Exposure

Chapter 13

Martha's POV

Martha didn't often feel it necessary to get involved with other people's business. She was the type to tread lightly and try hard to make sure she had good relations with the people she was around. Recently a certain doe-eyed doctor had weaseled her way past a positive acquaintance and become something much more than that. However, she was the only exception to her general rule.

And so, when Martha found Aesop sprawled out on his bedroom floor with Eli wrapped in his arms the next morning, she assumed it would be fine to just slip a word to Emily and Emily alone.

It was breakfast when Martha went to fetch them, everyone else except the pair had gathered at the table. They all had their suspicions (particularly Mike who was giggling to his unofficially official boyfriend, Norton) but nothing was said bar a few grumbles from some of the older men in the group. Martha had simply volunteered to go and fetch them, thinking it was a kind offer rather than an intrusive one.

So when she came back down silent and empty handed, the whole group collectively shuffled in curiosity until Emily finally spoke and said,
"Are they alright?" In her usual soft spoken and caring tone. Martha was useless against that voice so she sighed and shook her head,
"They were asleep. Together... I thought it was best just to leave them be." She responded.

The table erupted into hellish noise. Questions, opinions, squealing and 'I told you so's (aka Mike). William was the one to stand and say,
"Stop it! This is not our business to go and shout about! They obviously didn't tell us because they weren't comfortable with us knowing."
He folded his eyes and drew his brows together, "We need to keep this to ourselves with no further discussion. They're our friends, after all." He closed with a sigh before taking his seat again. People listened to William. He was a great leader and always seemed to have both confidence in himself and empathy for others. He was undoubtedly one of the most noble of the survivors.
The group shuffled uncomfortably at the sudden outburst, the guilt of their gossiping washing over them as they all silently turned back to their near empty plates. Martha returned to her seat and they continued to maintain the stiff silence until each survivor slipped away into their respective days.

Today was a rarity in that Martha actually had a match and it was with Emily. The timetable had suddenly shifted for unknown reasons and survivors now weren't allowed to choose what matches they went into or when they wanted to go into them. It irked some people, but the freshness of the change soon died down and other's annoyance along with it.

The match couldn't be more mundane, like every match had blended to an average. The only slight abnormality was that Emily was glued to Martha's side.

"Is something wrong, Emily?" She asked finally. Sure, Emily was a sociable person but this was plain clingy. She seemed surprised by the question somehow as if she hadn't realised her strange behaviour.
"No... it's nothing really. I'm just concerned about Aesop and Eli, is it really safe for them to date in a situation like this?"
Unfortunately, halfway through Emily saying this one of Yidhra's Followers appeared and latched onto Martha. The Follower paused before starting to chase Emily as if it had heard something it shouldn't had.