Status: Polishing and adding other details.
Never Forget You
Six.
"Doooominiiiick." I sang, as I skipped into the double tent that was the first aide center. Dominick, the military officer who had taken care of me the first time was sitting at a desk, writing before looking up at me and smiling. I walked over to him, and ruffled his curly blonde hair. At first I was going for three times a week check ups, which were then reduced to two, and then once a week. We had become friends through all the time we spent together. I learned that he was only 25, but had more than basic first aid training. He was still in training, but he was a quick learner, and was really proficient in the health care field.
"Someone's feeling good today." He pulled out my chart, and turned around in the chair.
"Of course. It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, I'm still alive. Why shouldn't I be happy?" I grinned, as he came forward and put his stethoscope on my back and asked me to breathe.
"Your lungs are completely clear. The blood tests that I sent to the hospital came back with a gold star. Compared to the first ones I sent, you've improved a lot. You are definitely not dying anymore. Lie back for me."
I rolled my eyes and did as he asked. "Geez, what would you do if I did die? No longer would you have someone to come bug you whenever she had the chance. You'd be SO lonely in here."
He scoffed. "Hardly. I do have other patients other than you, you know." He pressed down on my stomach a couple times. The bruising had faded considerable, now just a pale and dark yellow in places. Pain was still evident, but not as severe. He wrote a couple things down on my chart. "You're still taking the iron pills? And the inhaler once a day?"
"Buuut, none as awesome as me. And yes, I am. All part of my mourning routine."
"Keep telling yourself that." He laughed. "Good. Keep taking those. If this improvement continues, I'll consider taking you off the inhaler. How are your feet by the way?" He asked, as I sat up and he lifting one of my feet up and taking off my sandal.
"Fine. They get sore after a long day of being on them, but nothing serious." The scars had fully healed, but had left deep grooves in the underside, and dark purple scars on the top of them.
"Don't push yourself too hard, Gia."
"You got it, Dominick. I'll see you later." I said as I hopped off the bed, and slipped the sandal back on. "Are you coming by for dinner tonight?"
"Maybe. I got a lot of paperwork to do. If I don't show up tonight, come see me in the morning. I'll take you for breakfast." I smiled at him. He mostly took his meals with me to make sure I was eating. Most times I would forget because I never got hungry much anymore. In the 7 and a half weeks we had lived here, I had gone down 2 sizes in pants. Dominick tried to keep an eye on my eating habits.
I saluted him playfully before turning and leaving. I walked down the pathway to the tents, where those who I passed greeted me with smiles or 'how-do-you-do's. It was like living in a neighborhood where everyone knew everyone. Except we all lived really really close together.
As I made my way out to the field, I spotted Taylor and Stella with Cyrus on her lap around a small bonfire. The light in the sky was slowly starting to dim as the sun was slipping below the horizon.
"So, I told her 'I'd appreciate it if you didn't walk around like you owned the place. We're all evacuees, and you're in the same position as everyone else.' THEN, she had the audacity to slap me. I mean, really. Some people." I caught the last bit of the conversation, and knew Taylor was talking about his hateful neighbor, a 60 year old woman with a major attitude problem.
"Maybe you should stop antagonizing her. She's got at least 40 years on you. She's usually nice to me, but she hates you like no tomorrow ." I replied, trying to hold back my laughter as I took the empty seat and picked up a diet coke by the leg of the chair, cracking it open. Cyrus crawled off Stella's lap and made his way to mine, and pulled his book open. Looking at the pictures, because he wasn't reading yet, though I would teach him every night.
"Duuuummy." Stella used a clean word to accommodate for Cyrus' presence, but the real intention of the word came across loud and clear.
Taylor rolled his eyes. "Thanks for caring, guys. Love you too." His words struck a cord with me, as I remembered the night of the earthquake. Andy's last text had ended with a 'love you too'. A pang of hurt echoed in my heart. It had already been almost two months, but there was still no sight of them. None. I was beginning to give up hope. Slowly. I knew I had to move on, and focus on what was important. Which was surviving. For all I knew, they all could have died.
"Hey, Gia. You okay?" Startled, I looked up to see Stella and Taylor looking at me with concerned looks. "Did Dominick say something?"
I shook my head. "No! Of course not. I'm doing fine. Healing miraculously, he says."
