18 Chapter 18

Clareta kept on laughing long after he was gone and it was starting to get a little bit annoying. I'd laughed with her when he had gone but now it was no longer funny. Saying it was no longer funny made her laugh even more.

"Clareta," I growled when she went into another laughing fit. The boy had probably even forgotten what happened.

"I'm sorry," she said, still laughing and I rolled my eyes. "It's just... What was that handshake thing?"

I fixed my gaze on her. "Ask Ezra."

Her laughter died faster than a flame that had been snuff out as she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. She scowled when she saw the smirk on my face.

"Shut up," was all she could say in defence and I snorted.

I had guessed that she has a crush on him and her reaction just proved it. I couldn't help but feel bad for her because she wasn't Ezra's type.

What looked like the soccer field had been converted into a livestock pen with an hastily erected fence surrounding it. A couple of cows were in the field. A large caged in chicken area was at one side of the field.

There were some people there gathering eggs from the chicken coop while others fed the chickens. According to Tatyana, there were seventy-nine people in the estate, now eighty-nine due to the addition of our group.

The dining hall wasn't a hall. It was a couple of huge gazebos that had round tables and chairs arranged under it. I watched the people wiping down the tables as Tatyana told us the time food was served. It was seven AM for breakfast, twelve PM for lunch and six PM for supper. She also told us the rules, which were pretty straightforward. Do not leave the estate during the day without alerting someone and do not leave at night without permission. No one should be on the streets once it's twelve PM. Everyone had to contribute to the smooth running of this place except if they physically couldn't.

People over sixteen could go on scouting runs, stand guard in the guard post, work in the kitchen, help with the livestock or help with planting since the estate needed to be self sufficient soon. The children could only help with the livestock, planting and in the kitchen.

We had a week to settle and be comfortable before we chose what to help with. I had decided I was going to work in the kitchen while Clareta wanted to go on scouting runs. Tatyana worked in the kitchen and told me she'd talk to her mum who was the head cook to give us the same shifts.

She said we could learn how to shoot but we needed permission from Captain Caldwell, the person that runs the estate. He was currently out on a scouting run.

"If he's out, where's Cassandra?" I asked.

"She's meeting the second in command, Colonel Bates... that's where I stay," she said, pointing to a house across the street.

I nodded at her and Clareta asked. "How are you?"

"Twenty. That's Wesley's house."

I was horrified at the suggestive smile she threw my way when she said that while Clareta studiously stared at the map in her hand.

"He's looking for a girlfriend, you -"

"I have a boyfriend," I stated, cutting her off.

She splutters and her eyes go wide. "Isn't he your cousin?"

"Daniel is not her cousin," Clareta answers for me as she folds the map.

"Ah," she becomes red faced and starts to laugh. "I thought he was single."

I let out a laugh that matched hers. "No, he is not."

"Oh my – I am so sorry. Don't you dare laugh," she said to Clareta who was trying to suppress her laughter. "Enny, I am so sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked and her face becomes redder.

Did she ask him out?

"It's okay," I muttered, waving her off. It's not like she had known.

She didn't say anything again and we arrived at the game house a couple of minutes later. I had thought it was something they created after the pandemic but it was obviously a place that had been built before it. The building covered a large expanse of land and didn't have a gate, just huge double doors made of glass.

Bicycles and skateboards lay strewn over the short grass in front of the building. A park was next to it across the road, it covered a wide area that could fit about three small houses. It had benches, ornamental trees and water fountains. There were children and dogs playing there. Jack was there but Alison wasn't.

"Dogs aren't allowed in the game house," Tatyana said as she pushed the door open.

Cold air hits me instantly as we step in, licking at my exposed skin. It was noisy. The sound of video games and people trying to talk over each other filled the air. There were a couple of arcade game machines to one side while couches and video games were at the other side. I could see three pool tables and a bowling alley in the distance.

"Okay, it's nine twenty-six right now. I have to go to the kitchen by ten thirty but if you want to leave before then, I'll be right over there," Tatyana pointed at one of the couches in the video game side before she started to walk away.

She came back. "Or do you want to come with me? I could introduce you to some of my friends."

"No, it's okay," I said as I saw Alison. She looked up from an arcade machine and smirked at me before she went back to playing.

"Bye."

"Pretty sure she does not want you to have the same shift as her now. Let's play pool," Clareta said before pulling me towards it.

"I don't know how to."

"Neither do I."

"Then why- "

"I want to learn."

One of the pool tables was occupied and three boys there invited us to join them. I didn't want to but Clareta had already agreed. After a round of introductions that I would soon forget, they arranged the balls on the table with a triangle rack.

After a couple of minutes, it was obvious she didn't come here to learn. I watched as she pressed herself against the guy that was teaching her how to line a shot. The guy smirked and muttered something in her ear and I grimaced as she giggled.

I thought she has a crush on Ezra.

"Do you want me to teach you?" one of the guys asked. I think his name is Kyle.

"You can't line a proper shot to save your life, I'll teach you," the other one said. Kayden?

I let out a nervous laugh. "No, I'm –"

"Enny." I turned around to see Tatyana approaching.

"Hi guys," she said and they muttered a half-hearted 'hey'. "Captain Caldwell is back and he wants to see you."

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