Project 43

"You've been staring at me all night."

"Did you always have blue rings around your brown?" I didn't make it not obvious I had been watching him. This time he had stopped breathing when I when to hover over him. (Yes, again I realize how dumb this is after watching another horror movie and reflecting thanks. Zombies pop up and bite the girl hovering. This whole surviving the apocalypse thing is just becoming a little real.

Of course, again this is how so many people probably die to. Trial and error.

"My eyes are brown." His voice wasn't groggy just confused as he sat up and stretched.

"They have a blue ring." I replied, my hand I had posed ready to grab my gun relaxed with his words.

He looked at me for several minutes and I expected him to argue. I instead he got up went to a nearby mirror I had hung in the living room that had a crack in the corner trimmed with bees. He stared for several minutes before he turned back to me. "That's new. Am I sick?"

"You're asking me?"

He blinked several times as if confused before looking around. "Abel's, ok?"

I crossed my arms again unsure of what to make of him. His eyes where kind of freaking me out. "He's in my room sleeping. Nathan kept waking up angry from his snoring and was threatening to kick him out."

"Did you sleep?"

"I wasn't tired." As I said it, I realized it was true. I wasn't tired at all. I felt as awake as I had as if I had slept all night. I chalked it up to the adrenaline.

"So, you've been staring at me all night waiting for me to turn to kill me." The silence that followed was heavy, I didn't look away from him and he didn't from me either before a small smile appeared on the corner of his lips. "Thank you." I blinked several times unsure what to say. I felt he was being genuine without the need for an explanation. I don't know how or why but I just sort of knew. Maybe it was his tone of voice or body language.

"You're welcome." I said nodding my head before hesitating. "Was it... was it one of the infected?" I didn't feel like I needed to ask because I already pretty much had my answer. Part of me just wanted that verbal confirmation.

"Yes." His reply was instant and honest. "I practically tackled it because it was coming up behind Abel. It was a kid with half her jaw missing or maybe it was just her face I didn't really get a close look there was a lot of blood. I'm not sure how or where it scraped me or maybe it was the curb. I hoped I wasn't infected; I didn't feel infected just worn down."

I gave him a small smile. "Well, you're clearly not, but you should probably get your eyes like... checked. Did you hit your head at all?"

He frowned his mouth opening but Nathan's frustrated shriek and Abels faint laughter from downstairs cut off our conversation. "Are you serious? Are you like ten!? We let you sleep here! I want you guys out. OUT! I don't care if you die!"

Ronnie frowned as Abel came up the stairs grinning, his jacket over his shoulder. "Nice meeting you uh-"

I rolled my eyes folding my arms. "Amelia." Ronnie had replied immediately surprising me, but only making Abel snicker. It was the same name I had given Nathan since it was the closest to Anna or Annie and it had been my sisters. No one would look for a dead girl. "Right ok lover boy I'm out of here, you coming?"

Ronnie glanced at me as if he wanted to say something more before looking back at his brother. "Just give me a minute?"

"Agggghhhh!" The scream Nathan gave this time was closer and shrill making the hair on my neck prickle.

"I would not advise baby bro." Abel said grinning.

"Oh, fuck me." Ronnie grumbled throwing off the blanket I had tossed over his legs in the middle of the night when I had seen him shivering, after I had my gun out and in hand though.

Before I knew it, they were both gone, and Nathan's face appeared from his room down the hallway red as a tomato missing both his eyebrows and his teeth looked nearly black. "Where is he?" Nathan snarled, his toothbrush still in hand covered in blackened foam.

I pointed my thumb towards the door. "They both just left. I was going to reset the-"

"You let them leave. You let them in, make out with one of them before I even get home worried sick about you, let the oldest one be a dick all night. He sneaks in my room and does THIS, and you just let him go!? What the hell Amelia!"

I blinked my cheeks flushing slightly trying not to get defensive or embarrassed. He was probably right I didn't exactly know how to be a good friend because I had never had one before. Not really.

"You know I could have turned you in by now, they're offering immediate protection for anyone in a bunker Amelia. I'm not stupid we've both seen the news and your face is on it. I know you've been playing house here but I'm actually serious about fucking living. This is my life and everyone I love is dead. If you're going to risk, MY life watching someone all night because you think they'll turn or let assholes like that screw up my face because you wanted to make out with a pretty boy I might as well call the number. I didn't sign up for this."

"Nathan it's not like that I-"

"Save it."