I woke the next morning.

  The weight that plagued me was lighter but still aching, my muscles pulled and whined under the weight of my fear, my work, my time here.

  I opened the door again, the hall was empty except for that sweet smell of the morning. The group was sitting at the table. The only two I hadn't met yet was a kid 7 maybe 8, fluffy hair up in a pink tie, and the one that pulled me off the tracks apparently, a boy my age but standing taller than the others, he looks angry. Rich stood walking me past them into the kitchen helping me make a plate, I figured he'd take me back to the table but no, we stood.

  As he watched my every move. Every choice felt like a test, one I was failing horribly. Once everyone else had cleared he spoke again.

  “You’ll need a jacket, and something to cover your face, you're lucky you haven't gotten sick. As for the work most has been done but we need to collect firewood, you'll start there.” I don't know if I was honored or insulted that he didn't trust me enough to eat at the table but the first thing he was going to do was put an axe in my hand.

  And he wasn't kidding. There were a few downed branches, big ones.

  I began to clear them, the snow was soft sparking up before falling again softer than I think I've ever seen it before, airy and elegant dancing around my hands as I worked. We danced together for a short time.

  chopping wood till It got too warm to wear the coat.

  I wasn't strong but time felt to pass quickly. When I finished and went to find him he seemed quite surprised. I wasn't sure if he expected me to run or slack off but he offered to show me around a bit.

  There was a small green shed and a chicken coop. Now that they mention it there were eggs at breakfast and chicken for dinner last night.

  “You have livestock?” He looked happy that I said something. Will said there wasn't enough to go around. Maybe it wasn't for the reason I thought.

  “You've noticed that there's not much wildlife here?” I nodded

  “Our life's different. There are others here, a trader group, they have the necessities, Food, Medical, Sanitation.”

  “How?” he shrugged, looking at me like he wasn't sure if I'd figured it out on my own yet. But I got a feeling he wasn't gonna tell me.

  He walked me back inside and offered a plate and a seat. It felt good.

  I was still sitting alone as it was probably 1 or 2 o’clock, but May came to sit beside me.

  “Rich said you did well. Usually cutting the trees near here takes hours, but you didn't seem to have any trouble.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “I didn't have any trouble.” She watches me for a moment.

  It felt strange to say, I don't want to disagree with my hosts but I don't want to lie either.

  Rich made himself known again; he looked at me suspiciously. May looked unsure.

  “How are you feeling? A bit tired, sore? How are your hands? They were pretty scratched up.”

  “They're fine…” I subconsciously cover them, as they start to shake a bit. They're looking at me like that again, like a wild animal.

  “We need to know.” May hushed him.

  “They've been through too much; this can wait.”

  “Bug.” he stood, looking for me to follow.

  I looked at May and she put her hand on my arm before moving her eyes back to him.

  Thinking.

  “I'll get Will, wait for him.” Rich nodded.

  We found our way back outside.

  He asked for my coat.

  I only now realized he wasn't wearing his either.

  Will stepped out onto the patio and he didn't look happy, but he wasn't looking at me.

  “Now then let's see what you can do.”

  “What?”

  He took a swing at me hitting the corner of my jaw with his fist,

  he wasn't fucking around anymore.

  “Are you crazy?”

  “I’m not fucking doing this!”

  He wasn't smiling, crazed, guilty, nothing.

  He took another swing as I jumped back still trying to reason.

  I grit my teeth as the blood from my tongue fills my mouth,

  The bitter feeling of betrayal all tastes the same.

  “Fight, kid.”

  “NO!”

  My feet fell into the footholds carved out for me.

  As I tried to step back.

  I threw my hands up to block my face, as he hit my arm.

  Instinct took over and I threw a punch,

  Before being hit by another.

  Will could see the blood now.

  “Rich!” Will called out. stalling the air between them.

  “Enough!” He walked over

  “Enough.” he reached to help me.

  I choose to help myself. I wasn't injured, really just stunned, with a bit of blood on my lip.

  He turned back to Rich.

  Glaring at him.

  “I think the kid will be alright.” Rich said. but by the way Will’s looking at him I don't think he agrees, I also think he's sleeping on the couch.

  “You ok?” Will doesn't try to touch me this time, truly trying to gauge it.

  “Fine.” He stood with me waiting for Rich to wander off.

  “Sorry, we had to be sure especially with how the woods have been reacting towards you.”

  I didn't react, I wasn't planning on acting nice after that.

  Will sighs taking in a deep breath.

  “We learned recently the carriers of the sickness go into a type of rage when you draw blood and clearly that's the most sane way of testing it.” he says, rolling his eyes.

  “I promise he's not normally like this, we've all been stressed recently. He’ll warm up to you.

  Comforting, real fucking Comforting.