Smolder by Abigail Livinghouse (best young adult book series TXT) 📕

"Seems like you have a nice setup here." I said, observing the sun setting above the broken buildings that was once a prospering city. Trenton nodded seriously.

"Isabella and her husband took me in when I was eleven. They found me in Toronto. I wasn't interested in joining a big group-too much baggage, I thought. But I had no choice. It was either that or survive on my own."

I looked at the little fire steadily growing before us, feeling the same blaze reflected in my eyes as I spoke. "I lost my sister when I was fourteen."

The pain of losing Cassandra was still fresh and raw whenever I mentioned her, it hadn't lessened at all over the four years since it happened.

I didn't bother asking him where Isabella's husband had gone, I already knew the answer. Trenton reached out to touch my shoulder, but I scooted away. He withdrew his hand immediately, his expression understanding.

"My parents and I were looking for shelter anywhere we could find it. It lasted a few months before", he paused, grabbing a stick from the ground and poking at the logs, causing sparks to scatter into the air.

"I never would've thought that this", he gestured at the desolate landscape surrounding us. "Would be the future for our world. I thought we would be prosperous and always advancing, not fighting to survive." Trenton's tone was almost bitter at the end, and I shrugged, wrapping my arms around myself against the chill that was beginning to creep with the coming darkness of night.

I wasn't bitter about what happened to the world, I was kind of used to it by now. Of course when I was a kid and it first happened I was scared, but it had become a daily thing. The Plague was the worst thing that ever happened to humanity, but Trenton seemed to think that it was something to fight against when really, there was nothing we could do.

I looked at him, some of the instructions Isabella had said crossing my mind. "Has Isabella always been in charge?"

Trenton nodded. "Yes. After her husband passed away the group agreed that she would take over. We had about fifty people back then."

I couldn't help it, my eyes widened in shock. Holy shit, fifty people? How in the hell did they manage that? There were only about twenty people left here now, they lost that many? As if reading my mind, Trenton answered my unasked question.

"We have to constantly move. Whenever a herd comes along we have to pack up and run as fast as we can. Its had it's difficulties, and it weighs on many of our people. Not all of us are picked off by Zoners." Trenton trailed off and I stiffened, feeling a cold settling in my stomach.

"This world is just too hard for some of them." He added in almost a whisper.

I didn't press him for any further answers. It seemed as though this group had been dragged through the mud many times, no wonder Trenton and Nathan had been so apprehensive when they found me.

"There aren't many add-ons." I stated, and Trenton shrugged in response.

"We don't want to get people's hopes up. We used to take anyone in that we could, but now it rarely happens. There aren't many people we run into anymore, and even when there are they barely ever seem interested. They understand the hardships as well as anyone else, so most have learned not to expect anything from us." He said, his blue eyes staring unseeingly at something off in the distance.

I took a deep breath, feeling the conversation take a nosedive. My flames flickered absently, and I clenched my fists. Hearing the history of this group, it made me wonder if staying was a good idea. I was only placing more weight on Trenton's and Isabella's shoulders, and what good was I doing? I was just another mouth to feed, another person to protect, and someone else to drag them down. Was it, was I really worth all the trouble?

I was provided with a tent, a blanket, and some clothes. Trenton showed me how to pitch the tent and then take it down again. He made me set it up twice before giving me his approval.

The sun had nearly set and the last of daylight was streaming through the clouds. I was getting tired, and was not looking forward to putting the tent back up. Trenton watched with amusement as I pitched it all over again. He stood with his arms crossed, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Do you want any help?" Trenton asked, as the tent collapsed on my head.

My fire sparked in irritation, feeling my fingers burn as I grasped the edges of the tent and threw it off of me.

"No." I muttered, starting the process once more.

He shook his head, turning around to leave. "Whatever you say."

Trenton waited another minute, probably expecting me to ask for his assistance but shrugging and walking away after I said nothing.

It took me about three more tries before I finally managed to get the thing standing and stay standing. I climbed inside, grabbing the cotton sheet that Mary, a motherly looking woman who I had seen sewing had given me and requested that I sleep well.

