WARNING: METION OF GUNFIRE, BOMBING, KILLING A MINOR
WARNING: METION OF GUNFIRE, BOMBING, KILLING A MINOR
You have been warned
Chapter 6: A friend and Work
She wakes up to the sound of clanking, groaning before going to rub her eyes. Yawning as she pushed herself to sit up from her sleeping bag, looking around she saw him.
"Estas despierta, good." Jake comments as he closes the lid to the pot.
The warmth of the fire lit make it better as a small whisp of wind came, she doesn't shiver. He gets up before walking to his pack as she pulls the lid of the pot, the sight of a liquid inside of it.
"It's tea." He answers before she can even ask what it was.
Looking up at him before he sights go back to what she know knows is tea, it had a sweet aroma with hints of bitterness as it bubbled.
"You like tea?" She ask as he sighs before giving a half nod as he went back to whatever he was digging from their pack.
She nods to no one as she layed back on her sleeping bag, the ground tough and yet soft all at the same time. It was mostly silent besides the sounds of the fire crackling near her before deciding she was bored. Grabbing her bag as she tries and find the book she still had from the day she left her dorm room in the orphanage.
Back when she was at the QZ all they ever told her was that nothing in the library or whatever that place was would keep her alive. She knew that, but it wasn't for her benefit, it was to keep her sain.
The constant drills of military drilled into her skull the minute she was in that damn orphanage, the beating she took for who knew what the girls would make up about why they did what they did. She just took it before going back to the nurse who just knew from footsteps who was coming to see her.
All she would want to do at the end of the day was listen to any type of background music and pick her book to leave the world for a second. Even just a second to keep her going, the stories filling her brain with ever little knowledge it had to offer her.
She was alone for the most part anyways since her roommate would always leave the minute she got there. She never had friends, not really, just herself, and most times she was okay with it.
But she would yearn for what she had before, mourn the lost of connection with people who just understood, her parents understood.
A cloth was thrown at her face before she could even try to stop it, she's thrown a back by the action as the cloth falls on her lap.
"Ow."
"Tie that in your hair." He instruct as he put on a black newsboy cap, some curls were stick out before he tucked them inside, the little bits of curls hanging from back instead.
She looks at the cloth, it looks like a bandanna, she starts to grab her hair and bundles them up into a pony tail, grabbing as much hair as she could.
She wraps it once before going again, the pony tail tightens as she fixes it the best she can, the wind blowing in the back of neck now that there was more space for it to flow through.
"Ten." He throws another thing at her as this time she is paying attention and grabbing it, it's a hat, not like his. It's a baseball hat with on little symbol on it, a black beetle on it.
Pushing some of her hair back before putting on the cap, it fits snugly, she pulls some of her curls up front. They hang in front of her before she looks back at him.
He had took the little pot off and had two tin cans up, he poured the tea into the cans, the steam coming out the make shift cups before he dumps the rest to the fire as it dies out from the liquid.
He pushs the cup in front of her for her to take.
"Drink it before we leave." She nods before blowing into the tea. He follows before going for it and drinking the brown liquid. He hold it upside down before putting it back into his pack.
She slowly finishes hers before stuffing it into her backpack, they pack up whatever was left and continued walking, the sky start to slowly erupt with colors of orange and yellow.
They make it a two miles from the borders of Libya before he stops. She stops behind him as he turns to her with a serious expression which made her confused.
"Tenemos que hablar de reglas antes de llegar a Libya." He states.
"Rules?"
"Yes."
Then he starts and lays out the rules for this whole thing. He talked about it with Marc and Steven, they both knew what can happen in other places and how bad something can get. They need to make sure she wasn't a victim to whatever was pulled until they get to one of Jake contacts.
"One, if anybody offers you something, you don't take it."
"Okay, so stranger danger type of stuff then." She remarks before he nods. "I know that stuff already, anything else?" She inquires.
"Don't tell anybody about your-" He stops before look at her shoulder where her bite mark is engraved into her skin. "Condition, you show it or tell anybody they will kill you. No hesitation."
She nods as she knows the risk that she was in, any slight could end with her brains being blown out because of instinct to the sight.
"Finalmente, you do what we say when we say it. Me entiendes." He said not as a question but a statement. She gives a nod.
It's not enough, she needs to understand.
"Repeat it."
"Whatever you guys say goes." He sighs but take the responds as he nods before they continue in the territory from the borders of Egypt passing into Libya.
Sellers and Auctions were happening everywhere, this was a place where a majority of trading and Smugglers would gather to sell and take what they could from this market.
She gazed at everything she saw, photos, books, jewelry, food and drinks of all kind that could be thought of was there. Conversation of the ton were being held as he pushed forward to keep going through the crowds that bundle and wouldn't let up.
The smells of spices and burning rubber was strong in the air, yet still felt dry as they walked through this makeshift market Jake had taken them to.
He guides her through the place as people were grouped trying to make deals with other sellers. She looked at almost everything that was being shown, the amount of objects she wished she could touch out of reach since he kept her going in certain direction.
Many turns from left and rights lead them to one stall, the articles of objects that the stall contained were all types that dangled infront of it like beads and clothing as the seller look at Jake with his best charming grin he can make.
A way to lower any type of wall the man might have.
"!قميص للفتاة يا سيدي"
The man spoke as he pushs forward a shirt, it was in pretty good condition, the orange shirt littered with butterflies and bees. She looks at it with curiosity as she hadn't seen that design before, she was use to graphic tees or plain shirts and not patterned ones.
Jake looks at the shirt with the upmost disinterest.
"قميص جميل لفتاة جميلة"
The man compliments but Jake being Jake doesn't care before giving his answer of "She's good." Saying this all makes the man falter before he sees him pulling out a coin, the man looks at the coin, his face turning into a more composed and calm expression as to not look suspicious. He scans them before giving his nod of approval as he tilts his head slightly.
Jake nods in return as he pushes back the bright yellow cloth from the stall to show an allyway, "Stay close." He instruct as they move through other people who found themselves in this system of pathways.
She noticed all the different types of people that walked through, all with coverings she probably would need at some point if she doesn't want skin cancer anytime soon.
God, she would rather get a heat stroke than, well, anything that's worse than that.
A camel comes into sight and immediately she awes at animal.
"Camel." she mutters as she looked at the two humped mammal, she loved camels, she loved animals in general but she really liked camel, they were just so cool.
Thought they were beyond useful and were pretty self sustaining on their own. There was barely any animals in the QZ, but when she did see one she wanted nothing more than to learn about the animal.
How did they live? What do they eat? How long do they last for? Can you train them?
All the questions consumed her before she remembers that she is literally in an unknown and place and she has a higher chance of getting lost or kidnapped again here if she doesn't stick with the guy. So she makes it her mission to keep up with him, like she was suppose to.
Her face meet a harden muscle surface as she is shoved back, she falls back and lands on her ass. Looking up she see who exactly she "collided" with.
" !شاهد هذه"
A grating voice grabs her attention before she pushes herself up as she looks at who it was that she had smashed into and immediately felt a chill go down her spine.
The guy was freakishly tall, the color of his hair pepper and salt as it looked greasy to the touch, she notices small amount of blood on his face, he looked pissed.
Of course she she manages to upset a God damn giant while she's at it.
"Sorry." The mutter apology is all she can out as the guy snarls at her as she notices his first starting to form into a fist, his knuckles turning white and nails digging into his palm.
"I just apologized!" The girl defends herself as the man could give two fuck whether she did or not. He was provoked by a damn 14 year who just happen to be going in the same direction as him.
This causes her to back up even more as she looks at the ground to make herself smaller, maybe then he'll leave her alone if he doesn't see her as a threat to whatever stride he had going on in that thick skull of him.
The sound a familiar of heavy footsteps gets both attention as Jake stops a little way close to the man. He looked irritated, his jaw clenched and his eyes bore into the man.
The words that came out his mouth were firm as he stood his ground ".قالت إنها آسف." The two men look at each other and neither would move. Jake gestures the girl to move and with the message received she goes behind him as Jake made sure there was a space between her and the man twice her size.
The man looks ready to test his luck and try to get a hit at Jake and then the girl.
Jake stares the man down, his eyes lifeless and with obvious intent to not back down what the man wanted. Before he could he sees a cresnt symbol on Jake, his ring. He hears a scoff as the man's fiat slowly decompressed from their enlarged state, "راقبها." The man hissed at Jake before walking away while mumbling under his breath.
