Salamander

Chapter Fifteen: Testing

Chapter Fifteen

Eventually, at the point where our running had deluded into a slight jog, the flicker of an orange campfire pierced through the fog. Mariam and I slowed down to a walk, cautiously making our way towards the fire. What if it had been more Collectors or, god forbid, marauders that have taken a liking to ransacking tiny outlying villages?

            We crouched behind a nearby bush, covering our mouths to muffle the sound of our wheezing, hoping to hear a conversation. The only sound that we heard was the soft crackling and occasional pop of the fire. I could smell the burnt wood wafting in the air mixed with cooking meat. It was definitely a camp, but who did it belong to?

            “Where are they?” I heard a voice say up ahead. It was gruff and deep, so I knew that it belonged to an old man.

            “Why do you care?” I could hear Jason say.

            “They’re your friends, aren’t they?” the old man replied. “Why would you want to leave without them?”

            I heard Jason let out a low chuckle. “I hardly know them.”

            That was when Mariam decided to walk into the camp. I followed her, feeling the heat of anger reddening my face. I could see Jason sitting on a log, staring up at us like he couldn’t have cared less to have seen us emerge from the fog. The robotic boy was standing behind him, his upper body drooping towards the ground and his eyes closed shut. I took off my gas mask, hoping that it was still safe to breathe the air with nothing but my mouth to filter it. But Jason hadn’t turned into one of those crazed mutants, so I let in the first gulp of air without a second thought. Mariam took hers off as well and let in a hesitant breath.

            “It’s fine,” I heard the gruff voice say to my right. I looked and saw the inquiring eyes of the old man. He had a full head of white hair, cropped short and framing his taught face. Something about his essence, about the air of atmosphere that he carried, told me that he was incredibly wise.

            “I figured,” I said. I looked up at the hibernating robot. “Is he yours?”

            The old man nodded once. “He is.”

            I was waiting for him to say more, but when I decided that he had finished speaking, I turned to Jason. “You wanted to leave us.”

            Jason rolled his eyes and scoffed. “I didn’t want to leave you guys.”

            “We heard you,” Mariam said.

            “I barely even know you guys!”

            Mariam knitted her brows. “That’s not the point.”

            Jason looked away from Mariam. “In case you haven’t noticed, a lot of crazy bloody stuff has been happening. I don’t have time to cater to your every need and whim.”

            “Okay, that’s enough,” the old man said, holding up his hands. “I don’t even think it matters – we might not even leave tonight, anyways.”

            “Why?” I asked.

            He raised his eyebrows. “There’s mutants tied up to a wooden fence.”

            I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”

            He leaned forward, staring at me with his wide, grey eyes. “They’re rendered completely harmless. Perfect for testing.”