It's been a good few weeks since Soren saved me from the storm. Nothing much has happened, really. I have recovered, and at the right time, too. We're fresh out of food and water. Because my sledgehammer has been stolen and Soren is literally missing an entire leg, plus they don't know shit about surviving here, we haven't gone out for supply runs. Now that I've gotten my strength back, we have a much greater chance of, well, not dying. Note that I said "greater" and not "great." I'm definitely not confident that we'll make it back to the bunker when we do go out because we don't have any means of defense.
I get out of my hammock and stretch, yawning loudly. Soren is already awake, having helped themself to a can of beans and currently reading an old newspaper that I had found quite some time ago. I immediately blush and accidentally let out a squeak of sorts as I cover my upper chest with my arms, attempting to hide behind the hammock. Because we only had one hammock, Soren has slept on the floor of the lower level of the bunker, and because I'm not a complete monster--well, it was to actually get them to stop complaining about sleeping on the concrete with just their coat--I have reluctantly lent them my hoodie. Because I've lent them my hoodie, I don't have my hoodie, and if you remember, I don't have anything to cover my chest besides my hoodie. See the issue there yet?
"I'm not looking, and I have no interest to look. I'm not a pervert. Anyways, here's your hoodie." I peak from the hammock to see Soren covering their eyes with the newspaper with one hand and holding out my hoodie to me with the other. I gingerly take a few steps forward to make sure the coast is clear, then quickly snag my hoodie from their hands, hastily putting it on.
Soren spoke to me once more. "Also, thank you again for lending me your hoodie each night, and for letting me stay here, and even feeding me. It's extremely generous of you, and you don't really have a reason to be doing any of that." Soren opened their eyes and smiled at me a nice, gentle smile. "I really appreciate it." They stood up and scooted the chair to their side, offering me a place to sit. They then kneeled down, also sliding over a can of beans and a soda. I sit down on the chair as Soren unfolds the newspaper once more, noticing how our shoulders line up, even though I'm sitting and he's not. It's a little infuriating, to be completely fair.
"Well, it's all to repay the debt I owe, remember? You don't need to thank me." I cross my arms and try to look annoyed, deflecting their thanks. Even though I am honestly a little touched by their gratitude, I don't let them notice. They still could be trying to lull me into a false sense of security and then jump me. Anything can happen here.
"Really? You're still paying me back? Wow, you must be super grateful for me saving you back then..." Soren's smile grows a little, which sets something off inside of me. I quickly stand up, my cans of beans and soda still untouched. "C-can it, I can throw you out whenever I want..!" I shout at them, my fists clenched. "But it doesn't seem that you want to, no?" Soren smiles smugly and goes back to their paper. I grit my teeth, seething. The nerve of this guy! I knew they'd be nothing but trouble, this little fucker..!
"Shut it, you little...- wh-whatever, listen, we're running out of shit and even though we've got no weapons we gotta go out there if we want to...y'know...not fucking die." I facepalm, my voice returning to a lower volume. "Now, I know this'll be hard for you, because of youurrrr..." I lazily gesture to Soren's missing leg, "...cccondition, but I...honestly need your help out there. Maybe I'll be able to make a crutch for you or something later, but in the meantime you'll just have to figure it out for yourself." I walk to the wall where I had hung my goggles up on a nail, but quickly realize they're useless without a weapon of sorts. Instead, I grab my can of beans and slip it into the front pocket of my hoodie. I walk to the door, gesturing with my head to Soren, signaling for them to stand up. They do, pushing in the chair before hopping over. Over the days they've been getting better at traversing with only one leg, which is good I suppose. Hopefully they'll still be able to traverse snow.
Without saying anything, I turn the handle of the door and swing it open, the cold air blasting our faces. I step out, staring at Soren who seems to be rather nervous. "What's the holdup? We don't have much free time." I glare a little which seems to get them going. As they step out of the bunker, I close and turn the handle, opening my watch. "W-well, I obviously haven't been out of the bunker since the crash, so it's rather nerve-wracking to consider leaving it..." Soren hopped over to me, their voice slightly high. "Well, good news: you don't have to consider it because it isn't an option." I replied to Soren, still staring at my watch. Nice, we've got about three hours. That's plenty of time.
