Trauma
1320 Words
Opposite to Elijah, singing while the cold showers are on, Lucas on his corner is drowning in his thoughts.
“Clean clothes…” Lucas mumbled seeing the insides of the box. All their weapons have been taken away and as if in replacement they were given a new set of clothes that is the same style to what they were wearing through the first two rounds of the games.
Still dripping wet and not minding the droplets he is scattering, Lucas went out of the bathroom after Elijah’s.
“That’s refreshing.” Elijah said and marched out.
Outside the small space of shower room s***h restroom, is another rectangular space where there are only beds and a fairly high ceiling with white lights.
“Move if you are done.” Athena said while carrying her own box.
Giving a forced smile, Hiraya went inside the bath area with Athena.
Lucas can see that other players together with them are watching them. Some had taken a bath, some didn’t.
Elijah dries himself while squatting down the bathroom door and guarded it. He would sometimes put his ears on the door then blushed, clear his throat and mumbled some things and repeat it.
Two refreshed girls went out of the bath and they caught some nasty eyes on the crowd but it wasn’t long since Aaron made his presence known a second later.
“Uwahh. The water feels nice right?” A little flushed, Hiraya said as she put herself in the view of Lucas.
“...” Lucas avoided eye contact but Hiraya didn’t take it personally.
“Lucas… Thank you, for earlier.” Hiraya said with a small smile.
“... What did I do?”
“You grabbed my hand, you know I couldn’t run from Pene– ah no, from the undead. Thank you for not leaving me behind.”
A twitch on Lucas' eyes had happened as if he was seeing something else.
“I.. I couldn’t do anything but run.” Ashamed.
“Me too. But I couldn’t even run. I am that afraid. I was naive to think I could take responsibility for her… if you hadn’t pushed the plan forward, we would all be trapped in a room with Penelope… and it would all be on me. ” Painfully smiling, Lucas reached his hand to her cheeks automatically.
“Ah!”
“Ah! Sorry. I,it wasn’t your fault… I,I think I need some rest.” Startled at his own actions Lucas scurried away clumsily and tripped himself on the stairs.
“Are you okay?” Hiraya asked.
“Ah. Yes… yes. Sorry. Sorry.”
He didn’t wait for his hair to dry and just put himself to rest.
‘Why did I reach for her?’
It took a little while before he could fall asleep because of Elijah’s childish teasing. Only when Aaron went out of the showers that he was finally freed of Elijah’s.
As soon as he has relaxed, his mind is fast falling to deep slumber. Sleep deprived and tired Lucas drifts far down. Unravelling some memories of he thought he had buried deep.
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!”
The screams and chaos welcomes him.
*Bang bang bang
“Please please!! Let us in!” The woman begged for the passing cars to take them in while the whole city was burning and people were eating each other.
“Shhhh. Shhh. Please don’t cry, I promise to keep you safe.” Soothing the crying Lucas, the woman didn’t give up. When a truck passes them, a view of newly turned undead sees them across the street.
“s**t!” The woman starts running away as fast as she can while carrying Lucas in her arms. She keeps on repeating a prayer for someone to help them.
“Please! Please! Anyone! Please help us.” She kept it low and only Lucas could hear such desperate cries. The woman turned the corner only to be greeted by more undead.
It didn’t take long before they were surrounded.
“Baby, close your eyes.” She whispered sweetly calm to Lucas contrary to her trembling hands.
*SCREEEEECH
A car had bumped to lots of undead and the door opened. A man was inside and shouted.
“GET IN!!!”
The scene had jumped.
Him and the woman were with others now. They are camping by the far and the woman kept him warm in her embrace.
The same man from earlier gave them food and a blanket with a kind smile. The woman thanked him and wrapped the blanket to Lucas then let the hot mug warms Lucas little hands
“Everything will be fine sweetheart.” For the first time, Lucas sees a clear picture of the woman. She has dark hair and hazel eyes that shine beautifully to him. The warm and assuring smile was solely given to him.
“Mom?” He called in a small voice.
“Yes, sweet heart?” Lucas’ mom faced him down with a smile. She is beautiful underneath all the dirt and traces of little blood in her face.
Lucas’ mom's face became distorted like a television that is losing its connection.
The scene jumped.
The scene is still his mom’s face but she looks more disheveled, tired and bruised. She is wearing different clothes and instead of talking from Lucas’ above point of view, she is currently kneeling to match his view point.
“Sweetheart, remember this always okay? Do not trust any humans except yourself. Okay? Repeat after me.”
“Do… Come on repeat after me!! You are a smart boy. You can do this… You have too... Ah! I… Mommy is sorry, please don’t cry.”
*Click Click
“Go go hide. Whatever happens, don't come out until I call you okay? Okay good boy!” The woman led Lucas to one the wooden box and closed it, up to the last second, his mom was smiling at him. The same loving smile.
There was only darkness inside the box but all the sounds from outside traveled inside with no problem.
From the door opening, a beating sound and her mother suppressed screams.
The scene jumped once again.
He found himself alone in the corridor, holding onto the wall as his tiny steps moved forward. He followed the groaning sounds as his child's voice called for his mom repeatedly. As he turned the corner, he found who he was looking for.
His mom.
Wanting to call on her but he froze, something is not right.
Her mother is laying back on the cold floor, crying, groaning with fresh blood from new cuts in her face. Above her is the man who helped them, gave them food and blankets and the same man who warmly smiles at them.
He is smiling creepily as his body rocks back and forth while smiling down at Lucas' mother's tears and suffering.
It took a while for Lucas to process what he was witnessing and to finally realize what her mother wanted to tell him all this time.
“Do not trust humans.” her mothers echoed him.
For the first time, Lucas felt that time slows down. He looks around and sees that there are more of them around. They are laughing and have these wicked, disgusting expressions.
‘Why are they smiling?... Why don’t they help his mother?’ Questions are going in and out of him like breathing air.
The very same people who were with them that gathered around the bonfire.
‘Aren’t they… good humans?’
“Do not trust humans, Do not trust humans…” his mother’s words repeated like a broken record.
Lucas’ eyes opened and tears had fallen out. He stared blankly motionless at the white ceiling with white lights.
“Do not trust humans.” He mumbled it to himself.
He had woken up but he was still out of it.
- Writer
