Daphne

As I glanced at Ava, still sleeping peacefully despite the chaos swirling around her, a sense of desperation washed over me. I trembled with desperation as it became apparent on my face. With a heavy heart, I nodded in silent acquiescence, my resolve hardening like steel. Logan's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction at having secured our compliance. 

As Logan's words sank in, a chill ran down my spine, and I felt a surge of anger rising within me. How dare he threaten Ava, my own flesh and blood, to secure our loyalty? With seething fury, I watched him stride out of the room.

What a fucking arsehole. Threatening my sister and taking advantage over our desperation. Who does he think he is? He is just on a power trip. I will not tolerate this one bit. I will find a way out. How on earth did Ryan even know about his bunker anyway? How could he have not known who Logan was? I wish I treated Ava another way. What have I done? 

Breathing in deeply, a fire ignited within me, burning with a mix of emotions. Tears welled in my eyes as I glanced at Ava, feeling a pang of regret for the situation I had unwittingly dragged us into. My gaze shifted to Ryan, whose guilt was palpable.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought yo--" he began, but Ryan's eyes met mine, our expressions pained.

"It's okay," I interrupted softly, my voice heavy with remorse. "We were desperate. I'd do anything to make sure Ava will be okay."

I should have asked a thousand questions before I entered that bunker. Why didn't I stop and think? I just took a stranger's word for it, no disrespect Ryan. No I need to stop with the guilt, I would have done it a thousand times again to ensure Ava was okay. They did do a cracking job, stitching her up, after all.

I nodded, a silent acknowledgment passing between us. Sitting beside Ava, I gently stroked her hair as she slept, a sense of protectiveness washing over me. Ryan remained in the armchair nearby, his presence a silent reassurance in the midst of our turmoil.

From time to time, members of Logan's gang would make appearances, likely to ensure we hadn't made any attempts to escape. 

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The hours drifted away as we fell asleep helplessly.  Rubbing my weary eyes, I let out a tired yawn. My gaze fell upon Ava, who offered a weak smile, filling me with relief. Springing up from my position, I was overjoyed to see her awake. 

SHE IS AWAKE! Oh no, she must still be in pain. I hope she doesn't remember exactly what happened. T'was a nasty scene. Oh Ava, I have gotten us into trouble. There is a madman that goes by the name Logan, who wants us under his control. We are so fucked, little one. I promise, I will do my best to protect you sis.

I let out a soft gasp, leaning in to press a tender kiss to her forehead. "My precious, my brave little gem! How are you feeling?" I asked, my concern evident as I fussed over her blanket, making sure it was snug around her.

"My leg hurts a bit," Ava murmured softly, her words barely audible. A puzzled expression crossed her face as she looked around. "Where are we?" she inquired softly, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

I have absolutely no fucking clue, Ava.

"We're safe, sweetheart," I assured her, mustering a comforting smile despite the lingering unease in my chest. "You're with me, and everything's going to be okay."

Ryan, awakened by Ava's voice, approached her bedside with relief. "Ava!" Ryan's enthusiastic voice rang out as he rushed to join us in celebrating her recovery.

The commotion of our awakening seemed to spread throughout the gang, and soon enough, a ginger-haired man arrived bearing breakfast. We were taken aback by the sight of our plates, filled with fish fingers, mashed potatoes, and sausages—luxurious fare in our post-apocalyptic world. Thus, we devoured our food within minutes and giggled as Ryan let out a disturbing burp.

BANGERS AND MASH? Maybe God did send me here for a right reason after all.

During a quiet game of 'I spy', my heart jumped as Logan's words echoed, nearby.

"Daphne, come here." his commanding tone cut through the corridor, sending a shiver down my spine. Trembling, I glanced at Ryan, who offered me a reassuring nod, his protective demeanour evident as he reached for Ava's hand, promising her safety in his presence.

Just finish me off with a heart attack, why don't you? Shit. Why just me? Maybe he does really want to kill me. Oh no, why am I still walking towards this voice? I should run. No, Ava can't run. Fuck it, we wouldn't make it past the front door anyways. Least Ava is okay with Ryan for now.

Taking a deep breath; I composed myself as one of Logan's men escorted me into his office. The door slammed shut, leaving me alone. I directly stared into Logan's eyes as I steadied my voice, "What?".  A flicker of anger flashed in Logan's eyes as he detected a hint of disrespect in my tone. What scared me the most, however, was how swiftly his facial expressions shifted. In an instant, his eyes transformed, gleaming with a newfound sense of ambition.

