“Love is a strength as much as it is a weakness.”
~Knight Gadfly
“Goddamn.” Devin whispered to himself. Or at least he thought he did.
Jenkins gave Devin an affronted look. “Excuse me?” .
“Oh. OH! No. Sorry, Specialist Jenkins. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“First,” She held up a finger. “Please don’t use my rank; that’s just weird. Second,” She flicked up the second, a good-natured smile on her face. “Please call me Jenkins. I’m not in uniform, so let me forget about it.”
“Of course, Jenkins. I’m glad that you’re here.” Devin returned her smile. “Why are you here anyway? I didn’t expect to see you, since I…” Devin left the assault on her superior unsaid.
“You mean when you punched the fuck out of my corporal.” She smirked.
Devin gave a hapless chuckle. “Yeah, you could say that.”
“He still got a bruise on his jaw. I wouldn’t say he didn’t deserve it though.” She stepped to stand beside him, overlooking the rest of the party that stretched from the kitchen to the wide backyard. “You gonna share that?” She asked, eyeing his hand.
His heart raced until he realized she meant the unopened beer in his other hand. “Of course.” He said, popping off the cap. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” She took the bottle, downing more than half before letting up.
“Goddamn.” He meant it this time. “I thought I was pretty bad around beer.”
“I’m in the army, sir.” She pinned him to his spot with a squint. “Don’t go around think I don’t know how to have a good time.”
‘’Yes, ma’am.” Devin mock-saluted, taking another swig of his beer in the process, which earned him a tinkling chuckle from her. The feeling must’ve been contagious, because something light bubbled in his chest.
“You have a nice laugh.” He blurted out before he thought better of it, much to his immediate regret.
She stopped, “Was that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Whatever you want it to be?” Devin shoved his beer in his mouth to shut himself up before he said something even more stupid.
Jenkins gave him a weird side eye, “You know, every guy that tries to flirt with me is horribly awkward, but I figured living in the apocalypse would make things easier.”
“Did it?” Devin couldn’t help but ask.
“Not one bit. If anything, it's gotten harder.” Her voice tapered off to a whisper. “I don’t know who to trust, and all this super-normie bullshit just makes things worse.”
Devin nodded. He understood it a little bit. That's why he’s been trying to keep everyone at an arm's length.
Trying, and failing.
“I could only imagine what’s going through your head right now.”
She snorted. “I could say the same about you. What’s going on in that superhuman brain of yours? What do you know, what do you see?” Her voice was wistful and longing, as if she was looking at a dream she could never reach.
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“I could tell you about it.” He offered her his hand, not thinking much of it. “If you want.”
She smiled at him. “If you don’t mind me picking your brain.” She took his hand, but didn’t let go as he led her out the party, food and drinks forgotten.
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“HEY, STOP RUNNING INTO PEOPLE!” Gerald yelled over the music at his kids who were gleefully weaving through the crowd in a game of tag with the other kids. He shook his head. “Where’s your little soldier girl?” Gerald asked his brother, Jebidah.
“I don’t know. Must be somewhere in this crowd.” Jeb said, waving over the party. “Where’s your hunting pal? I was hoping to talk to him some more about the defense tonight.”
“You’re going to scare him coming on that strong.” Gerald shook his head. “Besides, don’t you have anything other than OCPs?”
Jeb looked down at his uniform. “What’s wrong with camo?”
Gerald shook his head. “This crazy bastard.”
They were in the middle of organizing this party when his brother barged in, and demanded he let him invite a few of his soldiers to the cookout. While one was nowhere to be found, the other four mixed in with the locals and survivors just fine. Gerald even spied the twins mixing around. I’m glad that they’re alright, but I’m a little worried about Devin, I was hoping to talk to him too.
He chose to take his mind off it, and the monster horde that was guaranteed to form up at their walls tonight, letting the mind-numbing experience of burning meat on a grill do its work.
“Have you heard anything amongst the survivors? Like rumors?”
“What kind of rumors?”
