The Things Left Unsaid

It was late. I was dressed in my beige PJs I had bought with Tyler and trying to sleep. It had been a few days since I had eavesdropped on Leon and Hannah, and I was hoping to have been told this ‘information’ I was supposed to be told. Nothing; not even a whisper since then and it was bugging me to say the least.

Tyler and David were the only ones not fast asleep, and I could hear them getting ready to go to bed. They walked to the archway leading into the bedroom and I heard them speaking in hushed tones. Dare I listen? I do.

“Did you hear anything from Anderson?” David asked, his tone quiet but casual.

“Yeah, but he didn’t hear anything new about anything-or at least nothing we already didn’t know. What about Sarah?”

“She’s still insisting we pack up and head to Vancouver or Toronto. ‘Train the Army’ she says.” He sighed, “And of course you know what I think about the subject…”

“And I still think it’s pointless. They need us, and we’re willing. Hannah has already been learning first-aid, Leon will follow her like a sheep, Brittanya has been begging to go for ages and Calliope could care less.”

“What about Sally?” David asked, “You’re just going to go up to her and tell her she needs to fight in this war? She’s not even a part of this!”

“Sally?!” he scoffed, “Sally can do whatever she wants; she’s in this now just like us.”

“Oh, come on. Show a little sympathy; we were all in her position once.”

“You know I wasn’t”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” David countered.

“Just…” Tyler sighed. “I’m going to sleep.” He paused. “You said you were going to send those letters?”

“Yeah, I’ll be back in a couple hours.”

I heard David’s footsteps leaving and Tyler’s getting closer. Crap, that’s right. He sleeps above me. I waited a few moments, trying to breathe quietly as if I was asleep.

There was silence; I thought maybe he had left so I opened my eyes. He was changing into his sleep wear, and he was only in black boxers as he took off his shirt. I blushed and closed my eyes, and tried not to think about how muscular he actually was; as if I hadn’t noticed yet. Soon I heard him climb up the bunk and flop down. It wasn’t long until I heard faint snores.

I quietly crawled out of bed and left the room, it was dark. Only a lamp beside the computer was lit and it created huge shadows of everything in the bunker. I looked around, my blood pumping with adrenaline.

Suddenly I heard the sound of footsteps but I froze. Nothing. I was about to squeal in fear but I hushed myself.

Slowly I walked into David’s room; ignoring the dreadful feeling about entering the only room marked as “forbidden”.

I flicked on the light and it glowed brightly, lighting the room. His room was rather messy; clothes were littered all over the floor and papers were stacked in large levels on the desk. The double bed in the corner of the room was unmade and I scoffed, “Bachelors.” I sat at his desk, my hand pausing over the files. I was normally a good girl; I didn’t really like breaking rules but… I had to do what I had to do. I shifted through the most recent looking pile of papers and found a leather-bound journal. I flipped through the entries. Most of them were incredibly boring, about quarrels between bunkmates or people known as Daniel and Sarah. There were, however, a few entries that sparked my curiosity.

October 12th 2010
Jason left today. I woke up this morning and he was gone, along with my truck. Tyler and I drove around in his car looking for him but after the snowy tracks through the field ended at the highway, three was no trace of him. All we can do is hope he returns, and that Mathias doesn’t find him first.

March 6th 2011
Today a former agent came to our sanctuary. He was brutally hurt, looked like he went through a meat grinder. He told us he rebelled against his master seeking redemption; but we have no evidence other than his word. I want to ask him about Jason but…

July 25th 2011
Charles Smith joined our sanctuary today. He’s a very bright young kid, but awfully shy. I hope to be able to make him more acquainted with the other members. He and Jason would have gotten along so well, but he has not yet returned to us. Sarah and Daniel have been giving me descriptions of a new agent that fits his description but… I can’t believe he’d do the things this agent has done. He seemed like such a sweet kid in his month here. I can’t help but think his leaving was my entire fault.

August 9th 2011
Daniel sent word today the agent’s presence in West County. Evidence points to the perpetrator being Jason; which I can only pray it isn’t.

August 17th 2012
Tyler left for West County today. He says he wants to find out what the agent there is looking for but I am afraid this journey will be too much for him.

October 24th 2012
Tyler sent word today that the target is indeed Jason. I’m afraid my fears are correct; I know I won’t sleep properly tonight

November 30th 2012
Jason’s target appears to be a young lady by the name of Sally Bell, though we can’t seem to figure out why. Typically the targets seem to have something that stands out about them but Tyler made it very clear that this young woman was very average, which is why it has taken so long for him to figure out it was her in the first place. Still, we’re not sure what to do; we know Jason will make his move on her anytime now but when, where and how are the question. Tyler wants to simply get her out before Jason can do anything but we honestly don’t know. If we kidnap her she’ll never believe our reason but if we wait well… the point of these missions is to prevent the spreading of the curse in the first place but that usually involves killing the agent. I still believe there is good left in Jason; I’d do anything to try and save him.

