𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁.

ten.

   "Athy, Athena wake up!"

   My eyes shoot open and I sit up, immediately regretting it as I fall back down, my head ringing. I look up to see Ellie, my vision of her blurring before finally coming into focus.

   She frowns, pulling me to a seat, "why didn't you just do what I told you?"

   I ignore the question, looking around to realize we're in a human cage. There's a table splattered in blood beside us along with a wall full of tools. This must be where they slaughter their meat.

   Just then the door to the room we're in bursts open and a redheaded middle aged man enters. I scoot myself to the opposite side of the cell, Ellie shifting to be in front of me.

   "I started worrying you ladies wouldn't wake up."

   "Let us out," Ellie glares at him.

   He sighs, "well that's certainly the goal. Hungry?"

   "Why're we in a cage?"

   "Because I'm scared of you," David frowns, "you're a dangerous person, you certainly proved that." He slides his eyes to me, his face wrinkling as he smiles, "as have you, young lady."

   I shiver.

   The feeling of his gaze on me is disgusting though I don't know why. I feel as if I need to shower to wash it away.

   "The others, they want me to kill you for all that's happened."

   Ellie begins to stand, the man leaning down, "did you hear me say the others wanna kill you?"

   She rolls her eyes, "yeah."

   "But I stopped them."

   It almost sounds as if he's trying to brag.

   Trying to win our favor by being the hero.

   "Fuck you," Ellie breathes.

   The man looks slightly taken aback, shifting his eyes to me, "then let's start with you shall we? What's your name?" He kneels by the front gate, gazing into my eyes.

   Ellie stands in front of me, "eat shit."

   "Hey, listen to me!" he raises his voice as he stands to his full height, "you can't survive on your own, no one can. But I can help you, let me protect you."

   I suck in a breath, "we're not alone."

   The man nods, "right your friend. How is he?"

   The air of his voice makes my heart drum.

   We don't actually know how Joel is, for all we know he could be dead.

   "I can see how much you care about him so I know it hurts," he begins to pace, "but even so you gotta face reality. That part of your life it's ending, and what I'm offering you is a beginning."

   He strides over to the door, looking over his shoulder at us, "if you can't find a way to trust me, then yes you are alone."

* * *

   I watch as Ellie fiddles with the screw on the gate, everything she told me running through my mind. She told me about David being the man who gave her the medicine for Joel and the strange vibes he gave off.

   It confused me as to why he wanted out trust so badly.

   Extra mouths to feed were never anything good.

   Besides, what could two young girls offer that others couldn't?

   Ellie suddenly stops her movements, stepping back with wide eyes. I look up to her then follow her line of sight to under the blood splattered table.

   There lies a human ear.

   A lump forms in my throat.

   "Ellie? Ellie, Why would that be there?" I whisper urgently.

   The door opens again, David entering holding two plates of food. He slides them under the bar in the door, looking up to me.

   He seems to realize my state of fright and follows my eyes to the human ear. At the sight of this his sighs, almost of irritation.

   "For what it's worth this is just deer meat I swear," he states.

   I look at the bowl of meat and feel the urge to throw up rise in my throat, "are- are you gonna eat us?"

   David looks at me, "I'd rather not. Please just tell me your name. If you wanna judge me-"

   "Judge you?" Ellie storms forward, "you're eating people, you sick fuck!" She kicks the food across the ground, splattering it everywhere as David backs away.

   I wrap my fingers around the barred door, "but why?"

   "Yes, there's only a few people that know. But I would've told you. Sooner or later," he sighs, "I guess sooner."

   I shake, "you're an animal."

   "Well yes we all are, that's sort of the point. It was a last resort. Do you think it doesn't shame me?" He digs a finger into his chest, "But what was I supposed to do? Let them starve? These people who put their lives in my hands? Who expects me to keep them safe, who love me."

   "Yeah, maybe," Ellie answers like it's simple.

   "You don't believe that, I don't believe your friend would either," David narrows his eyes, "didn't he take another life to save yours?"

   I look up from my seat on the floor, a tear rolling down my cheek, "he was defending himself!"

   "He was defending you, but you knew that. You see a lot, and so do I," he turns to Ellie, "and you know what I see when I look at you? Me."

   Ellie shudders behind me at the comparison.

   "You remind me of me, your natural leader, smart, loyal...violent."

   Ellie paces behind me, "you don't know anything about me."

   "But I do, if I let you out of that cage right now, put that knife of yours in your hand, you'd stick me in a second. You have a violent heart, and I should know," He smiles, "I've always had a violent heart. I struggled with it but then the world ended and I was shown the truth."

   "Right," Ellie rolls her eyes, "by god."

   "No, by cordyceps."

   My heart sinks.

   This man is insane.