"Is it them, then?" Stella asked. I had started to tell her more and more about my second family. "You'll find them. I can bet you that. The bond between you all is too strong and too deep. It spans across several generations. Just because you've been separated doesn't mean you won't find each other again. It's like a....giant game of Marco polo. In a maze." I raised an eyebrow, as Taylor coughed out a laugh. "Don't laugh! I mean it. It's like, you're all wandering around, trying to find an exit, or each other. Reach a dead end, turn around and try again. Eventually, you'll bump into one of them, and the two of you will continue and find the others." She raised her pop can.
I took a sip of mine, to hide the huge grin on my face. I was glad I had these two in my life.
------
A couple hours later, Cyrus had started to fall asleep in my lap. "I'm going to go put him to bed. I'll be back." I got up, carefully shifting him in my arms.
"Sweet dreams, precious." Stella whispered.
"Night, little guy." Taylor quietly said.
Smiling, I walked away, following the worn path in the grass to the tents. It was late, most likely around 11, so many residents were already tucked into their tents. I could see where lamp lights illuminated through the coarse material. I hummed softly as I made my way to the tend.
When I reached it, I ducked inside, and turned the latch for the oil lamp, light filled the place. I set Cyrus down on the bed, tucking him under the blanket, his head lolled to the side. I carefully removed his shoes and socks, setting them on the floor. I knelt down beside the cot, looking at him. I stroked a finger across his forehead, brushing some stray hair away. His eyelids flickered. "Night, angel." I whispered, before standing up and turning the lamp off. Stretching, I made my way out of the tent.
"Gia?" I turned to the sound of the voice. A man stood a few feet away from me, his face shadowed in the dark, so I couldn't make out who it was.
"Yes? Can I help you?" I asked, tucking my thumbs into the pockets of my shorts. Which were hanging loose on my hips. I cocked my head to the side. “Dominick? Is that you? It's kind of late for dinner now. But you can come join us at the fire."
There was an audible intake of breath, as the man took a few steps forward, coming into the light of the oil lamps staggered down the aisle. The man had short dark brown hair, faint stubble around his chin. He smiled at me, his aged blue eyes sparkling. A sparkle I knew oh so well.
"Gia." He repeated, as tears sprung to my eyes, and before I knew it, I was running at him. All rational thoughts flew from my mind as I flung myself at him, familiar arms engulfing me. He even smelled the same.
"Joshua."
------
I whispered his name over and over. Trying to convince myself that yes, he was real. Yes, he was here. And yes, he was in my arms right now and his warmth starting to finally warm the cold, empty feeling that crept up on me and stayed nestled in my heart when the possibility that they all could have died without me and left me all alone. Five very important pieces of my heart missing.
He laughed. "Oh god. Look at you. You're gotten skinnier, Gee." He laughed again, but I could hear the sob that caught in his voice. "I finally found you." He buried his face into my shoulder, as we stood there holding onto each other for dear life. Finally being able to grasp a piece of our past. "Thank god!" He sobbed out, repeating it over and over.
When we finally let go, he refused to let go of my hand, and I needed it that way. I was worried if I let him go of him completely, I'd find out that he wasn't really here after all, and my mind was playing the cruelest joke on me. I looked up at him, taking him in. "Your hair. You cut it." I reached a hand up, brushing against the short locks. Where it used to reach his shoulder, it now barely brushed his ears.
A light laugh, a bit breathless. "Yeah. Uh, there was a fire. And some of it caught and singed. I had them cut it all off."
"A fire?" I asked, as we slowly started walking down the path.
He nodded. "There was a terrible aftershock when I was transferred to Vancouver island. The building I was in started to collapse, and an oil pipe broke and somehow caught on fire." He stopped, and lifted the hem of his sleeve with his other hand. Bumped and disfigured flesh ran the length of the area. "It's all along my back too. It's only just starting to heal. I find it difficult some days to fully move my arm." He smoothed the sleeve down, and we started walking again.
"But, how did you survive? I mean, I went to your house, and I couldn't find you. I went to Natalie's house too. Callum's, Andy's, Alex's. Nothing! I couldn't find any of you." I looked up at him. "How are you alive?"
