aReya snapped back to reality after hearing the voice address her. She raised her head and glanced around, trying to check the top bunk of the bed to see if her roommate was there. Much to her displeasure, she was indeed in the room. Just not on the top bunk, though, but instead on the bottom bunk, which belonged to Reya's. She was even hogging the bed like it was her own!
"Get off my bunk," Reya ordered, her entire demeanour changing.
Evonie, on the other hand, remained unbothered. She sat up on the edge of the bed with a taunting expression, her thoughts unreadable. It had seemed like that for the past 3 years. She would wear a smile on her face in front of Reya and everyone else, but only Reya herself seemed to notice that her eyes carried with it something else. As if her mind harboured something deeper, something behind Evonie's eyes made her unreadable at times. Others wouldn't bat an eye, yet it was always Reya who felt something was off.
Evonie had quickly stood up and stepped behind Reya, leaning in casually as she spoke with a calm voice.
"Did you use a new perfume? I'm used to you using vanilla."
Reya sighed softly and turned around to face Evonie.
"I've just been using whatever's available."
Reya was pushed down to sit on the edge of the bed. Evonie loomed over her and clicked her tongue, flitting her eyes over Reya's sitting form.
"What on earth happened during your mission?" Evonie questioned Reya for a moment, despite knowing she wouldn't be dignified with a response. Judging by the cut on Reya's head, she could tell she had a head injury. Probably a mild one, considering the fact that Reya still seemed clear minded. She simply went ahead and pulled out the first-aid kit in their night stand.
As usual, Reya didn't bother with small talk and only continued to give the silent treatment. Their interactions haven't been the best as of late, and in all truthfulness, both of them acted like an ass to each other in their own way.
After applying some ointment to the cut on Reya's head and being met with dead silence, Evonie decided to press her hand down on Reya's injury. Reya was stunned— Evonie had somehow guessed that she was hit on the head— and even used it to her advantage. The sudden ache from the unwanted pressure was already a blow to Reya's composure, but Evonie's next question proved to throw her off even more.
"So, I suppose the kid you brought in is doing fine?"
Reya was not expecting that Evonie would find out so quickly that she had taken a child in. Reya stubbornly clenched her jaw to continue her silent treatment. Yet, what left her mouth first was a small cry of pain as Evonie had simultaneously increased the pressure on her head to further coerce her to reply.
"How long will you plan on keeping your mouth shut?"
"Ugh- that hurts!" Reya exclaimed. A bitter feeling grew within her as she found herself at a loss. Her head injury was fortunately very mild, but it still ached when the bruised area was messed with. In the end, she had to give in.
"I encountered a feral at the building that I was supposed to scavenge supplies at. Perhaps the kid was left behind and ended up attracting a feral. I got hurled into a wall, but I managed to take the kid."
Evonie stared at Reya for a moment before removing the pressure on her head, sighing. She stood up to go and get an ice pack from the fridge.
"I'll check the rest of you after icing down your head a bit."
Evonie was sort of like the medic for the group. Although everyone knew how to treat simple wounds, they'd often go to Evonie for some more complex ones. The reason for it being that Evonie was actually the daughter of her— now deceased— father, who was a known scientist. He also lead the research of the mysterious ferals before dying after being attacked by one. She had learnt quite a lot from her father about researching lifeforms and by coincidence— learnt a lot about medicine and treatments for human beings. Other than that, however, she didn't seem to know much more about the pathogens that create ferals. However, if there was any question about a feral, she was indeed your best bet.
Fortunately, most of the members didn't need her help constantly and could treat themselves in case of an injury during a mission. It was only Evonie herself who would willingly, and without fail consistently, treat Reya without being asked. Reya was the one who always got injuries worse than others due to being more aggressive on the field, but it was still strange for Evonie to treat Reya so willingly, considering their spiralling relationship. Reya never completely understood nor read through Evonie, the exception only being their time before the world had become the way it was. Despite all of this, their ability to work together remained exceptional.
Regardless, however, Reya just grew used to it, just like with everything else that changed.
Eventually, Evonie came back with the ice pack and walked over to Reya. She sat beside her on the edge of the bed and pressed the pack to Reya's head. There, they decided to start discussing serious matters and move their squabbling aside.
"Aren't you slapping the responsibility of a child onto the other members?" Evonie started first.
Reya knew that the other members wouldn't be too harsh on her for saving a kid. So, after a moment's consideration, she added on thoughtfully.
"The others can handle just one more member. I'm sure no one else would've left the child to fend for herself if they were in my situation either. We'll just contribute… somehow, I guess."
