As I walked away from the military truck, rations in tow, I clumsily bumped into a soldier. He turned with a disgruntled curl of his lip. “Hey, watch it, girl!” He nudged me away with his assault rifle and returned to watching the crowd of people who were gathering to get there food. I wasn’t going to have to wait hours, though. I’d gotten up before the sun did and come down right as people started to fill the area.
I absently brushed the wrinkles from my red plaid shirt and shoved my free left hand into the pocket of my jeans and fingered my rations card. I looked up past the Boston buildings up to the dim sky where the sun had just begun to rise. It was early, and I guessed that Daniel would probably be still asleep when I got back. He wasn’t an early riser, albeit neither was I. One must go to sleep to begin with to be considered an early riser. I didn’t sleep much anymore, so I always felt a sense of tire throughout the day.
I apprehensively turned the corner that I used as a shortcut. Everyday, he was always there: Mercer Liston. The residential “bully” of our area of the city, Mercer had unfortunately picked me as his favorite Target. He’d not tried anything truly violent yet, but I doubted he would. No, he didn’t fear me at all. Fourteen; barely five foot, three; and reaching a maximum of one hundred pounds -- I wasn’t much to be afraid of. No, it was my brother, Daniel, that kept him in check. Twenty one; six foot, five; and about two hundred pounds -- Yes, Daniel Crowe was someone to be afraid of.
And so; this day was like any other; Mercer sat on his apartment steps, lurking like a malnourished Clicker. Fortunately today, he did not have his buddies hanging around with him. He stood up with his impish grin and walked smugly to me. “Emma Jane Crowe!” He refused to call me anything but such; full name and all. “How are we doing today?” He walked at my side and slung his arm over my shoulder.
“I was not bad until you showed up, Liston.” I muttered. He laughed again, moved his arm and gave me an uncomfortable pat on the butt.
“You do make me disgusted so, Ms. Crowe!” He sighed and punched me roughly on the shoulder. “But- uh - you’re not sore on the eyes.”
“Go away before I call the soldiers.” I then lifted the front of my shirt and gripped the barrel around the 9mm pistol in my waistband. “Or I could deal with you myself?” To this, Mercer gave a giddy laugh and clapped loudly.
“Where’d you get that little number, huh?” He cocked an eyebrow quizzically.
“Found it.”
“Oh really? And I guess you’ll be telling me that you’re now best friends with Joel and Tess?” He laughed at his joke.
“Go away, Mercer.” I groaned. “I need to go home.”
“Until next time, Emma Jane Crowe!”
I absently brushed the wrinkles from my red plaid shirt and shoved my free left hand into the pocket of my jeans and fingered my rations card. I looked up past the Boston buildings up to the dim sky where the sun had just begun to rise. It was early, and I guessed that Daniel would probably be still asleep when I got back. He wasn’t an early riser, albeit neither was I. One must go to sleep to begin with to be considered an early riser. I didn’t sleep much anymore, so I always felt a sense of tire throughout the day.
I apprehensively turned the corner that I used as a shortcut. Everyday, he was always there: Mercer Liston. The residential “bully” of our area of the city, Mercer had unfortunately picked me as his favorite Target. He’d not tried anything truly violent yet, but I doubted he would. No, he didn’t fear me at all. Fourteen; barely five foot, three; and reaching a maximum of one hundred pounds -- I wasn’t much to be afraid of. No, it was my brother, Daniel, that kept him in check. Twenty one; six foot, five; and about two hundred pounds -- Yes, Daniel Crowe was someone to be afraid of.
And so; this day was like any other; Mercer sat on his apartment steps, lurking like a malnourished Clicker. Fortunately today, he did not have his buddies hanging around with him. He stood up with his impish grin and walked smugly to me. “Emma Jane Crowe!” He refused to call me anything but such; full name and all. “How are we doing today?” He walked at my side and slung his arm over my shoulder.
“I was not bad until you showed up, Liston.” I muttered. He laughed again, moved his arm and gave me an uncomfortable pat on the butt.
“You do make me disgusted so, Ms. Crowe!” He sighed and punched me roughly on the shoulder. “But- uh - you’re not sore on the eyes.”
“Go away before I call the soldiers.” I then lifted the front of my shirt and gripped the barrel around the 9mm pistol in my waistband. “Or I could deal with you myself?” To this, Mercer gave a giddy laugh and clapped loudly.
“Where’d you get that little number, huh?” He cocked an eyebrow quizzically.
“Found it.”
“Oh really? And I guess you’ll be telling me that you’re now best friends with Joel and Tess?” He laughed at his joke.
“Go away, Mercer.” I groaned. “I need to go home.”
“Until next time, Emma Jane Crowe!”