Page 24 of Chaos Destiny
“Mate,” Gage called, plate raised. “Take this with you on your way, yeah?”
Allen opened his mouth to protest.
“Just take it,” I snapped. “You insulted his daughter, and I don’t have to explain how you hurt me with what you said. Taking the plate is the least you could do.”
Allen trudged over and snatched the empty plate from Gage’s clutches. Gage, however, didn’t make the situation better by saying, “That’s a good boy,” as Allen stormed out of the room.
It was wasted jealousy.
I wouldn’t be getting into any sort of intimate entanglement with another woman’s husband. Or boyfriend. Or whatever Gage was to Ari. If Gage decided he wanted to dally with anyone else in the camp, that was his business, but I wouldnotbe taking part.
9
GAGE
The sun continuedto rise above the horizon. The sky, especially at this time of morning, was a soft amber-gray, and the temperature was almost perfect.
It was during times like these that I wondered whether human life was more like an infection, acancerto Earth with natural disasters acting as her immune system to attempt to obliterate us all.
High-force winds of destruction.
Heavy floods.
Earthquakes.
Volcanoes.
Raging wildfires.
It was as if the more the population grew, the more weapons she sent. Yet, humans continued to thrive. So, this time around, without the help of a core-destabilizing space rock, Earth chose the next best thing—a pandemic. And, as the end of human life unfolded, the sun rose. The sky remained a clear palette that promised a beautiful day.
While we die, Earth smiles.
Amid it all, I stood in front of a squeaky metal water pump with fresh water running through my hair and down my bare chest for the first time in what felt like forever. I was sure there was a rule for rationing water to avoid depleting the underground aquifers, but until someone informed me of those rules, I would momentarily indulge.
A gust of wind blew.
Goosebumps created small hills across my skin.