They watch as the man walks away before Jake looks back at the girl. "Watch where your going." He reprimand as she wants to retaliate, it wasn't her fault that guy didn't see her.
If anything, it was that asshole who should have apologized, he pushed her.
"He didn't see me, I wasn't even in his way." She defends herself as the Jake just scoffs at her words. He shakes his head, he doesn't have time for this.
"These people don't care whether your young or old, girl or boy, they will kill you." He chides her as she looked deep into his eyes, he tells the harsh real truth. Some people wouldn't care if she was a kid or not, they would do what they believe she deserves.
"Fine, asshole." She grumbles as she stormed forward from him in annoyance, he exhales a breath before before grumbling under his breath "Escuincla."
He walks and reaches her before passing as she reluctantly follows behind, they finally reached a space between five different allyways connected into one space. It's crowded with meetings and negotiations away from the public areas of the others who just past by.
Some stop and look at them before hushed whispers that echoed out in the air, she feels chicken skin beginning to surface. Yet, she doesn't show it.
'Strong.'
The word pops in her head before her face changes to a stoic expression, they keep looking before going back to their own conversations again.
He waits for her to move but she doesn't and stay still.
He firmly grabs her shoulders causing her to flinch for a second but they relaxed as he turned her to the left into a red overgrown building. They walked up the stairs as she sees the cracks and bullet holes slowly start to fade with each step up.
People were in the hallways, kids running before going around them as Jake put her in front, leading her who knew where.
"Where are we going?" She questions before an abrupt stop came, she turns and see it. It looked like a restaurant or something similar to it, it was small but seemed to be functioning well.
"Come on." Jake says already inside, there are men and women either sitting or at the counter making food and taking orders, it seem peaceful. "Gena!" He shouts out before a woman turns around from behind the counter and her eyes widen.
"Jake?" She mumbles before moving pass the other employees with a small smile on her face. She looks surprised but more than anything relief of seeing him.
"It's been long, huh?" Jake says as he puts his hand out to shake and she shakes it, both showing respect for another. "It has." She answers as she looked at him.
He had this look in this eye. She knew what it meant even after years of seeing each other now.
"Let go talk somewhere a little more private." She suggest as Jake nods before looking at the girl, he needs to do something about her. "Hold on." He ask Gena as she nods.
"Comes algo aquí. Don't move from here, got it." Jake said as he handed her some ration cards and watched as Katalina could only eye the paper before walking up to the counter and ordering food for herself. Once she sat down in a corner of the place he went to where Gena was waiting.
"Ray, Ricky!" Gena calls over two young boys who stop cleaning off some tables that had yet be clean up, putting the rag down and walked over to her, "yeah?" They both said as they looked at their mother.
"Keep an eye on her, alright?" She ask then as she points to Katalina who is playing with her hair, she parts a strand of her hair into smaller strands with her fingers. They curl at her fingertips before she let's it falls and starts the process again.
They nod as they go back to their task at hand, Jake opens the door for Gena as they both walked into another room.
Katalina waits for what she ordered as she sees the guy and lady he shook hands with enter another room to talk to each other, not sure about what since the guy didn't tell her much.
The inside of this place was almost a harsh noise, but she didn't mind it all that much. She felt the vibration of the sounds bouncing off the walls and into seemingly nowhere, it took a second to get accustomed to but eventually the ringing stopped and all she heard was noise.
The chatter had fizzled to the sound of ambiance of plates clanking and words spoken from the people who wished to speak.
A plate is set down which catches her by surprise, the urge to grab her knife kicked in as she looks up at who had spooked her. Dark brown eyes meet her's as he put down utensils and a foam cup with the sound of the liquid sloshing inside taking her attention instead.
The words of "استمتع بطعامك" come out as she nods and he leaves to where ever else he is needed. Looking down at the food she hears her stomach growl, a slight warmth reaches her face as she heard the noise.
The dish filled her nose with all types of smells of spices, nothing overdone and just the right amount. Perfection one might even say. She could feel her mouth water from it, she hasn't had cooked food in who knew how long—it's been years is all she knows.
She doesn't hesitate as she digs into the food, she eat's it all as her belly fills while she begins to questions what exactly they plan on getting help from in a restaurant. She suppose some connections can come from a place where people group or meet up but it didn't seem like the place.
Maybe that's why she isn't convinced that the guy didn't have much connection as she thought or really had much of plan to even get on whatever boat Khonshu had told them to get to.
She keeps eating as two guys, both seeming almost the same age as her, maybe one a year or two older than her glance at her every once in a while as she ate She feels their stares, not of malice but it was just weird.
She stares at them back which leads to them finally letting up and go back to their work.
'Weirdos,' She thinks.
Jake and Gena arrive into another room in the building, it looked like the remaining of a office, a table and couch being the real thing that took up the room. Gena closes the door behind her before she looks at Jake and begins her investigation on why he's here and with a child no less. "So, what brings you back here Jake?"
He sits down as he takes off his cap, his curls falling down before looking back up at the women. "I need your help." He starts off with.
She hums at this before crossing her arms against her chest, "And that girl, she yours?" She questions him as he scoffed a chuckle.
"That brat. No." His tone laced with slight annoyance.
"Alright then, who is she, Jake?" She asks him, and her gaze, drilling into his.
"Some girl we need to take somewhere."
"Where?" Her eyebrow lifts at the very abstract information she's getting from him. He knew why she was questioning him, it was rare to even be seen near children, much less bring one with him.
She is important if he had brought her here, Jake knew that Gena knew this.
"That's why we came here, we your help. We need to find Crawley."He finally comes out and says, she stand still for a second, the air tense. "Are you sure? He hasn't been himself in a while since, you know."
She caution him, the man they both knew hasn't been the same since his son died being chased by some gang members before falling to his death in hopes of escaping them. Crawley left after that by himself and only kept contact by radio and other sources of people whispers who were the messengers for him.
Other than that, he was off the map. Completely wiped from the face of the earth.
"Yes. lo necesitamos." Jake insisted as Gena eyes flickered with his before sighing and putting her hands on her hips. Her gaze lowers to the ground as she thinks about this. After coming to a conclusion she sighs before nodding "Alright. Give me a second to find one of his communicator."
He nods of gratitude as she leaves the room living him behind.
He sense a werid sensation before looking at his hat and deciding that he wants to out it back on, he fixes his hair before putting back the cap he had back on his head as he waits for Gena to return.
"Jake." A voice comes out and he looks around, he eventually finds the mirror and finds Marc and Steven, the two looking at him one concerned and the other more impatient.
"Qué?"
"Where is the girl?" Steven eyebrows were creased as he looked at the alter, Jake thinks if he did that anymore that his face would get stuck like that.
Why does he keep worrying about the mocosa? It been 30 min at best since they left her alone.
"She's fine Steven, Gena niños are watching her for now." He assures him as Steven sighs not completely satisfied with the answer but knows its what he's gonna get from the alter.
"What did Gena say then, she know where Crawley is?" It was Marc time to talk to him now. His arms crossed against his chest as he looks at Jake for answers.
"Ella está recibiendo la información ahorita." He answer as Marc nods and looks at Steven who can on look at the door to the outside of the restaurant. He sighs before he decides to get up and look from the blinds to give Steven a peace of mind.
He pulls down the blind slightly to look outside, he doesn't need much time before he finds her, it seems like she finished her food. Gena two sons are sitting with her at the table.
They seem to be talking about something, he can't read the lips of the kids from there but he sees cards on the table as they all seemed to have some cards in their hands. Her having two and the boys with five and seven cards.
"Uno?" Marc questions as he looks over and see the colorful cards, he hasn't seen those playing cards in who knows how long.
Marc and Randall would play Uno once he got older when Marc and his dad would play it on the table after dinner. The dining table was cleared as the smell of the dinner would still linger in the air as he would get the cards from a red box where other games were placed.
The room would be dimmed in a yellowish glow from the lamps and ceiling fan that would be turn on as a slight cold air would swirl them, not cold enough to make him shiver but to keep him awake.
It would always be on a Friday when his dad had a chance, if not him then Wendy would, but only a few rounds before tending back to baby Roro. When him and dad would play however, Wendy would watch as Randall babble as he and his dad would compete to win the fastest.
Most of time he won, but he thinks his dad let him.
He feels his eyes and nose burn, he wants to be numb, he wish there was some type of whisky around. Maybe they could buy some before they leave from here, drink while the kid is asleep so that she wouldn't know, not like she didn't already.