"In the group text, I told you guys that I was over at my girlfriends house. Remember?" He took a deep breath. "That night, just before the earthquake, I went out for a swim. She was inside the house, sleeping. When the tremors started, I tried to make my way back to the shore, but the waves crashed against me, moving me different ways and I couldn't swim straight. By the time I managed to reach the shore, the house had already collapsed on itself." He paused, watching the ground while he walked. "She's dead. The house fell apart on top of her. I dug through it, trying to find her. I dug, and dug, and dug. When I finally found her, she was already gone. At first, I couldn't believe it. Her eyes were closed, and her face looked like it always did when she was sleeping. I called her name again and again. She didn't wake up." He cleared his throat. "In her hand, she was holding onto the ring I used to propose to her that night." He smiled at me faintly. "She said yes." It was then that I noticed the silver chain around his neck, the rest hidden under his black t-shirt.
--
When we finally reached the field, Taylor and Stella turned around to look at us. "You said you'd be a few moments! Not an hour!" Taylor yelled out at me.
"Wait...Gia is that...?" Stella asked, as we got closer. I nodded, smiling. "Really?! You see? Oh my goodness. What did I tell you? You have to keep believing!" She jumped up, attacking me in a hug, and my hand slipped from Joshua's. Our eyes instantly meeting each other.
When another chair was brought up, we all sat around the fire. "Joshua, this is Taylor and Stella. They're living in the tents beside me." They murmured a hello, and continued to stare at me, and him.
"Vancouver island had too many people there, so I was put on the list to get off. Plus, the tsunami hit a good ¾ of the island. That was two weeks ago, and I only just got here."
"So, if he's alive. Then it must mean the others survived too." Stella said.
Joshua looked at me. "Then...you haven't seen the others? I'm the only one?"
I nodded solemnly. "After nearly two months, my hopes started to diminish. I've been out every day trying to see if I could see one of you by chance. Hell, I even asked my friend Dominick if I could see the list of people in the camp. I searched everywhere but, after a while...." I trailed off, and he reached out to rub my arm.
"Then, would it be cool if I stayed with you in your tent? Mine is on the other side of that broken down building."
I paused. "I'd like that, but I don't think Cyrus would be too pleased. We only just got him back to normal after Taylor spent the night once."
Taylor laughed. Remembering when he crashed in the spare cot I have. To Cyrus, the tent was the only place he could be truly safe because it was now just me and him. When Cyrus came in, his sacred place was defiled. Or so I think. Cyrus had gone back to his old ways of hiding under my arm, or hair. Refusing to talk or look at anymore. Taylor managed to coax him back out with an apology with books, treats.
"Cyrus?" Joshua asked me with wide eyes.
"A young child. A boy. I saved him back on the island. His mother and him were visiting, and the house they were in collapsed. She died." Her voice echoed in my head as if she was whispering it into my ears. Please....destined to die...my son...promise me...
After an hour, Taylor and Stella politely excused themselves and went back to their tents to sleep. I had Stella check on Cyrus for me.
It was quiet, as Joshua and I sat beside each other, staring at the fire. "So, is your mother....?" Joshua's voice had taken on a lower tone, a quiet one.
I shook my head. "No. The ceiling fell on her, pinning her to the bed. I couldn't save her life. I escaped." In my head, I thought 'but not without my own injuries'. I no longer felt the sting of the tears. Or self-hate for letting myself run for my own life, instead of going and saving her.
"I'm sorry." He reached out, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned into his touch. For the first time in two months, I finally felt comfort and security.
We stared at the fire for a while, before his soft voice asked, "Do you think the others are alive?"
"They have to be, Joshua." I replied. They have to be.
--
After that, we found no more words could be said. That we could only watch the fire, letting any unsaid words float back into the air. Reveling in the feeling of the familiarity. I closed my eyes, and I could almost see Callum, Alex, Natalie, and Andy sitting around the fire with us. Like what was supposed to happen the following evening. I could almost hear their laughter, as Andy said something funny, and Callum retorted back to him. And Alex making her sarcastic remarks. Natalie's musical laughter. I could see them look over at us, smiling.
"Hold on, ok?" They said together. Startled, I opened my eyes, but the image disappeared as easily as it came. Did I just see them as spirits? Or were their souls trying to reach back to me?
"I miss you guys so much." I whispered out, barely audible. "Come back."
----
Joshua walked me back, and we stood in front of the flaps of the rent. We both didn't want to leave each other. For fear of waking up the next morning, and the other was no longer there. I hugged him tightly, whispering him a good night, and I would see him later. He pulled away, and smiled at me. He walked away, and I stood there watching. When he finally turned the corner, did I turn around and walk in.
