‘Why does every man in here have such a fucking opinion on what I do with my fucking bedroom?’
‘Because they’ve got half a braincell between them, Isla.’ Fauna hands a small package to my girl, the delicious smell of Pam’s roasties wafting up my nostrils. ‘Pam made me bring some of these up for you to try. Said there’s plenty more if you want to come down and get some with us?’
Unsure, Isla opens the package up peering inside. Juicy yet crispy goodness awaits her, sitting there in a bed of delightful grease. Absolute heaven.
‘Stop drooling, dafty.’ Ru knocks into my shoulder with a little more force than necessary.
Hopefully Isla didn’t see that. I can’t be looking anymore like the idiot she already seems to think I am.
‘You wanna get some more?’ Fauna asks just in time for Isla’s stomach to let out an almighty grumble.
I should have brought her food when I came. She’s right I am an idiot.
I need to do better, I need to think of more.
‘Sounds like the wee man’s decided for you,’ Ruaridh gently smiles.
Isla’s having none of it. Come to think of it, why is she not as happy as most people who were just reunited with their sibling would be?
Not giving another glance to her brother or me, she walks out of the room, Fauna following behind her as they leave in search of Pam’s roasties.
‘We need to talk,’ Ru states no room for debate.
I nod, here we go. ‘What do you want to say?’
Ru sighs, rubbing his palm down his face. ‘I don’t know, Liam. She’s my little sister and I feel like I’ve lost her all over again.’
Pain fills his voice as he confesses his feelings, and I can't help my surprise.
‘What happened between you?’
‘I haven’t seen her since the fire,’ he begins and I nod already knowing the story of how they both got separated at the start of the apocalypse.
They had been in their family home, worried sick because their parents had not returned from their annual trip to the highlands to celebrate their anniversary. Ru, Vish and Isla had been hunkered down in their home, hiding from the anarchy which had broken out over their streets, when a group of people that were out to purely cause destruction smashed their windows, throwing petrol bombs into their front room. Isla was apparently in her bedroom at the time, Ru having sent her up to get some rest but the fire spread too quickly, the vandals having broken down their door. I still remember the anguish in his voice the first time he’d explained how quickly the fire spread up their staircase and straight to his sister's bedroom.
Vish had dragged Ru out to stop him from burning to death. He’d knocked him unconscious after he’d watched him stumble between flames to get to his sister, hellbent on not leavingher. When they’d finally gotten outside the vandals were there, but Vish managed to keep them relatively hidden until Ru had woken up.
He’d been distraught, haunted when I’d met him a year afterwards. He’d never recovered from her death.
‘But something has happened. It’s like she hates me now and I don’t know why.’ Utterly defeated, Ru sighs. ‘I feel like I’m doing everything wrong. I want to be there for her again, like I was when we were younger. We did everything together, you know.’
I feel for my best friend I really do. But I can also see how he’s stuck seeing her as the little sister he had before all of this. Before the world turned to hell.
‘She’s strong, Ru. You need to remember she’s spent seven years surviving without you. It’s hard to think of, I know, but she will be so used to looking out for herself, it’ll be hard to hand that over and trust anyone.’ I clear my throat, chancing at some honesty and hoping it doesn’t get me another punch to the face. ‘We need to show her we’re here to help when she wants it, but we're not going to take away her independence. We need to help her fly instead of coming across like we’re about to clip her survival wings.’
‘All this time it was really her? The one you couldn’t stop looking for?’
I nod, feeling a surge of emotion swelling in my chest.
Ruaridh and Vishrut saw first-hand how much being away from her was tearing me apart.
‘What I said earlier still stands. You hurt her, I’ll kill you.’
‘I’d expect no less.’ He nods, moving for the door, ‘But Ru, I will never hurt her. I’d ask you to kill me before I ever considered doing something like that.’
With his back to me, a silent agreement is made between us. He’ll try and work on how he acts with her and I’ll make sure I never make her life harder.
As I think over the strange dynamics between us all a loose piece of paper catches my eye, scribbled handwriting covering the white surface. A quick glance and I know exactly what I need to do. Tucking the crisp piece of paper in my pocket, I follow my best friend, my mind whirling with possibilities.
