Cruel World (The Tribe Book 1)

2. Friend or Fiend? (Pt I)

Waking up in the music store, I still felt exhausted. I didn't sleep well, knowing about the trio metres away from my bed, and thinking about the group of misfits that seemed to be worming their way into our lives, even after less than a day. Rising from the bed, I stretch out any knots and sore limbs and slip my shoes on, heading out past the group in the cage and walking upstairs to the café, starting to make everyone some food.

After about 15 minutes, I begin hearing people rising for the day, and slowly footsteps as one by one everyone comes in to grab food. Once everyone else is fed, I grab a small portion for myself and sit at a table with Amber, talking about the old times as we eat our food. It seems we have quite a bit in common when it comes to personalities, values, morals, leadership skills, etc.

Eventually, the trio begin to stir, and Amber and I head downstairs with the remainder of our food, to go and talk to them and decide what's to happen with them, as they can't stay in the cage forever. As we approach we hear Zandra tell Lex to get them out of 'this mess', because she needed to tidy herself up.

"You won't be going anywhere till we can decide what to do with you," Amber cuts in, making our presence known to the trio. "You can't keep us in here forever! You're gonna wish you hadn't done this!" Lex shouts to us. "Is that so? It's easy to make threats from behind bars," I respond, smirking at the empty threat.

"It's not a threat! It's a promise," he growls, fury rising behind his eyes. The two of us decide to walk away, and he bangs on the cage to try and make us turn around. "I'm warning you!"

We just smile to each other and continue back up the stairs, resuming our conversation about life before, and saying hello to the others when we reach the top of the stairs. I head into the kitchen to begin cleaning up, asking everyone to scrape off their plates to make it easier and Salene and Amber get the kids to help sweep and clean tables, which makes everything go quicker. Once the kids finish, they go tidy their beds from last night and go play.

I decide to go see Jack since I hadn't seen him earlier, catching the last part of his and Dal's conversation. "There's no one out there Jack! That's why you can't hear anything!" Dal shouts in frustration. He's been fiddling with the stupid radio again. No matter how many times I tell him, he won't listen to reason.

"He won't listen Dal. He refuses to accept that if they haven't made contact for almost a year, they definitely wont now," I make my presence known, causing the pair to look at me, "Not everyone has a way to recharge batteries, and we don't have power anymore Jack, you won't get anything anyway because no one is using them to make contact, kids don't know how and there aren't any adults left Jack. Let it go."

With that I walk away, already getting frustrated by my brothers continued antics. I walk back to my place, sitting myself at a guitar and playing it to calm myself down. Without realising I begin to sing a song I liked before everything went wrong, and drew myself a crowd.

Make You Mine by PUBLIC (acoustic version)

Well, I will call you darlin' and everything will be okay

'Cause I know that I am yours and you are mine

Doesn't matter anyway

In the night, we'll take a walk

It's nothin' funny

Just to talk

Put your hand in mine

You know that I want to be with you all the time

You know that I won't stop until I make you mine