REVERSE 2370

CHAPTER EIGHT

The tension in the room was thick and the silence loud. Both Asha and Laban now sat side by side each other, Laban with a sly smile and Asha with an annoyed look.

Before I had just Laban to worry about, now I had both Laban and Asha, two very grown up but childish people. “How sick is that?” Sighing at the thought, I turned my face away from them.

“Who are you to the tough teen?” It was Asha who asked. In reply Laban scoffed, I could also tell that his eyes fell on me.

“You mean Kiupita? Well we’re more than just friends..” he satrted. Knowing what he was going to say next, I swung the small object closest to me in his face.

“Oww, why would you do that?”

I released a small breath, “I know you Laban.”

“It’s not funny,” he snapped at Asha who was now on all fours laughing.

“Oh but it is.” He replied once he sobered up. Laban's face grew hot with anger his fist clenched and ready to fight Asha over something that made no sense. Asha quirked a brow at him, he probably found it funny that a nineteen year old was eager to fight him.

Laban swung his fist aiming directly at Asha's face but the other was ready for the attack, he immediately caught Laban’s fist in his hand.

He shoke his head, his gaze flickering to Laban’s fist within his hands before returning to his face. “Bad idea pretty boy.”

I sighed for the nth time, it seemed that was all I did this days. “That’s enough.” I spoke I’m a small voice a tinge of annoyance in my tone. Kita moved then nibbed my feet, probably uncomfortable with the tone I used. “Sorry girl.” The boys stopped arguing but their glares stayed, I rolled my eyes at their childish behaviour.

“Finally awake,” a deep voice filtered through the air. I looked up to see my parents both standing at the door. I could tell mothet was trying all her best not to cry. Two small people forced their way in almost making Mama fall in the process.

“I said no running!” papa shook his head when they ignored him and crawled into my bed instead.

“Hi Pita,” Zita squeaked out a little too loudly. Her smile was back in place and her small hair neatly packed.

“Hey Zi,” I felt a hand poke my sides. “John, stop that.”

He smiled sheepishly but kept his hands by my side.

“So…. How are you?” papa stood a bit hunched over the shoulders.

“I’m better now.”

He nodded with uncertainty, he didn’t think I was.

Mama grabbed John before he could poke my side again, she took a seat in the small space on the bed.

Her hand fell on my cheek, instinctively I lean towards the warmth her small hand provided. “What was it like up there?”

Memories of what had transpired above ground flicker through my head. My lips pulled in a rather bitter smile at the mere thought of it. “Let’s just say, it wasn’t pleasant mama but we survived.”

“I’m glad you’re here with us now, we missed you so much.”

“Hardly”, I thought to myself.

“What about me mama!” Zita threw herself at the feet of mama, she glared at John probably jealous he was sitted comfortably on her mama’s laps, John in turned brought his tongue out making silly faces at her.

“of course I did baby.”

“I don’t know mama, why’s Johnny on your laps?” Zita asked with a frown.

“Because he’s my baby too just like you.”

Zita opened her mouth to say something else but papa cut her off by throwing her over his shoulders. She laughed loudly, the pleasant sound carried throughout the room. For a moment we all forgot her worries, only paying attention to her sound.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” we all looked up to see the doctor.

“Oh of course not,” my mum stood from beside me and walked towards the now quiet Laban. Asha had left the moment my parents walked in.

The doctor walked in, a stethoscope hanging on her neck. “Would you look at that, very pretty wolf.” Excitement shone in her eyes as she gazed at Kita.

“Pwetty?” John repeated after her

She chuckled, “yes pretty.” She bent over and began to loosened my bandaged wound. Once loosened she began to inspect the gun wounds, she frowned and placed her head on my forehead.

“Is there a problem doc?” Papa asked

“Well the wound is infected, there’s increased drainage and they are thick.” Her explanation was short, “ did you apply petroleum jelly on it as I told you to?”

I shook my head. She sighed and then placed first aid kit on the small table. “get me clean water….anyone,” she threw the command with haste.

“Is she going to be okay?” a frown creased mama's face, I could tell she was shaking with fear.

“Don’t worry ma'am, gun wound infection is common she’ll be fine once the wound is clean and there’s some antibiotics and pain killers in her body.” She smiled reassuringly at mama.

“here you go,” Laban placed the water and a few towels beside the first aid kit.

“Thank you.” She immediately sprung to action, soaking the towels I’m the water, squeezing and then cleaned the wound gently as possibly.

As she worked, I wondered how I didn’t even notice something was up with me, I felt something wet touch the skin on legs. Peering down I find Kita with her tongue lulled and head tilted as she looked on me. I offered her a smile, “thanks Kita.”

The doctor continued the process until she was satisfied. She applied petroleum jelly over the wound. “Is there an ice pack anywhere?”

“Nope.” I answered before shifting uncomfortably on my bed.

The action did not go unnoticed by the doctor, “you feeling discomfort?” she inquired as she wrapped the wound.

