The Day After

Sabrina found herself waking up to what seemed like God flooding her vision. A bright ball of light rendered her unable to open her eyes. She sat up and turned the other way, opening her eyes slightly. She sighed in relief when it wasn't as blinding and used the ball of her palm to rub away the remnants of sleep from her eyes.

The girl stretched her arms behind her head and let out a long yawn. Her gaze flicked to her right and caught sight of a familiar boy. Archer was looking her with a sleepy smile.

"Were you...?", Sabrina started, not knowing how to complete the rest of the question.

"Awake long?", he completed and waited for a confirmation before continuing, "No, I woke up a little while ago. Didn't want to wake you."

"Oh. Uh, sleep well?", she asked scratching her head.

"As well as one can, considering we're on a roof instead of an actual bed," he said looking towards the ground.

"Not the smartest thing to do," Sabrina laughed.

"Definitely not," Archer agreed.

"LIA?! ARCHER?! DID YOU RUN AWAY?", a voice could be heard shouting. Sabrina recognised it as Sam's voice coming from below.

Oh yeah. We didn't tell them anything.

"WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE OKAY!", Sabrina yelled at the top of her lungs. Archer winced beside her and reached both hands up to cover his ears as he shot her a glare.

She grinned and mouthed an apology , to which he rolled his eyes at.

"WHY ARE YOU ON THE ROOF?", Sam screamed. Sabrina saw Penelope and Carson running in circles around him and chuckled.

"LET'S HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WHEN WE COME DOWN!", she replied and saw Sam nod.

"Do we really have to move right now?", Archer whined, crossing his arms and sat with his legs crossed.

"Yes, let's go."

And they did.

After a couple of minutes of explaining and getting scolding from Sam, while the children screamed and tugged at his hands every time he pointed at the two teens, they all found themselves having breakfast.

The atmosphere was tense and most of the inhabitants ate little and left early. They were all separated. Those who agreed sat at the table for a little longer than those who hadn't. The neutrals tried to keep things lighthearted, but their efforts were futile.

It seemed like the idea of the outside not being safe was a myth to them, even if they knew better. Perhaps if they just stayed quietly in their little cocoon, nothing could get to them. Nothing was wrong beyond their shield. Maybe nothing existed after that boundary.

It was a lie they had all told themselves. A mirage created by false hopes and beliefs, lulling them into a false sense of security. It was about time that the bubble popped. It was inevitable. The talk of the outside. The talk of change.

But were they brave enough to make that change?

Bertha knew they were. She knew that they'd do whatever it took with the right push. Just springing it on them may have been a bad call, but she couldn't sugarcoat everything.

Yes, they were on the young side, but when the adults didn't do anything, someone had to step up.

Everyone had someone dear taken from them. The loss is what made them so closed up. They were all hurting. It doesn't matter if it was going on for months or even years.

We all just need to process this. They're good people. They'll come around, I'm sure of it.

She looked across the table to the newcomers. Both eating slowly and glancing ever so slightly at everyone in the room and sometimes at each other. Bertha noticed how their mannerisms seemed to mirror each other, but once you get verbal with them, they are polar opposites.

They worked so well together. She had never seen them in action, but from what Sam had told her she knew they were a force to be reckoned with.

Even if they were a little dense.

Irma's face looked older and wrinkled. Bertha could see the sadness that tainted those kind eyes. She hated seeing that look on the loving woman. Her husband was taken. The owner of the farm. Adam's uncle.

They'd taken him in after he'd refused to follow the plans of his parents. He longed for fields that stretched into the horizon and the sounds of flowing rivers. A kindred spirit. Irma's children, Carson and Penelope are under the assumption that their dad is gone out to get them surprises.

Even if she was lying to protect them, Bertha knew it was eating Irma up from the inside. The more days go by, it gets harder. They may be young, but those kids are smart.

Elina and Jaxon were inseparable. The siblings were spitting images of each other and had a fierce protectiveness for the other. Bertha could see, however, that Jaxon was taking it a bit too far.

Taking the role of big brother had led him to not consider any of his sisters feelings or opinions, as long as she was safe. She could see that Elina didn't want to add to his worries, so she just listened to him without question. That was bound to create problems in the future.

Meryl, Karl and Dudley were exchange students. Irma had taken them in and acted as a host family. She didn't know much about them, but she did know that they were worried sick about their families overseas. Every attempt made to contact people across the borders were unsuccessful.

As for Oliver, Nord, Helio and Garth, she knew next to nothing about them. She wasn't particularly in a talkative mood when they arrived. Maybe she'd get to know more during this time to understand why they made the decisions that they did.

The thing that bothered Bertha the most was Farron. The kid was only eleven and his parents had been taken away. When he'd first arrived, he never spoke. His eyes were red and the bags under them were too big for a child. He was bruised and dirty and so incredibly thin. She didn't think twice before taking him in. He never thanked her, he never explained anything, he never spoke. No one knew his name.

Until one night.

She was exhausted and just about to head to bed, when a knock sounded against her door. She was about to ignore it when the person let themselves in. Her throat readied itself to scream at the person to go away, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw his face.

He'd put on some weight. The bags had receded, but it was still there.

But what surprised her is when he walked up to the bed and sat next to her.

"I'm ready," was all he whispered.

And she'd never been more unprepared in her life.

The sound that came out of that boy's mouth could only be described as broken.

"It was my birthday. They took them on my birthday," he said softly, his fists gripping the blankets at the side of his legs tightly.

