Like it Was Before

We all rush in, bathed in light and A/C-it's as if we've died and gone to electric heaven, right in the middle of Atlanta.
"Shut the doors!" Shane yells to those closest to him and I move to help automatically, pulling on the heavy metal.
I'm beaming as I turn back to Shane, feeling elated. Then, I hear the unmistakable sound of a rifle being cocked and it dawns on me so crystal clear I wonder how I could have neglected the thought before-he could still make us leave. Whoever he was, he could be crazy, homicidal. Just because we made it inside doesn't necessarily mean we were safe. How foolish I had been to assume such a thing.
Thankfully, he tells us right away that all we're required to do is submit to a blood test, which is simple enough.
Still, I'm uneasy, even more so as I watch everything around us become closed off again, this time witnessed from the inside, a crazy sight.
From the lobby we take an elevator down, rendering me uncomfortable all over again as everyone piles in-what's the weight limit on something like this? I think idly before realizing that almost half of the elevator's occupants are armed, and heavily and feel dumb for worrying about a mechanical glitch. Shane's standing behind me, leaning coolly against the wall, making me jump, startled, as he reaches out with one hand to hold my hip possessively.
My alarm quickly gives way to comfort at his proximity-I honestly believe Shane would lay down and die before seeing any harm done to me.
Sophia, even as she's held by her mother looks frightened beyond all measure and I catch the timid little girls eye, giving her a wink and a smile, watching her shoulders droop as she relaxes just a fraction, even more so as the elevator's doors slide open and this man-Jenner-leads us to his lab, explaining to us that he is it, the end of the line.
I can't help but feel a little bit crushed as I mull this over, although I can't quite articulate why.
I also can't help but pity Edwin, even as he directs me to a chair sticking a needle in my arm with absolutely no preamble.
It must be unbelievably lonely to live that way, banging around such a big building by yourself. Eerie, too, like an episode of Twilight Zone.
"Done." Jenner tells me, carefully labeling the syringe with my name and I bolt to my feet unthinkingly, sending everything into a sickening loop as my vision goes dark around the edges. I don't feel faint, exactly, but if Shane hadn't come to me the way he had, I definitely would have ended up sprawling on the freakishly-clean floor beneath us.
"Easy, baby." Shane shh'shes, his own arm already drained and bandaged. "Breathe."
I force a few deep breaths into my lungs and the room eventually stops swooping madly around.
"She okay?" The mad scientist asks Shane, by-passing me completely which I could care less about at the moment.
"Needs to eat." Jac tells him, interrupting. "Nothing a good meal can't fix."
I'm not sure if she's fishing or what, but it works. "Oh, how rude of me-there's plenty of food. Follow me."
With that one simple sentence, he's won the entire group over. And all it had cost him was a few thousand calories each.

xx

I've never been a big fan of wine, but this is different somehow.
The wine Jenner's presented us with, although nothing fancy, is appreciated greatly and downed bottle after bottle during dinner while the men become boisterous intent on getting each other drunk while the women giggle and become nostalgic for everything from brie (Jac) to shitty dive bars (Me). The only one to remain unmoved by our good fortune is Shane who speaks up right in the middle of one of Dale's ongoing speeches. I'd scarcely been listening, but still, it seems rude of my husband.
"When you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, Doc?"
I reflexively kick Shane under the table as everyone goes quiet turning to Jenner expectantly. Shane ignores the kick entirely.
Truthfully, I don't want to hear about it-we'd all lived through the nightmare so far, why not enjoy our reprieve? Why relive the past?
"Shane, we're celebrating," Rick reprimands and I cringe as Shane sets his jaw, looking more determined for answers than ever.
"We don't need to do this now." I agree but wisely keep my mouth shut, except to pour more wine down my throat.
"People...opted out." I'm turned away from the conversation, but it's hard to miss this last bit, my gaze shifting to Carl who looks confused as he works out what it is Jenner's implying.
"Every last one?" Shane presses and I throw a sharp glance at him.
"Why are you doing this?"
Shane has the nerve to look indignant that I even have to ask. "I just want answers, Savannah Jane." I shake my head at him, hoping he'll shut up, to no avail. "Don't we all?"
Shane glances around the table, expecting a chorus of agreement, but is met by people turning away, studying the depths of their glasses and studiously avoid his gaze. I've stood in search of more booze when the silence is finally broken, by Glenn.
"Dude," he sighs, "you are SUCH a buzz kill."
I clink my near-empty glance to Glenn's as I make my way down the table, much to Shane's consternation, and agree, a resounding
"Here, here,"