Sky Corruption (Past Tense)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Ezra was soon full with dread, he didn't necessarily fancy the idea of telling a girl he just met that her own comrade left her for dead. The girl had appeared to be so happy that it was almost unrealistic, she moved her head from side to side in a chipper manner, her hands rested on top of her thighs and her eyes held this cheery look that Ezra had yet to see from the others in her group.

He decided to change the subject. "What was that thing? The creature that attacked us, I mean."

The question was almost rhetorical, it wasn't human, for sure. Ezra was pretty much grasping and trying to steer away from China's straightforward question, it was evident that no one trusted him, and if she suspected that he was lying...she'd definitely want to leave him too.

Who would believe some random boy that they met in a span of a few days over a logical ally that has potentially been by their side for many years?

China's smile had went faint. "An outsider, I tend to call them bullies." She chirped. "Did they hurt you?"

"No..." Ezra responded, his thoughts regressed back to the way it stood straight and motionless, it had every opportunity to kill him, but it just stood there. "What do they normally do?"

"They eat you." China simply stated.

Ezra's eyes widened at her calm, but simple response. She didn't flinch a muscle when she said that, it was rather casual, as if he had just asked her about the weather. Ezra took this as an evident sign that she was used to this world, used to these creatures.

"They also use voices of humans to try and lure people out and them BOOM!" China spoke theatrically, she had brought her fist to her hand to exaggerate what she was saying. "The person becomes an alien's meal in a matter of seconds."

"You're oddly happy to be talking about bloodthirsty aliens." Ezra stated snarkily.

"What's the point in being scared of them? They're like wild dogs in alleyways, we know what they can do, why don't we just fight back?" China shrugged.

Ezra was left slack-jawed at her unorthodoxed response. She didn't show a hint of fear with the outsiders.

"Wild...dogs...?" Ezra repeated.

China pointed at her calf, there was a faded scar of deep teeth marks with a long ugly stitch that ascended up to the back of her knee. "Can't say that it didn't hurt a little bit." China chirped.

China narrowed her eyes at Ezra, who was simply at a loss of words. "Are you scared, Ezzy?" She asked.

Ezra raised his eyebrows. "Of course I am, I don't know what happened to my brother, I was surrounded by a whole bunch of strangers and-"

He cut himself off as he noticed China's smile. She had reached over to touch his hand, her hands were tiny but rough and firm, her knuckles had bruises and scratches decorated along her fingers.

"Ezra, it's okay. I can get scared too. We're fine though, we're in a building, you saved my life, and you have me to look out for you." China continued, she had rambled about every good thing and Ezra couldn't help but listen in awe.

"You aren't alone. We will find him." China enthused. "Then when that happens, we can all go back home."

Ezra then realized why Jay was so protective over this girl, she was hopeful and bright, she did not once complain about having to be unconscious, alone with a stranger, and still stuck at the same area. She was the heart of the group, though she was somewhat aware of the danger, she embraced it, chased it, and turned it into something truly interesting.

She was brave.

--

The sky had lost its source of light and was now growing dark, the stars had appeared behind the grey clouds and the temperature had slowly dropped. Only an idiot would be caught during this time, out on open road.

Faith had stopped by a nearby alleyway. She had spent the last few hours running away from the one building, she knew she wasn't far from the junkyard but she had to stop. She had found herself against the brick wall, hand clutched around her stomach as she let out pants.

What have I done? She asked herself.

She felt sick. So sick that her stomach had churned when she noticed that she was growing a fair distance from that building. She didn't even want to think about it.

She didn't even take the time to think at all, she had noticed the outsider's signature sound but never entered the building with China and Ezra. Instead, she slammed the doors shut and wrapped the chain around the double doors to prevent it from opening, then she left.

Why? A high pitched voice echoed in Faith's head.

Faith lurched, her body convulsed as she held her head down, the bile quickly rose up and she made a loud retch, her throat burned as she expelled her breakfast sandwich, the energy drinks, and the medication that kept her feelings at ease. The vomit came out like a bullet, yet her stomach still tightened.

Not only did she lock Ezra in that building, she locked China in there too.

China.

The girl who Jay would lose his mind over if something horrible had happened to her, the girl who made a real smile appear on North's dejected face, who cuddled with Winter whenever Winter was facing some self loathing, the girl whom Tyrese was working to get a read on, the girl who made Nikki's day a little better by complimenting her culinary skills.

China Ambrose. The girl who Faith could not stand.

She was too happy, too chipper, too energetic. Faith was the only one who acknowledged China's flaws on a daily basis. China was also ditzy, naive, and immature. Faith commended her spunk, China may be dumb but she was also strong for a girl her age.

Faith didn't like China, but she knew that she had made a great mistake.

The thought of Jay's undisputed rage if he ever caught whiff of Faith abandoning China in a room with a hungry outsider had made Faith shudder.

She knew she had to keep it a secret.

A fresh idea appeared in her head and her body relaxed as she quietly calculated her cover up for the wicked deed she had done.