“It’s getting late, do you all do security checks,” Marshall asks.

“Usually we have two people do a sweep. If you two don’t mind helping, it’ll go a lot faster with two teams of too,” Aaimina responds.

“Wait, we had to listen to your stories, doesn’t anyone care how I got here,” Calista interjects. I was the third one here if we’re going in order.”

“She came here looking for a post-apocalyptic fling,” Aaimina sound exasperated with the entire situation.

“That is not what happened and you know it. You’re always trying to bring me down because you’re jealous of me.”

“What is there to be jealous of? I don’t know if you’ve noticed but we’re barricaded in the same hospital. While the rest of us are trying to ration out food, you’re trying to ration your makeup on how long this will last.

“You always do this, you always make it about you, like you’re the best at everything,” Calista is on the verge of throwing a tantrum like a child. “Other people have things to contribute as well.”

“Tell your thrilling story, tell us all how you made it here,” Aaimina insists.

Calista dives into a story about how she was on a shopping trip when society broke down. She was hoping to find a new boyfriend at a shopping center. I honestly don’t care what she’s talking about at all. I choose to help Aaimina collect dishes to wash in the sink.

“You two don’t seem to get along,” I say as she hands me a plate to dry.

“Wish I never let her in here, but she looked so pitiful. I thought I was helping her, didn’t want to leave her out there to die, but I should have.”

“You did the right thing, if you had let her die, you’d have that on your conscious.”

“You don’t need to worry about my conscience,” she assures me.

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“But if what if I want to,” am I flirting? What am I doing.

“I’d suggest you worry about my body first, worry about yours as well,” is she reciprocating my flirting? “We can survive a guilty conscience, we can’t survive grubs eating us,” nope she’s talking about grubs.

I need to get it together. I’m simply being faced with the likely scenario that I will die alone. I don’t want to die alone and I’ve chose Aaimina to be the person I want to die with. There’s no logical reason for me to be flirting right now. It’s just a response to the trauma I’ve endured. Wait, I’m just trying to convince myself that this is a terrible idea, but if she really does like me, maybe I should just say how I feel. No, why would I think she likes me? She electrocuted me, today. But she grabbed my hand, mixed signals. Maybe she simply didn’t want us to leave. She just grabbed my hand because it was close. What is going on right now. Calm down Duane. Now I’m talking to myself.

“Hey, let’s talk outside,” Marshall places a hand on my shoulder.

“Got tired of Calista’s story too,” I ask once we’re outside the living quarters.

“Tired is a good way to put it. I’m going to go check on Marki. It’s been a few hours since we last checked on her. Are you going to stick it out with them tonight?”

“Yeah, I think I will. I want to see their security routes.”

“That all you want to see?”

“Yeah, I’m thinking like a good soldier,” I joke but he doesn’t laugh.

“That’s smart, but allow me to give you some more advice. Don’t trust that woman.”

“What woman?”

“Aaimina,” he doesn’t hesitate.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“She trapped you a few hours ago, and now she’s got your nose wide open.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I do.

“It means since we’ve been hanging out here, you’ve been holding hands, whispering sweet nothings and laughing way too hard at all of her jokes. You’re smitten with the woman who shocked you and left you trapped. If you like women who treat you poorly, that’s your thing, I’m not going to judge. But I will not let you get me killed because you’re paying more attention to her than your surroundings.”

“Understood,” I needed to hear those words.

When I return they’re drawing lots to determine who is going to patrol which parts of the hospital tonight. Thore and Enda are going to take a the lower levels. Niko volunteers for the upper levels. I volunteer to go along with him. The same way Marshall had to get my head back in the game, I need to figure out what the deal is with him, and get him sobered up.

“You missed my story, I’ll have to tell it to you later,” Carlista suggests as I wait for Niko to grab his gear.

“I’ll be sure to find a time to listen. I bet it’s super exciting,” I’m pretty sure she has no idea what sarcasm is.

“He’d listen if it was Aaimina,” Niko reappears making kissy faces.

“Shut up, and let’s get going,” I respond.

“By Aaimina,” he stretches the syllables of her name, “Aai-aai-aaimina,” he sings as we head out.