"Miss?" A small voice squeaked. "Miss, it's almost time for dinner."
Emelie mumbled something under her breath and turned her body to the other side, away from where the voice was heard. It's been years since she had slept on a soft mattress. She lost count on how many times her back ached from sleeping on a sleeping bag.
"She won't wake up," another tiny voice was heard.
Elaine and Henry have been trying to wake up Emelie since earlier, but she just kept turning and tossing around. The little girl gave up trying while Henry sat on Emelie's bed, curious about the new girl. With a huff, Elaine looked around the room. Her curious blue eyes wandered around until a scruffy-looking bag on the floor had caught her attention. She walked towards it and rummaged inside, trying to find anything interesting to her.
Her eyes twinkled when she felt something smooth and cold in the palm of her small hand. Immediately, she grabbed and managed to pull it above everything else in the bag. It was a necklace with a silver heart-shaped locket. There was a small button on the side and she instinctively pushed it. The locket popped open and inside was a picture of a family; a young woman, a young man, and a little girl. Elaine was trying to figure out if the little girl was the same girl who was fast asleep, but the next thing she knew was that the necklace was snatched from her grasp.
"What do you think you're doing?" Emelie snapped, checking if the locket was damaged. She quickly put it back inside her bag and closed the zipper. "You shouldn't be touching things that aren't yours."
Elaine crossed her arms over her chest and said, "We were trying to wake you up but you wouldn't."
"Yeah, what she said!" Henry butted in, beside Elaine. He pushed his long bangs away from his eyes.
"It still doesn't mean you have the right to," Emelie said in annoyance. No one had ever tried to wake her up for as long as she could remember, although she didn't miss it one bit.
"The right to what? Wake you up?" Elaine asked, following Emelie as she walked to the other corner of the room. Henry hopped towards them.
Emelie sighed, "Nevermind." She grabbed her jacket on the floor and headed quickly towards the door, but the little girl hurried to get there first.
"I'm only eight, miss," Elaine replied, her small frame blocking Emelie's way. She looked up to Emelie with her big eyes, and her wavy hair seemed to hug the sides of her small, pale face.
"And I'm ten, which makes me the older one," Henry added, poking Elaine's cheek.
"Good for you two," she replied, unsure of what to say to a child, especially to children like Elaine and Henry. "Please, excuse me. I don't want to seem like I'm a lazy newbie here."
Elaine giggled, "You kind of are, though."
"Why's that?"
"You didn't help Penny and the others to prepare lunch earlier. Everyone cleaned up after that, and Ramsey also fixed a lot of things," Henry's eyes squinted from his big, stretched smile. "Even your friend helped tend the garden with Paige."
"I was--" Emelie stopped herself. Why am I even arguing with a child? She thought. She licked her dry lips and sighed. "You are Elaine, correct?"
Elaine nodded once.
"And you're Henry?" Emelie looked at the boy.
"Yes, and you are Miss Emelie," Henry replied in a sarcastic tone.
Even though Emelie felt a hint of annoyance, she couldn't hold back a small smile, "Emelie would suffice."
Elaine smiled back at her and swung the bedroom door open. "Last one to hug Penny would be eaten alive by wild dogs!" she called out, sprinting outside
"I thought you liked dogs!" Henry shouted back, and he ran outside the room as well.
"Well, you're a dog so I must like you too!" Elaine's voice grew faint.
They kept running until Emelie couldn't see them anymore, then she was left alone once again. She stood by the opened door, and a big, picture window could be seen not too far from her. All the other windows were shattered. She walked towards it and looked down at the view.
A familiar but a disturbing feeling wrapped around Emelie. The rusty old cars started to move by themselves in a swirling-like pattern, and the trees seemed to sway back and forth, like how ocean waves danced. She had to put her hand against the glass to keep herself steady. Her stomach churned and goosebumps formed on her arms--It reminded her of the view when she looked down from the bridge. She remembered how she felt that night; trembling in fear, although welcoming death with open arms. That one night when she finally had the courage to do it, was abruptly stopped by this eccentric, suited man.
She closed her eyes, breathed in, and pressed her forehead against the glass. She knew she needed to thank Doug properly.
