The Day Before

I didn’t wake up with a start this time, I woke up with a rough shake--a frantic shake. I slowly opened my eyes, expecting to see bright sunshine and ready to squint if I did, but it was just as dark as it was at night. I mumbled something incoherently even to my own ears and dropped back down on the flat sheets on the floor.

The person that frantically shook me didn’t even bother to wake me up for a second time. I didn’t even wake up for a while, not until I remembered about Cove and Ruth.

“Ruth!” I burst out. My arms burned a little from the sudden movement, but then they went back to their minty numbness.

I looked around frantically, my eyes scanning the bare room, noticing that there was just a faint glow of orange from a corner. But there were no resting forms, just empty sheets. Not even Eli was there. And that’s when I started to really panic. I got up, clumsily and jump started my way to the entrance when a lean shadow stopped me by standing right in the middle of the entrance.

No doubt about it, it was Eli, and he was pissed. Fuming. Burning. On fire, even. Was he pissed at me? I hope not, but I was the only living soul within reach, so I had a pretty good chance.

I backed up, stumbling on sheets and sat myself down right next to the half empty gallon of water. I took the handle and started chugging down the water, all the while, looking at Eli’s half-opened mouth. I broke apart from the gallon and I hiccuped. He was breathing in and out, his eyes in slits, I grabbed the gallon again and drained it from the water. I felt another hiccup form in my throat.

“They’re all gone…aren’t they?” I managed to squeak out.

He nodded his head, his mouth now closed, his eyes looking to the ground. He was vulnerable. The great Eli, now drained of his anger, didn’t know what to do or what to say.

“What happened?” he asked in a low tone.

Benji kidnapped Ruth and Cove along with Dash, and they might die because of my stupidity, and my inability to have rescued them, because I was there when he did it. I might have been delirious, but I was there and I was scared. I just watched him do it. And Charlotte wants me gone and wants you all for herself so she made a deal with Benji and then he took all of them away on a big luxury boat that didn’t explode and kill them all and I’m sorry! He did it while you were asleep and he knew. He knew that I was there, but he didn’t say anything and I’m sorry, Eli, I’m sorry.

The whole explanation ran through my head, it crashed against my interior skull, trying to find it’s way out blindly. But my mouth was locked shut, the key thrown in the water of the flooded Florida, and I didn’t have the guts to tell Eli the truth, so I stayed zipped up, like the coward I really was, not even trying to find the key that let the truth scream out.

He stood there, his earnest shown through his glazed eyes.

“I-I-I,” I stuttered out, my voice sounding far away, like I was hearing another person talk. “Benji. He was here yesterday, when everyone was asleep…”

Eli’s eyes widened in recognition. “FUCK!” He yelled, his voice echoing throughout the empty room. His left hand curled up into a fist and it hit the wall with a sickening crack. “Eli…I’m sorry…I should've done something.” I got up quickly, and a few seconds later I was grabbing his fist, looking down at the ground. I felt so useless, like one of those stupid girls in the movies, that see everything going on, but they don’t do anything just cause the want to save their asses.

We stood there for who knows how long. Eli fuming, me on the verge of tears. No time to cry, I had told myself. Eli pulled his hand out of my grasp and stalked out of the room. For a long time I didn’t hear any noise except for my panicked breaths. Then, I heard a faint metal door noise slam shut and I knew that Eli had gone outside. I bit my lip, not knowing what else to do. My arms burned still, and I dared not scratch them, even though they itched, like hell. I had to ignore all my superficial wounds and worry about what was really happening and what was going to happen next. Benji would surely come back, with a villainous Charlotte. So, Eli and I had to leave this place. Take all the food, find a raft, anything. Water, that too. After my mind had pictured the sea outside my bladder had woken up. After a gallon of water later, I finally had to pee. That was one superficial wound that I couldn’t ignore. Oh lord, how was I going to do that? I crept out of the room, choosing the opposite way Eli went.

I remembered the hallway. The feeling of its closing walls suffocating me. I shivered and opened a door closest to me. It had soggy boxes stacked on top of each other, all in rows. I mentally pushed away my nagging fears and just did what I came to do.

I walked out of my hiding spot, relieved that no one had come in. I opened the door and ran like hell in the way Eli came. Alright, the plan was in full proof, even though I was the only one who knew of it. Not like there was anybody else to tell it to, I told myself glumly.

I ran up the steps, taking two at time. I kept going up and up, thinking that this will never end and I was eventually gonna have to go back down. I saw the light of day from the opening under the door and perked up. I opened it with all my force and the first thing I was Eli sitting on the ledge, his legs in the water, his fists silently slapping the concrete beside him.

His back was facing me, so when the door slammed shut, he quickly looked toward me. “Of course it’s you.” I heard him say clearly.

“Yeah, who else would it be? Charlotte?” I played along, but I had said her name too harshly and I felt the sting. “Sorry.” I said a little more quietly.

“Where’s the raft you guys found?” I asked him.

“Probably under 40 feet of water or something.” he said solemnly.

“Okay. Where was the last place you left it?” I asked again, just wording it differently.

“Food court.” He mumbled.

“Okay, thanks. I’ll go get it.” I turned around and made my way to the door and then I found myself facing Eli his eyes crazy with disbelief.

“Are you crazy? Or just plain stupid?” He asked, still in disbelief.

“I’m guessing this is a rhetorical q-” he cut me off with a glare.

“You’re really gonna go play explorer and look for a raft in a box?”

“Yeah.” Now it was my turn to say one worded answers. “Benji will come back. And who knows what he’s going to do. We’re playing sitting ducks over here.”I continued.

“Oh yeah? And where will go, exactly?” He said, firing question after question. He was waiting for me to not have an answer. But it wasn’t working, not this time.

“I have a place in mind. It’ll give us answers about all this.” I backfired, “At least I hope so…” I mumbled the last part.

He put his face close to mine and my eyes widened. His eyes kept moving around, squinting and curious-filled. He pulled back and I let out a breath, I didn’t know I was holding.

“Alright…I…believe you. I’ll go get the raft.” He said slowly. “Because…you’re right.” And with that he turned his back on me and opened the door, waiting for me to go through.

“You coming or not?” He asked in a grumble.

“Oh, yeah.” I snapped out of my stupor and let him lead the way.

And all the while, in my head, I just kept repeating his words.

Because…you’re right.