I wouldn’t be able to see his reaction. Not sure if I had the heart or energy to see his expression.
“We can’t stay here too much longer,” I whispered, feeling so unlike my old self as I stared at the ceiling. I prayed that the awkwardness would pass.
“Are you willing to leave without Aaron?” Cole whispered in a tone I couldn’t read. He didn’t move from his spot by the door even though my back still to him.
I really didn’t want too, but Aaron was leaving us no choice.
“We should at least wait ‘til winter is done,” I spoke in a low voice, ready to move on.
“Are you being smart with that choice or do you still think he’ll come back? Just like the last time you made us wait.”
I still stared at the cracking ceiling above us. My heart started to beat faster as I tried to figure out what the true answer to that question was. I really had no response, since I didn’t know the answer myself. How can I chose to go out into the cold and possibly abandon one of us or stay here to wait while supplies were dangerously low? Both situations were hazardously awful.
“It’s the best for us not to be out in this weather,” I partially lied.
Another week went by as we hid in that room, bored out of our minds. It seemed cabin fever had taken over. Sean and Paige were getting antsy, not able to stay much longer in a small area. Not being allowed to leave, stuck with just us in addition to the two stuffed animals, they were anxious. I knew we would have to leave soon. I started to pack up what we had left of the food, since we would be leaving the next day. I’d finally decided this place wasn’t safe and food in the town was running out. We came here when conditions were bad. I couldn’t believe that the area found a way to become worse.
As I was getting the bag ready, I made sure everyone had their sweaters zipped. There was a pounding on the door, loud hammering that shook the door knob. My heartbeat raced as I ran to the door to keep it closed.
“Let me in, girl!”
I tried even harder to keep the door closed as I realized the person knew I was a girl. Jill took Sean and Paige into the bathroom.
“Go away!” I yelled, but I could hear the strain in my voice.
This guy was stronger than the other person.
“Lauren! Open the damn door now!” The voice growled.
I nearly jumped when I heard that. That voice sounded familiar, but when was the last time I heard it? Why did he know my name? Was that who I thought it was?
“Lauren, open the damn door now. I’m hurt! Open the damn door!”
Moving fast, my fingers fumbled as I moved the chair and opened the door. As the door swung open, I pulled Aaron into the room and put the chair back. He fell onto the mattress in the middle of the room and I looked at him, barely recognizing the guy before me. Aaron was covered in dirt and his skin was red from the cold. He had barely noticeable blond stubble on his face, but what got to me was the cloth wrapped around his left bicep. I fell by his side. It had been so long since Aaron was able to shave, the last I had seen him do so was back at Ed’s.
“What happened?” I shrieked.
Aaron closed his eyes as he held his left arm out to the side. My hands shook as they traveled near the cloth.
“Aaron, you’re back!” sang Paige blissfully. She clapped her hands together as she beamed.
I looked and my face grew pale, trying to figure out what had happened Aaron.
“Paige, how about you go pick up the cards with the others in the bathroom so that we can put them in my bag for later.”
Paige skipped out without a word. I leaned close to his face and I pushed away the stray hair from his eyes.
“What happened?”
Aaron finally opened his eyes. My heart skipped a beat at seeing those eyes. His eyes made my knees wobbly, and I thanked God I was already on the ground. Never before had those blue orbs hit me like this. They weren’t their normal bright, blue eyes that were cool and semi-tyrannical with a smartass way about them. Now they had a worn out and wounded appearance to them.
“Manson’s men caught up with me at one point. The bullet just skimmed my arm. It got cold!” he spoke softly into my ear as I leaned nearer so the younger ones wouldn’t hear.
“When did this happen?”
He closed eyes again. I started to worry even more.
“Aaron!” I nearly shouted as I shook his non-injured shoulder.
“I’m fine, just tired,” Aaron mumbled.
“You’re not fine! You were shot!” I stammered, my voice sounded stressed as alarm set in.
“I’ll be fine,” he spoke in an even voice with a shrug of a shoulder.
“We’ll leave when you recuperate.”
“No we’ll go soon.”
“No! I have just as much power here as you do! You’re injured, so I make up the rules,” I said, taking charge.
He has been gone all this time and he thought he was in charge? I’d been the one taking care of everyone. I protected everyone. I was the one in charge. I had to learn to be tough and he was going to have to deal with it. He just gazed into my eyes. I w
atched the calculations forming in his head, to argue that point or not with me.