"Is Emelie still sleeping?" Ramsey asked out loud, as he was having another cigarette. He was sitting down and had both of his feet up on a table.
"Most likely," Penny replied, pushing off Ramsey's feet off the table. "But you will join her, soon. The only difference is that you won't wake up 'cuz of that darn thing in your hand."
Everybody laughed except for Doug. He was sitting quietly on the floor, running his fingers across his black shoe. Then it was silent for a few seconds. Matteo, who stopped drawing his wife from his memory, stared at Doug and felt something strange about him.
Paige shot Ramsey a look, and he raised a thick brow at her. Paige rolled her eyes at him, and Ramsey sighed.
"See, Doug doesn't find it amusing," Ramsey inhaled his cigarette one last time, dropped it on the floor, and squashed it with his bare foot.
"I don't think death will ever be amusing," Doug replied, enjoying the smooth texture of his shoe. Ramsey was already sitting on the floor next to him.
"It isn't, but it is peaceful, I think," Ramsey replied, pulling another cigarette from his pocket, "Here, you should try it out. It's very relaxing. If death felt like this, I would've been gone by now."
Ramsey's breath smelled like smoke--Doug noticed how dark his lips were, and his fingers were stained.
"Ramsey," Matteo started, "I don't think he should." He erased his drawing for the third time, getting frustrated every time. He failed to remember his wife's features. Every time he tried to draw her, it didn't look like his wife at all. It began looking like someone else in the group.
"One wouldn't kill him," Ramsey shot back.
Matteo looked at his friend for a while, shuffled his curly black hair, and he wanted to continue to draw, but put down his pencil anyway.
Doug held the cigarette awkwardly and pressed the tip between his lips.
"Yeah, that's it." Ramsey pulled out a lighter and lit the other end.
The small flame was only inches away from Doug's face and he felt the warmth that it produced.
Paige was staring at Doug with her mouth slightly open.
"Girl, you're drooling," Penny whispered, and was amazed by the fact that Paige was still the same old high school girl who never ran out of boys to admire.
Paige only rolled her eyes in reply, flicking her thin hair away from her face.
Ramsey was clearly entertained. "Alright, now. Try to inhale slowly with your mouth."
Doug did as he was told. He inhaled from his mouth carefully, his chest slowly rose, and his head started to tilt back little by little. His throat was slightly in pain, but he continued to inhale. He still had a lot of air in his lungs to do so. Paige couldn't keep her eyes off him when his chest continued to rise.
The others watched in awe. Doug was now staring at the ceiling, and his eyes started to water. When he felt that he could suck in air no more, he removed whatever that was left of the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled a cloud of grey smoke in the air.
"Holy smokes!" Ramsey exclaimed, with his hands gripping his own hair. "My man, you're a natural! How'd you finish that cig in one breath?"
"How did it feel?" Matteo asked slowly, and was slightly concerned. He didn't want Ramsey to influence this confused man, although he couldn't shake off the unsteady feeling towards him.
Doug looked at Matteo, and he too, sensed a strange aura around him, but answered nonetheless, "Good."
Moments later, high-pitched laughter could be heard, getting louder.
"I told you I wanted one so that I could ride it into battle!" Elaine chuckled, looking behind at Henry, who was running after her.
"Kids," Penny greeted, "Did you two wake up Emelie?"
"Ah, geez. It took forever!" Henry complained.
"She's a lazy bum!" Elaine added, giggling.
"She's just very tired. Be kind to her, at least for now," Penny pulled back Henry's bangs, but it immediately bounced back.
Right after Penny had said that, Emelie appeared.
She felt everyone's glares piercing through her. Out of embarrassment, she bit her lip and her restless eyes searched frantically for Doug.
"Hey, had a good rest?" Penny asked with a smile.
"Yeah," Emelie stuttered out, trying to maintain eye contact with her. "I'm sorry I overslept."
Penny chuckled, "Everyone did when we first came here. It's all good."
Emelie forced a laugh and rubbed her arm.
Doug was about to stand up, but was startled when Ramsey slapped his thighs and said, "Well! Now that she's awake, finally," he glared at Emelie, "We can now have a meal and discuss a few things, yeah?"