He wasn't exactly hiding the bottles he had on the table when they had to take her to their apartment at the beginning of this. He hated whatever this was still.
'Wait, why did he care if the kid saw him drunk? It's not like he's trying to be a good role model for the kid, it would make Steven and sometimes Jake upset if he did though.'
Jake let's go of the blinds and goes back to sit down and wait for Gena, it doesn't take long as she walks in with a piece of paper in hand. She puts it down for him to see, it's from latitude to longitude, opening a desk she pulls out a map and pencil.
"He should be about 23° 43' 8.112'' North and 44° 39' 47.3436'' East from here." She points out as she makes a line to a place called Sabhā close to the border of Algeria. He hums at this, that would make things easier, close they were to where they need to go and get maybe car or vehicle to make the trip faster would help from Crawley at the same time, two birds with one stone.
"Aww come on!" A groaned complain was heard as the two adults look at each other before going to the door and opening. The kid had a shit eating grin on her face as the two boys look completely defeated.
"What’s going on?" Gena asked the kids as her kids looked at their mom. "How does she keep beating us, she's never even played before?!" The two whined as Jake looks at the kid who just shrugs her shoulders.
There was a small notepad with the letters of the kids first initial and it seemed like Katalina had been winning since the second time they played together. He can hear a small chuckle as he looks around for a reflection with a Steven covering his mouth with his hand as his eyes were wrinkled at each end.
The kids got a knack for Uno it seemed. Jake felt a small twitch at the end of his lips before realizing it and suppressing it before anyone noticed.
"Alright you two, back to work before you get beat by her again." Gena says as the two sulked and got up from the chair before handing the girl two objects, it was a pin and hairclip.
The hairclip was of a dragonfly, it's wings made of silver with little spots of rust, but the hairclip never lost its shape even with the small bits of rist that covered its wings and body.
She grabs her bag as she puts the hairclip in her bag before grabbing the pin in the shape of a beetle and stuck it to her backpack. The sound of a click makes her let go and puts the bag back on the floor.
They make their way towards her as she hears their footsteps and looks up to see them.
"So. Did you get what you needed from here?" The girl asked as he nods.
"What now?"
"One last thing I need to ask her before we leave." He says before looking at her plate. She's eaten the entire soup without problem. She looks much more awake than she had in the past couple of days of walking they had to do.
She cringes at this before deciding to put her head down on the table. It was the waiting game again, she doesn't mind but she was on a roll with her the game andnwas winning before they came over and took her new competitors away. He rolls his eyes as he sees the girl putting her head down.
'Teenagers.'
Jake can feel the moment his eyes rolled to the back and he was once again in the mind space as Steven took over. He blinks a couple times before looking at the girl.
He looks at the table with the empty bowl and cup .
She's been fed, good.
"Don't worry, it'll only take a sec." He tries to reassure her.
"Steven?" She ask in surprise of the British man appearance.
"Yeah?"
"Don't take long. We might have to stay here for the night if we do, the day has been more than halfway done now." She informs him, her eyebrows knitted in concern.
From what she has seen, it might not be a good idea to wonder during the night.
He looks at the window to see that the sun was starting to go down, the hues of blue and orange are starting to warn them that probably need to hurry up soon with this.
He nods as he goes over to where he last saw Gena. She turns and looks at him. "Needed something else?"
"Yeah, Marc asked if there was a way to get a ride to get closer to Crowly location? It would take us a while to get to where he is and where we are." Steven points out.
"There might, but of course everything comes with a price. You guys up for it?" Gena ask the man as he looks at the pot to a Marc and Jake who nod and he sighs.
"What's the job?" He ask.
"Follow every rule that Gena ask of you, I'll be back in a day or two." Marc tells the girl as she looks at him in disbelief.
"Why do you even need to do this job?" She questions as he packs his bag with what he thinks this job might need. He can't bring the kid cause it'll be too dangerous for her to even be near the damn place. He also trust that Gena will protect her while he leaves for this job.
"We might be able to get a ride to our next location." He explains.
"Why can't I come?"
"It's too dangerous and I don't trust you to not get killed."
"I can help though!" She protest.
"This isn't up for discussion kid." His statement absolute. He wasn't taking her anywhere that had a sure chance she would get killed in the process.
It would reckless and impulsive, they knew better than that.
Not to mention he didn't exactly trust who it was he had to do this job for, but it would help cut the time from a month and a half trip into just about a month. It had already been a month with the kid in their protection.
He could only hope these guys don't skrew them with this. He doesn't want to get his hand any more dirty than they were about to be.
She's upset but better that than dead.
"Marc, can you give her the thing we found." Steven whispered as he looks at the mirror in the room that Gena had given them for three nights now. They had to pay her back for this at some point, he make a mental note of this.
With a heavy sigh he digs through the backpack, the feeling of slightly ripped flimsy paper is finally felt as he pulls it out of the hold the bag had on it. They had found it while scavenging for some supplies, Steven said to take for the kid.
Marc and Jake said it was a waste of perfectly good space dor other important things but Steven wouldn't take no for an answer on it.
"Here. To keep you entertained." He says as he toss three comic books in her direction, the sound of the comics grabbing her attention as she looked at them. The front page filled with faded color but the image perfect to still make out it shape. Bottom part was ripped but didn't take away from its artistic style only adding more to it.
She doesn't utter of word, not even a noise.
'They got this, for her?'
Marc waits for anything from the kid but nothing really happens, only her shoulders stopped looking tense from her previous upset state. More than anything she looks surprised, or maybe taken aback of gift given to her.
He finally loses patience to wait for a responds as he sees the sun the stars starting to shine soon, a faded light of the moon glimmered afar to reminding him he needs to hurry up or he will be late to the site he needs to be at right now.
"We'll be back. Don't get into any trouble." He says as grabs his stuffed pack before grabbing the pistol on top of the drawer checking one last time that it was filled and ready in case of anything were to go wrong. The pistol slids in the holster on the side of his tigh. He doesn't look back at the girl as he walks towards the door.
"Okay." A sullen voice is heard, without hesitation he colses the behind him as he walked towards the location of the meeting with the client and a group of others hired to do this job.
The sound of the door closing causes her to look up and find that he had left, the sound of the room silent as the softer noise of people outside took over. She was left behind for safety reasons, she knew she would just be a burden. But she at least wanted to show she could learn how to not be one, but with the tone he used — he would never consider it.
Looking at the comics Marc had left for her, she stares at it for a second before she reaches for the comics. She feels how fragile they seem as she carefully feels the now slightly rough cover. Wrinkles and small tear on the corners from years of sitting on the shelf and possible being consider to take only to be left behind again.
Still, it looked in good condition to read.
"Ultimate Comics Spider-man." She reads out at she feels the comic, the front cover showing someone in a costume with a web design and a red outline on a spider on their chest as they looked to be swinging by white rope coming out their wrist.
'That looks tight, no? Would it be hard to breathe in?'
She questions as she opens the first page and starts to read what was left behind for her.
The night was cold as he went through alley after alley, vendors voices of the night in the background as he eventually made it to the deepest part of the town. The feeling of a cold wind coming as he finally reaches the start point of the job.
"إنه هنا "
A voice calling him out as he is the last one to arrive, he sees a group of men all with their own weapons and dress up for this Mission. He walks over with his own get up, leather gloves the way Lockly liked, a mask with wrapping on it making it more breathable and comfortable than the plastic ones the other men were wearing.
His outfit consisting of a white hoodie, grey shirt, and blue jeans. Simple and flexible, their curls were combed back requested by Jake and Marc since it always seemed to cover thier eyesight sometimes. The pack they carried on their shoulder full of weapons or any equipment they might need.
At the corner of his eye he sees one of the members reaching in a box, grabbing what seemed like a vest of some sort. It's thrown at his direction, with fast reflex he catches it mid air before clicking the vest into place. One of the men scowled at him before the one next to him nudged him harshly earning him a glare.
"حسنًا ، نحن جميعًا هنا."
A man with a mask covering his lower half of his face turns to face all the men gathered for this job and speaks to them. "أنت تعرف موقفك ، اذهب" they all nod as the men are spread out to get the supplies from another group that had been ripping people off with their "deals".
He climbs up one of the ladders that had been placed there for him as he jumps from roof to roof to where the location had been located a couple days ago. Once he arrives and in position, he sees two other men go onto the side of other roofs around the building to get a clear shot of anybody who could interfere with their plan.