I started to untie the cloth as he attempted to move his arm away. I unsecured the cloth before he could do anything. As my hands grazed his skin, the flesh was cold as ice. My mouth dropped when I saw the small cut. The cut was four inches long, red and swollen with some dried blood around it. I wondered if he really took care of the cut when he was gone. If I had money, my bet would be on no.
“Aaron—”
“It just needs to be cleaned and I need to sleep for at least a night, then we’ll go.” His head fell so he could peek his injury.
I glanced into his eyes and realized he really needed to get some rest. Underneath his eyes was so dark, a rich purple color painted against his light skin.
“Jill,” I called. “Bring everyone in here and give them something to eat.”
I helped Aaron up then brought him into the bathroom as everyone else went over to the food by the mattress. I looked around for something to clean his cut with but couldn’t find anything. The amount toilet paper we had left was running low, I turned toward the sink as spurts of water sprayed out harshly. The water pipes connected to the water plant must have been low as obviously no one worked there anymore. The pipes must be mostly frozen as well. I assisted Aaron as I put his arm under the water and we cleaned the cut the best we could. Neither of us said a word, but I could feel his eyes on me the whole time.
“It’s rude to stare,” I finally said, using my fingers to clean the cut before dabbing the sensitive skin with some of his shirt.
“You have no idea how afraid I was that you guys moved on,” Aaron answered.
My heart beat rapidly at the sound of his deep voice as I tried to avoid his eyes. Instead, I looked at his cut.
“That was what we were going to do today actually. You have impeccable timing yet again,” I continued in hushed tones.
That time I had welcomed Aaron back home open arms.
“You all are alive and not sick, right?” he asked, and I could still feel his gaze.
I looked at the cloth again as I tied it in a nice knot to keep the fabric in place without hurting him. I don’t think I could hurt him. Although it seemed he lost weight, he still had his lean muscles. He had to be too cold to really feel anything anyway. Yet he seemed small from the weight loss.
“We’re all fine,” I spoke as an attempt to reassure him.
“That’s good. I didn’t have any intention of staying away that long.” He sounded sincere and a little lost.
“I don’t even know why you left in the first place,” I answered, finally catching his eyes for a mere second.
There was a quiet pause as I stood up shunning his eyes from mine.
“I had to leave,” he said, each word seemed almost like its own sentence.
“Why?”
“I can’t explain it.” Aaron took a moment taking a deep breath. “Lauren, just trust me when I say I had too.”
I sighed, not believing how secretive he had been with us. The secrets were bothering me and also that he wanted to be that way. I looked at him finally realizing he was shaking a little.
“How did you survive in the cold like this?” I asked, my hands hovering over his shoulders. I refrained from rubbing them.
We walked into the other room to find everyone finishing up what they were eating.
“I have no idea.”
He sat down on the mattress then took a small handful of cereal. He lay down after he ate. The others were quietly watching his movements. Each face had a different expression. No one knew what to say. I glimpsed down at Sean and he took a step forward. I quickly grabbed Sean as he tried to jump on top of Aaron.
“Aaron, you’re back!”
“Hey there, little buddy. Have you been taking good care of your sister?” Aaron asked affectionately as he ruffled Sean’s hair.
“Yeah, I took real good care of her!” Sean answered with a giggle.
I smiled as I let Sean go which turned out to be a mistake. Sean jumped onto Aaron, laughing, and sat on Aaron’s chest.
“Sean, get off him!” I yelped as I leaned over and grabbed Sean.
“Lauren, I’m fine!”
Okay, so now we were both being stubborn. This shall be interesting.
“Let’s just get some sleep so we can leave early tomorrow,” Aaron said, keeping his gaze on mine.
“Great, we’re getting orders from him again.” Cole groaned with a roll of his eyes.
I ended up next to Aaron when we all lay down to sleep. I squished myself as close as I could to him so I could actually be on the mattress. While Aaron had been gone, we had a little more room on the rectangle.
I could feel his icy skin through my clothes. A shiver went through me and I couldn’t believe someone could be alive and feel that frozen. I sat up and took off my sweatshirt, then placed the material on him like a blanket. I curled up close to him so that I wouldn’t freeze. I buried my face into the nap of his neck, trying to keep warm and not fall off the bed. Slowly, I closed my eyes and I felt an arm wrap around me. Aaron pulled me in tightly.