“Hey?”
“Yeah?”
“You ever wonder why we’re here?”
Portland stopped and took a look at her friend. Austin had been with her for several months now. Ever since the sun started engulfing the Earth, it had been a constant fight for survival and he had been there every step of the way. Still, she didn’t like his question. Between running from crazed people, trying to organize some semblance of civilization, and scraping by for supplies, the thought of her place in the universe had not occurred to her. To Portland it was an unfortunate reminder of the days when she could waste all day on questions like that.
“No. I don’t wonder why we’re here.” Portland decided to leave it at that. She resumed walking down the tunnel.
Austin looked at Portland for a moment, trying to read her expression. Her furrowed brow and narrowed eyes told him all he needed to know, but for some reason he felt compelled to continue.
“Well, I do. I think it’s about making the best of the time we have. Every moment we spend is a treasure.”
Portland couldn’t figure out why Austin was talking. He did this from time to time and she never could think of what to say. She tried to get him focused.
“Austin, I keep you around for your rugged looks and protection, not for conversation. You need to focus here.”
“Why? Last time we saw other people was eight weeks ago. Maybe they’re all…”
Austin thought better of completing that thought and both fell silent. The two walked the tunnels in that manner for a long while. The only sound each heard was the other’s cough and the sound of feet on pavement. Austin noticed Portland reaching for the water bottle clipped to her belt five times before he noticed it was empty. He realized that he couldn’t remember the last time it had been full.
Finally Austin couldn’t take the silence.
“How much further?”
This foray into the labyrinth had started five days ago. Portland had suggested a final foray to try and find the government facility hidden underneath the mountain but Austin had a suspicion that they were hopelessly lost. He wondered for a minute how much longer he could go before he realized that Portland had replied. He shook his head to clear the fog.
“What did you say?” Portland huffed and Austin knew he would never hear the end of it. As he stumbled over pebbles she repeated herself.
“I said it should be just around this next turn in the tunnel. See? There’s a light.”
Austin squinted at the tunnel ahead and could see no such light. He told her so.
“What? It’s clearly lighter. Look at those rocks.”
Austin could see her arm shaking. He stopped her and looked in to her green eyes. A couple of years ago he would have considered them beautiful. Right now there were more pressing matters.
“Portland, how much water do we have?”
Her eyes wavered, focusing on the rocks just over his right shoulder. Tears started to well up in her eyes. At the first tear, Austin took her in his arms and made her sit on a rock behind her.
It went on like this for a time before she spoke. Austin saw her mouth move but didn’t hear the answer. He didn’t need to. He leaned over her and wiped her eyes with his sleeve. Satisfied that she was calm again, he started breaking out the sleeping bags. Once he had laid those out, he helped her lie down on hers.
As he climbed into his sleeping bag he felt a nudge on his shoulder.
“Hey.” Portland sounded sleepy, but otherwise her voice was clear. He turned to look at her and was suddenly struck by her eyes.
“Yeah?”
“Ever wonder why we’re here?”
MrZakGuy 