Alexis of Troy (Book I)

θ′ - Eneah

NINE

My life back in my time wasn't perfect, but it was mine. Though I had an undergraduate degree, it proved useless, so I never quite managed to get out of working at my part-time cafe job. Not that it was a big deal. It was a decent job, and eventually, I worked my way up to full-time and was on the fast track to becoming a manager. It wasn't the best pay, but for my simple lifestyle, it suited me. My family was pretty normal, too. Mom, dad, brother, sister. Friends? I had those too. We went out for dinner, watched movies, texted all the time. All normal. Too normal. Basic even.

Maybe it was the normalcy of it all that tricked me into thinking it was boring. Even with the pandemic and the way things screeched to a grinding halt, much of my life didn't actually change. My stress levels climbed, the uncertainty of the future was certainly on my mind, and how I would survive working in a customer service position nagged me. Not to mention how stressful everything was. Scary. Uncertain—You get the point.

None of that compared to how I felt as I stood, alone and lost in the middle of a time that wasn't my own. The violence I'd witnessed last night didn't help either.

What I wouldn't give for that normalcy.

Well, I wasn't alone. Not really.

I hugged myself and turned to Paris.

After bandaging his head, I placed him close to the fire to keep him warm. I used one of the cannibal's satchels as a pillow. The sickly pallor was concerning, but his breathing had evened out. I let myself a glimmer of hope. He was going to be alright.

Then I stayed watch until twilight slipped into dawn. I was so wired I couldn't have slept even if I tried. I was too scared to move even a muscle. My legs had long since gone numb and it was like sitting on pins and needles. I kept my vigilance.

Night slowly gave way to morning, black fading to a hazy gray. Shadows solidified into distinguishable shapes. The scary ebbed into peace, although the carnage of the night before remained at the camp. I ignored the bloodied side of the fire, though the images of the androphagi eating each other were seared into my brain forever. Already the iron smell mingling with the last dredges of the smokey fire threatened to spill whatever precious contents I had left in my stomach.

At least we hadn't left our original camp, though with Paris unconscious I didn't know where we were going. In all the chaos and darkness that had blanketed my surroundings, everything looked vastly different now that things were taking form. Even if I wanted to find help for Paris, I had no idea where to go. But we couldn't stay there. The bodies would eventually attract unwanted attention from hungry beasts, and I'd had enough danger for one lifetime.

"Alright, Alexis," I mumbled to myself, "just pick a direction and go. We'll eventually come across people."

I didn't even believe myself.

My sandals had survived the ordeal and I put them on before crouching down next to Paris. I shook his shoulder gently. "Hey, Paris."

Groaning, his head turned, his eyes peeking out from under heavy lids. The thin bandage I'd made was already soaked in blood, gluing the material to his head. I tried to keep the grimace off my face as I peeled it off. There was way too much blood everywhere, the smell of it clogging my throat. Not to mention that that wound was angry red and edged green. Infection.

"We have to go," I continued gently. "We need to find a doctor."

"I can't," he muttered, "Alexis, go without me."

"That's not happening. I got you into this mess, I'll get you out of it, but I can't carry you, so you'll need to help. And point out where which direction we're going."