February 25th 2012
It’s all my fault. Tyler told me he thought Jason was going to make a move tonight. I told him to just observe, as he had been doing but… She’s dead. He couldn’t save her in time, or Jason. He said he should be returning back to the sanctuary in about two days or so...

February 28th 2012
Sally woke up today. I met her coming back from a meeting with Anderson about what to do with her. I want to keep her out of this if I can; hell, I want to keep all of them out of this but that doesn’t look possible! Sarah is still telling me to just pack up and head to Michigan but… all I want to do is keep these kids safe. I can’t do that up there, not in the action.

March 5th 2012
Sally is fitting in well, but I can feel the unrest amongst the bunker. They want me to tell her everything but… I can’t help but want to protect her from the truth. I don’t know if she can handle it.

Once again I seemed to lose track of time; I have no idea how long I sat there, reading entries upon entries. I put the journal down and looked into other piles of documents. One was a letter addressed to David from this woman called Sarah.

David.

How many times must I tell you? We need you up here in Detroit! And not just you, your kids too. I know how I sound and I know what you think but huddling in your bunker all day will do nothing for you! The only way we’re going to beat this thing is by working together; you’re not helping. Tyler agrees with me too; not that he’d ever say it but I know he does. When are you going to wake up from your daydream that this can all end by forgetting about it? All the kids want is to lift this stupid curse and get back to living and to do that they need to fight. Please, David. Consider it at least.

Sarah.

My mind raced and I shook my head, I looked into a filing cabinet and took out a file labelled CP. It was filed with jot notes in filthy, smudged handwriting.

Calliope Paige
Aod: 17 years
Pow: Elect.
Notes.
killed oct. 2000
sent to Italian refuge
came to Ontario sanctuary 2008

This looked to be about Calli! I gave a hard swallow and pulled out more files labelled CS, HW, LL, JH and SB. They were files about Charles, Hannah, Leon, me and the guy called Jason. My mouth went dry; there must be a file here about everyone! Except I couldn’t find one on David or… Wait! There was more! A map… I looked over it but I couldn’t really understand it.

The more I read through these papers the more questions I formed. Who is this agent that supposedly joined the group but isn’t mentioned past March of last year? Who are these Daniel Anderson and Sarah Schmitt that he keeps talking to and about? And was this Jason the same one at the party? Was he the one who killed me? My head buzzed with information but I kept digging.

Suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder and I flinched, stopping myself from shrieking. “What the hell are you doing in here?!” Tyler growled into my ear.

He pulled me and led me quite forcefully out the room, through the hallway, past the living room and out the bunker door. My bare feet touched snow unwillingly and I shivered as I rubbed my arms. “What the hell was that for?!” I retorted back to him.

“You were spying on us!” he glared at me, raising his fist.

I took a step back, afraid, “No! No-no-no-no no! I was only trying to get information...”

“That’s kind of the definition of spying!” he was burning with rage, and I wanted nothing more than to dart back inside.

I took another step back with my hands waving in front of my body, “No! No, honestly! I-I wasn’t looking for anyone else but m-me I’m…” how could I explain this, “I don’t know what’s going on, and I need to find out!” I felt my own anger rising up in my chest like a tide raising the sea level on a beach. “How can you expect me to sit back and just let these strangers hold my life in their hands?! Without me even knowing what the hell is going on?! No way, man! I don’t even know any of you; how can I trust you?!” Now I was angry, I glared at him right back. Yeah, I had been snooping but it’s not as if it wasn’t information I should know in the first place. I stalked right up to Tyler, narrowing my eyes with rage and it almost felt like the entire world was shaking with it. Snow began to fall from branches slightly but I ignored it, or I just didn’t notice it.

Tyler glared down at me, still trying to scare me off with his non-verbal threats. We stood there for a good while, inches from each other’s face and giving off rage within our eyes. After a bit he growled, “What’s not to trust? We saved you.” His voice was quieter now, but drenched in dislike and unspoken threats.

I narrowed my eyes further, tilting my head as I spoke, “How am I supposed to know that? On your word? You took me from my home and put me here, in the middle of nowhere and tell me that somehow I’ve died and come back to life. What do you expect me to believe?!”

“What we told you!”

“With what proof?! I believe what I see, and I don’t see truth here!”

“You know, I’m not afraid to hit a girl!” he growled.

*SLAP* I had never slapped anyone before, but by the sound my hand made on the side of his face and the fuzzy feeling on my palm that preceded it told me it wasn’t pleasant… for him “Neither am I.” I stated before turning heel and walking back into the bunker entrance. Tyler rubbed his cheek with a look of pure disbelief on his face; as if he couldn’t believe what I’d done. I went back to bed in silence and quickly fell back to sleep.