Oblivion

Refuge

Chapter 15

Slade

I pulled the tin of coffee grounds from their hiding place along with a tin pot and a filter. Generally caffeine before bed is rendered as a bad thing, but the extra kick kept me from having nightmares, so I often indulged in a cup before bed.
I stirred a single scoop of sugar into my freshly blended cup. And sat down at the table. A loud boom of thunder erupted from outside. The humvee still needs work, a lot of work. I need to tweak the engine and completely replace the inner consul. Towns going to Hell. Whole country is, used to be simple to get from point A to point B, which is probably what triggered its downfall. Humans began relying too much on technology.
An aggressive banging pulled me from my thoughts. What the Hell! I've already done my good deed for the day, entire week actually. I barely do one good deed in a month, so this better be goddamn important.
Xena and her friends were back. Arrow was held up by Beast and Ghost who had an obvious limp in his right leg. He's not even trying to put weight on it. The aggressive rain that started falling not long ago, had drenched ach one of them and as a result they resembled drowned rats.
"I'm sorry Slade, we didn't have anywhere else to go." Xena murmured. I ushered them inside, locking the door behind them. Ghost and Beast led Arrow to a chair where he collapsed, red water pooled at his right leg.
"What the Hell happened to him, why is he bleeding?"
"Because he's an idiot!" Ghost stated. I don't think she likes me.
"I didn't realize idiocy caused spontaneous bleeding." I retorted sarcastically.
"I think it's a new phenomenon." She grinned and propped herself up on the countertop, her head rested against the wall.
"So is anyone going to tell me what happened?"
"Hydratech, they found us." Eagle sighed. He's exhausted, and worried.
"So you decided to come here?"
"Where else were we supposed to go Slade?" Xena aggressively blurted. "I don't have anyone else, I can't stay at my place, or Bug's for that matter."
"Relax okay, it's fine I was just asking." I took a long swig from my bitter beverage. "I only have four beds, and I'm not sharing, no offense, I'm just a restless sleeper."
"It's fine, Xena and I generally share a bed anyway." Bug had ripped away Arrow's pants where he had been stabbed and sat nursing the wound with the fabric. Her medical training has improved since I last saw her.
"We'll figure out the rest." Eagle yawned.
"You just want to cuddle with Ghost again." Arrow winced as Bug knotted his leg into a makeshift bandage. He's jealous. I glimpsed up at the girl on the counter, her eyes were glazed over and it was obvious she was beyond tired. They all were.
"Okay, bedrooms are upstairs, room on the left at the end of the hall is the bathroom, across from that is my room. I'll see you all in the morning. Unless you need anything else?"
"You have any pajamas?" Arrow requests.
"I'll throw down some clothes," I remark as I head up the stairs.

===========

Running, but I'm not fast enough. I'm not close enough. She's clinging to the cliff, he's standing over her, his foot hovering above her fingers. Faster, I've got to go faster. His foot goes down on her hand, the scream I've heard so many times echoes as she descends into the ravine.

I sit up suddenly, my rapid breathing driving my chest up and down. A cold sweat enveloping my nearly nude body.
I kicked off the lightweight comforter and threw on a pair of blue sweats before making my way downstairs. It's not the first time I've had this dream. In fact it's not even the second or third or fourth. It's the same dream I have every time I close my eyes. I just need to feel alive. I just need to know that I'm real.
I click on a lightbulb and here a sudden frightful gasp from behind the Humvee. It's Ghost, she's dressed in one of my t-shirts that is five sized to big and falls to her thighs, and her French braid is even more dishelved thanbefore. Based on her bloodshot eyes and wet streaked face, it's clear she is having trouble sleeping as well.
"I'm sorry, I just needed some space, I guess, I didn't mean to intrude, I just wasn't expecting you up." She apologizes without taking a breath.
"It's cool. Can't sleep?"
"Yeah, bad dream. You?"
"Yeah. I was just going to step outside, try to clear my head. You wanna join me."
"It's fine, I'd hate to be an inconvenience." She shied away.
"I'm going out, with or without you, it's not like you're forcing me to open the door."
"Yeah, okay." She shuffled her way over. She walks on her toes. I turn my attention to the locked door and propped it open as silently as possible. I gestured her out before following into the light rain.
"I love the rain." I said after a short amount of time. The cold drops dripping down my torso.
"I've never seen it."
"Really? Why not?"
"I've spent all my life locked up in a basement. Until yesterday I'd never even been outside, but I can see the appeal. The smell, the cold, it's so.... refreshing. So cleansing, it's soothing but awakening at the same time."
"Yeah, I think so too." Listening to her describe rain was beautiful. "So tell me, what's this bad dream about." She took a deep breath. The enthusiasm that lit up her face vanished.
"A friend of mine, he's dead because of me."
"I'm sorry, about your friend. I wish I could tell you it gets better, but I'm not one to lie." Faster, if I would have run a little faster....
"Were you close?" She asks curiously.
"She was my sister." I ran my hands through my cold damp hair. The air suddenly feeling exceptionally bitter.
"Does it get easier?"
"Yeah, it does, but sometimes I wish it didn't."
"Why?"
"Because I don't deserve to feel better, I should have to live with the pain and agony as a constant reminder of what I've done." She didn't say anything. We sat in the dripping cold for a few more minutes. When she started shivering I opened
the door and we returned inside.

Slade