“Dead?” I ask. “But you said they were separated from you.”
“They were,” Sako says. “They were crushed beneath my house when it fell when all of this started.”
“That… there’s no way that’s true,” I say. “You seemed perfectly fine that day.”
“I was at a loss for what to do,” Sako says. “I was in a daze, unable to process what just happened. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I would’ve shattered.”
“How… How did you stop yourself from crying all this time?” I ask quietly. “Even I cried a lot when my mom died, and I wasn’t even close with her.”
“She did cry,” Titania says. “She cried every single night for two and a half months.”
“Don’t tell her that,” Sako says.
“Why not, child?” Titania asks. “It’s better to keep your only ally in the world informed about everything, including your mental state. It’s the logical thing to do.”
“It’s stupid, but I really didn’t want her to know about that,” Sako says.
“You said you had allergies,” I mutter, distraught that she hid this from me for so long. She let me soak her shoulder countless times, yet never once did she come to me. I feel so selfish that I never noticed when it was so obvious.
Sako turns to me with a somber look on her face. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to worry about me.”
I realize I made a mistake bringing it up, because the tears that had been hiding me for the past several months come flowing out of Sako’s brown eyes, tickling her cheeks until they’re bright pink.
“Oh, Sako,” I say, hesitantly placing my hand atop her soft hair. “You really should have said something. I’m not… I’m not the best at this sort of thing, but the thought of you suffering all alone… it makes me feel empty. I just want you to be happy.”
“Thanks, Lily,” Sakos says, giving me a smile as she wipes away her tears. “That means a lot. But I’m okay now, really.”
“Do you promise?” I ask.
“I promise,” she says.
We stare at each other tenderly, the firelight flickering across our faces in the night as time seems to freeze. I've never had a friend before, so this feels unfamiliar, but it’s warm and brings fuzzy tingles to my crescendoing chest.
It’s a shame it took the end of the world for us to meet. I would have loved to be your friend before all of this. Maybe then I would have been different.
The moment doesn’t last forever like we would have wanted, because both of our angels fly in front of our faces.
“If you’re done flirting, it’s time for a reality check,” Angel says.
“We weren’t flirting,” I say.
“He’s right,” Titania says. “Unfortunately, your circumstances have changed, and your odds of survival have plummeted. If you were to encounter a HET right now, you would be killed. Bluffing won’t work on them.”
“What if we go for some of the weak ones?” Sako asks. “There are many different strains, right? Surely the database has acquired more information on them by now.”
“Indeed, there are HET that you can defeat at your current level,” Titania says. “But it is unlikely you will find them before encountering one you cannot deal with. The risk of hunting them as you are is too high.”
“That’s why we were planning on having you remain in the bunker training for several more months,” Angel says. “It would also allow you more time for developing your skills. As of now, you only have a weak fireball at your disposal.”
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“How much EP do we have left?” I ask.
“Enough to develop a skill equal in power to your fireball ability,” Titania says. “In other words, very little.”
“It’s fine!” Sako says enthusiastically. “We can just train and gain more EP!”
“That sounds nice in theory, but it won’t work, child,” Titania says. “Now that your safe haven has been stricken from you, you’re exposed to the elements. Your rations won’t last long, either, plus you still haven’t learned all the basics of the system.”
“You’re so practical,” I say to Titania. “It’s strange, because Angel told me you guys develop off of our personalities, yet you couldn’t be more different than Sako.”
“We’re developed to accommodate your personalities, not replicate them,” Angel says. “Titania being more strict and practical is meant to ground Sako. If they were both happy-go-lucky, the odds of survival for her would plummet. Same with you. You’re cynical, depressed, and jaded. My quippy and upbeat personality was created to prevent your mental health from deteriorating more than it already has.”
“That jab feels personal,” I say.
“Might have been,” Angel says.
“Anyhow, we need to figure out a place to hide and lay low for the time being,” Titania says. “Preferably away from previous civilization structures, as that’s where the HET will be most abundant.”
“Then why not right here?” Sako asks. “In the forest, I mean.”
“You plan to sleep outdoors every night?” Angel asks. “I suppose that could work considering Lily has a history of wetting the-”
“I haven’t done that in years!” I quickly yell. Though I cannot see it, I feel my face become flushed. I turn to Sako, who has her palm over her face to cover her smile. Never before had I wanted to murder an intangible, floating ball of code more.
“It’s okay,” Sako giggles. “I also wet the bed until I started middle school.”
“Actually, Lily didn’t stop until she was a junior in-” Angel starts.
“That’s enough,” I say.
“I agree,” Titania says. “Lily’s bedwetting tendencies can be discussed at a later time. For now, we must figure out a living situation.”
“Oh yeah,” Sako says. “I was going to propose that we make our own shelter out here. My dad used to take me camping all the time because he was really into those ‘bushcraft’ survival series on YouTube. I’m not an expert, but I think we can manage it!”
“I suppose it’s worth a shot,” Titania says. “Though, I doubt Lily will be of any use there.”
“I agree,” Angel says. Though they are only balls of light with no visible eyes, I can feel their patronizing stares.
“That’s okay!” Sako says. “Even though she’s useless, Lily is still a great person, and there’s no one else I’d rather be stuck in the apocalypse with.”
I know she’s trying to defend me, but I can’t help feeling like she threw in her own jabs, too. Look, I’m already painstakingly aware of how worthless I am; there’s no need to constantly remind me.
“This could work,” Titania says. “There are enough animals and fauna to sustain you; all we really need is a pond or a river for water.”
“It has to be a river,” Sako says. “A pond is still water, which is full of bacteria. Rivers aren’t completely safe to drink from, but they have natural filtration systems, making them somewhat safe. Without access to medicine, we can’t afford to get sick.”
“We can look in the morning when it's light out,” Titania says. “How fast can you build a structure?”
“It would probably take me days for a basic one,” Sako says. “And then even longer to waterproof and fine-tune it. Since we’ve got limited supplies, including clothes, we absolutely can’t afford to get wet. So, I’ve been thinking: what if I allocate my remaining points into skills that will help me craft structures and survive?”
“It’s not ideal, as it will put you behind quite a bit,” Titania says. “But this may be the most logical option. If you’re attacked, it’s all over, though.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Sako says. “Because Lily can train to get stronger and become an expert at the system while I do this. Divide and conquer!”
“It’s a solid plan, except that Lily isn’t fundamentally strong,” Angel says. “The AE virus can alter her DNA and change that, but it will take time.”
“It’s okay, because I believe in her,” Sako says. “Do you think you’re up for it, Lily?”
Like I really have a choice. I nod my head yes, and Sako gives me a huge smile. I can only wonder where she gets her endless enthusiasm from. How she can find positivity, even at the end of the world.
“Great!” Sako says, lying down. “For now, we should get some sleep. We gotta get up as soon as the sun rises!”
I used to hate people like her because their overly positive demeanors made them seem like idealistic idiots. Now, I’m the one who feels like an idiot for thinking like that.
I stretch myself across a patch of dirt beside her and shut my eyes. I feel the heat of the coals continue to warm me through the night’s chill as I try to drift away. Through the darkness behind my eyes, I hear Sako murmur something to me softly.
“Goodnight.”