'Kit!' The sound of my name shouted in urgency by Bo's along with the loud bashing, has me and Zach scrabbling for our clothes. Zach grabs a top, pulls it over my head then grabs both our trousers from the floor. 

The door swings open; Bo walks in with a torch pointed at us and a gun in his hand. He halts in the doorway, his narrowed eyes drifting over the two of us: me yanking my trousers up and a topless Zach buttoning his trousers.

Bo's eyes dart between us and he steps forward. 'What have you done to her?'

I frown and look at Zach who looks as confused as me.

'What are you talking about?' Zach asks.

'She was nearly abducted, she's obviously been crying and those people are out there killing us, and all you've got on your mind is how you can get some action. You're sick.' Bo steps closer to Zach and shoves him in the chest. 'I can't stand people like you.'

'What do you mean people like me?' Zach straightens up and pushes Bo away from him.

'She's been through enough without you continuing to take advantage of her when she's vulnerable ' Bo slams his fists into Zach's chest again, causing him to stumble backwards.

I watch the gun in Bo's hand. This is not going to end well. I jump in the middle of them, pushing Bo back gently. 'Bo, calm down. I don't know what you think is going on-.'

'You may think he cares about you but it's an act. He's lying to you, Kit,' Bo snaps at me.

'What the hell is going on?' Ethel snaps in the doorway. Doll and Roman standing beside her peering at us with raised eyebrows.

My face heats as they take us in. Zach with no top on, my trousers unbuttoned and Bo's face contorted with rage.

'All three of you, in the office now,' Ethel barks loudly. 

Standing in the office, me, Bo and Zach shuffle awkwardly while Ethel, Doll and Roman look at us wearily. There's a tense atmosphere, and I'm waiting for the telling off, to be told what I've done wrong, again. Since arriving here, I'm always on edge, waiting to mess up while constantly panicking about people touching me. I'm exhausted.

'Now, more than ever, we need to be vigilant. The new rule is we do not leave the building without an armed companion. Even, if it is to go to the toilet or shower block, ' Ethel says

'I didn't get a chance to tell them.' Bo's voice cracks but his expression is unreadable. Why is he so upset?

Ethel drags a hand down her face. 'Faith's been killed by Klein and his people.'

I inhale sharply, a million questions humming on the tip of my tongue. The most prominent one being, are you sure? Of course, they are.

I shake my head. 'This is my fault.'

'No, it's not. We've had several confrontations over the years with them which have only worsened since Faith and Raz arrived. Klein wanting you is just another excuse for them to attack us,' Ethel says. 'Kit, my priority is keeping you and the rest of the residents safe. I want to help you.'

She can't help, not in the way I really need. They can't return me to my family whilst also enabling me to stay with Zach. They can't turn back time so I could be more careful and not get caught crossing the wall with Zach. They can't stop Zach from being rejected by his mother. 'You can't.'

Ethel steps closer, her hands reach out for my shoulder and I don't understand why everyone is so desperate to touch me, to help me. Not when I don't want them to and not when they can't. I step back.

Ethel sighs. 'Kit, I'm too tired to go around in circles and do this gently so I'm going to get to the point. Your behaviour is erratic. You flinch every time someone comes near you, you watch everyone's movements and you always seek Zach out. Other's have noticed it. He's abusing you-'

'Zach isn't abusing me. He would never hurt me.'

'Sure he wouldn't,' Bo mutters. Is this the reason he's been acting weird? He thinks Zach is abusing me?

'Abuse doesn't have to be physical, it can be psychological too,' Roman adds.

'I'm sure it can but Zach isn't abusing me. Physically or psychologically.'

'Victims of abuse often won't admit the truth, Kit, as they can't see it for what it is,' Ethel says.

'Zach is not abusing me,' I repeat through gritted teeth.

'Tell us what you think is happening, sweetheart?' Doll says softly.

'I struggle with physical contact with strangers, that's all. I know for most it's normal but I can't stop myself from panicking.'

'Why did you leave your previous community?' Ethel asks.

'I had to. We had to.' I glance at Zach who's face is expressionless. When is he going to say something and fight our corner?

'Well, that contradicts the information I received. Yesterday morning, we were radioed by a leader of one of the communities. They told us a boy had coerced a girl into going against her community, her family and to run away with him. A boy who was known for being problematic and violent,' Ethel says crossing her arms in front of her chest as her eyes narrow on Zach.

'They're lying.' I gape at Ethel before glancing at Zach who's mouth presses into a tight line. Louisa is still trying to lie and contort people into believing her lies to cover her tracks.

'Did Zach not seek you out and make you go against everything you'd been brought up to follow?' Ethel asks.

