Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

Bodo’s captor.
    “You’re right,” she agreed. “I don’t like you very much. I don’t like you at all actually, because you have terrible taste in girls and you’re immature and stupid. But you’re here, you’re strong, and you’re all I’ve got, so we’ll just have to make do.”
    “Wait a minute. I’m not all dat bad.”
    I shook my head. Leave it to Bodo to get all offended at a lunatic’s ravings. Maybe if he focused on convincing her she was wrong, it could be enough of a distraction for me to get in there and get him away from her.
    I wasn’t sure what to do about her, though. I couldn’t very well take her with us if I had to worry about being gutted around every corner. But could I leave her out here all by herself? I didn’t think I could do that either. My father’s words echoed in my head.
    Take care of those who can’t take care of themselves.
    Ugh. Sometimes his wisdom was a serious pain in my butt.
    I moved closer to the sound of the voices.
    ***
    The light was dim. Sunset was coming and the canopy of branches and leaves made it even harder to see than it should have been. As I reached the edge of the hut, coming up near the most open side of it that had the least amount of trees in the way, I could just barely make out the rooms themselves.
    My former home - two huts connected together - now had two occupants. Bodo sat on a mattress on the floor, and Coli stood in the area we had designated as the pantry.
    I’d been considering a sneak attack, but quickly decided against it. Coli was the best silent-walker in the whole swamp, so there was very little chance I could get anywhere near her without her knowing. Bold and up front was the only way with her. At least if she was going to take a swipe at me with one of her lethal knives, I’d see it coming. As well as I could in the dimming light.
    I walked up to the entrance, making as much noise as possible.
    Her form tensed up immediately, before I’d even taken three steps.
    “Who’s there?!” she shouted.
    “Bryn! Run away! She’s got a knife! She’s crazy!”
    “Shut up!” she spat at Bodo, never taking her eyes off me.
    She walked a few steps forward, stopping at the entrance to the hut. “So, you’re still alive after all.”
    “Yes. Alive and well. Unlike those canners you gutted back there. Thanks for that, by the way.”
    “I didn’t do it for you.” Her tone had gone low. If she were a tiger, I’d say she was getting ready to pounce. I had to keep her off balance.
    “So, we saw Kowi.”
    She stopped and stood straighter. “What do you mean, you saw him?”
    “We saw what you did to him.” It was a shot in the dark, but at the very least would keep her guessing long enough for me to get into position.
    “What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything to him. He’s fine.”
    She sounded like she really meant that.
    “Fine? I wouldn’t call Kowi fine. Not by a long shot.”
    Her arms that had been bent by her sides dropped straight. “Kowi’s out at the ranch. Kowi is fine.”
    “Well, if Kowi’s fine, why did you want Bodo to be your boyfriend?”
    Her face scrunched up as emotion overtook her. “Kowi and I broke up. Didn’t you hear? Didn’t you have a big party when you found out?”
    I knew she was crazy-talking to some degree, but there seemed to be an filament of truth woven through her mad ramblings. I had to figure out what was reality and what was Coli’s sickness.
    “I didn’t hear. I’m sorry about that. I know you loved him. I thought he loved you too.”
    “No. Nobody loves me. Not even my own family, my own tribe!” She screeched the last word.
    I could feel her pain physically, as my heart spasmed for her. No one, no matter how much of an asshole she is, should feel this isolated. Even the canners had friends.
    “That’s not true, Coli. He told me himself that he loved you. He wasn’t just with you for the tribes.”
    “You’re a liar. You’re a liar and a slut.” She advanced towards me.
    I took two steps back. “I’m not a liar or a slut. I never touched your boyfriend, and he never tried to touch me. He loved you. You, not me. Why was he here and not at the ranch?”
    “He is at the ranch! He is at the ranch! Why don’t you understand that?!” She reached up and pulled her own hair out to the side. She didn’t stop until she’d removed half of what she held.
    I watched in horror as she stood there like a statue, her hand full of torn-out hair and her face