“Yeah,” my answer was small

“Mmm I’ll give you antibiotics and painkillers to reduce the pain, you might even fall back asleep.”

“It’d be nicer if you just injected it into my body instead,” I groaned when the first wave of pain hit me

“alright then.” She injected me with antibiotics and painkillers. Before she left she placed a cold towel on my forehead and asked my mother to use a wet rag to clean my body to help bring down my temperature. She requested that they should look for her the moment I wake up or if there’s no improvement in my condition.

Mama did as told, cleaning my body with a wet rag twice before leaving with the kids so that I could sleep in peace, papa followed her once he was sure I was going to be alright.

“How well do you feed Kita?” I asked Laban who now stared at me from where he sat.

“Well enough.”

“Well go feed my baby she’s hungry.” My eyes grew heavy as seconds passed.

“will you be fine on your own?” he didn’t look too happy with what I’d just asked him to do.

“okay you’re being extremely creepy now Laban.” Laban only treats me like this when he needed something or when he did something wrong.

“What no…” he frowned before shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. “whatever,” he rolled his stupid eyes before taking Kita out.

Too comment when Laban rolled his eyes and dragged Kita with him. Once he was out I closed my eyes and let sleep engulf me.

LABAN CROSSED THE ROOM to Kiupita, he stood beside her for a while observing her sleeping form before walking out. He stopped in the large room that held their food supplies, he had hardly eaten anything since Kiupita's return, he was too worried to even have anything and now the effect of neglecting his stomach now showed in his slow and tired movement. He was completely drained.

He snatched a protein bar from the shelf, tore it open and stuck it all in his mouth. At the left side of the room told the large gallon of water, he rushed towards it.

After making sure the worms in his stomach would not be disturbing again anytime soon, he left for Kiupita’s room again.

He paused abruptly at the entrance of the room and looked at the figure that now hovered over his friend with it’s back to him. Deciding not to make his presence known he observed the person.

His eyes flashed with fury as the person moved to unwrap Kiupita’s wound. “Hey!”

The person jerked up in fear. “Oh it’s just you.”

“Yeah, just me Jaya,” he spat her name with so much hostility

Jaya's lips went up, showing off her perfectly white set of teeth. “Calm your horses dude it’s just a wound anyways, nothing big.”

Laban’s nose flared, “get out!”

Jaya’s eyes widened in fear, without wasting anymore time she fled the room. She probably didn’t think Laban would come be back so soon.

Counting to ten in his head before walking to Kiupita’s side. Releasing the breath he didn’t even know he’d been holding, he smiled pleased that neither her nor stupid Jaya disturbed her sleep.

He shouldn’t have celebrated too soon because Kiupita’s moved, her face scrunched in confusion even though she was still asleep. She moved a little more before jerking upright. Her chest heaved with breaths.

Without wasting anymore time he was beside her with a cup of water. Watching with a frown as she chugged it all down without leaving anything.

Her hands flew to her wound as she coughed.

“You alright?” he gave a scrutinized look

“Mmm.”

“I’ll go call doctor Juliana,” she only nodded and waved him away looked upon her with uncertainty before leaving to get the doctor.

Returning about five minutes later with the doctor by his side. “Here she is,” he announced as he walked in, Kiupita nodded in reply.

“Hey, did you sleep fine?” Juliana asked as she reached Kiupita

“I’d like to think that I did.”

The doctor smiled before placing her hand on Kiupita’s head. “well you did sleep for about…. six hours so let’s just say you did and your fever’s down, a good thing.”

“let me guess, bad dreams?”

Kiupita coughed again, then nodded. “Yeah, more like memories.”

“The bad dreams are side effects, you’ll be fine soon.” She carefully unwrapped the wound. Without being asked to, Laban knew she needed water to clean the wounds again, so he left to get some water and fresh towels.

“I hear you’re like… really strong so I’m hoping to see more progress in your healing.”

Laban walked in with a bowl of fresh water and clean towels. “here you go doc.”

“thanks, you’ve been quite helpful.” Juliana praised, “you guys dating or something?”

“Yeah.”

“Hell no.” the answers came at the same time.

Kiupita scowled at Laban, “We aren’t dating and you better not try your luck Laban, I don’t mind getting my wounds open if I have to beat you.”

“There she is!” he exclaimed blissfully. “the Kiupita I know and love.” He inched closer threw his hands over her, careful not to touch her wound.

Juliana watched amused and Kiupita smacked Laban resulting to them exchanging words, words she’d never heard in her life.

“Okay stop,” she smirked inwardly as both kids glared darkly at her. “I have to finish cleaning your wounds, you’re going to have to put the arguments on hold until I’m done here.”

Laban shrugged, he stood still for a while before moving to sit.

The room became quiet as she worked on. Laban sat looking at Kiupita. He’d spent every waking day thinking about his friend when she wasn’t here, now she was here he could hardly sleep or even eat.

His mind drifted towards the guy from earlier the one they called Asha, he probably thought he could take Kiupita away from him because he was famous. He scoffed

“Pardon,” Juliana now gave him a questioning look.