'That's not how it happened.' I shake my head.

'Was he not the one who initiated first contact? Was he not the one who encouraged you to break the rules you'd adhered to your entire life?' Ethel sighs.

'That's not true,' I stammer. She's twisting everything, tainting all my memories with half-truths.

Ethel drops her arms to her side. 'He's set up everything to alter your perception and make you believe you wanted this; that you wanted to run away. But no one wants to leave their family and give up a caring and safe home. Did Zach tell you he's tried to run away before?'

I glance at Zach and he frowns but he still doesn't say anything. A wave of questions wash through me and I'm drowning in the unknown. Is what she's saying true? Zach isn't denying it. A sharp stab of hurt pierces me, does he not trust me? Or is there something else going on?

'He's clever and manipulative, Kit. He set it all up so you'd go with him-'

'No.' I clench my hands by my sides. 'I was exiled from my settlement because I broke the rules but that wasn't Zach's fault.'

Ethel crosses her arms. 'Your family want you back.'

'My family think I was exiled and have been told I died. And the Council Leaders from my settlement would never let me return. The people you are in contact with are called Techies. They're from Zach's settlement not mine,' I snap. Everything Ben and Louisa did rushes back, the memories of pain and hopelessness return and a surge of anger takes hold of me.

This is Louisa's way of getting me sent back. She's tricking people into believing Zach's hurting me, manipulating everyone.

'The Techies want me because I'm resistant to diseases including Virulence. Did they tell you that? Did they tell you, they'd been testing on me for weeks and Zach was the one to get me out?'

A look of recognition passes between Doll, Ethel and Roman before Ethel faces me again. 'We've had our suspicions of what they are capable of. It's the reason we did not inform them you were here, but you should know Klein also received the message. And he knows, as well as I do, a radio message sent from The Techies, as you call them, means you're important. It's why Klein wants you. He's connected the dots and he thinks you'll be a fantastic new addition to the messed up cult he's formed.'

'Why does Klein want Kit?' Zach asks.

Now your voice is suddenly working? 

Ethel glances at Roman who's face hardens. She looks back at us. 'A few years after the Virulence pandemic, Klein started to gather people who had survived, people who were resistant. He set up a community which on the surface functions well but if you dig underneath the fake wholesome exterior, you'll find a lot of disgusting and vile behaviour going on.'

'What does that have to do with me?' I ask.

'He wants to rape you and force you to have his babies, to put it simply,' Roman says harshly.

What?

Doll sighs. 'Sweetheart, tell me what damage do you have from Virulence?'

'None,' I say.

She nods and glances at Roman and Ethel before focussing on me; she gives me a soft smile as she says, 'Klein mentioned earlier you have no damage. Did one of his people check you over? Did they see you had no signs of external damage?'

Bo steps in. 'I stopped them as they were undressing her but they saw enough.'

Zach turns sharply towards me because he knows I lied. I told him they didn't do anything but hit me. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

I shuffle uncomfortably.

'You shouldn't be embarrassed, sweetheart. What they did is all on them. They shouldn't have touched you. You see, Klein has people called trackers. I used to be one of them. We would search for survivors and convince them to join us. I thought I was doing good until I knew what he was like, what he did.' Dolly tucks her hands into her back pockets. 'If he knows or even thinks you survived Virulence with no damage, he'll want you to join them and he'll want you as his pet. Normally, they're not so aggressive with their approach but he must want you bad. He knows you must be special because Zach's people, Tech-whatever, never radio us for anything. So if they're radioing us about two teenagers, there's got to be something unique about you and there's a good chance they'll also come looking for you here.'

'I'm meant to take Kit back to my settlement,' Zach says abruptly.

'What?' I swivel to face him.

Zach tucks his hands into his pockets and stares at the floor. 'The days when you were waiting for me I was with my mum. She found me and told me I could go home if I brought you back. I agreed to collect you which is why they let me get away. I would never have escaped them otherwise.'

'Zach...'

'I told them I was going to take you back,' Zach says again more forcibly.

'When were you going to take me back?' I say stiffly. I don't believe him. It doesn't make sense. He never once talked about going back. He never mentioned returning.

'I planned on doing it when you realised there was nothing out here for us. When you realised it was our only option. My mum told me about Klein and his trackers. It's why I lit the fires as a distraction.' Zach huffs then drags his hand through his hair.

'I don't believe you,' I whisper.

'The evidence is in the sketchbook I never let you look in. It's full of maps I've drawn, details of our journey. I noted all the signs and recognisable features, so we could find our way back there when it was time.'