Any guards or allies being in the line of shot by the two who had bows and a sniper ready at the mark.
Finally he gets the signal to keep going inside, a small sound of whisp let's him know that anyone in a close radius to spot him were gone, he jumps on the roof and looks down. The building was filled with people, a fire pit being the only thing light up the place.
He looks around for the opening and finds a window, it's open so he with light steps he walks over and steady himself. Sitting down on the ledge before grabbing the edges and letting himself drop slightly towards the window edge. With a small grunt he gets inside and waits a second to make secure the room he was in.
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CHAPTER 4: The Infected Type
The mosque was abandoned but it had windows and there were things to cover up the doors that no longer locked.
"That should hold, for now."
Jake said as Khonshu went to one side of the mosque while the girl was at the other side in more a darker corner.
They had already searched the place but, luckily, manage to find no infected that were alive to attack them.
The place itself was not in the greatest condition.
It still had a roof and windows that were covered with wood or anything whoever stayed in the mosque the last time could get their hands on.
He looked at the other two as they situated themselves, he walked over to where Khonshu was.
"She's gonna turn sooner or later. Than you'll have wished you listen to me."
Is the first thing the old man says as Jake sighed.
"Don't worry so much, if she turns la mataŕe, fin de el cuento."
He says as he takes out the revolver that Marc had packed in the backpack and places it close to him.
"Even so, we should take turns. One sleep the other watches the girl."
Khonshu said as he looked at Jake.
Jake sighs before shaking his head.
"Your not only looking age but also starting to act like it too."
Khonshu glared at him before Jake had to stop himself from laughing but managed to keep it in.
"Watch it before I hit you with my old man cane Lockly."
Khonshu warned, like a joke but he was not kidding at the same time. He would know, he has wacked them with that cane when he and the others started to training to be Moonknight.
He was making sure that they had lots of endurance and pain tolerance to be Moonknight.
"Alright, fine."
He responded as Khonshu got up and put his stuff down getting ready to sleep. The sky was still slight dark but bits of light were starting to now peaking over the horizon.
He watched as the stars at the sky were slowly fading now as he looked through the boarded up openings.
The world was quiet, for the most part. Little whisp of wind would be heard every once in a while as the grains of sand followed behind it.
He turned to look back at the girl who had fallen asleep by now, she had used her backpack as a pillow and her hoodie as blanket.
He sighs as he holds the revolver and checked it again. The other two would rest for a couple hours than they can sleep a little too.
His fist and feet burned, he looked down at their fist, torn bits of skin were off and the blood had finally run dry from before.
His hand slightly shook as he opened and closed it.
'Not broken at least.'
Is all he can think as all he can think is that moment. He could feel the moment when that FEDRA soilder pointed the gun at Steven and the girl.
It all came back in a flash, it was too familiar for his liking. He looked at the girl but nothing, she was breathing fine.
He not really sure what to make of her, usually he would have asked for more evidence but this time, this time he didn't.
'Why didn't he ask for more proof?'
He looked at Khonshu who looked knocked out as he got up and walked around the mosque, the echos of his boots hitting the floor.
He swung the rifle he was given by Khonshu during the whole "incident" and walked to the front. The architecture of the place was something he admired.
There were little details and patterns everywhere, even with the little bit of light that came from the outside didn't show everything he could tell.
His hand stroked the walls as he felt every dent and curve of the art in front of him and he wondered what it would have been like if it was slightly brighter in the place.
The sound of rustling caught his attention, he pointed his revolver in front to where he heard the noise, the sound of his leather gloves tightening.
He looked only to see it was the girl. He sighed as he quietly walked over. His weapon still in a tight grip as he was somewhat close and waited for anything.
The girl moved again as it looked like she was just uncomfortable with the side she was on and turn the other.
The light that came through beamed on her, her hair slightly curly at the ends as they became wavy at the top. Her hair was slight frizzy at the sides and ends.
There was also the small splat of dried blood from a couple hours ago still on her cheek.
'Eso puede ser un problema.'
He goes to his pack and gets a small handkerchief before walking back and laying it down on the ground. He pulls out a small water bottle puts it there.
'she can figure it out.'
He tells himself before be goes and gets up and leans on the floor as he waits for his turn.
"Alright, your turn Lockly. You get three hours."
Khonshu said as he gets up, the sun high now in the sky as Jake nods and hands over the rifle before walking over to where Khonshu had laid.
The girl was still asleep, it had been 5 hours now.
Small orange butterflies flew above her, they had managed to get through the cracks of the boarded windows.
One landed on her head, it's wings gently and slowly fluttering, a soft sight to see. He sighs as he looks down at his watch, they needed to go soon.
Katalina feels the warmth on her cheek as she opens her eyes before closing them again and turning the other way as the ray of the sun hit hard.
The butterflies flew from her as she started to wake up. He sits up straighter as he points the rifle at her as he waited for any wrong move to come from the girl.
She rubs her eyes wearily before she started to sit herself up. She blinks a couple times as turned her head and seeing the old man looking at her.
She sigh as she looks at the rifle in his hands.
"I'm not gonna attack you, you can put the gun down man."
Her voice quiet yet echoed nonetheless against the walls of the mosque.
"Still could happen worm. You may have been able to convince them of your immunity but I'm not taking that chance."
Khonshu responded as his eyes dug into her brown ones. His black ones reflecting the girl as her eyes flickered between his.
She huffed before she looked at the colorful floor then she see seeing the handkerchief and a water bottle.
"What?"
She muttered as she picked it up, the cloth was slightly worn down but still had slight softness to it as she felt the fabric with her fingers.
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
She puts the handkerchief in her pocket and picks the water bottle up.
"He left it out for you, clean your face. Along with whatever you need to do as well."
Khonshu instructed as he threw her a magazine at her which she barely caught. The magazine was a food magazine with foods she's never even seen before.
"Do what you have to do as well, we're gonna be walking a while so hope you rested up enough."
She opened it to see different recipes being shown from dinner to deserts, they all looked good but even she knew she would never get a chance to eat it. Maybe in her dreams she could.
"Where?"
His eyes darted to a pair of doors which lead to the rest of the Mosque.
"Nothing bad gonna pop out of there, right?"
She asked as her head turned to looked at him.
"Just you."
He replied with a deadpan face which she returned before rolling her eyes.
She hesitates before feeling for her switchblade and sighed in relief when she felt it there.
The doors were slightly heavy but she pushed through as the sight of a red rug was shown laid out, it was slightly dirty after many years but the color of red didn't fade.
The walls were decorated with patterns and designs, some chipped from the weather but most still intact with cracks here and there.
Soon she made it to the restroom, she pulled out her switchblade and opened slowly opened the door as it squeaked.
She felt herself tense. She knew they went around the check the perimeter, but that didn't mean nothing couldn't have gotten in when they were asleep.
The door opened as the she saw it.
The roof of the ceiling had been broken which would explain the dead infected and the large invasive cordyceps that took up half the wall.
The air around smelled of infected, dryness and a rotting corpse made her retract a bit.
She stood there as she looked at the dead infected, before looking at the ground and seeing a piece of the ceiling.
Picking it up and throwing it at the infected, the sound of a crunch answered her question as her shoulders relax.
She looked at dirty mirror that was covered in dust of the cordyceps that accumulated over the years.
She wipes the mirror in a circle motion and finally seeing herself after 3 weeks.
'I look like shit'
Her hair was slightly frizzy at the sides and bottom. She wished she had a brush but used her fingers to try and pat down and run her fingers through it.
She pulled some hairs out but it definitely looked better. Soon a glimmer caught her eyes as she felt the necklace and the locket.
Slowly she opened it to see the writing ingrained into the metal.
" There is nowhere in this world I won't be there to protect you, whether death or life."
Her finger traced the lettering of the sentence, just feeling it gave her a sense of comfort. Her eyes read the sentence over and over until she felt it was being said to her.
Tucking it back under her shirt she grabs the handkerchief from her pocket and the bottle of water before pouring some on.
She saw the splat and droplets of dried blood from her attacking the soilder. She could still remember how she felt the moment that device was on her neck and the pinch came.
Fear.
That was all she felt, fear.
She felt her chest tighten, her hand scrunched her shirt as she felt the air leave again.
Shutting her eyes tightly she sat down on the floor and started to take deep breathes, she just needed to breathe.