Evonie mentally agreed and continued, "Were you going to talk to her when she wakes?"
"… Yeah. But also, I didn't hear you at all when I came in. I thought you were with the others on a mission, did you go out alone and return while I was in the shower?"
"Mn. I did."
Reya paused for a moment at Evonie's reply. She already knew the reason why Evonie had gone alone again, and couldn't help but want to scold her for it instead.
"Do I even need to tell you this? You know you can't just make trips over to your father's old lab for some solo research. The ferals have been increasing in number- and not to mention the new mutation-"
Evonie's face froze, and she cut Reya off in an almost avoidant manner, "I know what I'm doing."
"If you're going to take it upon yourself to get some more research about ferals, at least consider your own safety…" Reya continued to blurt out, a growing tension between them.
Yet, all those words seemed to have gone through one ear and out the next. Evonie's thoughts fell back to some memories as she muttered quietly, "That's not the reason."
The bitterness in Evonie's eyes faded away as quickly as it appeared. She didn't want to endure any more of Reya's scolding, after all. She quickly changed subjects by pulling the ice pack off Reya's head and spoke once more.
"You said you were hurled into a wall by a feral. Turn around, let me check." Her words made no room for argument as she faced Reya the other way, lifting her shirt and looking over her back. She took note of the red and purple bruises, mostly on her shoulder blades. Evonie gently traced her hand on Reya's back to check if there was any more swelling. Her mind was still slightly clouded by uncomfortable memories of both past and present, and so she was a bit out of it.
Reya was defeated by Evonie's methods to deflect the topic. At first, she was fine, feeling Evonie's aloof gaze scan over her bruises. But then she felt a cold hand slide up her back, feeling it lightly brush against her shoulder blade. A small ache spread across her skin as Evonie pressed against a bruise. It felt okay as Evonie's hand travelled up, but soon Reya felt a bit conscious, Evonie's touch beginning to feel prickly. Unable to take it any more, she started to struggle and move away. She never really resisted when Evonie would check out her injuries, so Reya's reaction was awfully unusual.
"Stop avoiding the topic, idiot!" Reya blurted out in her fit.
Evonie snapped back to the present after hearing Reya's protests. She didn't hold her for long, eventually letting go— albeit slightly confused by the defensive reaction.
"Alright, I'm done. Your bruises are pretty bad though…"
Reya shot Evonie a glare and readjusted her shirt, saying, "Did you think I'd let you do as you wish so easily?"
Evonie really had no idea what she had done to provoke such a reaction. She was only checking over the bruises, after all.
Reya backed away when she saw Evonie inch her hand closer again. Evonie paused in her movements before continuing to grab the ibuprofen from the first-aid kit in their drawer and give the pills to Reya. It was only after Reya received the pills did she realise Evonie didn't mean harm at all.
"...just take the painkiller and avoid lying on your back. You can use the ice pack on yourself or whatever."
Feeling that the strange atmosphere was too much, she stood up and left their shared bedroom, probably off to do something else. Evonie grabbed a few of her things, such as her phone and some other bottle before leaving. Left alone, Reya slowly calmed down enough for her mind to return to clarity. As she swallowed the pill, she started to fall back into thought.
Why the hell did I react like that?
In her defence, however, she did feel a weird air from Evonie and couldn't help but react. Regardless, she owed no explanation or apology to Evonie and instead decided to take her mind off things by passing some time.
Reya grabbed her phone and flipped onto her stomach, lazily throwing the ice pack onto her back and leaving it be. As she scrolled on social media and mainly kept up to date, she wondered how long their electricity and running water would last.
The world wasn't in such a miserable state as of now. Although a little limited, there was indeed electricity and running water. There were plenty of survivor groups like them and many workers that still do their best to keep water and electricity running to continue survival.
However, the most crucial one of them all were the mighty scientists and doctors that work with survivors to deal with the ferals. Although the world was more dangerous, humans always had a way to bounce back. Of course, the situation depended on where you lived, but she was particularly lucky as the place they had stayed in was quite well-equipped.
Evonie's father and his company had built the entire building that they were currently sheltered at when occurrences of ferals first broke out. Ev and her father were loaded. Well, at least before her father's death and the apocalypse hit.
As Reya scrolled through the media, she saw the same old content as always. It was a mix of informative and safety tapes, and some others talking about theories regarding the ferals and their existence. She always preferred the side of the internet that still had casual content because it gave her a sense of normalcy.
Without realising, she had fallen asleep on her phone amidst all her scrolling. What she had failed to notice, however, was her roommate downing a few pills just outside the room.
—