My insides crumple as I remember all the times Zach spent drawing and writing in the small sketchbook. The little one he always shut when I looked in his direction or woke up. The one he kept tucked away and never let me see. I was allowed to look in the larger sketchbook but never the little one. I always thought he'd show it to me eventually.

I was wrong. Very wrong.

'Did you really think we could have survived scavenging leftovers from two decades ago?' Zach takes a deep breath but doesn't make eye contact. 'We were stupid to think it would work.'

I choke against the ball of tears suffocating me. Only moments ago, I told him I love him. I thought he loved me back.

'We've spent over a month with just the two of us which means you think you feel things you don't really feel. If you hadn't been exiled and we'd stayed back in our settlements, eventually, we'd have drifted apart and you would have settled with someone else.' Zach grits his teeth. 'It's obvious we never going to work. You just couldn't see it due to your lack of relationship experience.'

His words hit me like a punch to the stomach. The ball of tears has turned into sharp shards of glass, tearing my throat. I can't speak but what would I even say? He doesn't think we should be together. He doesn't love me. No words can alter this fact.

A sob escapes my mouth as I dart out the room. I run along the hallway, down the stairs and stop in front of the large door leading to outside.

I can't run. Not when those people are out there are looking for me.

Stumbling backwards along the hallway, I enter the medical room. Fara is adjusting a bag of red fluid which is attached to Haiden's arm.

'Sorry, no one is to come in here...' Fara turns to face me and stops mid-sentence. 'Ignore me. You can stay if you like, Kit. Take the chair in the corner.'

I drop into the seat as large wet droplets roll down my face. Haiden looks asleep but her skin has a grey hue to it, her lips slightly blueish. She doesn't look human. Not a living breathing human.

'Is she going to be ok?' I croak.

'She lost a lot of blood. We've giving her transfusions but her blood type means she can only receive donations from people of the same group which currently equates to two people. She however can be a donor to anyone not that it helps right now.' Fara smiles tightly.

'Can I donate?'

'We'd have to check your blood type first. I'll have to use a needle on you.' Fara arches an eyebrow questioningly.

'Ok.' I nod stiffly.

Fara collects a few items around the room and pulls a chair up to me. I push up my sleeve and offer her my arm. Fara shakes her head and gently takes my finger. 'I only need a small sample to test your blood group.'

I barely feel the prick. She wipes the first spot of blood then proceeds to squeeze my finger so a large droplet of blood forms at the end. I sit absolutely still, ignoring the urge to push her away, to stop her from touching me.

This is for Haiden.

Fara squeezes my finger and drops three evenly space droplets of blood on a small rectangular piece of glass. I watch her add a blue droplet to one of my blood samples, then yellow from another bottle and clear from another. She mixes each of them separately and I focus as the droplet with the clear liquid turns spotty. 

Fara shakes her head. 'Your blood group O which is the same as Haiden but you are O positive, Haiden is O negative so you're not a match.' Fara clears away the equipment. 'Not many are blood group O negative which means Haiden's limited to how much blood Roman and Ethel are willing to give. Actually, Zach was O negative, I hadn't got round to adding him to our list. I'll ask him if he'll be willing to donate.'

He'll probably agree then ask for it back.

The sharp shard of pain wedged in my chest twists and I pull my legs into my chest to stop the ache. It doesn't work.

I clear my throat and choke out, 'How much can you donate at a time?'

'The old rules were you could donate just under five hundred millilitres every three months.' Fara places the bottles on shelves and drops the glass piece into a bucket of water. 'Roman's given nine hundred already and he'll be back to offer more in a few hours. I won't let him.' Fara turns and watches me for a moment. 'I can see they hit you across the face. Did they do anything else?'

'No.' I touch my cheek which is tender to the touch.

'Can I check you over?'

I shake my head. Between those men touching me and what happened recently between me and Zach in the shower block, I'm feeling raw. My entire body hurts, my insides hurt. I feel betrayed and violated.

I trusted Zach. I loved him. I still love him even if he doesn't feel the same.

'You should get some rest,' Fara says.

'Can I stay here?'

'Of course.' Fara turns to the door and opens it. I hear her speak to someone, 'She's here... you can come in...Oh...' The door closes behind her and I curl into a ball. My eyes sting, my throat burns and I'm drowning in a suffocating sadness.

Can someone die from a broken heart? I doubt it. Even in books I read that doesn't happen. Then again, there's always a first.

Squeezing my eyes tightly together doesn't stop the tears. I curl into myself more tightly, it doesn't stop the sensation of my insides being shredded to pieces. I always thought the worst pain I would experience would be leaving my family with the probability of never seeing them again.

I was wrong.

Author's Note

Another long one... So much is going on!

My heart is breaking! Why, Zach? :(