I put my watch down and am met with a pouting face. "Hmph, thanks for the reassurance, shorty-" Soren's face perks up, their pout quickly being replaced by a smile, while I jump at the insulting name. "Heeeyyy, since you still haven't given me your name, shorty might work, ehehe..!" Soren teases, smiling giddily. "H-hey, no, I object!" I shout back, my face feeling warm. "That's just rude to call me that!" "Like you haven't been rude to me, hmm?" Soren wiggles their eyebrows, and I growl in frustration. Admittedly, they do have a point. Still, I am not going to share my name with this idiot.
"Ugh, just can it, buddy. We've got things to do." I grumble, trudging through the snow away from the bunker. Soren hops after me, their nervousness seeming to have lessened. After a few minutes, Soren speaks up. "Soo... do you mind explaining to me theee...situation...in this place..?" Oh, that's right. I suppose I haven't told them the whole deal here.
I continue to march forward as I explain the basics. "Sure, fine. So, to put it simply, this place has gone to shit a couple decades or so ago, which is what I've heard. The sun has blown up, there's a storm that's constantly rampaging this planet, and the government or whatever you'd like to call them has been using this place as a prison for serious criminals, and sometimes some not-so-serious ones. Even though the government has put us here, there isn't a government here, so it's basically just an anarchy. Supplies are scarce, and the inhabitants here aren't afraid to kill to survive just one more day, and you shouldn't be either. The storm has some sort of plague that everyone contracts--I'm sure you've got it by now, by the way--which is slowly killing us all. Any questions?" I turn around to face Soren, now walking backwards. The guy seems to be rather shocked, and after a few moments they reply. "I mean- not...totally..? What questions could even be asked?"
"Eh, that's fair, I suppose," I say, turning back around. Soren speaks up again after half a minute. "...W-well, I guess I do have a question.... About the...not being afraid to kill to survive just a little longer..? Like, is that...totally necessary?" Their question was spoken slowly with an unsure and worried tone. I stop dead in my tracks, fearing the worst. After a moment I speak to them, not even turning to face them. "...Y-you don't mean you're a..." Soren finishes my sentence. "...A pacifist..? Yeeaaahh, I am...ahaha...."They scratch their neck sheepishly and I clench my fists. Great, just fucking great. Not only is this guy crippled, but they believe in talking about each other's differences. Wow, I sure chose the wrong person to save.
"Well, sorry buddy but you're going to learn how to draw blood." This response shocked Soren even more than my explanation of the planet's state. "B-but I can't kill..! I just...I can't!" Soren stuttered hopelessly, and I decided that they'll need some convincing, and a first hand experience. "Ugh, look man, these are extreme convicts, like the fucking worst of the worst. They barely can even be considered people. Plus, you're much kinder and whatnot than these freaks, so your life is worth a lot more than theirs." This seems to have calmed Soren down a bit, and I release some of my own tension. After a minute or so, Soren speaks. "O-okay, I...suppose that...if I have to, I will. I probably won't succeed the first few times, but I'll...I'll try..." They seem close to tears, and I then remember what it was like to kill for the first time. It was...horrible.
I remember holding that bloodstained dagger, all sticky and warm, blood dripping down the hilt, staring at the lifeless body in front of me. The guilt was unbearable. I honestly thought of adding my own blood to the cold iron of the blade, but I resisted. This new guy, Soren, seems like such a sweetie and a softie, to put it simply, so I can only imagine the impact it'll have on them. I don't reply to them, I just nod, trying to shake that memory out of my head. It was the only victim I still remember, and I wonder why. I mentally shove that question away for later, bringing my mind back to the task at hand. We both continue to travel through the snowy wasteland in silence.
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