I was startled when I saw Stella sitting on the other cot, staring at me. I raised an eyebrow and proceeded to change into sweats.
"So, are you just going to sit there and stare at me while I change?" I asked. "Weirdo." I pulled the sweats up to my hips, rolling them once.
"What is he to you?" She asked, picking at one of her long red nails. The exact same shade she had on the day I met her.
"My life. My security. My best friend." I answered automatically.
"Y-You mean, you two are...?" She sputtered.
I laughed. "No! Oh goodness, no. He has a girlfriend. Oh, I mean fiancée. But, she's gone now." I sat down on my cot, careful not to disturb Cyrus.
"But the way you two acted around each other. It was as if you were lovers. How much you openly trusted each other, the unsaid words in looks and gestures. The way he seemed to take a protective stance around you. It really is as if you two are lovers without the whole....love thing." She shrugged.
I looked at her, my head cocked to the side. "Is that what we look like? Well, I never really noticed before."
"Yeah well, Taylor noticed. Even asked me if you two were lovers. As if I knew any more than him! Honestly, that boy." She shook her head. "He didn't look too pleased about it, but figured he should be happy that you found a piece of your family." She sighed, taking a sip of her pop. "You two have an amazing amount of trust. I've never seen anything like it. Is that what happens to people when their lives have been tied together generations before they were even born?" She cracked open another pop, holding it out to me, and I accepted it.
"That's just Joshua. There's Callum, and Andy. Natalie, and....Alex." My hand reached out to grasp the necklace around my neck, but realized with a start it was no longer there. The I remembered it was around Cyrus' neck.
She raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm happy for you. Really happy. I can see this light in you I haven't seen before. Not since Cyrus started talking." I remember the day when Cyrus said his first, real sentence to me. 'Thank you, I like it very much.' He said it when I handed him his first book, and he started to look through the pages. His smile was so warm, and open. I was glad he was making progress.
I grinned. "Yeah, that was a happy day."
"So, now that you've found one of them, what are you going to do next?" She laid back, propped up against the back of the tent.
I turned to the side, reaching a hand to light brush a piece of stray hair from Cyrus' face. "I don't know. Some of them could be on Vancouver island, or in another tent community away from here. Dominick told me there's at least 40 now. 40! I wouldn't even know where to begin."
"Gia?" A voice outside the tent called, before peaking in.
"Ah, Dominick. We were just talking about you." Stella smiled, patting the empty cot space beside her.
Dominick smiled, and walked in, handing me a Styrofoam box and a fork. I opened it, and fresh, steaming spaghetti and meatballs greeted me. My mouth started to water. "I have one for you too, Stella."
Stella furrowed her brow. "How did you know I was here?" She asked, as she accepted the box of food, and took a fork from him.
Dominick rolled his eyes. "When are you not in here, Stella?" He sat down beside Stella's legs on the floor, and started to dig into his food too.
I moaned. "This is so good. I haven't had spaghetti in so long."
Dominick laughed. "I'm glad you like it. Because I made it myself."
I nearly dropped my fork. As I tried to choke down what was in my mouth. "Seriously?! How?" He faked being offended.
"I can cook, you know. And being a military officer gives me privileged used of the kitchens. And I figured if you were still up, which I looked before I started cooking, I'd come bring you dinner. Late, but here nevertheless."
I smiled at him. "Thanks, Dommy!" I cooed his much-hated nickname. He scowled. Stella laughed.
"So, what were you two talking about in here? And why do you look so...scarily happy, Gia?" Dominick asked, twirling his fork in the spaghetti.
"Uhhm, remember those people I told you about? Those five people I grew up with? And I thought had died?" I started, setting my fork back down.
Dominick nodded. "Well, one of them found me today. A boy named Joshua." I smiled. "We all got separated, and I had started to believe I'd never see any of them again. But, here he came. He was walking down the path, and called out my name. And just like that, a piece of me has been filled back in."
Dominick grinned. "Well, well, well. That's awesome, Gia." He ate another mouthful of food.
"It's safe to say Taylor wasn't happy about it." Stella nudged him with her leg, giving him a look. He tried not to laugh.
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever!"