“Some super assassin, and anything about people with the mayor, or even my unit engaging in illicit activities?”
Gerald sighed, “Jebediah, you promised not to bring work with you here. Remember? When I made you say word for word ‘I promise.’”
“You don’t understand. There’s things at stake.” He said, the worry in his voice clear as day.
“And that crap can wait. Now, if you don’t shut up and eat your ribs.” Gerald stuffed a plate into his brother's hands and shooed him off so he could hand out the rest of the food.
It didn’t take long for his wife to notice his bad mood, despite the smile he put on his face. “What’s wrong honey?” She asked him while helping him hand out food.
“I don’t know, baby.” Gerald sighed. “Just got a bad feeling.”
“Well, I’m here for you. Anything you need, I got it.”
“I know, babe. I know.” He gave her a peck on the cheek, but didn’t say his true thoughts.
What I need is more power, so I can make sure nothing happens to you guys. He thought as he glanced at his beautiful wife and baby girls who played with the few other kids.
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Orange hues and warm tones filtered from the clouds over Bainbridge in spotlights of large rays, bathing the survivor hub in beams of saffron light. The people were out in mass, going to and fro around the safe zone, utilizing the last couple hours of daylight left.
Jenkins and Devin walked side-by-side as he led her back to his house, an awkward gap between the two. It was his fault; Devin was so surprised they were still holding hands that when they got to the street he yanked it back in a fit of nervous panic. Maybe a little too hard.
“Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Devin asked.
“No, like I said, little boys can’t hurt me.” She smirked at him, walking a little ahead of him, just enough so he couldn’t see her rub her arm. It made him feel all the more guilty.
Oh my God, I’m taking a girl back to my house. His face heated up at the realization. I hope she doesn’t think I’m trying to make my move on her.
“You’re not trying to lure me to a secluded place, are you Mr. Devin?” she asked a little too loudly.
Devin slapped his palm to his face to hide his embarrassment. “Oh please,” He tried to salvage the situation. “If I was trying to do things with you, then you would definitely know.”
“Is that a fact?” Her eyes sparkled. Devin couldn’t tell if it was from her mirth or the setting sun.
“Yes. What I’m trying to do is pick your brain before you pick mine.” Devin cleared his throat, trying to change the subject. “The Army; you like it? Helping people, I mean.” He quashed the urge to kick himself for stuttering out the question.
Her face fell, almost imperceptibly, but Devin saw it just the same. For some reason, he felt his heart fall drop right along with it.
“It’s alright, I guess.” Jenkins sighed. She kept her face towards the gleaming horizon. The crowd around them diminished rapidly the closer they got to the newly-built wall. “It’s a job, like everything else—except I’m always on the clock.”
Devin flashed the soldiers guarding the wall his soul card, signaling to the earth shapers to open the gates and create a temporary bridge over the now water-filled trench. The two crossed the moat with rubble strewn about in the streets greeting them on the other side.
Jenkins spoke up again as they left the soldiers’ periphery. “Honestly, I wish we were spending most of our time helping people. Instead, they just have us hurry up and wait—for hours. I get that there could be an emergency, but it’s hard to swallow watching other people pass me up in rank and personal power.” She vented to him.
“Even if you’re doing nothing most of the time, you’re still playing a role—you still want to help people.” Devin remarked. “That’s better than 90% of the population who just care about themselves. Myself included.”
Jenkins grabbed his wrist and stopped in her tracks, forcing Devin to stop as well. “What are you talking about, you're one of the most selfless Supers I know. If it weren’t for you, we all would’ve died.”
“But it was my fault all that shit happened.” He sighed despondently. “I was the strongest guy there. I even had a card to give me an early warning, I should’ve known—we could’ve ran if I was quick on the uptake.”
“This is the apocalypse, Devin,” Jenkins said, pinning him to his spot with her brown eyes. “You can’t account for everything, you can’t predict what this crazy world will throw at you next. Stop beating yourself up, and keep moving on.”
Devin gave her a soft smile. “I appreciate that.”