Last Shelter

013

LIAN sat along with Marry on the floor. Civilians gathered around the training hall, completely confused about the sudden meeting, excluding the troopers and soldiers. Others thought that it might be a call about the crops since they are planning to expand the shelter ground or it might be about the meal schedule. Whatever it was Lian didn't care, her head was floating back to her conversation with Tristan. She admitted to herself that she was actually avoiding Jacxo and she expected him to look after her. It might be again another heartache if he didn't. Still, she should stop feeling special, now that she knew about Belle. But the thought of, what if, Lucas got it all wrong and Jacxo had a different point of view? What if they are just really friends? Lian shook the thought after memories flashed back to her. Belle holding his arms like a real girlfriend, she was sure that a friend wouldn't be that close, and how her hair strand ended up on his clothes. Lian pinched the bridge of her nose, she was about to sneeze again.

"You're not allowed here."

Her head swiftly turned to the talking soldiers at the entrance, only to find Jacxo staring straight at her. Still in his sleeping trouser and tee. She immediately turned back but the image of him remained in her mind. Why he's not in his trooper garb? They are going out today, aren't they? She pondered.

A few minutes went by when Lieutenant Kim arrived along with three other soldiers. The entrance door was already closed. She walked straight to the front of seated civilians. Her eyes swipe through the crowd of elderly, mothers, kids, and the disabled. On a closer look, Lian will be the invalid one to be there. Healthy and young. If only her parents let her lift the shovel when she was little.

Lieutenant Kim's face was different the way Lian knew her when she was a trainee, it was now softer, not fierce.

"I gathered you all here for an important announcement. It will be a...a new beginning for all of you. After our biggest rescue, our Shelter was now a bit crowded, and the time of your meals is interrupted." She cleared her throat and stared at the paper she was holding. "So General Wesley found a solution for that problem. We are going to send you all safely to Seivos Island-II, the boats-"

The crowd gasped utterly surprised. They started to talk incoherently. Lieutenant Kim gulped, who expected their reaction. She remained her head high as she waited for them to quiet down.

Lian's face grew pale on the side, confused about what to feel exactly about the announcement.

"The roads are dangerous madam!" An old man shouted raising his crane up to protest.

"The road will be just fine, we will make sure that it was all cleared of zombies." She answered.

"What about our shelter?"

"I already asked General about this and he promised to help you build a home, a cabin using the forest wood on that island. Soldiers will be sent there to do the building. Along with soldiers are the supplies of food, we'll send you supplies until the crops we provide grow, then you can finally harvest your own."

"How are we sure that zombies aren't there?"

"We all know that it's an inhabited island and also General made sure that it was a safe place."

The loud chatter had gone down to a murmur after some of them started to agree on the idea.

"So we all agreed to this?" Lieutenant Kim finalized the announcement.

"When are we leaving?"

"By tomorrow morning to be exact. You can bring the clothes we provided, even the blankets you can bring them too. We will also provide tents."

After a few discussions, Lieutenant Kim ends it by letting the civilians sign the agreement.

"Before I forgot, we know that most of you are good friends of the other soldiers and troopers that are not here, so to remain the peace inside, I suggest keeping this announcement confidential if we received any objection from them without proper information, then this plan will be adjourned. Also by tomorrow, we will hold again another meeting only for the soldiers and troopers for their own knowledge. Let's end this meeting. Thank you for your time.