Society

Chapter 43

The blinding light of the sun caused what little vision I had in my eye to vanish momentarily. We had emerged at some point a mile or two away from the city walls. I bowed my head to protect my eye and I felt a hand on my back. Startled I looked up at Nicholas who stood beside me, smiling at something I couldn't see.

"What is it?"

He pointed ahead of us and I had to squint to see what he was pointing at, even then all I saw was a blurry gray mass.

"What, I can't see it."

He let out a sigh before answering, "We're in luck, and we came out next to your old area."

An involuntary gasp escaped my lips as I tried to focus my gaze but I could only make out vague shapes. Then confusion filled my mind.

"Why do you know where that is?"

I stood up straight now able to bear the bright light, Nicholas stood looking at me as if I had just asked the most obvious question.

"Because I'm the one who brought you here after your mother died."

It took a moment before I processed what he said then I felt my face flush in embarrassment. I realised how stupid I must have sounded, although I wasn't about to admit that. Shaking my head I started towards my area and Nicholas followed close by my heels. After about ten minutes of walking and stumbling on my part we eventually reached the decimated ruins of my old home.

It had been cleaned up for the most part, there was no longer mutilated bodies strewn everywhere but there were still rotting bodies littering the roads. They must have only cleaned away the worst of them. Nicholas stepped in front of me and began heading towards what looked like the pub which was still standing. It didn't surprise me that that would be the first place he'd go, it made sense. Nevertheless I felt apprehension growing within me as we walked forward. As we walked I had to keep my head down in order to see what was in front of me. Although I could see just about I still didn't have my full range of vision and often found myself tripping over debris or bodies. Nicholas seemed beyond caring about me now that he was out and free and I felt my anger resurfacing from his betrayal.

We reached the pub and walked in and to my relief neither Emily nor the bartender's bodies were to be found. Nicholas sat down in front of the bar and I joined him. There was a moment of silence as we processed all that had happened. I was the first to speak, my annoyance was too strong to keep quiet.

"Why did you rat us out?"

My voice sounded weak and it was drained of energy but my anger and annoyance still pervaded through it.

"What choice did I have? They told me that unless I told them everything I would get the death penalty."

His nonchalant attitude to our situation only acted to further fuel my rage.

"What the hell! So that's all it takes to rat out your own daughter? They'd still kill you, you know that right?"

He looked at me with a cold impassive gaze, "Of course I know that, why else do you think I made you take me with you. I would have just stuck around if I thought I could survive."

I sat dumbfounded. His logic was there, it made perfect sense and it was what I would have done in his situation. Regardless though, it still stung to hear how little he seemed to care for me. My anger abated and was replaced with quiet disconcert. Letting out a deep sigh I dropped my argument and instead let my mind wander towards the promise Nicholas held.

"I think it's about time that you tell me what you know about the government."

He looked at me, seemingly uncertain about telling me but surely he knew he had to tell me after everything that had happened. With a reluctant sigh he motioned behind the bar, "We might need a drink to go with it."