Chapter 3

128K 4.7K 784
                                    

Two weeks just flew by. Though no one admitted it, we were all getting a little restless. All of us. Even Kyle. You could smell the tension in the air. We knew they'd be back for a fresh batch some time next week. There was minimum conversation, short replies and everyone just minded their own business.

Kyle didn't come up with witty replies anymore. He would just be starring into space most of the time. Henri would occasionally read a book to pass time. It looks like that's what everyone was doing. Trying to pass time. Until the time came.

Alex wasn't home much but he'd still be back by six. Only because he had no choice.

Tonya cleans. Like all the time.

She would make sure there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere.
It wasn't home anymore. Everyone and everything became gloomy. I tried bringing in more flowers just to brighten up the environment. It worked. A little.

They could only do so much. Isn't it supposed to be the people that makes a house a home? I bore with it for a few days.

But it was dragging for more than a week. Now with everyone looking so depressed, it was slowly getting to me and I couldn't have that.

So, me being me, I tried, I mean really tried to lighten up the mood. I tried making jokes just about anything, which didn't work.

So, I tried making smart jokes, stupid jokes, sophisticated jokes, adult jokes, kids joke and what not. 

I wasn't even replied with a smile. Not even a tight smile. Nope.
Though it was frustrating, I still had to do something. So I attempted a different approach. During meal times I would talk about pleasant memories or share funny stories about when me and Alex were younger, like how he was once kissed on the lips by a girl who had a crush on him when he was 12.

He slapped her face after that and ran away.

An incident forever imprinted in my memories.
I looked up and was rewarded by the same expressions I've been receiving for the past week. Tonya would smile. Out of respect.

After that I just ate my meals quietly. What's the point?
I felt defeated. My mood worsened. Couldn't we just pretend to be happy?

This went on for three more days. On the third day I couldn't take it anymore. To hell with them. It was around 9.00 in the morning and we were all seated to have breakfast. The gloomy mood started to get to me. I don't know when but somewhere in the middle, I just exploded.

The silence became unbearable. I never realized for how long I've been bottling up my emotions.

"Stop this! All of you! Enough!" I banged my fists on the table. "I know we're all scared to death! I know the chances of the guards missing our house this time!! I know half of us could be taken and we might never see each other again and I damn well know the chances of us dying is almost definite if we're taken." I stood up while the wooden chair noisily scrapped the floor. "But that day is not today you guys! Today we're breathing. Today we have a decent meal, a shelter. Today we are all alive and well. Today we're at home. Today we have each other. So act like it's today!! Not tomorrow, not next week. Sometimes we have to make the most of what we have, and right now we have each other, a few more days before the next round of collection and one life. We can either make full use of those now or you can go continue SULKING!!" I yelled at the top of my voice. I didn't care anymore.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment to calm myself. It didn't work. I was panting by the time I finished my rant.
There was silence again. I looked up at the others. They were starring at me. Wide eyed, with their jaws hanging. Only then I realized how mad I would have looked at that moment.

Her Darkness, His Light (Book 1)Where stories live. Discover now