“Huh?”

“Forget about the i***t, he definitely didn’t know he scoffed out loud.” Kiupita quirked a brow at him

“Right.” Juliana went back to work

“I bet you were thinking bout me,” Her usual frown was replaced with a haughty smile.

'we're playing this game now huh?' Laban thought to himself. A devious plan forming in his head.

“Why yeah I thought about how cute we’d be if you just dropped your oversized ego and date me.” His comment was accompanied with a kissy face.

Kiupita gagged, “never in a thousand years, me and you equals disaster and there’s no way I’ll date a dumbass.”

Laban placed his hand on his chest in a dramatic way. “Oww K, oww that was so brutal.”

“That’s the idea.”

“All done,” Juliana announced immediately cutting their little fun off.

“Great, when will she finally he able to walk around?”

“Gun wounds takes about ten days to heal depending on the severity, she got lucky the bullets didn’t reach her organs so let’s say, she’ll be okay in a week’s time.”

“Alright, thanks doc.”

“You’re welcome,” as she turned to go Kiupita remembered something.

“What about Anna, have you checked on her?”

Juliana’s face brighten at the question. “Yes, both mother and child are in perfect shape and condition. I simply put her on a little bed rest and instructed that she be fed the right food.”

Kiupita sighed in relief. “and the girl, Zoya, how is she.”

“ah Zoya have proven to be one of my most difficult patients but I think I’ll be able to get her to open up.” Her smile dropped, “I found traces of both physical and s****l abuse, makes me wonder what it was that you all experience out there.”

Kiupita looked away from Laban’s burning gaze and focused instead on the doctor. “will she be okay?”

There was a bit of quiet for a little while before Juliana gave her an answer. “with time.”

Laban could tell Kiupita was avoiding his gaze. Sometime ago when he was going to ask Kiupita had immediately cut him off not that he blamed her, he wouldn’t want to say anything either if it were him but still he just wanted to know, he wanted to be sure that K was going to be alright, she already had enough on her plate and it f****d her head up quite often, this would only worsen it all.

“K…” he called in a small voice

“What Laban?!” she exploded angrily.

“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Well apart from this gun wound and the hand injury that’s now healed enough, I am in perfect shape.” She didn’t look happy with all the questions thrown at her so he threw his hands up in surrender.

“Okay okay I get it.”

“Better.”

“By the way, what about Liupita, I haven’t seen my sister since I woke up.” Kiupita ran her hands through her short hair.

Laban scoffed, “you ask like she was going to come see you in the first place.”

Kiupita bit her lips and looked away. “Sometimes we hope, sometimes we wish, sometimes we dream, that the things that seems so impossible, will, for once happen.”

Laban stood shell shocked at Kiupita, never in a thousand years did he think that his friend would speak like she too was normal like the rest of them.

“whoa whatever happened above ground definitely changed something inside of you.” He fell on his seat, still shocked about his friend's little speech.

She shrugged, “yeah well a lot of things will teach you to value people, family especially.”

“Sometimes I feared I’ll never see my family again, even worse that I’ll never be able to her Zita and John to the bunker in time. I couldn’t sleep, while I was worried about the dead eyed zombies, I was on the look out for any strange thing from around us, I could hardly sleep because I had to keep the kids and that pregnant lady from bad people.”

She peered into Laban’s blue eyes. “in those moments I thought it’ll be nice to hear Liupita's harsh words, I thought it’ll even be nicer if I get my sister back, you know the one that used to be my hero and I wished I could take us back to the times when I still enjoyed my sister's company..... I desperately wish I could make amends.”

“I know people think I'm weird and all that. I do know people think me incapable of feelings, they think I’m blank just a person filled with darkness and empty. But I like to think that people spent more time getting to know me instead of just judging because I might act a little different but that doesn't make me less human.”

“but I don’t even care anymore, I’m okay with having just one person even though he’s stupid.”

Laban hid his smile and instead shoved a middle finger I’m her face. “only you would end a lovely speech like that Kiupita only you.”

“Yeah well that’s why you can’t leave without me.” She bragged

Laban laughed, he didn’tbotuer to argue that fact because she was righy about that one. They sat I’m silence as they did sometimes, neither bothering the other with his own thoughts just there enjoying each other’s company.

Kiupita was first to break the silence “The things that happened up there are so horrible, I don’t think any of us would make it.”

“I don’t think so, I think we’ll get through this unscathed.” Laban argued, truly he believed they could all make it out.

“You’re too optimistic for your own good Laban.”

“Well that’s life for you, you have yo keep believing it’s our hope that gets us places K, you should know that by now.”

“Whatever.”

She relaxed in her pillow. “Besides, who’s to say if we won’t starve here while waiting for the apocalypse to end.”

Laban groaned, “you’re right starvation truly us what will put us all to an end. Jaya made sure of it.”

“Jaya?”

“Yeah Jaya or is there another Jaya you know that I don’t.”

“Whatever, we'll talk about about this after I wake up.”