Northern Exposure: The Divided

  Chapter 24

  Our battle with the Reapers had left us battered; Sharif and I had just taken on a pack and managed to survive. Even though perceived as lucky while making it out alive, we had taken our fair share of causalities. The Reapers had completely destroyed our means of transport, while trying to get to get to the professor and Sharif who had barricaded themselves inside the car. Now with only the Solarcycle the journey to Newport would have to be taken on foot. With no car, and a lack of resources we would have to march on, with only the hope of a better future as our driving force. Convincing the other was simple, they were just as ecstatic as I and by the next morning I found myself with my new extended family trekking alone, further than we ever had into the unknown, untamed city.

  Sharif had me under one shoulder while Smith had me under the other, as they helped me limp along. I had sustained a similar injury to that of the Sharif’s during the final battle with the Reapers Alpha. The irony of the lame helping the lame lay thick in the situation. The girls sat with Sky, all three squashed together on the small solar cycle trying to relive the burden of the long trip on their little limbs. Our march was slow yet methodical, we all had our eyes set on this new future and nothing was going to stop us from reaching Newport. However we knew rushing the journey would do more harm than good, if the island did exist it was going anywhere any time soon, the best thing would be to take the trip as slow as possible with as many stops as needed. Smith Figured the best place to take shelter for the night would be the one building we had become quite accustomed to visiting. We stopped in front of the SS mart; this would be our camp. The store was dark and quiet but we were used to the airy feeling of the SS mart by now. I sat with the girls and the Professor outside the large Supermarket as Smith, Sky and Sharif swept the building. Making sure there were no Reapers in the large store would be a tedious challenge, but it had to be done. One by one our brave explores returned with his good news that the coast was clear. We decided to stay as high as possible, taking a page out of the professor’s book, hoping we could cloak our presence in the shadows of uneasily assessable higher levels of the store.

  As an added bonus we found the employee wreck room and on the opposite side the manager’s office. Smith opened the door to the wreck room a wave of dust flushed out. The room was dirty and had an odd smell of feet combined with sweat. But compared to the sewer this would be like staying in a four seasons. I hobbled closer to the door and leaned on Smith, as I gazed into the room I was surprised by the bounteous fulfilment which had presented itself in this small cubicle room. The room had two large couches which would be so much more comfortable then the stinky thin mattresses we were used to. In the middle of the room was a large pool table and in the corner a small bed most probably used in the past as a rest stop for weary employees on their lunch breaks.

  Oh what I’d give for one night in that bed, unfortunately the reality was Smith got the bed; I’d never allow the old man anything less. Hell the couch was more than okay. Smith was quick to bark out orders, as to who would be staying were. The Professor the Girls, Smith and I where to sleep in the wreck room, while Sharif and Sky had the privilege and solitude of the Mangers office. The old man knew how much the alone time would mean to the two of them, and even though at first both they were hesitant to leave the girls behind. After a lot of convincing from all of us they decide to take up the offer. As they blew their final kisses to the girls and said their last good nights, they shut the door. This was my key I could eventually get my ass into that room and collapse on the soft couch. I fell into the comforting bliss from the soft spongy three-seater. I felt my muscles completely relax, as if I had just received the most indulging body massage. The pleasure of the relaxation I was feeling waged war on my eye lids, and the more I tried fight the sleep the more the experience made me tired, until eventually I was lights outs.

  Around midnight I slowly got up, picked up the candle rested on the pool table and looked around the room. The girls were fast asleep, their smiles still plastered unknowingly on their happy faces, the professor lay as quite as a church mouse not even flinching, and Smith snored peaceful stretched out in the bed. I walked out the door and softly shut it behind me, my bladder was full and I had to hobble to a dark corner where I could relieve myself. Not taking notice I rushed past Sharif and Sky’s erotic new playpen. The flickering from their shadows in front of the candle light through the large stained glass in the centre of the door stopped me dead in my tracks. I tried telling my body to move, but I became helpless to what I was witnessing, like a deer trapped in the headlights I was frozen as I witnessed the sexual experience which was taking place in front of me.

  She was wrapped around his body, her thighs clinched tightly to his waist, He held her up with all his strength. She slowly ran her lips down his neck until they met his. I watched as the outline of their silhouettes passionately kissed, the continued not knowing they had a guest in the mists of the romantic affair. He threw her to the couch and slowly pressed his body to hers, As her moaning climaxed I was snapped back to reality and soon understood how weird this would have seemed, me standing outside their door watching them, after all it’s not like the situation wasn’t weird enough with Sharif being in his forties and Sky being only twenty something. But hey this was the new world, the norm had been thrown out the window, people had more important things to worry about than who were sexing who.

  I ran back to the room then slumped back onto my couch, thinking about the ordeal I had just witnessed. My mind raced, my piss had retracted and I had completely forgotten about my reasoning behind leaving the room in the first place. Damn! When last had I felt, let alone slept with a woman. Then pictures of Layla flooded my mind. I wondered where she was, I thought about the nights we’d spend laughing in bed for hours. I could not help but smile as the pleasant thoughts of our past depicted in such vivid memory as if I was watching a movie. If only things went a little different, if only the rocks never fell, if only she never betrayed me.