Code of Honor

Being injured in these times was never a good thing. Survival of the fittest was the general rule. I was lucky I had people to care for me or I’d be dead. But even then it still made things hard. Infection was still a risk so Jamison was always changing bandages and caring for the wound. I wasn’t able to move much because of where the shot had been. Another danger was being found. If we were found I was a huge liability and I knew Dad would die before he left me behind. So I spent my days stuck and frustrating. Willing my body to heal faster and pushing myself more than I should have been. I was constantly in trouble with Jamison.

But I wasn’t the only in trouble it seemed. My father was to. In a time were supplies were so scarce and far between sometimes hard decisions had to be made. Like who needed treatment more. Sometimes it was a life and death decision. There had been once a man had come to us. Looking for help and soon joined our ranks.

But with him he brought a sick and dying woman. We took them both in and made her comfortable. The man, Matt, had begged for us to save her and help her. He promised the world. Dad and Jamison did everything they could for her. I still didn’t know what the relationship between the man and woman was. At first I thought they were married but then at times it seemed they were more friends or siblings. We never did find out.

Jamison had to make the choice. It was in neither of his or my father’s natures to want someone to suffer but there was nothing they could do for her. She was going to die no matter what they did. It was a risk even having her around not knowing what she was infected with. Matt didn’t take it so well.

The problem he had was. They did nothing. They tried to explain it to him as best they could.
It sounded cold but they couldn’t waste supplies on those they wouldn’t help. She was going to die no matter what we did. Medical supplies were even harder to get in those early days. Raiding the hospital was out of the question. My dad had talked to the woman and explained it to her. We were so limited in drugs and supplies, we needed to save them for someone who could be saved. She had understood thankfully. She was a very nice woman even in her last days.

It was sad to see her go but Matt had gone to pieces after she died. We soon learnt he’d only brought us to her because the army medics had turned them away for the same reason. Limited supplies had to be put to the best use. So he turned to us thinking we’d do everything they didn’t. But we had even less supplies than they had.
Even though we couldn’t help the woman with anything more than a bullet Matt had stayed with us. My thoughts were that she had made him. She didn’t trust the army either. I had the feeling he was only here because of a promise to her. It was the only thing that made sense. But old wounds hadn’t healed and he still held his grudges.

He was a suspected ringleader in some trouble that occasionally raised its ugly head. In any form of authority you have rebellion. Someone who think they can do better. Matt was one of these people. His grudge against dad and Jamison caused him to start trouble and try to have them overthrown as the groups unofficial leaders. I’d seen it firsthand but dad always said he deserved to be here. Dad was to nice and forgiving for his own good. So Matt stayed and run his own little group amongst us. Some didn’t see it but I did.

I had always been an observer. I watched people where ever I went. So I usually had more of an idea of what was happening around me than most. Jamison called me his spy. No one put anything past me. I knew of Matt’s group and the ring leaders. I knew Penny was more than likely pregnant. Something I’d kept to myself. Our slice of survival came with its drama. Where ever there was people...there was drama. Worst of all, I knew one of our own wasn’t being faithful. But it wasn’t a claim I could make without evidence.

Lately he had been causing trouble over me. When dad had brought me back there had been no hesitation over whether to use the supplies. He was constantly calling dad out on favoritism and trying to turn people against him behind his back. He wouldn’t listen to reasonable arguments either. A few people had tried to point out to him that yes I had been seriously hurt but I had a chance to survive. His girl didn’t even have half the chance I did. She had none at all. Still Matt shot me dirty looks when dad wasn’t looking.

Eventually my desire to get away from Dimitri urged me to get on my feet for good. I realized that my father had dubbed Dimitri as my carer to keep him off the streets. Dimitri looked up to my dad and did whatever he was told one hundred and ten percent. Unfortunately I suffered for it.

“You’re not meant to be up,” Dimitri argued quickly as I leaned against the wall.

“Go away,” I groaned.

“Your dad said....”

“I don’t care what my dad said you annoy me.”

He smirked cockily. “Whatever, you love me...do you need a hand.”

“No,” I sighed walking away slowly. He was one step behind me the whole time.

“Where are you going?” He questioned as I moved across the open space. Ignoring Matt’s narrowed eyes from across the room.

“I want to go outside for a bit,” I replied. Being stuck in this stuffy warehouse was getting old.

“Oh no, your dad will kill me,” He said moving in front of me.

He put his hands out to stop me. Gently as he could so not to hurt me. He did well because he didn’t hurt me at all but a brainwave hit me a second later. Too quick for him to notice the hesitation I faked pain and groaned. Clutching my right side. He wasn’t smart enough to realize I’d been shot in the left side and quickly let me go looking scared. Before he could react I shot past him and lowered myself down to the hidden doorway into the hideout.

