I have no clue where I intend to go but I’m too restless to stay there.
With my chance to nosey around the stadium at night, I wander down the plush carpeted halls, oil-burning lantern in hand. Surprisingly, the place is in good nick, clean and tidy like a proper home.
Although there are stark differences that separate it from a home I used to know before the apocalypse, one being that thedamn thing is a maze. Despite being shown several times since I got here I can’t find the bloody exit. You’d think it would be signposted to the end of the earth with it being used as a football stadium in the past but things are all jumbled now and I can’t find anything but closed doors with different decorations on the outsides.
And judging by the sparkly colourful nature of the decorations, I have a suspicion a small iron-willed child named Elsa had some involvement in creating them. Although still pissy, my mood had settled around the subject of the boisterous small child now that I know she’s not Liam's. Fauna would have to pry the admission out of me but when Ru explained how Elsa and Pam came to be in the stadium a heaviness lifted from my shoulders.
Amused by how personal each decoration is I take the time to learn each of the names, stopping short when I spot Liam’s name in bright glittering pink. Surrounding his name, birds of varying colours fly around — not just any birds, pigeons. Pigeons of varying colours.
For fuck sake. Why does he have to be obsessed with those things. I can’t get my head around it. Seriously, how can a man that looks like that have a soft spot for a bunch of birds?
What if he’s inside? Is he lying behind this door thinking of me?
He’s probably sleeping, and here I am being a creeper hanging around outside his bedroom door at night like something out of a horror movie. How can I be arsey about him refusing to leave me alone when I'm out here doing the same as him, or at least looking like it.
A door creaks somewhere in the corridor and I jump into action. Under no circumstances will I be caught in my PJs standing outside my baby daddy’s room like a psycho.
Not taking much notice of where I’m going, I shuffle myself down the remainder of the corridor and out into a stairway. Descending one flight of stairs, I run through into a social-looking place, one that looks a lot like a play area for the little ones, minus the old bar on the right-hand side.
Could this be where my wee boy will grow up? Will he play with the others, learn from them and help build a new and better society?
I can only dream right?
‘Hey, are you alright?’
I jump, screaming as the unexpected voice startles me.
Stood in the entryway at the other end of the large room is a woman, a little older than me but I imagine not by much. Her soft blonde hair glows in the warm light of her lantern framing her kind features. A look of silent alarm crosses her features as she realises her error.
‘I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.’
Hand over my still racing heart, I pant out ‘It’s okay. Just got a fright that’s all.’
‘You’re part of the new group?’ she questions and I nod still a little out of breath with shock.
‘I’m Lily,’ she smiles, moving towards me with her hand held out.
I look at it. What am I supposed to do with that?
Lily clears her throat, her cheeks tinging as the seconds stretch on with her hand still outstretched.
‘You’re supposed to shake it, darling.’ Vishrut’s amused voice announces from behind me.
It has been so long since I met anyone new that I didn’t instantly suspect was a threat to me I’d completely forgotten about the old greetings we all used to use. Shaking someone's hand as a greeting, being one of them.
God, I look like a bitch.
Rather pathetically, I attempt to shake Lily’s hand, not quite getting it right as I manoeuvre my left hand in a twist to grab what happens to unfortunately be her left hand as well.
Luckily she giggles light heartedly, not seeming to care that I have the social skills of a feral squirrel.
‘She’s been out in the sticks for a wee bit too long, eh.’ Vish informs Lily, like she couldn’t have guessed that for herself.
‘I wouldn’t worry, I only started doing it since Samuel taught it to the kids and now all they want to do is shake my hand.’
‘It’s good to teach the little hellions some manners, they were getting too caveman.’
Lily gives Vish a pointed look. ‘Is that why you taught Elsa to call Liam a bawbag and cheers every time she takes a sip of juice?’
