Page 74 of Hunt Me
Fauna
My stomach sinks.
Isla knows Ruaridh and she doesn’t just know him; she knows him enough to call him Ru.
‘How are you here?’Ruaridh accuses from behind me, where he is still very much inside of me.
I squirm, uncomfortable being in such a vulnerable position. He pulls out instantly with a curse, I feel the rough fabric of hiscargos against me as he adjusts himself and the oversized shirt I thankfully still have on.
‘Sorry baby,’he whispers, pulling me into his chest.
The move causes some of my nerves to subside, but not completely, thanks to the scowl on Isla’s face.
‘Baby,’Isla repeats.‘What the fuck is going on?’
‘Never mind me, what the fuck is that.’
Isla gazes down to where her palms absentmindedly cradle her small bump.‘God, you would be such a prick, wouldn’t you.’
‘Of course it is my fucking business,’Ruaridh roars. His body tense as he steps towards Isla, leaving me behind.
Nausea assaults me as his words sink in. Why else would they both be so pissed off right now. It’s Ru, Ruaridh is Isla’s baby daddy. How could I be so stupid to think this could be something real, something special? I did not want to give in to the idea that I was just another woman to Ruaridh, someone he could use until the next one came along.
‘I’m so stupid,’I whisper to myself. Tears fill my eyes so quickly that I feel them run down my cheeks.‘I’m sorry, Isla. I didn’t know it was him,’I admit around the lump in my throat.
‘What?’Isla asks, but I don’t give her a second glance. I bolt from the room, not strong enough to face either of them.
Ruaridh shouts my name just as I hear Isla berate him.‘Great, look what you’ve done.’
Sobs wrack my chest as I run down the hallway.
Voices come from behind me, more than just Ruaridh and Isla. Commotion is coming from the main room, where the girls are,but I just can’t go there. I can’t put on a brave face and deal with whatever is happening with them right now.
I don’t bother to make my steps light as I sprint up the staircase. My toe catches, and I stumble, catching myself with my arms outstretched.
I keep scrambling up, not stopping. Tears drench my face and my nose starts to run, my palm wet against the railing as I haul myself upwards to the top floor.
I burst through the rooftop exit into the night sky.
Unable to scream in case someone nearby hears me, I bite down on my lip, not letting my scream leave my throat. A metallic tang coats my taste buds as I sink my teeth deeper, focusing on the pain rather than the messed up situation I have gotten myself into.
The full moon stands proud above me, shining her courage down upon me like many times before.
‘I don’t know what to do,’I confess.
She doesn’t answer; of course she doesn’t. We are alone in this world now, with no one to guide us but ourselves. The earth turned on us with the virus, teaching us a lesson that needed to be learned. She left us to live with the apocalypse and all the spirits of the dead that haunt me. They walk amongst us, some cheering us on and others getting in our way.
The door clicks open behind me, but I don’t turn around.
‘Fauna, it’s me.’Isla says cautiously, her clothes rustling in the light breeze as she approaches.
She follows my gaze up, looking at the full moon with me. We stand in silence watching the nights sky.
‘Are you okay?’She finally asks her gaze now fully focused on me.
I breathe deeply, but the lump in my throat is still strong.
‘I would never have—‘I can’t say it. I can’t let it become a sentence.