Bertha made to comfort him, to rub circles on his back or to bring him closer, so he had a shoulder to cry on, but halted when he held his hand out, palm facing her.

She didn't speak and he continued.

"My dad tried to fight back. Thought it was a malfunction," he laughed, though it lacked humour, "He always tried to fix everything. Even if it couldn't be fixed."

He spoke slowly, as if he was putting the words together as he went along.

"There was this cupboard that I always hid in whenever we played hide-and-seek. It was in the kitchen, next to the sink. That's where my mom hid me before the screaming started."

Bertha's eyes widened, but bit back her words. He needed to say this. She needed to know what happened. She couldn't afford to interrupt him and risk his losing his train of thought as much as she just wanted to hug him.

" 'Everything will be fine. We just have to fix Jerry, okay? I'll tell you when to come out.'  That's what she told me. I obeyed and I stayed in that cupboard. Then everything went quiet. But she didn't tell me to come out yet, so I didn't."

Farron brought his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly. His eyes were glistening with unshed tears and his bottom lip trembled.

His voice shook as he spoke, "I don't know how long I stayed there for. I must have fallen asleep at some point. I went against her words and came out..."

Farron took a deep breath and then continued, "They were gone. All three of them. She said—" he swallowed, "—she said that everything was going to be fine."

Bertha couldn't do it anymore, she wrapped her arms around the shaking boy and pulled him closer. He didn't fight her and allowed himself to be pulled. She held him tightly as he sobbed onto her shoulder.

"Why did she lie to me?"

Farron had trusted her enough to tell her that, and then she immediately sided with Sam when he arrived.

She should have spoken to him first. Made him understand, but she didn't. And now he's upset.

A loud 'ping' separated her from her thoughts, and she glanced across the table.

Scowly offered a sheepish smile and muttered an apology before he stood up to check out whatever the sound was. His friend's eyes followed him until he disappeared behind the kitchen door.

"Everything okay?", Bertha asked her.

"I hope so," she said softly.

Hurried footsteps were heard before Archer appeared once again.

"We have to leave," his words were directed at Lia and Sam, "It's Cody. He says it's urgent."

xxx

"He didn't mention anything else?", Sabrina asked as she zipped up her backpack.

"For the fifth time, no he did not," Archer replied, annoyance clear in his tone.

Sabrina's face fell. She knew he was worried, after all, Cody wouldn't call them back unless it was important. She was worried too.

Something kept gnawing at her brain. Guilt? Confusion? She didn't know. But things were about to change.

Another thing that needed to change was her identity. She couldn't keep lying to her friends. She'd been thinking a lot about it and thought it was about time she told them who she really was.

She trusted them now, with her life.

"Hey guys?", Sam knocked at the door.

"Come in," Archer called, adjusting the strap on his bag. He'd already packed his stuff, it seemed. Unless he didn't unpack it at all. Knowing Archer, it was the latter.

Sam entered the room and stood near the door.

"I need to talk to you guys about something," he said.

"Right now? Can't you explain it on the way?", Archer queried.

"Yeah, about that...," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I think you should go on without me."

Sabrina stopped what she was doing.

"What do you mean?", she questioned.

"I think I'm going to stay for a while. Try to persuade everyone about the camp thing."

Sabrina mulled it over. It made sense logically, also the message was directed to just Archer and Sabrina, but she felt like there was another reason as well.

Of course, they're literally a family. He's been missing them.

"Sure, Sam. You can stay back," she said before Archer could possibly protest.

Sam's face broke out into a relieved smile.

"Thanks, Lia."

"I think you're forgetting one thing," Archer piped up, and they both looked at him, "How are we going to get back?"

"You can take my bike."

"Take your what?", Archer gawked. "She's practically your child. You never shut up about how amazing she is and how you'd kill anyone who 'hurts' her. And now you just want us to take it?"

"Obviously you're going to give it back. I'm just lending her to you for the time being," Sam explained.

"Yeah, that makes more sense."

"Cool, so are you ready?", Sabrina asked Archer.

"Yep," he said popping the 'p'.

The three walked downstairs to the front door, everyone had already been alerted about their departure. Some were sad to see them go, mainly the children, while others were happy about it.

The children hugged Sabrina tightly as she whispered to them that she'd be back and ruffled their hair.

Away from the crowd, Sam and Archer spoke.

"Take this," Archer told him and handed over the device that he used to communicate with Cody. "To keep in touch while we're away."

Sam accepted it and slipped it into his pocket, "Thanks."

"Thank you," Archer muttered.

Sam had definitely heard it, but couldn't quite believe it if the disbelieving laugh was anything to go by.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm not going to say it again."

"But I don't know what you said."

"Too bad."

"Pleeease."

Archer scoffed, but relented.

"Thank you for all your help."

"You're most welcome," Sam said with a smug grin and held out his hand.

Archer accepted it and shook it.

"Archer! Ready to go?", Sabrina called from her spot next to the bike.

"Yeah."

He waved to everyone, stopping when he was in front of Irma. She didn't ask for permission and grasped his arm. Before Archer knew what was going on, he found himself engulfed in a warm embrace.

He reluctantly wrapped his arms around her in return.

"Be safe," was all Irma said as she separated. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze and then ushered him towards Sabrina.

He felt happy.

"I'm driving," he announced with when he was close to Sabrina.

She pouted, "No fair."

He chuckled.

Now, what's going on back there?