Dominick pointed his fork at me. "Eat, Gianna Nicole Alexiou. You've lost too much weight. And as your personal doctor, I demand that you eat my delicious, homemade spaghetti and meatball recipe. I don't do this for just anyone you know." I stuck my tongue out at him, and took a huge forkful just for him.
"'Fank 'or bering 'ood, 'ominick." I spoke through the food. He cringed, and I laughed.
"Someone's feeling good today." He pulled out my chart, and turned around in the chair.
"Of course. It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, I'm still alive. Why shouldn't I be happy?" I grinned, as he came forward and put his stethoscope on my back and asked me to breathe.
"Your lungs are completely clear. The blood tests that I sent to the hospital came back with a gold star. Compared to the first ones I sent, you've improved a lot. You are definitely not dying anymore. Lie back for me."
I rolled my eyes and did as he asked. "Geez, what would you do if I did die? No longer would you have someone to come bug you whenever she had the chance. You'd be SO lonely in here."
He scoffed. "Hardly. I do have other patients other than you, you know." He pressed down on my stomach a couple times. The bruising had faded considerable, now just a pale and dark yellow in places. Pain was still evident, but not as severe. He wrote a couple things down on my chart. "You're still taking the iron pills? And the inhaler once a day?"
"Buuut, none as awesome as me. And yes, I am. All part of my mourning routine."
"Keep telling yourself that." He laughed. "Good. Keep taking those. If this improvement continues, I'll consider taking you off the inhaler. How are your feet by the way?" He asked, as I sat up and he lifting one of my feet up and taking off my sandal.
"Fine. They get sore after a long day of being on them, but nothing serious." The scars had fully healed, but had left deep grooves in the underside, and dark purple scars on the top of them.
"Don't push yourself too hard, Gia."
"You got it, Dominick. I'll see you later." I said as I hopped off the bed, and slipped the sandal back on. "Are you coming by for dinner tonight?"
"Maybe. I got a lot of paperwork to do. If I don't show up tonight, come see me in the morning. I'll take you for breakfast." I smiled at him. He mostly took his meals with me to make sure I was eating. Most times I would forget because I never got hungry much anymore. In the 7 and a half weeks we had lived here, I had gone down 2 sizes in pants. Dominick tried to keep an eye on my eating habits.
I saluted him playfully before turning and leaving. I walked down the pathway to the tents, where those who I passed greeted me with smiles or 'how-do-you-do's. It was like living in a neighborhood where everyone knew everyone. Except we all lived really really close together.
As I made my way out to the field, I spotted Taylor and Stella with Cyrus on her lap around a small bonfire. The light in the sky was slowly starting to dim as the sun was slipping below the horizon.
"So, I told her 'I'd appreciate it if you didn't walk around like you owned the place. We're all evacuees, and you're in the same position as everyone else.' THEN, she had the audacity to slap me. I mean, really. Some people." I caught the last bit of the conversation, and knew Taylor was talking about his hateful neighbor, a 60 year old woman with a major attitude problem.
"Maybe you should stop antagonizing her. She's got at least 40 years on you. She's usually nice to me, but she hates you like no tomorrow ." I replied, trying to hold back my laughter as I took the empty seat and picked up a diet coke by the leg of the chair, cracking it open. Cyrus crawled off Stella's lap and made his way to mine, and pulled his book open. Looking at the pictures, because he wasn't reading yet, though I would teach him every night.
"Duuuummy." Stella used a clean word to accommodate for Cyrus' presence, but the real intention of the word came across loud and clear.
Taylor rolled his eyes. "Thanks for caring, guys. Love you too." His words struck a cord with me, as I remembered the night of the earthquake. Andy's last text had ended with a 'love you too'. A pang of hurt echoed in my heart. It had already been almost two months, but there was still no sight of them. None. I was beginning to give up hope. Slowly. I knew I had to move on, and focus on what was important. Which was surviving. For all I knew, they all could have died.
"Hey, Gia. You okay?" Startled, I looked up to see Stella and Taylor looking at me with concerned looks. "Did Dominick say something?"
I shook my head. "No! Of course not. I'm doing fine. Healing miraculously, he says."
"Is it them, then?" Stella asked. I had started to tell her more and more about my second family. "You'll find them. I can bet you that. The bond between you all is too strong and too deep. It spans across several generations. Just because you've been separated doesn't mean you won't find each other again. It's like a....giant game of Marco polo. In a maze." I raised an eyebrow, as Taylor coughed out a laugh. "Don't laugh! I mean it. It's like, you're all wandering around, trying to find an exit, or each other. Reach a dead end, turn around and try again. Eventually, you'll bump into one of them, and the two of you will continue and find the others." She raised her pop can.
