Population Control

Sami III

Nepenthe – something that can make you forget grief or suffering

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One massive tree loomed inside the large fenced off farm. Sitting underneath a blossom tree I was hypnotised by the dazzling, glowing, warm pink blossoms that spun like a disco ball around my head. They twirled, twisted and swayed like slow and distant siren lights. Normally, I'm not a nature person, but these circumstances are not 'normal'. Generally, I would rather be inside on my PS4 or watching some sci-fi show. But, nonetheless, this was okay.

Mainly, the reason I'm outside is because I don't trust the people inside. Even though it's been three days since we arrived, and all they've been is friendly and welcoming. Just the fact that they were the 'ready for the end of the world' people is unsettling. Who knows how far they will really go?

"What are you doing?" Camille asked me. She's been spending most of her time with Meghan: it must be nice for her to have another girl to talk to.

I've barely seen Jason and Dylan, only at night and sometimes Dylan in the morning: they've been spending loads of time together. Usually, they're in the house's loft shooting foam darts at a target.

Matthew and I are the ones without a fixed schedule, mostly. He goes for a lap around the compound every morning and he has fruit for breakfast. Yesterday, he found a football in the attic and it was like he and the football were attached at the hip.

"Nothing, nothing. You?" She sat down.

I looked at her but she was too busy looking out, maybe at the Rabid behind the gate. "Thought I'd join you."

"Do you still think we should leave?" I asked, hoping she would say yes. If she said yes then I can say yes, too.

Camille's lips drew level and her eyes were downcast, "We should, definitely. But... we don't need to leave right away. What about you?"

"I, um. We should stay, then. Like you said, we don't need to rush, right?" Staying was okay, I guess. Not to sound ungrateful, but they don't seem like normal people. However, staying means I'm closer to mother and father, so if I use the radio I might be able to contact them. Honestly, I don't know what to think. Nothing is logical, how is this all real? Mutated humans? How have we all accepted that this has happened?

"Do you miss it?" She looked at me but picked at the grass.

I think for a minute. Do I miss being alone, spending break and lunch in the library or in a teachers classroom? Do I miss interesting lessons with great teachers? "I miss some of it."

She hummed in agreement, "I miss P.E," I looked at her like she was an alien, "I remember hitting Henry with a tennis ball in his area." She laughed.

"As in..?"

"Homophobic Henry, yeah." I smiled, too. Most people not in the popular group didn't like him.

At some point, the cold got too much for me to handle so I headed inside, saying no to Camille's offer of her jacket that would be oversized on me. Maybe I'll ask Matthew for a hot chocolate, because then he'll probably ask one of the Donavan's.

I went to our room (Dylan, Jason Matthew and I, not just me and Matthew), and Matthew was lying on the bed. Eyes closed, breathing even, in a tank top and shorts. And I couldn't stop staring. Blimey, what was wrong with me? I need to stop looking at his defined muscles, perfect sculptured face.

Grabbing the knife that he'd given me (our fingers touched when he handed it over and there was something that happened that I'm still trying to figure out), I padded down the stairs to sit and stare at the dancing embers of the fireplace on the rug in the living room.