“Bitch.”

I smirked and pulled myself out into the daylight. The sun felt good on my pale skin. Sunlight wasn’t something we got a lot of anymore. But one of the only real comforts left. You learnt a lot about what really mattered when you lost everything. I glanced around the area quickly to make sure there was no government soldiers on the surrounding roads before I pulled myself out completely and walked around behind the stacks of fallen crates and boxes.

There was a few areas surrounding the building where we could sit out in the sun if were careful. If you chose the right spot you could be hidden from view if a soldier was patrolling the roads around the area. If you were lucky you’d be able to see them. But that didn’t mean we were completely safe. We could still be seen out here. No spot was a hundred percent safe.

I chose my spot well. One I always went to. It was beside the building, crates had collapsed around and during a long day when the army wasn’t around. I had snuck out and moved some crates around. Making sure it looked like a natural fall and not placed. So I could be well hidden but still have the sun. I kept my head down as I walked over and slumped onto the rough concrete ground. Grass was already starting to creep up through the cracks in the concrete. I thought it was a good but sad sign. One day this whole city would be taken back by mother nature. I tried to picture it in my head.

“You’re going to get me killed,” Dimitri mumbled as he sat down beside me.

I shrugged and he poked his tongue out at me. “I just want to sit in the sun.”

“You start to miss it don’t you?” he sighed.

“Yeah.”

“I used to spend every minute of every day outside,” he said. His eyes showed his mind was somewhere else. Perhaps in a better time when we didn’t have to fight to survive and the sun wasn’t a rarity. “Used to ride motocross and go camping every weekend. Played soccer during the week when we couldn’t ride.”

“We?” I asked.

“Me and my brother,” he said sadly. “He died but I guess we all lost someone.”

I nodded slowly. We all had someone to miss.

“I wouldn’t have picked you as a motocross rider,” I said trying to lighten the mood.

He scoffed cockily. He was back. “I was the best,” He bragged.

“Whatever,” I smiled. He started staring at me with a studious look on his features. “What?”

“I’m trying to pick you,” he said. “You said I didn’t look like a motocross rider. I’m trying to pick what you look like.”

I raised my eyebrow. “Humour me.”

“You were a part of the popular crowd,” he started.

“I guess,” I answered. “I was friends with everyone though.”

“Musician,” he said eventually.

“How did you know that?” I exclaimed in shock.

“Lucky guess,” he laughed loudly. Then quickly shut his mouth and looked around. I glanced around to but there was nothing. He lowered out voices anyway. “It’s a good guess, a lot of people play music.”

“Fine smartass what did I play?”

He studied me for a moment. He picked up my cold hand and looked at the tips of my fingers.

“Not a guitarist,” he said and let my hand go. “...Flute?”

“No,” I replied with a laugh. “Why flute may I ask?”

He held back a smile. A smartass remark made it to his lips though he tried to hold it back. “Because you’re stuck up...joking! I’m joking!” he exclaimed as I hit him. “Fine I give what did....”

His voice faded off and his eyes moved to watch something behind me. They filled with fear and concern quickly. I felt the panic rise in my chest, slowly making its way to my throat. My breathing slowed dramatically. Part of me wanted to turn and look but another part of me screamed not to. If death was coming I didn’t want to know. Dimitri eyes locked with mine slowly. He raised one hand gently, keeping it low. He bent his fingers towards himself in a gesture for me to move closer. I swallowed the hard lump in my throat slowly and carefully moved closer to him.

When I was in reach he put his arm over my shoulders and guided me back behind him. My mind ran over the possibilities of what could be behind me. If it was a soldier we’d be dead by now. Unless the gun was pointed at us and they planned on taking us hostage. Maybe it was the Russian soldiers that had threatened invasion. They could be anyone’s soldiers. Not just Russian. We could be taken as slaves. The slave trade had erupted during the war. Human rights started to diminish after that. Now only those in power and those with money had rights. The rest of us, especially those who didn’t follow the government, were animals. To be sold, used and killed as they felt necessary.

When I was safely behind Dimitri’s body I turned my head to see what was there.
A black dog stood close to where I had just been sitting. His bones showed through his coarse coat and his eyes were red rimmed and drooping. He was watching us as intently as we watched him. Animals were just as much a danger than anything else these days. Those that escaped their past owners yards and homes turned to living off the streets. They scavenged for food just as we did but they also held disease. Most of these animals carried the deadly strains of disease the enemy had dropped over our homes.