I took a sip of mine, to hide the huge grin on my face. I was glad I had these two in my life.
------
A couple hours later, Cyrus had started to fall asleep in my lap. "I'm going to go put him to bed. I'll be back." I got up, carefully shifting him in my arms.
"Sweet dreams, precious." Stella whispered.
"Night, little guy." Taylor quietly said.
Smiling, I walked away, following the worn path in the grass to the tents. It was late, most likely around 11, so many residents were already tucked into their tents. I could see where lamp lights illuminated through the coarse material. I hummed softly as I made my way to the tend.
When I reached it, I ducked inside, and turned the latch for the oil lamp, light filled the place. I set Cyrus down on the bed, tucking him under the blanket, his head lolled to the side. I carefully removed his shoes and socks, setting them on the floor. I knelt down beside the cot, looking at him. I stroked a finger across his forehead, brushing some stray hair away. His eyelids flickered. "Night, angel." I whispered, before standing up and turning the lamp off. Stretching, I made my way out of the tent.
"Gia?" I turned to the sound of the voice. A man stood a few feet away from me, his face shadowed in the dark, so I couldn't make out who it was.
"Yes? Can I help you?" I asked, tucking my thumbs into the pockets of my shorts. Which were hanging loose on my hips. I cocked my head to the side. “Dominick? Is that you? It's kind of late for dinner now. But you can come join us at the fire."
There was an audible intake of breath, as the man took a few steps forward, coming into the light of the oil lamps staggered down the aisle. The man had short dark brown hair, faint stubble around his chin. He smiled at me, his aged blue eyes sparkling. A sparkle I knew oh so well.
"Gia." He repeated, as tears sprung to my eyes, and before I knew it, I was running at him. All rational thoughts flew from my mind as I flung myself at him, familiar arms engulfing me. He even smelled the same.
"Joshua."
------
I whispered his name over and over. Trying to convince myself that yes, he was real. Yes, he was here. And yes, he was in my arms right now and his warmth starting to finally warm the cold, empty feeling that crept up on me and stayed nestled in my heart when the possibility that they all could have died without me and left me all alone. Five very important pieces of my heart missing.
He laughed. "Oh god. Look at you. You're gotten skinnier, Gee." He laughed again, but I could hear the sob that caught in his voice. "I finally found you." He buried his face into my shoulder, as we stood there holding onto each other for dear life. Finally being able to grasp a piece of our past. "Thank god!" He sobbed out, repeating it over and over.
When we finally let go, he refused to let go of my hand, and I needed it that way. I was worried if I let him go of him completely, I'd find out that he wasn't really here after all, and my mind was playing the cruelest joke on me. I looked up at him, taking him in. "Your hair. You cut it." I reached a hand up, brushing against the short locks. Where it used to reach his shoulder, it now barely brushed his ears.
A light laugh, a bit breathless. "Yeah. Uh, there was a fire. And some of it caught and singed. I had them cut it all off."
"A fire?" I asked, as we slowly started walking down the path.
He nodded. "There was a terrible aftershock when I was transferred to Vancouver island. The building I was in started to collapse, and an oil pipe broke and somehow caught on fire." He stopped, and lifted the hem of his sleeve with his other hand. Bumped and disfigured flesh ran the length of the area. "It's all along my back too. It's only just starting to heal. I find it difficult some days to fully move my arm." He smoothed the sleeve down, and we started walking again.
"But, how did you survive? I mean, I went to your house, and I couldn't find you. I went to Natalie's house too. Callum's, Andy's, Alex's. Nothing! I couldn't find any of you." I looked up at him. "How are you alive?"
"In the group text, I told you guys that I was over at my girlfriends house. Remember?" He took a deep breath. "That night, just before the earthquake, I went out for a swim. She was inside the house, sleeping. When the tremors started, I tried to make my way back to the shore, but the waves crashed against me, moving me different ways and I couldn't swim straight. By the time I managed to reach the shore, the house had already collapsed on itself." He paused, watching the ground while he walked. "She's dead. The house fell apart on top of her. I dug through it, trying to find her. I dug, and dug, and dug. When I finally found her, she was already gone. At first, I couldn't believe it. Her eyes were closed, and her face looked like it always did when she was sleeping. I called her name again and again. She didn't wake up." He cleared his throat. "In her hand, she was holding onto the ring I used to propose to her that night." He smiled at me faintly. "She said yes." It was then that I noticed the silver chain around his neck, the rest hidden under his black t-shirt.