Still, Emelie wasn't looking at him.
Dinner went well, for the majority, at least. The kids, as usual, chowed down on their canned food. Everyone else was quiet, unsure of what to say, but thoughts kept piling up in their minds. Most of their thoughts were about Doug; how much air Doug had in his lungs, why he was so strange, why he looked so fresh in this kind of environment, and why he didn't know how to properly use a spoon.
Everyone felt alright with the two new recruits, although Matteo was the only one who wasn't comfortable with Doug. Usually, Matteo could read the body language of anyone, and he could distinguish the similar and different behaviours from everyone and why they do so. When the world was still perfect, he worked as a psychologist, and he loved his job. His wife used to tell him to quit because there were times when he cries in an empty room. Even so, he never stopped studying human behaviour, but it bothered him that he certainly could not read Doug--because he didn't seem human at all, not even a ghost.
After dinner, Matteo, Ramsey, Paige, Doug, and Emelie all gathered in a circle on the floor, with a small candle in the middle.
"Are the kids asleep yet?" Ramsey asked, writing on a piece of paper.
"No, I bet Penny's still tiring them out in their room," Page replied with a smile.
Emelie hadn't spoken to Doug, neither did he. He kept looking at her, hoping that she would look at him too, and tell him what was wrong, but she didn't. She only managed to exchange quick glances and tight smiles.
Doug was curious, but above all, he was curious on how Emelie's mind works. She didn't act according to what he knew about humans. He knew he lacked the knowledge to understand.
"Alright," Penny sighed in relief, sitting down next to Emelie. "Let's get this over with."
Ramsey cleared his throat, and shifted his position for the third time. "Okay, right. Uhm."
"Please bare with him. He doesn't usually act 'all-leader-like' towards us. He actually hates it," Paige whispered to Doug. She had been embarrassed earlier but now she wants to regain her confidence towards him.
"So! We have a few rules here. First is, there's a curfew. No one is allowed to go out of the mall premises past 9 P.M. Why? Safety regulations. Second, everyone needs to have a contribution and should do what she or he is told. Third is that our number one priority is the two kids, do I make myself clear?" He looks at Doug, then to Emelie, who avoided eye contact once again. "Okay, that's a yes for me. Those two brats must be protected at all costs--"
Doug raised a hand.
Ramsey was a bit taken aback, but laughed it out and said, "Yes, Doug. You may ask a question."
Emelie peered over at Doug through her hair.
"I'm curious as to why the kids are much more important than all of us."
Everyone fell silent, but Penny felt disappointed from his question.
Ramsey snorted and said, "Well, they're the future generation. Those two would fall in love when they grow up, have babies, and continue on with humanity."
"You can predict if they'll fall in love?" Doug asked quickly, his curiosity itching to find answers.
"Well, no," Ramsey rolled his eyes and added, "But most likely, yes. Anyway--"
"Don't you think this world is a little too hopeless and vulnerable to continue humanity? Do you think they'll survive out here on their own when we're gone?"
This made Matteo sit upright, his eyes fixated towards Doug. He thought that Doug was testing him, his patience.
"Doug," Emelie whispered as she put her sweaty hand on Doug's arm, but it seemed like he didn't feel anything, because he didn't acknowledge her. "I think you've asked too much."
He looked at Emelie's worried face and wondered what he asked wrong. He never knew questions could be wrong.
"Fourth," Ramsey cleared his throat, smiled, but was now unsure of what to say, "-Is to always be careful and keep your guard up, especially when you feel unsafe." His smile slowly faded as he looked at Doug and scrunched the paper in his fist. "Now, Doug. It's me who has a question." He got up to his feet and crouched down in front of Doug, his eyes striking into his', but Doug didn't move a muscle.
Everyone except for Doug started to get anxious.
"Hey, easy," Penny chuckled uneasily.
Paige moved away from Doug and Matteo was now standing up.
Emelie gripped Doug's arm tighter, trying to pull him back.
Ramsey squinted his eyes. He then asked with a low and raspy voice, "Who the hell are you?"