Her eyes burned as she tried to keep it in, in and out her breathe went as the air around suffocated her.
She couldn't breathe.
She just needs to breathe.
Her nails dug into her skin as her hands shook.
Eventually, everything slowed down, she looked around, and felt light headed, finally inhaling the air that was avaliable that he lungs would take she started to count.
What she heard.
What she tasted.
What she could feel.
She was here, here in this broken and beautiful Mosque with people who saw her as an object to trade for weapons.
She wanted her parents back.
She wanted him back.
She knew, knew that they would never come back though. They are gone, no one is gonna protect her from this.
Her fate. Her fate was to save the world, that's why she is here, her immunity, it would make up everything. Every sin that she had ever committed.
Against humanity for the pure reason of her existence being both a blessing and curse.
She took another breath before wiping away the few tears that did fall. It would be over soon, they would take her and leave her alone.
Just how it was meant to be. She was afraid but willing to be alone for the rest of eternity if it meant that she could fix the world with her immunity.
Because that meant something.
It has to mean something.
Pushing herself off the floor she opened the bottle and poured water before rubbing the handkerchief on her cheek.
The dried blood rubbing off as she did motions in circles to take it away.
It would always be there, because she would know it would be there.
She sighs as she looked at herself again.
Her beginning eye bags starting to form from the amount of sleep she didn't get. This was probably the most sleep she's gotten in days now.
Her parents would scold her, saying things like.
"Te vas a quedar corta así."
She chuckled at the made up version of them. She missed them.
She poured some water into the palm of her hand as she splashed it on her face to wake her up more.
Soon there was a knock.
"Niña?"
A voice called out, she knew who it was.
She turned towards the door.
"Estoy bien. Almost done!"
She yells as she looks at herself one last time before putting the handkerchief back into her pocket and grabs the water bottle.
She opens the bathroom door and looks around before finding him leaning against the wall.
"Vamos, we're leaving."
He said before getting up and down the hallway. The revolver in his hand ready to shoot if nessecary.
She looks at the gun and then remembered the switchblade she has, it feels heavy in her hand as she closes it and shoves it back into her pocket.
"Took you long enough, we have no time to waste."
Khonshu rushed them both as they packed up what they had.
The wooden table tables were removed by the two as Jake went first and checked around for any infected.
"Clear."
He states as Khonshu opened the door more and starts to get out before Katalina follows behind.
There are other buildings around but most had been lost to the sand or by people.
"I thought cities were full of infected?"
Katalina questioned as she looked around but ultimately there was much but streets and broken down shops and cars around.
The sand had covered due to the winds and broken windows, no longer were building or apartments protected by the harshness of Egypt nature.
"Thats what they tell you. But they only say that to keep people in, away from others to keep them isolated."
Khonshu explains as she paid attention while Jake overhears the conversation as he looks around for any infected of unwanted people.
The sun rays burned on to of the city as light shined on the broken down city that once thrived of life.
There we no vendors, no shops, no children playing around, no mothers telling the older ones to watch the younger.
Nothing more than rotting, burned buildings and stands that will never have a full living person to occupy the space.
A arm is put out before she stumbles and looks at who had stopped her.
"Oh."
She looked at the giant hole, it was filled with piles and piles of what remains of the "old ways."
Clothes, electronic, cars, corpses.
The smell was mostly covered by the smell of ash and dust of how long that was hole was created.
"This is how they tried to keep the infection from spreading. "
Jake spoke as she was about to ask but eventually just closed her mouth before nodding.
They walked around the filled hole.
It was quiet as she found a rock on the floor and kicked it around as the two keep going looking at each other speaking through their eyes as she kicked the rock in front of her.
"Here, help me up."
Khonshu voice rings out as Jake grabbed Katalina shoulders and pulled her back as he went to help him.
Jake put his knee and palm out as Khonshu climbed onto the tipping structure, the structure looking at its last leg about to sway one way or the other like the tower of Piza.
"Ven acá."
Jake ordered as Katalina walked over before putting his knee out.
"Climb."
Is all he says before she looks at him hesitantly to which he sighs at it.
"Just do it."
At his words she starts to climb, he starts to stand up and she jumps a little before Khonshu grabs her hand and pulls her up.
Eventually she makes it to the top before looking down as Jake jumps up and Khonshu grabs his hand and helps pull him up.
The building started to shake slightly, they all stood still as they waited for it to stop.
The ground eventually stopped shaking as they waited another minute before starting to walk inside the building.
"See if you can find anything."
Jake tells the both of them as they nod before Katalina follows Khonshu while Jake goes into another room.
Jake opened the door to an office, signs of new projects needing to be done were scattered on the floor, some with drops of blood.
It smelled of metallic and dryness filled his senses, nothing he couldn't handle.
"We can't stay here for long."
Marc says as he appeared in a broken window, he seems anxious but tries his best to repress it.
"Ya sé."
Jake replies as he pulled the drawer on one of the desk. It held nothing, he leaves it as he goes somewhere else.
"How is she doing?"
Steven said as he appeared in the dirty mirror as Jake started to rummage through the cabinet.
"She's fine. Deja de estresarte por ella Steven, te va dará dolor de cabeza así."
Jake asserted as he found a water bottle that was dried up.
Nothing. Everything in this place was practically useless at this point. Nothing would really be of value for him or the other two.
"Why did you give her the cloth?"
Marc asked to which Jake stopped, he wasn't sure about that one.
No, he did know.
"If we ran into anyone, you really think it would be normal for a girl her age to have splattered blood on her face with us?"
Jake argued before he just rubbed his temples.
Marc looks at him deeply, he doesn't believe him.
Steven gaze lingers on Jake who usually had a better responds but something seemed different this time. He could tell something was different.
"It would raise too many question."
Jake uttered to the reflections, both nodded as they took the answer because they knew they would get nothing else out of the alter before disappearing. He doesn't like arguing with them, that not his job.
"Hey?"
He turns quickly pointing the revolver towards the girl before seeing that she raised her hands up. Her eyes widen at the weapon pointed at her.
"Woah! Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."
She voices as she put her hands down so slowly that he notice the slight tremble her hands did when they did come down.
"Didn't scare me."
He responds.
"Doesn't look like it from here."
She muttered before clearing her throat and looking down after seeing his deadpan expression.
"The old man with the cane, Khonshu. He needs you for something."
She tells him as he nods as she leaves and he follows behind.
"He's over there."
Pointing towards what seemed like another entrance he walks over to Khonshu who is looking out into the world.
Khonshu hears the sound of Jake's footsteps and turns to see him.
"Took long."
Khonshu comments as he points to a building, but the building is shining brighter than the others.
The top pointed up with its roof still intact unlike some other apartment and structures that surround it.
"That is where we go to drop her off."
Jake looks at the whole thing, the building that hide the capital building were either titled or the tops completely destroyed with only rubar and concrete left behind.
"We would have to cross through the Tanta Museum to get to the capital building, its longer but safer that way and less chance of attacked by infected or by other groups."
Khonshu hummed at the information.
"The shorter route would make the drop faster. The longer we are out here, the higher chances of groups finding us on this tra-"
"Guys!"
A shout intrupped the two as they turned around to see what the girl was shouting about, a small dust cloud was in sight of Sand Riders came into view.
"Shit. Sand Riders must have saw us back at the Mosque."
Jake cursed as he looked at Khonshu.
"Grab the girl!"
Khonshu stressed as he puts his pack down and starts to dig into it for something. Jake has an idea of what he is going to look for.
"Grab on!"
Jake shouted as Katalina ran over to him as his hand was extended, she jumps but can't reach.
"Merida, hold on!"
Katalina curse her body in that moment, she really needs that growth spurt to kick in soon.
Jake jumps down and get back into position like before.
"Just like last time."
He tells her as she nods and doesn't hesitate this time, one shoe after the other she climbs and gets one shoe on the palm of his hand before he lifts her up and she jumps as well.
She grabs the edge as she dangles slightly before pulling herself up with what she had, she makes it up.
She turns around and extends her hand out, he sees it, he seems hesitant to think the girl could even take his weight.
"I can take it!"
She shouts before he grumbles under his breath and jumps, she grabs his arm tightly as she pulled as hard as she could.
He started to pull himself up, she let go of one hand before grabbing one of the loops of where his belt was on his jeans and helping get him up. He makes it as well.
They look at each other for a second before she nods and he nods back, he pulls her up on her feet.