--
When we finally reached the field, Taylor and Stella turned around to look at us. "You said you'd be a few moments! Not an hour!" Taylor yelled out at me.
"Wait...Gia is that...?" Stella asked, as we got closer. I nodded, smiling. "Really?! You see? Oh my goodness. What did I tell you? You have to keep believing!" She jumped up, attacking me in a hug, and my hand slipped from Joshua's. Our eyes instantly meeting each other.
When another chair was brought up, we all sat around the fire. "Joshua, this is Taylor and Stella. They're living in the tents beside me." They murmured a hello, and continued to stare at me, and him.
"Vancouver island had too many people there, so I was put on the list to get off. Plus, the tsunami hit a good ¾ of the island. That was two weeks ago, and I only just got here."
"So, if he's alive. Then it must mean the others survived too." Stella said.
Joshua looked at me. "Then...you haven't seen the others? I'm the only one?"
I nodded solemnly. "After nearly two months, my hopes started to diminish. I've been out every day trying to see if I could see one of you by chance. Hell, I even asked my friend Dominick if I could see the list of people in the camp. I searched everywhere but, after a while...." I trailed off, and he reached out to rub my arm.
"Then, would it be cool if I stayed with you in your tent? Mine is on the other side of that broken down building."
I paused. "I'd like that, but I don't think Cyrus would be too pleased. We only just got him back to normal after Taylor spent the night once."
Taylor laughed. Remembering when he crashed in the spare cot I have. To Cyrus, the tent was the only place he could be truly safe because it was now just me and him. When Cyrus came in, his sacred place was defiled. Or so I think. Cyrus had gone back to his old ways of hiding under my arm, or hair. Refusing to talk or look at anymore. Taylor managed to coax him back out with an apology with books, treats.
"Cyrus?" Joshua asked me with wide eyes.
"A young child. A boy. I saved him back on the island. His mother and him were visiting, and the house they were in collapsed. She died." Her voice echoed in my head as if she was whispering it into my ears. Please....destined to die...my son...promise me...
After an hour, Taylor and Stella politely excused themselves and went back to their tents to sleep. I had Stella check on Cyrus for me.
It was quiet, as Joshua and I sat beside each other, staring at the fire. "So, is your mother....?" Joshua's voice had taken on a lower tone, a quiet one.
I shook my head. "No. The ceiling fell on her, pinning her to the bed. I couldn't save her life. I escaped." In my head, I thought 'but not without my own injuries'. I no longer felt the sting of the tears. Or self-hate for letting myself run for my own life, instead of going and saving her.
"I'm sorry." He reached out, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned into his touch. For the first time in two months, I finally felt comfort and security.
We stared at the fire for a while, before his soft voice asked, "Do you think the others are alive?"
"They have to be, Joshua." I replied. They have to be.
--
After that, we found no more words could be said. That we could only watch the fire, letting any unsaid words float back into the air. Reveling in the feeling of the familiarity. I closed my eyes, and I could almost see Callum, Alex, Natalie, and Andy sitting around the fire with us. Like what was supposed to happen the following evening. I could almost hear their laughter, as Andy said something funny, and Callum retorted back to him. And Alex making her sarcastic remarks. Natalie's musical laughter. I could see them look over at us, smiling.
"Hold on, ok?" They said together. Startled, I opened my eyes, but the image disappeared as easily as it came. Did I just see them as spirits? Or were their souls trying to reach back to me?
"I miss you guys so much." I whispered out, barely audible. "Come back."
----
Joshua walked me back, and we stood in front of the flaps of the rent. We both didn't want to leave each other. For fear of waking up the next morning, and the other was no longer there. I hugged him tightly, whispering him a good night, and I would see him later. He pulled away, and smiled at me. He walked away, and I stood there watching. When he finally turned the corner, did I turn around and walk in.
I was startled when I saw Stella sitting on the other cot, staring at me. I raised an eyebrow and proceeded to change into sweats.
