The Tribe (fanfic)

Chapter 13

I sat on the end of the bed, with Brady in my arms. Trudy was on her side staring off into the distance. She woke up a few hours ago, wanting Bray, she was angry and upset we hadn't let her die, but the thing is we didn't do it for her, we did it for Brady.

"Do you wanna hold her?" I asked Trudy, but she simply shook we head.

She turned her gaze to me and looked at me for the first time since I'd gotten here, and I meant really looked at me. "What happened, when we got separated?" She asked.

This question caught me completely off guard as she had barely said four words to me in weeks.

"It was sudden." I started, "you weren't home, and some men came for me, they wore white coats and they dragged me into a black van. They pushed a needle into my neck and I blacked out, woke up miles and miles from this place, alone."

"How did you find your way back?"

I sighed, "that's a story for another time." I said "Are we good, Trudy?"

Trudy turned her head again, "I don't know."

I swallowed, placing Brady in her cot. Without saying anything I walked out, I put a hand to my head. Sighing heavily. I new she wouldn't appreciate any of it, but a part of me wishes she would thank us.

I dawdled back to my little room, and sat on the edge of the bed. It felt like it had been forever since I had felt safe, since I was able to let myself think.

I let my head fall onto the pillow, and closed my eyes. I thought about what home would be like at this very moment. Brady probably would be going by a different name, and our parents would be angry, but would help. School, most people would hate to admit they would miss it, but me, I'm glad it's gone. I never got on with anybody in that place.

I opened my eyes again, and this time a small shadow cast through the room. I hadn't realised I had fallen asleep. I pushed myself up, and ran a hand through my hair. I could practically feel the bags under my eyes sink into my skull.

I got to my feet, having to steady myself a little, dizziness washing over me, but leaving about as fast as it came. I held a hand to the wall until I felt like I could walk, then started up the stairs to the cafe. Everyone was sitting around the tables, eating their food.

"Hey Nat." Cloe greeted me, scraping beans onto her fork.

"Is Trudy still in her room?" I asked, taking a plate from the side and scooping some contents into it.

"Yeah." Zandra nodded.

"I've got the greatest idea, Dal." Jack came up the stairs, taking two at a time with a price of paper in his grip. "A windmill."

"What's this for?" I asked Jack.

"Recharging batteries." He said, "if we get enough wind power, we could recharge them."

I nodded, silently impressed. "Are you sure you're up to the challenge?"

Jack furrowed his eyebrows at me, "yes!" He said, as if I had said something wrong. "Now if you'd excuse me, Dal and I have a lot of planning to do, don't we Dal ."

Dal looked up from his plate and stared at Jack. "Hmm?"

Jack rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh, "I don't know why I bother."

I sighed, pushing the food around my plate.

Bray walked in, his feet shuffling across the floor, he looked like he could barely keep his eyes open. "Can I take some to Trudy, she's resting."

I rolled my eyes a little, and wondered if he thought about what we talked about earlier today. Amber took a seat next to me, and dug straight into her own plate of food. "How's the wind machine going, Jack?" She asked.

"Good." He answered, "but it would go a lot better if people would stop interrupting us." He snapped.

"Okay, okay, geez." Amber sighed, scraping the last of her food into her mouth.

"Finished that off quick." I chuckled, looking at her plate. "You still hungry?" I asked her offering my own plate of food.

"Nah, I'm good thanks." She said, leaning back and stretching a little.

"If you won't have it, I will." Lex, came out of nowhere took the plate from the table and shovelled the beans into his mouth.

"Help yourself." I said sarcastically. He gave me a small smirk.

After that little power nap, I didn't really feel that tired anymore. While everyone said there goodnights and wandered off to their rooms, I however, sat at the cafe staring off into the distance. It was dark, but not so dark that I couldn't make out objects. I stood up and grabbed a cup from the cupboard, I wasn't a fan of coffee but hot chocolate did me just fine. I scooped two spoons of chocolate into the mug, and poured some milk into it, there wasn't much left so I had to use it sparingly. With the mug half full, I took my seat back at the cafe table, only to see it occupied by somebody else.

"What are you doing up, Tai-San?" I asked her, stepping closer to her. Even in the dark I could make out it was her. The way she sat on the chair like  they were joined, knowing Tai-San she would probably say that the chair understood her presence and auror.

Tai-San didin't turn around to greet me, she just took another sip of whatever's in the cup she was holding. I took a seat opposite her and loooked at her. "I'm cleansing my spirit." She said.

I dramatically rolled my eyes, taking a sip of my own hot chocolate. "Why are you cleansing at this time of night?"

"I do it at this time of night, every night, in a different room." Tai-San explained.

"Why? Get bored of the scenery?" I joked, giggling a little.

Tai-San opened her eyes, neither smiling or scowling. "I do it, to cleanse my spirit and the negativity in the room." She said, "and by the looks of things, I'm going to have to take extra care tonight." She closed her eyes again and took another sip from her cup.

I made a face at her and got up from my seat. I wouldn't want to ruin Tai-San's stupid vibe. I took a seat on the stairs instead, looking out past the fountain. It was peaceful at night, there were no loco sirens, no people wandering around the mall. It was me, and the quiet.