Being to close or a bite could become deadly very quickly. Especially since half these diseases had no cures and we were at a huge risk of being bitten and attacked. Most these animals had turned feral. They attacked without warning. Some looking for food, some scared and trying to protect themselves against what they thought were threats. Sometimes it wasn’t even someone’s pet we had to worry about. Wild animals would venture into the city. Attracted by the smell of meat and death. They were the ones we really had to watch out for. They didn’t remember us as someone who once provided food, we were food.

“What do we do?” I asked shakily as the dog took a few steps towards us.

“I have no idea,” Dimitri replied slowly. “If it attacks...just run.”

I may not have totally liked Dimitri but leaving him to be attacked by a dog wasn’t something I wanted to do. I didn’t hate him that much. It lowered its head making our attention turn back to him. Dimitri pushed me back a bit more as the dog took another step closer to us. We couldn’t risk the fact that it could be friendly. It could still carry disease. Slowly Dimitri’s hand reached for something by my foot. I glanced down in time to see him pick up a rock and hold it firmly in his palm.

“Scat,” he hissed at the dog with a threatening hand movement.

The dog took a step back but didn’t take its hungry eyes of us. I fell back a little only to have the dog turn its attention on me. Dimitri didn’t like that and quickly pelted the poor animal with the rock he held. It yelped and spun around. I thought and hoped it was going to run away but it only ran a few steps away before turning around. His eyes back on us. It looked scared but the chance we had food was too tempting for it to run much further. Being and animal lover, this was something I hated to see. Dimitri didn’t look to please with himself either. Slowly the dog started to come back, Dimitri reached for another rock.

Then there was a loud bang. A gunshot. Echoing through the empty complex and streets. A lot closer than it should have been.

I jumped a foot in the air, so did Dimitri. I almost screamed but quickly stopped myself. Drawing attention to our position would be stupid if someone was firing at us. Instinctively I dropped to the ground and covered my head with my arms. But no more shots followed. Only the pattering of the dog’s feet as it ran away. I looked up slowly to see it take off around the corner. It’s tail between its legs.

Quickly I turned to look behind me and the fear melted away. A few feet behind us my father stood a rifle in his hands. Jamison by his side. Neither looked happy. I pulled myself up slowly just as dad walked over and grabbed my right arm. Helping me to my feet. Dimitri quickly scrambled to his feet, not wanting to look weak and incompetent in front of my father.

“What are you two doing out here,” Dad hissed.

I shrugged guiltily. “Wanted to go outside and sit in the sun.”

“I told you to stay inside for a few days,” he argued turning to look at Dimitri.

“It’s my fault dad,” I said quickly. Knowing he would turn on Dimitri before he turned on me. “He tried to make me stay in.”

Dad sighed. “Inside, both of you.”

We followed orders quickly and rushed inside. My dad wasn’t the kind of person anyone liked making mad. Not that he was violent, but he could be scary and you always felt guilty for it. He had a leadership quality and no one liked to disappoint him for this reason alone.
Dimitri and I sulked back to our corner of the hideout. Everyone had their own space in the building. Dimitri and I shared the corner area. We may not have gotten along at times and he could be very annoying but he was the only person n left I had to call friend. And at a time like this that meant a lot. Even if he did drive up the walls.

We sat down in the corner quietly and tried not to draw attention to ourselves so not to cause any more trouble. But dad’s attention was quickly diverted as he came in. Within seconds Matt and his sidekicks honed in on Dad and Jamison. I watched wearily from the corner as they spoke. Dad kept his face calm, Matt didn’t hold the same front. His hands moved wildly as he spoke, he didn’t look happy. Neither did his sidekicks.

Jamison moved over to flank my father. After a short conversation they moved off leaving dad and Jamison to talk quietly. Something wasn’t right. I stood back up a little too quickly and flinched when pain shot up my left side. I pushed past it and walked over to where dad and Jamison stood.

“What’s going on?” I asked when I could cut in.

Dad glanced at me. There wasn’t anything as secrets anymore. “Matts not happy,” he said.
“He and his sidekicks won’t help on the hospital run,” Jamison added with a glare in there general direction.

That was bad news. Something as big as a hospital raid needed everyone we could get.
“Is he seriously being that petty?” Dimitri asked coming up behind me. Dad nodded.

“You know what his like. But if they step out we can’t go which means we all go without supplies.”

“I’ll go,” Dimitri said.

Dad studied him for a moment. “Can you handle a gun?”

“Precautionary,” Jamison explained. “You may not have to fire it at all.”

“Yeah,” Dimitri replied slowly. “Sort of.”

“I can teach you what you don’t know,” Dad said.

Knowing the reaction I was going to get I cut in. “I know how to handle a gun.”