"Come on idiots!"
Khonshu yells as he goes down the line onto the next building over.
The line was long but eventually he made it as he got rid of his harness and roped it around for them to use.
"No, no. Your kidding me?!"
Katalina exclaimed as she saw what he wanted her to do, the drop was high, she could do heights but not this height.
(Okay, maybe she pissed him off a little more than she thought.)
They were going to kill her.
She was going to die from falling, splat, dead, all her brain matter would smudge the already dirty floor below. She really wishes that FEDRA soilder had kill her when he had the chance.
"No, I'm not."
Jake answered as he reached for the harness and grabbed her arm.
"Look I'm sorry about the joke from before. Just don't make me do this."
She says as she pulls her arm a little away from him, he could tell how scared she was of this, her backing away, her shoulders getting tense, they way her words cane out much more quieter than before.
He looks behind her, they were getting closer, he need her to just do this. He gently pulls her closer by her shoulders to make her look at him.
"It's not because of that, no tienes mucho opciones ninã. Trust me. That dust cloud is getting bigger, the bigger and closer it gets the more chance you are of being in danger by that group than this rope."
He finally says as he looks at the dust cloud that had just gotten closer, he's got no time.
She nods as her eyebrows furrowed but understood what exactly he was telling her as he starts to put the harness on.
The sound of a click let her know she was attached to the rope and he pulled it slightly to make sure it held her to make sure she didn't fall off in the middle of her ziplining down.
"It won't snap, right?"
Her eyes turned to face him as he was about to let her go.
Her brown, golden eyes digging into his darker, brown eyes, the sunlight hitting her as he stood in the shadow of the inside of the toppling building.
Her eyes searched for something in them. Reassurance, cause she needs that from him.
She needs to know she'll be okay. She needs to know if she can trust him.
He told her the truth.
"It won't."
He reassures as he let her go before a small yelp came out of her as she slid down the zipline, grabbing onto the line as hard as she could, her curles whipping in the air as she went down.
"Watch her, please."
A voice said, it was Steven, he knew it was him so he did. For his sake.
He watched as she made a stop with Khonshu grabbing her arm and pulling her closer to the inside of the other broken building he landed on.
Khonshu starts to get her off the line, Jake take it as his signal that he can go now. He looking inside his pack and pulled out his harness.
He checks the rope before going down the ziplines across the other building that had either troppled or were just left in rubbles below him.
His curles going with the wind and before he knows it is caught by Khonshu hand who pulls him in.
"Make quick work."
Khonshu whispers as Jake nods and grabs the rope before pulling at its ends as it snaps. The line is cut and the rope dangles on the other side.
"Lets move."
Khonshu commands as he breaks the door down Katalina and Jake following behind him.
The place was much more brighter than the one they were in previously. The sound of clicks stopped them from observing the building.
Clickers.
Both Khonshu and Jake looked at each other with a nod.
Jake turns to look at Katalina who looks confused, he puts a finger up to his lips before mouthing.
"Don't make a sound."
She reads it and nods as Khonshu grabs her by her wrist and they slowly go the other side making sure to look where they stepped.
Appearing on the other side was the clicker itself.
'What fucking luck.'
She feels like the world was just messing with them at this point.
They froze as it screeched in their face, the other two stood still ans didn't make a sound nor breath as it twitched as if was trying to find them.
Katalina could feel her muscles and jaw tightened as she tried not to make a sound. Her eyes were closed as her hands turning into a fist.
Jake knew he could get rid of the thing, but he would need to be quick about it.
It was only until another screech that Jake eventually stabbed the clicker in it head, the knife digging into the thick layers of gray and green harden skin.
The blood spilled as he takes it out and stabs the clicker again, it overflows as the infected crumbled and spasms on the floor before dying all together.
Katalina could finally breathe again as she unclentches her jaw and her muscles started to relax again, they wait a second to make sure it died. Khonshu nudges her as he tilted his head for her to get moving.
They all slowly walk down broken stairs as the sound of clickers starts to fade, they hopped down once the end of the stairs came.
Well, the guys did.
"I don’t know about you guy, but I don't plan on making my knees hurt just yet."
She whispers as she looks down at the two men who look at each other before Jake sighs and Khonshu takes out his rifle leaving the two as he searched the area.
"Necesitas auyda ?"
Jake ask as she looks down then at him
"Nope. Just give me a second, I think I might have an idea."
She says as she sits down and slides down, Jake can only look as the girl then dangles herself from the edge of the broken floor.
He watches the girl knowing damn well that this was a stupid idea but letting her figure that out might be good for her.
She holds on before seeing that this was probably not her best idea with no way of getting back up to think of something else. She's stuck.
"Fuck."
She mumbles under her breath as she sighs.
"I might need help."
She finally admits
Jake let out small snort at the girls stubbornness but also realization that her "idea" wasn't gonna work.
He shakes his head and puts his bag down at the side before looking up at her.
"Let go, I'll catch you."
He says as he opens his arms to show her that he was ready.
She feels her face heat up a little not by the heat of sun but of the pure embarrassment she is feeling, but she doesn't think she has another choice.
She can try though, right?
"Isn't there like something I can climb down on?"
She grimace as she says that.
"Ninã."
He started to scold her.
"Alright, okay. Fine, just-"
'This is embarrassing.'
She takes a breathe before letting go and falling, closing her eyes last second as the feeling of her stomach dropping lasted a second.
Before she knows there are arms around her back and knees holding her tight to make sure she didn't slip through. Her arms hugging his neck for support, her head under his jaw as they stood there for a second.
It was tight but not enough to hurt her, just enough to keep her close to him.
It felt like a hug, something neither him nor any of the alters have had in what felt like years.
He feels a memory come back.
Randall, when he was a kid, he loved going at the top of slides or swings before Marc, Steven, or Jake had to catch him as he flew through the air making him feel like a hero from his action figures and show.
Because he trusted them, that they would always catch him, protect him.
They couldn't, not when it meant the most.
What makes them think they can protect her anymore than they could have Randall.
Jake felt as his eyes rolled back.
Marc fronts as he starts to turn and dropping her on her feet. He unwrap his arms from her and she unwrap her arms from his neck.
"Thanks. Sorry for all....that."
Is all she says before she rushes herself out the feeling of embarrassment still left behind for him to catch on.
He remember how it got to here, It's not like he had a choice. It was either they catch her or she literally breaks her knees.
He stays there with his thoughts, he still feels the weight of his brother like he was still there. He feels the weight leave of a child in his arms, there was nothing left to protect after all.
He shakes his head as he grabs the backpack from the ground where Jake had left it and followed behind where Khonshu was waiting the girl looking at the scene.
"This place once was filled with people, language, culture, and so much more than you could have imagined worm."
He hears Khonshu tell the girl as she looks up at him then back at the broken and wreck the world had become since the days of the outbreak.
She looks back the sight, she can't really imagine that, she has lived in a place where sure their were people but definitely not as many as their was before.
She wonders what kind of things would they sell, would they sell shoe laces or food instead, what type of clothes did they wear, what would they talk about?
"That's, hard to imagine."
She says as she looks out, the places was lifeless, the only thing left was stains of blood and the undead taking over anything with life in it. It sucked the joys of living into the more black and white of surviving.
Marc could feel a small ping of sympathy for the girl as he thought about it from her point before shaking the feeling away.
He can't get attached, that's how he gets hurt.
"How did you get that bite mark worm?."
Khonshu ask as he looked down at the young girl next to him. The next generation of people who will never know about the world before which he grew up and was raised in.
He thought maybe he would die in it too. How foolish of him.
"You know that hotel that was cut off from becoming apartments a couple districts down 11 and 4."
She replies, might as well give it up now.
Marc listened from a distance.
"The one they told everyone never to get close to because it being full of infected?"
Khonshu replied as she nodded.
"It was a good place to see the pyramids and I wanted to see it for myself, got to. But got jumped by a runner and then I got bit."
She told him as picks at her nails looking at them like they were more interesting than the story itself.
"And you went there, by yourself, at 14."
He stated as she nodded. He lightly chuckles.
"You got guts worm, I'll give you that. All for the sight of the pyramids."
He says like a fever dream almost. Deja Vu in a sense it seemed to roll off.
Katalina felt a a tug at the sides of her lips at the compliment from the man, a smile of pride about it but got rid of it quickly so he couldn't see it.
She wasn't sure if doing what she did was even a proud thing to have accomplish.