I am absolutely shitting myself. At least let me pretend to be confiden- did he just change his expression that fast? I am standing in front of a psycopath. He is probably going to ask me to do a suicidal task, an unnecessary one just to see me sweat.

Logan's gaze bore into mine, his expression inscrutable. "We need you to run an errand for us," he said, his voice low and authoritative. 

"It's fairly easy: we need you to take these supplies to the outskirts of town. There are people in need, and it's our duty to help them", he tapped at a heavily wrapped parcel that sat on his desk.

My heart sank at the prospect of venturing into unknown territory, especially with the risks that came with dealing with other survivors. But I knew better than to question him. For now.

You. have. got. to. be. shitting. me. He wants me to play pass the parcel. In the middle of fucking nowhere. With a bunch of strangers. Okay, has he forgotten a virus just wiped most of us out but no, he wants me to play nurse. Bottom line is, I need to do this for Ava, the quicker I do this, the sooner we get out of here.

"Understood," I replied, forcing myself to maintain a facade of composure. 

"Listen to me carefully," Logan growled, his voice low and menacing. "You so much as think of escaping or seeking help, and your sister and Ryan will pay the price. They stay with me as insurance." He paused for a moment, glaring into my eyes: "Don't try to play the hero, I will always know", his words confidently echoed in my mind.

Well thank you for bursting my bubble, Logan. Exactly what I was thinking. Escaping without taking Ava nor Ryan with me. Fucking twat, despite his ravishing good looks, he really is scared of losing control. His weakness. As long as he doesn't touch Ava, we won't have a problem.

"I won't let you down", I responded with determination, vowing to protect Ava and Ryan, at all costs. I grabbed the parcel, without breaking eye contact and left the room quietly, feeling his eyes burning on me. I was then given a map and a backpack by one of his gang members. 

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With a heavy pack slung over my shoulder, I set out into the wasteland, the weight of the supplies a tangible reminder of the responsibility that now rested on my shoulders. As I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling with unease. 

The outskirts of town were a stark contrast to the relative safety of our safehouse. Dilapidated buildings stood as silent sentinels against the backdrop of the desolate landscape, their crumbling facades a testament to the hardships endured by those who called this place home.

It still feels surreal. Fragments of our lives before this virus. I can't believe we are living like this. I never truly had time to process the change, the lifestyle, the risks, the losses. Being immune was just the bonus; only the strongest can survive. I had to be the strongest, for Ava's sake.

Giving the parcel to those in need seemed straightforward, until their suspicious glances and cryptic whispers made me question everything. 

"You're new around here, aren't you?" one of them said, eyeing me with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine.

"Yeah, just trying to help," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the unease creeping in. 

I quickly zipped the backpack, hoping to deflect any further conversation.. until I turned around to leave and met a familiar face in the crowd.. surely not the ginger man. It was then that I realised the truth: these people weren't just in need, they were part of Logan's gang, their desperate pleas for help nothing more than a ruse to test my loyalty.

My heart pounded as realisation dawned. They were testing me, reporting my every move back to Logan.

Wait.. that ginger man delivered our breakfast, this morning. Fuck. I underestimated Logan, he is testing me. Testing me for what? To not run away? I wouldn't have run away without Ava nor Ryan and if I wanted to, I had already done it by now. I may have underestimated him but he is definitely underestimating me right now too which is great. I can plot and escape.

As I made my way back to the safehouse, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered from my encounter with Logan's spies. But I pushed it aside; I knew better now.

When I returned, Logan was waiting near the entrance, his gaze piercing as he scrutinised me for any sign of weakness. "Did you deliver the supplies?" he asked, his voice betraying nothing.

I nodded, forcing a sense of nonchalance that I didn't truly feel. "Yeah, dropped them off just like you asked," I replied, hoping to maintain the facade of loyalty.

It is game on mate. 

To my surprise, Logan's expression softened, a rare hint of approval flickering in his eyes. "Good," he said simply, his tone surprisingly gentle. "You did well, Daphne."

To my surprise, he motioned for me to follow him, leading me through the corridors of the safehouse until we reached a familiar door.

Pushing it open, my heart skipped a beat as I saw Ava and Ryan sitting together, safe and unharmed. Relief flooded through me as I rushed forward, enveloping them in a tight embrace.

The thin ice I was walking only just thickened.