Dead love in my hands (Troy Otto story/ Fear the walking dead/ ftwd)

Robert

When we arrived at El Bazaar, we were inspected by a guard at the gate.

"How much can you pay to get in?!" the man asked with the smirk of a casino owner. He considered himself the master of destiny and seemed to revel in the fact that people would forfeit their last possessions to enter the fabled Oasis for a short while.

I was embarrassed and looked at Troy.

"We've got nothing", Otto said.

"Either find something or get out!" said the guard in an indifferent bass.

Clara and I began to rummage through our pockets. Suddenly a woman who was sitting at the checkpoint with the guard intervened in the conversation. Apparently, it was his wife.

"Hey babe, what's that on your hand?" she addressed me.

"A watch," I shrugged, not counting on the fact that this thing could be an entry ticket for us.

"Let me see! Is it white gold?"

I took off my watch and handed it to her.

"Yes," the woman nodded affirmatively to herself, "And some stones. Oh, wow, Cartier. Brilliants, then! Jacob! Give them a two-day pass, I'll take that watch!"

"Lindsay! What the fuck is that watch for?!"

"I like them, I want them!" pouted the lady.

Her appearance didn't match the watch at all. A rather powerful build, greasy rust-coloured hair with greying at the roots. She was the complete opposite of my elegant, beautiful watch. Which Troy had given me. It was precious to me. And now it's gonna be worn by some bazaar woman, literally. For two days of stay here?! I'm pissed off at the situation. I decided to bargain at least.

"Two days?! Are you crazy? I don't care if it's a week! I'm not giving up this watch!" I defiantly held out my hand to give it back.

"Four days!"

"Lindsey! Not a day, give back their useless watch and let them go."

The woman's face turned red.

"You shameless bastard, Jacob! My birthday is coming up, what are you going to get me! I've never had a single piece of jewellery in my entire life! Look at her jewellery! Who gave it to you?" she turned to me sharply, "Your husband?!"

I nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"You see, her husband loves her and you don't love me! Maybe I should leave you altogether, you greedy prick. I want that watch! Give them a pass for them now! A week!"

Jacob, frightened by his wife's anger, hastily began to write us an admission ticket. Then he threw it into Troy's hands and left. I was shocked. People live here as if nothing had happened. As if the world hasn't changed. As if their lives are as normal as before. As if it's okay to fight with their husbands, celebrate birthdays and give gifts like before. Like before the apocalypse...

We went inside. I looked at my empty wrist. I felt a little sad. Clara caught my thoughts.

"Don't worry, it's probably time to forget Aron, although the watch was not bad, he had great taste," Clara said this specifically to hurt Troy, she didn't know where this watch came from.

"Actually, Troy gave them to me."

"Yes?" the sister was confused, but then quickly pulled herself together and indifferently threw, "then all the more forget about it, you will find others. A small loss. For a week of penetration."

"Clara, that's enough!" I started, but before I could continue, Troy turned to us:

"It looks like someone is jealous that you have a living man next to you, Della, and her Michael is probably already dead."