Khonshu eventually looks out one last time before turning around and leaving through the hole in the wall, she watches before looking back up at the sight again.
Marc listened to the story, it seems realistic enough.
He watches as her eyes flickered, the sunlight making her not seem so much rougher than she looks.
She looked softer, much more younger now. Her eyes however told another story, she was exhausted not just by sleep but what seemed like living in general.
Just like he was, and he could understand. He was there, they all were, but he had to find a way to move on, it took years and he was much older.
This girl was 14 and she seemed so tired, much more tired than he did or any other kid should be.
She eventually rubs her eyes from how the sunlight hitting her iris and started to follow through where Khonshu had also went to before he following behind her.
The three walked a little more now with more distance from the Sand Riders, Marc and Khonshu knew they would eventually lose interest in them since they tended to only just stick around when they found people vulnerable.
The entrance of the museum was grand yet old. There were plants growing on the building itself and little bits of graffiti like the one back at the QZ littered the forgotten history the place held.
The letters half up and the rest laid on the floor of the steps to the entrance of the museum cracked and destroyed.
It was a beautiful entrance, the plants that grew around it made it seem taken back by nature which most cities had been taken by.
The cordyceps were scattered all over the walls and stretched like vines as little bubbles of its air were around.
"Get your mask."
Khonshu ordered and Marc obeyed as he dtarted to take out his gas mask. Katalina looked at them both as they got their gas mask out, she wondered if she would need it too.
"You got a mask?"
Marc asked the girl as she nodded.
"Get it out and put it on then."
He told her as he placed the mask over his face and made sure there were no cracks and that he could breathe.
Katalina heard the change again, an American accent. The one that shouted and then apologized for it (not really but it's what she was gonna get from him right now.)
"But, I'm immune to the cordyceps, the spores don't do anything to me."
She tells him before he gives her a look.
"Not asking, just do it. Get a flashlight as well, its dark and hard to see."
He tells her as she sighs and digs into her bag for the mask for herself and got the flashlight that Harrow had given her.
They all slip their backpack on again and Katalina looks at the door, it's slightly open as the inside seemed almost completely black.
Like pandoras box, ready to be open and get you.
She felt a chill go up her spine.
"So, why exactly are we going through this museum anyways?"
She questions as she couldn't understand why they need to go through this specific building and not the other ones around.
"There is a exit at the top floor of this, it's a shorter way, more dangerous but still a way."
Khonshu explains as she just nods and takes it.
"So, it's fine then? To like go through?"
Khonshu nods and she looks at Marc who sighs and nods slowly as well.
That was all she was gonna get from the two.
Khonshu was the first to get closer to the cordyceps before poking his cane at the thick vine like cordyceps that took parts of the building for its own.
He taps a couple times before stabbing it for a loud crunch noise to come out of it. There is a small cloud of spores came out and came to his conclusion.
"Seems like most of the infected are dead. But some of the spores are still around, keep the mask."
Khonshu ordered as the two nodded and he went in first, the inside was dark and filled with dust everywhere.
Broken or stolen artifacts, paintings torn or left alone were around but for the most part everything was where it was left the day of the outbreak.
Katalina looked around, the top of it was filled with designes of constellations words in arabic and english describing them.
Marc looks around the place, it had been years since he's been through a museum, much less one in egypt. However he soon felt his eyes roll back as Steven now fronted.
He was thrilled, the museum had all types of facts such as how things were built in the ancient times of Egypt, the way gods were worshipped, ect.
He looks back then at Katalina who was looking at the ceiling reading what the words said.
"The Egyptian invented modern navigation."
He started out with which startled the girl, that change, it happened again.
"Oh, sorry 'bout that. Just, fun fact, thought you might want to know that."
He says as he looked at the girl who nodded and looked at the ceiling again, she thinks for a second before speaking again.
"Anything else to add to that fun fact?"
She asked as he felt a small jolt of excitement hit him as he nodded and he continued.
"There aren't a lot of land marks in the desert. So, they came up with a way to get about it using the sun and the stars."
She nods with a smile as she ingraves the information into her brain like every other fact she learn in books or movies she's seen.
"It's bloody genius, right?"
He said as she nods.
"Yeah, it is. They are very smart for using the sky as thier way of navigation, like the Polynesian people did as well, they would also use the stars to know which direction to go when voyaging."
She added as well which he made him happy that she was adding to the fact he just told her. Khonshu watched the two talk, he knew exactly that look. Steven.
He uses his cane to slightly hit the wall getting both attention of the two.
"If you two are done, we have somewhere to be, hurry up!"
He reprimand as Katalina looks at him before feeling a little bit of fear and frustration but decided to just do what the old man said.
"Get moving. You, I'll deal with you later."
He says as he pointed at Steven who just looks at Khonshu in annoyance from under his mask, he was just trying to teach her something.
'Hot and cold much'
Katalina thinks as the girl walks pass him following Khonshu who was waiting for them by the stairs.
Steven followed behind before looking at the ceiling one last time. The stairs up were made of concrete with some edges being taken off due to part of the building it self starting to collapse over time.
The two followed Khonshu as as they slowly stepped over the long think vines of cordyceps that took over the rest of the way up.
A sound of clicking caught their attention, a sudden stop was made as they waited for another sound to be heard, Khonshu looks at Steven who grab the gun from pants and pulls it out ready incase of anything.
The girl looks at the two before taking out her switchblade ready to fight for her life if she had to.
They continued up the stairs, their flashlight lightning their way through the dark place as a sense of dread and death went down their spines.
The place started to fill up with more and more spores as dead infected were seen laying there, their bodies no longer resembling anything human or whatever remained of the person they use to be.
They make it to the top, wood and pieces of concrete covered the path of the door, the wooden door was slightly open showing another room of artifacts that never made it to the displays down below.
Khonshu looked at rubble that laid to where they needed to go, he moves forward before squatting down and starting to push it up.
The air started to clear up as the circulation moved, it turns opaque as he moves the junk away. Steven decided to help him as he forward to help him push the things up and out of the way for them to cross.
"Go."
Khonshu strained to say as the girl ran quickly in, the sound of the ceiling about to fall rang out and she push them both back as it fell back. A cloud of gray and yellow dust filled the room and hallway.
The two men landed on floor as they waved their hand to clear some of the dust looking for the girl who was now stuck on the other side, alone.
"You two okay?!"
She shouts as the sound of creaking echoed through out the building.
She looked worried as her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes searching around for the two.
"We're alive, stay over there. Don't move, we'll find a way over there."
Khonshu says as Steven had already gotten up and helped Khonshu us before grabbing his cane.
The sound of groaning and clicking rang in their ears.
"I don’t think I can!"
She yells, her tone noticeable got higher as she hears the stomping of shoes coming, infected, they were awake.
"Then run!"
"We'll find you!"
The two shouted out saying as she runs to the other side, the men see as two clickers were following behind her at full speed.
"They're gonna kill her."
Steven muttered as he felt his mind racing, his chest feeling heavy, it hit him hard, he has this feeling that he needs to get her out of there. And quick.
"Then let's get out of here and find her."
Khonshu rough tone clicking as the two looked for another way out to make sure she didn't get killed in there.
She sprints as fast as she could. She knew about clickers and made a plan on what she probably would do in that situation that had one of them after her.
It went completely out the window.
She looks around for anything, she feels her palm starting to sweat as her switchblade and flashlight were the only thing grounding her. The hurried sounds of the clickers not helping her already panicing state.
The sound of her heart thumping filled her head as she finds a statue and pushs it out of the way before turning away from it and hiding behind a broken display case.
The infected go after the noise as they screeched, she puts her flashlight on the ground and covers her mouth as she tries to calm herself down.
Her nails dig into the palm of her hand but she knows she can't move, if she does they find her.
'However, you aren't immune to being ripped apart, child.'
The words echoing in her mind from what Harrow had said a while back when she was asking him questions.
She hated him at that moment for the image, she could imagine her mangled body as the infected tore through her skin and flesh, her body parts being ripped out whatever made her human.
She could imagine her heart being torn up by their teeth, every little vain and muscles smeared on the monsters mouth as it ate it up.
She tries not to think about that. It's hard.
She looks down at her switchblade, then at the clickers. She doesn't have much choice but to either kill them or they get her.
She rather stay alive to make sure this vaccine thing worked.
She lifted the gas mask and wrapped the straps on her bag. She breathed the air through her nose as it went into her lungs she needs her heart to stop beating so hard.
