Invalid

Two

Training was hard, one of the hardest things i've ever done. And yet, I knew that when you saw what we were training for, that training would never compare...

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I remember with great detail the day I became an only child.

The smoke was surrounding me, blurring my vision and invading my throat so that I had to wheeze with every breath I took. A hand had grabbed at me and I was too weak to pull away.

Somewhere throughout the commotion, I lost Dekka. She was screaming, I could hear that much. It was loud, earsplitting even.

And just like that, it stopped. After I heard the gunshot that is. 

Jane moved, only slightly but it was enough for me to notice and pull away from my thoughts. The fire had long ago burned out, even after I had thrown my old calender in for kindling. And Jane was shivering under my jacket, given that I had placed it on her about an hour ago.

Now, I am completely standing, alert, hoping a passerby doesn't think we're an easy target. If they do, they've got a rude awakening heading their way.

I'm wearing my normal black tank-top, considering it's one of the few articles of clothing I own, my arms shaking from the cold from time to time but was nothing I couldn't handle. My blonde hair is un-brushed, like always, sloppily put in my normal braid that keeps it out of my eyes. I'm sure my freckles are popping today, unlike my brown eyes, the sun shining more than I expected it would. And my jeans, i've noticed, need to be sown again. The cheep thread I used before is falling from each seam, making huge holes leading up my leg, showing my bare flesh and exposing unprotected skin that could be used against me should I find myself using self-defense.

That definitely needed to be fixed soon.

Jane moaned behind me, my head snapping back as she did. She seemed worse than she did an hour ago, heck, a few minutes ago. The back of my hand rested on her forehead, feeling to see if the fever I found on her had gotten any better. It hadn't.

She moaned again, followed by a cough and the instant opening of her eyes. They fixed on me, focusing their red, blotchy selves on mine before she coughed again. This time it being multiple times. 

My thoughts instantly went to a hospital, she needed a hospital. But that was a dumb thought, Invalids weren't allowed care that nice, ever. Walking into one could get me and her shot on spot. Not to mention Wade, who wasn't far away, playing with a random tradable item and coughing as well, just not as hard.

And here I thought he was the one worse off, I mentally noted. I was wrong.

But his arms were still covered in gashes that needed to be clean before infection could take place. I would need to trade something to get what I needed to clean and bandage him up, and then I could focus on Jane.

Getting up from my crouched position on the ground, I dusted off my jeans, more of the thread coming loose on the side as I did. 

Sighing, I went to Wade, placing in the back of my head the need to get a new pair of jeans at the earliest convenience. Perhaps I could turn these ones into rags for his arms and instead trade something for a new pair and some medicine somehow.

No, that wouldn't work. These pants not only needed a good cleaning, they weren't the right material; too thin. And as far as medicine, that was more than a far off dream, painkillers were possible but medicine for whatever is going on with Jane I knew would cost me dearly.

I heard her moan again, definitely in more pain now, but I didn't turn around, instead taking the tradable from Wade.

It was shiny, something I found back at Westbrook when I stayed there, fending for my life when I stumbled upon an old barn, mold in random spots, causing rot. But it had been my place of salvation for three days back then, me needing to treat a stab wound given to me by a robber at the time. 

On my way out after a few days, I found something resembling a horseshoe, but smaller and looking brand new. That was my first sign that the barn hadn't been old and run down after all, someone had been there, recently. That was three months ago.

I gave it back to Wade, it was useless anyway, at least in this area. People here were interested in food trades, or special talents, not glistening toys.

But I was running low on food as it was -given the decision made last night- so that was out of the question.

Jane again cried out in pain and I closed my eyes tight, I couldn't handle this. Her whimpering continued. I finally turned back around, noticing that she had coughed up what looked like blood, causing me to rush to her side instantly and hold her head up. I didn't need her choking on her on her own blood after all of this, Wade still needed her.

Red covered my arms after the fact, little speckles splattered from more spit ups. Whatever this was, it wasn't a cold.

I turned around to see Wade staring at me, and my arms, with worry. According to him, June was what he knew to be his mother.

Letting out a large breath of air, I came to a conclusion.

Looks like I would be using my special skill to help me with a trade.

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The alley was dark, which was strange for this time of day. It was a little after noon, my stomach rumbling from lack of any kind of meal today. 

I was going to eat some peanuts but I gave the small amount I took from the container to Jane to keep her strength up; she would need to watch Wade while i'm gone and stay alert. She in turn, gave half the amount of nuts to him.

And then, also leaving her with what was left of my water -my throat still dry- grabbing my jacket back from her hesitantly, and slipping my pack on my shoulders, I was off. 

The door looked rusty and insanely old, but was still there nonetheless, just like I was told it would be. The information was given to me by an old half-blind guy, homeless and cold, not at all looking trustworthy considering the rotten toothy grin he gave me after, full of deceit. But still I followed his instructions, seeing as how there were rumors about the spot being around here.

I knocked three times, a pause between each one as I was told, and finished it off with the rhythm relayed to me. 

No more than four seconds later, the door creaked open to show a guy, blond hair and hands placed firmly in his pockets, a tattoo etched on his wrist -a common thing among most Invalids. He was taller than me, but that was normal considering my height of less than five foot, something he was clearly noticing given how he was giving me the same analyzing stare I was giving him, him also noticing the hole in my jeans.

He narrowed his eyes and leaned against the door-frame, his arms now crossed. "Are you lost, sweetheart?" He asked me, his voice low and calm, as if behind him something illegal wasn't taking place.

I ignored his question, instead asking one of my own. "Anymore openings for the fight, sweetheart?" I said the last word in the same teasing tone he had, me now having my own arms crossed over my chest.

"What now?" He had a chuckle mixed in with his words.

"You heard me." I bluntly said. "So, do you have anymore openings or what?"

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