Him

Get Away

    The light instantly blinded my eyes as we exited the warehouse. I was barely able to see the various shades of green from the massive forest trees surrounding the building before I felt the hand pull me towards it. Not even having time to catch my breath I was forced to run through the forest. Almost tripped on tree roots because of Noem's hand pulling me, not letting me focus on the ground.
   
    We ran for what seemed like forever until we could see the small town I once lived in. Finally able to stop and catch my breath in an alleyway Noem pulled us to. I was barely able to move anymore, gasping for air, and Noem was doing the same now sitting on the ground next to me. I would have done the same thing if it weren't for the amount of trash scattered on the ground. After a few minutes of struggling to breathe, I finally got a good look at Noem after meeting in an almost pitch-black room, barely even getting a glimpse of his clothes. His hair was fluffy, a dark chocolate colour, although very dirty and greasy, he had skin a bit on the darker side too, just as filled with dirt as his hair, but I guess that's to be expected. After the Disappearance, everything stopped working, I didn't look any better myself. God this shit sucks, I miss my shower.
   
    He had started to fidget with the sting of his sweater while looking at random directions, clearly nervous and embarrassed. He seemed to try and say something, but couldn't get a word out, he seemed to be trying to figure out what to say.

"A-"

"Why'd you do it? Didn't I tell you to not follow me? Yet you still helped me get away."

"I-I just happened to know there was an exit there, and you were going to run past it... and I thought that maybe if I helped you'll... change your mind...?"
    Seeing how desperation took over his amber eyes, and hearing the way his voice faded in desperation made me feel guilty in a way. I wasn't sure if It was a good idea for him to join me. For all I know he could only drag me down, or even just leave after seeing no more use for me. But maybe, just maybe...

"Why did your group leave you?" He flinched hard at that question. Slowly shifting uncomfortably from where he sat, he slowly started to stand up.

"I.. didn't have much going for me. They all thought I was like a parasite useless to survival, and I leaching onto them for my own sake. I guess they finally had enough and left without me one night when I was asleep."
    He let out a short low chuckle, but It was clear he was trying to hide his actual feelings. His voice had gone raspy as he spoke. His eyes also slowly grew more watery by the second. Just listening to him made me feel a lump in my throat slowly growing.

"Well, what can you do?"
    As soon as the words left my mouth I could see him lighten up, hope instantly creeping into his eyes, a small sparkle starting to grow. Now noticeably starting to speak with a bit more of cheeriness in his tone, although he once again tried to hide it.

"I have a good memory!"

"Good... memory..?"
    As I spoke I could tell that my confusion must have translated into something worse, because as the seconds passed his mood once again changed. Slowly starting to look around nervously again and shuffling. He immediately started giving an expiation, his tone changing once again to an anxious one.

"Well... For example, when getting lost somewhere I can easily remember the exact way we came from! Or I can remember very important pieces of information too!"

"Well, I guess that could be helpful..."His eyes immediately started to beam with hope once again, starting to stare right at me with eyes full of hope.

"So does that mean we can stick together?"
    I swear this is going to be the biggest mistake ever, but I guess I really can't say no... Letting out a defeated sigh, I slowly start to nod my head, confirming his question. Suddenly I feel arms tighten around my shoulders, hearing him repeatedly screeching "thank you" right next to my ear.

"Now I don't have to be alone! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"
    Tensing up at the sudden reaction, goosebumps instantly creep up my back. Making me push Noem back a few steps while making him let out a low 'ugh'.

"I don't like being touched. Don't do that again."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I won't do it again, promise!"

    Nodding, I start to walk past him faintly brushing against his shoulder. "We should get going, It'll get dark soon, and I doubt Reich is too happy about being stolen from. They'll likely send reinforcements to investigate this whole area to figure out who stole from them. It'll be better to find somewhere to spend the night."
    Noem simply lets out a enthusiastic, 'mhm' and starts to walk beside me. The silence slowly grew more and more uncomfortable. So much so, that I had to focus on the sound of our footsteps thumping on the hard concrete street to distract myself from the awkward tension growing.
Most of the streets were different from the last time I had been here too. The last time I had been here was just three months prior, a month after the Disappearance. Around the time Reich had started to grow and seek control over the people left in the town. They were ruthless while doing so, them being one of the reasons I had left to seek refugee in a different part of the Island. But I guess that didn't work out, huh? Now I'm stuck on their half of the island.
Back then the streets were filled with less overgrown weeds. The grass was always neatly mowed everywhere you go, even the parts of town always filled with trash. Now it's grown all over the place, and there is trash everywhere. The streets are now covered in dried blood in various areas from the Reich's early "exterminations". Just looking at the streets I grew up in made my insides turn.

    Before I knew it, we had stopped in front of a two-story house. It was a simple cottage-style home, with a white and sage green outside, and the plants in the front were vastly overgrown. Many falling tree leaves were piling in the yard making the overgrown grass and weeds almost impossible to see. This is the house where I grew up.

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Ok, Ik that literally nobody is reading this at all and im writing this is absolutely useless because none will see it anyways. But like, this is for my own sanity, even though this author's note is literally me just having a conversation in my head and writing it down.

ANYWAYS.

I do apologize for the lack of words this chapter has, there was like almost 1,500 words last chapter but this one only just reaches the 1,200 word mark. :)

Word count:
1,214

Published:
Saturday,
Nov, 4 2023
8:40 p.m.