"So, are you just going to sit there and stare at me while I change?" I asked. "Weirdo." I pulled the sweats up to my hips, rolling them once.
"What is he to you?" She asked, picking at one of her long red nails. The exact same shade she had on the day I met her.
"My life. My security. My best friend." I answered automatically.
"Y-You mean, you two are...?" She sputtered.
I laughed. "No! Oh goodness, no. He has a girlfriend. Oh, I mean fiancée. But, she's gone now." I sat down on my cot, careful not to disturb Cyrus.
"But the way you two acted around each other. It was as if you were lovers. How much you openly trusted each other, the unsaid words in looks and gestures. The way he seemed to take a protective stance around you. It really is as if you two are lovers without the whole....love thing." She shrugged.
I looked at her, my head cocked to the side. "Is that what we look like? Well, I never really noticed before."
"Yeah well, Taylor noticed. Even asked me if you two were lovers. As if I knew any more than him! Honestly, that boy." She shook her head. "He didn't look too pleased about it, but figured he should be happy that you found a piece of your family." She sighed, taking a sip of her pop. "You two have an amazing amount of trust. I've never seen anything like it. Is that what happens to people when their lives have been tied together generations before they were even born?" She cracked open another pop, holding it out to me, and I accepted it.
"That's just Joshua. There's Callum, and Andy. Natalie, and....Alex." My hand reached out to grasp the necklace around my neck, but realized with a start it was no longer there. The I remembered it was around Cyrus' neck.
She raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm happy for you. Really happy. I can see this light in you I haven't seen before. Not since Cyrus started talking." I remember the day when Cyrus said his first, real sentence to me. 'Thank you, I like it very much.' He said it when I handed him his first book, and he started to look through the pages. His smile was so warm, and open. I was glad he was making progress.
I grinned. "Yeah, that was a happy day."
"So, now that you've found one of them, what are you going to do next?" She laid back, propped up against the back of the tent.
I turned to the side, reaching a hand to light brush a piece of stray hair from Cyrus' face. "I don't know. Some of them could be on Vancouver island, or in another tent community away from here. Dominick told me there's at least 40 now. 40! I wouldn't even know where to begin."
"Gia?" A voice outside the tent called, before peaking in.
"Ah, Dominick. We were just talking about you." Stella smiled, patting the empty cot space beside her.
Dominick smiled, and walked in, handing me a Styrofoam box and a fork. I opened it, and fresh, steaming spaghetti and meatballs greeted me. My mouth started to water. "I have one for you too, Stella."
Stella furrowed her brow. "How did you know I was here?" She asked, as she accepted the box of food, and took a fork from him.
Dominick rolled his eyes. "When are you not in here, Stella?" He sat down beside Stella's legs on the floor, and started to dig into his food too.
I moaned. "This is so good. I haven't had spaghetti in so long."
Dominick laughed. "I'm glad you like it. Because I made it myself."
I nearly dropped my fork. As I tried to choke down what was in my mouth. "Seriously?! How?" He faked being offended.
"I can cook, you know. And being a military officer gives me privileged used of the kitchens. And I figured if you were still up, which I looked before I started cooking, I'd come bring you dinner. Late, but here nevertheless."
I smiled at him. "Thanks, Dommy!" I cooed his much-hated nickname. He scowled. Stella laughed.
"So, what were you two talking about in here? And why do you look so...scarily happy, Gia?" Dominick asked, twirling his fork in the spaghetti.
"Uhhm, remember those people I told you about? Those five people I grew up with? And I thought had died?" I started, setting my fork back down.
Dominick nodded. "Well, one of them found me today. A boy named Joshua." I smiled. "We all got separated, and I had started to believe I'd never see any of them again. But, here he came. He was walking down the path, and called out my name. And just like that, a piece of me has been filled back in."
Dominick grinned. "Well, well, well. That's awesome, Gia." He ate another mouthful of food.
"It's safe to say Taylor wasn't happy about it." Stella nudged him with her leg, giving him a look. He tried not to laugh.
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever!"
Dominick pointed his fork at me. "Eat, Gianna Nicole Alexiou. You've lost too much weight. And as your personal doctor, I demand that you eat my delicious, homemade spaghetti and meatball recipe. I don't do this for just anyone you know." I stuck my tongue out at him, and took a huge forkful just for him.
"'Fank 'or bering 'ood, 'ominick." I spoke through the food. He cringed, and I laughed.