Using my arm as a pillow, I rested my head down and stared at the far wall of the tent, completely wired. I could not believe that I had done this. I had actually joined this small group of people, trusting my life in their hands. I had no idea who any of them were, for Christ's sake. Except for two boys who I barely knew. This was so careless, I still wondered what I was thinking coming here. All of my hair was standing on end and my back was stiff, I felt as if I was being watched. And I sure as hell knew I wasn't being paranoid.

I knew Nathan had it in for me, for whatever reason. I hadn't ratted him out to Isabella about the gun, so you would think he would be grateful but no. I received nothing but dirty looks and a curled lip from him whenever I passed.

The rest of the group had been fairly welcoming. I hadn't run into Isabella the rest of the night, she was busy tending to other people complaining about supplies or wondering about where they were going next. I wondered how she handled all the questions constantly being thrown at her. All I could say was that I was glad I wasn't the leader here.

I sighed, rolling over onto my back and staring up at the triangular ceiling coming to a point. I wasn't sure how long this would last, this arrangement with me and these people.

When I closed my eyes and fell into a light sleep, I was assaulted with images of flames, blank white eyes, and cots filled with bloody bodies.

* * *

I woke up to Trenton calling my name. I opened my eyes, squinting at his lean frame standing in the doorway.

"Time to get up Sleeping Beauty." He said, grinning that silly crooked smile that always seemed to be planted on his face.

I rolled my eyes but did as he said, shrugging out of the tent as he moved aside. The sun was just coming up, and I blinked a few times at the sudden brightness.

"It's about six a.m., time for breakfast." Trenton informed me, and my jaw dropped in surprise.

"How do you know what time it is?" I asked, astonished.

Trenton stopped walking and his lip quirked, puzzled as he held up his arm and showed me a scuffed metal watch hanging on his wrist. As I looked closer I saw that the two arms pointed at the six and the twelve, and that the thinnest third arm was moving slowly around the circle. I gaped at it, watching in stupefied amazement. I couldn't even remember the last time I had seen a watch, or the last time I actually knew what time it was. Did they know what day it was too? Or month?

"You okay?" He asked, watching me now with concern evident on his face as his brow came together. I nodded, straightening up. At my reassurance, Trenton and I began walking once more.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just been awhile since I've seen one of those." I jutted my chin down at his wrist. Trenton's scowl deepened further.

"Really? You want it?" He asked, and before I even responded he began removing the watch from his wrist. I shook my head, waving my hand at him.

"No, no it's yours. I couldn't take it from you." I protested, but he ignored me and stopped walking again. He held out his hand, asking permission for my wrist. I shook my head again.

"It's yours." I repeated. The watch was nice and all, but I wasn't sure what Trenton had gone through to get it, or if it was one of the only things he owned from his previous life. Accepting something like that was just something I couldn't do.

Trenton smiled softly, taking my wrist anyway and fastening the watch on. I didn't pull away this time, but wrinkled my nose is displeasure as he finished.

"Trenton, honestly it's yours." I reached up to take it off, but he stopped me, placing his hand on top of mine.

"Siren, I want you to have it." He said seriously, his blue eyes looking right into mine.

I swallowed, pursing my lips. Was I seriously nervous? I couldn't remember the last time I had been nervous. Panicked, yes, worried, yes, but nervous? I had no idea.

Trenton's lips parted, and for a moment I thought he was going to say something, but a shadow seemed to cross his face then, and his eyes darkened. He dropped his hands, placing them in the pockets of his jacket, and the moment dissipated rapidly.

"Come on, you better get some food before practice." Trenton said, his voice gruff as he began walking, not bothering to see if I was following.

I hurried to keep up, feeling a sting of hurt for absolutely no reason at all. My fire simmered along with the hurt, and I abruptly shoved it down.

Nearly the whole group of people were huddled under one tent, while two young girls ladled some sort of grey mush into bowls and handed one to each person. When the girls got to Trenton and I, they handed us our food without a word and moved on to the next in line. I looked at the bowl's contents. It was slimy, and there were a few lumps in it the same color. My nose scrunched up in disgust and I looked at Trenton, who raised an eyebrow at me. His lips twitched, resisting a smile.

"It's called oatmeal. Haven't you ever had it?" He asked, just as the girls returned and handed us each a spoon.

I stuck my utensil in the oatmeal, and it seemed to swallow it up. I grimaced. "No, my parents weren't exactly breakfast people. And after seeing this, I can't say that I blame them."

Trenton's face broke