Sweat formed on her forehead as she wipes it off and looks around.
She needs to concentrate, she needs to remember her training as shitty as it was.
On the ground laid a bottle, a glass bottle, a distraction.
She made a plan, slowly she moves from her crouched position, the clickers still moving around and hearing for any sound to catch their prey.
Prey and predator was the game.
She grabs the bottle, slowly looking behind her, she lifts it and gets ready. The bottle flew through the air and hit the side of the wall earning a yell from the clickers who raced after the sound.
Looking around she found a piece of concrete, grabbing it. She goes back to her spot and ties the flashlight to her backpack.
The two clickers twitched and made small noises as they couldn't find where she was. One eventually moved towards another part of the room, an opening.
She puts the brick down as she moves up.
She knew where to hit as she had seen the guy named 3 names had before and go for the head.
She jumps on its back wrapping an arm to keep her there and she can only reach the neck and goes for it, she stab at the side of its neck, digging deep as the blade goes in again and again.
Blood starting to spill like a fountain from it.
The creature yells and screeched in agony, it tries to claw and bite at her. Eventually she jumps off once she thinks its enough and backs up as it falls to the ground still trying to fight off its attacker.
The sound of the other one becomes clear as she remembers the concrete brick on the floor and throws it at another wall, it turns that way as she moves away from it.
Her hands and blade bloody again. As she looks back and sees a puddle of blood pouring from the infected, it wouldn't get her at least. She was just a little but safer.
She needed a way out, but couldn't find one. The old guy, Khonshu had said there was an exit around this floor, she just wished she knew where.
A bellow was heard grabbing her attention as turned around to see the other clicker getting ready to pounce on her.
It falls down with a thud as it tried to attack whatever got it, a silver cresent in its back glimmered with blood coming out.
Soon, a black boot stepped on its back before the sound of a gun went off as the sound of splattered matter echoed in the room
She flinched at the sound before looking at who had taken down the other clicker. It was the guy with 3 names, he looked concentrated, his eyes narrowing on the dead clicker as if seeing if it would try and fight back.
It didn't, he looks up and spots her as she looks at him then at the dead clicker he just killed.
A switch in emotion happened in his eyes as furrowed concentrated eyes turned into concerned and relieved ones.
"There you are."
He says as he steps over the dead infected and goes to her. She looks at him as his eyes searched for something.
His eyebrows furrowed as he looks at her arm, she looks down and sees the bite mark, it was a little deep and it was starting to bleed. His eyes looked back her concerned and worried about the second bite mark on her.
"You alright? Where did you get the other bite?"
He questions as he puts his bag down and starts to search for something.
Must have gotten her and the adrenaline must've kepted her from feeling it, it was starting to weaken though.
"I'm not dead so that's the good thing, to answer your other question, look over there."
She points to the other infected that she had stabbed to death.
Khonshu came into the picture as he walked over to the dead clicker. He taps on it with his cane as if seeing to make sure she had actually killed it.
"You killed it?"
He didn't really believe her.
"Yeah, with this."
Showing the now bloody switchblade and he hums before nodding.
She's not sure what to make of that, looking back at Steven who now has a bandage for her and a small alcohol wipe.
"Do you want me to clean it or can you?"
He ask her. Nobody has asked her that in years.
"I can do it."
She takes the alcohol wipes and rubs it in deep, it burns and she want to cry a little but holds it in as she finshes cleaning the wound.
"I'll wrap it, alright. Tell me if it's too tight."
Steven tells her as he starts to put a small cloth on the wound before wrapping around some bandage, he is gentle as ties it up.
"Good?"
And she nods.
"Let get out of here then."
Khonshu says as Steven closes his bag and lets Katalina walk in front of him as she gives a small nod of thanks to the gesture.
They make it to the roof of the museum, the exit Khonshu was talking about. The other two take off the gas mask as the bright sun blinded them, they all blinked a couple times to adjust.
"Wait! You were breathing in spore!"
As a rule of thumb, don't reblog donation posts or people asking for donations unless they've been vetted and reblogged by Palestinian bloggers. We usually go to lengths to verify this shit because we know scammers have been faking to get people to send them money, using the urgency of our genocide as bait.
It's disgusting this is what we're dealing with, but people are losing money because of some truly evil people out there.
Accounts don't just randomly spring up on tumblr without gofundmes while asking for someone to help them create a campaign. Fuck out of here with that shit.
💫Commissions are open!
I’ll be taking 10 slots for 25€ on a full body character!
All money will be send to Care for Gaza/ funds for E-sims
If you need information, send me a DM or a mail!
goodnight everyone (:
do your daily click
spreadsheet of families in Gaza you can help today
donate to:
Buy an e-sim
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The PCRF
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Sudan Emergency Appeal
URGENT UPDATE!
Due to the heavy rains in Gaza, many camps are experiencing flooding! To counter this, people have begun digging canals between the camps to try and keep the water away from the tents.
Unfortunately, there isn't much else we can do about this other than digging waterways. Wood is in limited supply and used mostly for cooking and boiling water so they can't build platforms for the tents.
Please donate today. Hussam has said he is trying to put together menstrual hygiene care packages to aid the women and girls who are experiencing such limited supplies!
All your donations go directly to people in need with NO middle man in between! Please consider donating or spreading this link around!
~if the world was ending, i’d wanna be next to you~
❤️: @mags-is-me
🩷: @roxieroadz
Displacement
Do not take this word lightly; it carries feelings of oppression, despair, and deep frustration. Behind it lies immense pain, a heavy burden of responsibility, and the agonizing choice between taking a step that could cost you and your family’s lives or staying where you are — a decision that might come at the same cost.
Leaving one’s home by force is a harrowing test of resilience. It’s difficult even for inanimate objects to be uprooted, let alone for people who have once tasted the comfort of stability.
And as for living in a tent? This is a bitter reality, one whose weight is only understood by those who have experienced its harsh details firsthand. In the tent, you lose the sense of safety, feeling as though life around you has come to a standstill, leaving you suspended in a place of fear and uncertainty.
The family of Asmaa Ayad is one of those who have endured the bitterness of displacement and the hardships of tent life. They desperately need your support and solidarity in this difficult time, as they face dangers from every side.
@asmaayyad2
With your compassion and support, we can alleviate their suffering and give them hope for a dignified and stable life. Be a helping hand for them on this difficult journey.
@ot3 @mangocheesecakes @good-old-gossip @schoolhater @dragon-master-kai @prinnay @neptunerings @paper-mario-wiki @newsfrom-theworld @jezior0
@turian @sylvianritual @brokenbackmountain n @dirhwangdaseul @appsa @postanagramgenerator
@pcktknife @heritageposts @omegaversereloaded
@theinconvenientlifestyle @punkitt-is-here @officialspec @transmutationisms
@northgazaupdates2
🕊️ Please Take a Moment to Read Nadin’s Story
My name is Nadin. I never imagined I would write something like this. I’ve always been someone who kept her worries quiet, someone who believed that even the hardest days could be endured with patience and faith. But right now, I am reaching out — not because I want to, but because I need to.
I am a wife, a mother, and one of many women in Gaza trying to survive days that feel like they have no end. There was a short time — a brief ceasefire — where we thought things might start to heal. Where the sound of war faded for just long enough to let us breathe. But that moment is gone now, and the fear has returned louder than before.
My days are filled with uncertainty, and my nights with prayer. We have lost so much. Our home was damaged, our sense of safety taken from us. But through all of this, I try to keep going. I try to hold on to what little peace I can create with my hands, my words, and my love.
I am not asking for much. Just a little help to keep our lives from falling further apart. To fix the small things — a cracked wall, a leaking roof, the pieces of daily life that help us hold on to dignity.
This campaign isn’t just about survival. It’s about holding on to what makes us human in a place that keeps trying to take that away. It’s about showing my daughter — even though I won’t mention her name here — that the world didn’t forget us.
If you’ve ever felt powerless in the face of suffering, please know that even the smallest gesture can carry great meaning. A kind word. A shared post. A quiet donation. These things remind us that we’re not alone.
I am still here. Still holding on. Still believing that people out there — people like you — still care.
Please, if you feel moved, consider supporting or sharing this campaign.
well 🧍♀️ as a reminder this blog is NOT a safe space for trump supporters but it IS a safe place for women, queers, trans ppl, people of color, undocumented people, and any marginalized group.
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