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Kael had pilfered another thin slither of metal and had hidden it in his boot to be used at another time. His eyes lifted to glance from left to right before he bent at the waist to tug his boot off his foot.
His hands shook briefly, too much work, not enough rest tended to have that effect but eventually, his hands stilled. He crossed one leg underneath him and settled back into his bunk, a knee poked out from a tear that had formed across the denim.
Kael tipped the boot so the thin strip of metal fell out into his palm. He rested the boot down and then picked up the slither of metal to take a better look at it. His other leg was drawn up and the sole of his boot was rested on the edge of the bunk so the shackle was revealed. By now, it had rubbed through the material of his sock and his skin was now red raw.
He turned the slither of metal and compared it to the gap between one end of the shackle and the other before giving a nod of his head. It would work fine. The slither of metal was put back into his boot and it was pulled back on over an aching foot. Rough fingers worked on what remained of his laces until the boot was secured back on one foot.
Fingers now lifted to push dark curling hair off his face and behind his ears, blood and sweat had matted the strands together and dirt lingered in every strand.
As soon as the bunkroom door clicked shut, Hannah scurried around the rows of cots. Her pockets were bulging with silvery rocks. One of them was jabbing into the juncture of thigh and hip something fierce. She got on her knees in the dirt and started scooping out handfuls. When a big enough hole had been dug, she unloaded her stash and patted the dirt back into place.
She wiped her palms on her ragged jeans. Not that it helped a bunch. Even the water in Beowawe was clouded with the stuff. Grit was everywhere -- in their clothes, in their ears, even in between their teeth. Hannah never thought she'd hear herself say it, but she'd barter her underwear for some floss. And considering the seat of her pants had a rip, that was saying something!
She perched on the edge of her bed and scrubbed her eyes with a forearm. She could feel the hollows getting deeper, same way she could feel her ribs poking out of her skin. Even if she hadn't known what the Flesh-Eating Bacteria Demons were after, she'd have tried just about anything to get out at that point. She was hungry, weak, a lil dizzy around the edges, and worst of all?
It wasn't the easiest thing to bring Devon's smile to mind.
Hannah clamped her lips together in renewed fury and looked around. For the guy in the hat, for Joseph or Vicky, or even...
"Kael!" she whispered, and waved for his attention.
( Eternal Optimists )
Hannah's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm an optimist, too!" she claimed, and nodded to emphasize how genuine she was. "I just don't wanna know what you'd smell like as a Weenie Roast." ... blink, blink... Hannah winced. "Not that they'd burn your ... man parts off... just from the shocking part."
"Gee, way to make a guy feel really ...confident," Kael commented with a teasing smile. He exhaled a breath and stretched both legs out in front of him.
"You'll be fine... and so will your weenie," she reassured him, and gave his knee a couple of pats. Hannah flinched as the door swung open again, and a demon with a gun entered and started his rounds. "I better go," she mouthed to Kael, and slipped onto the floor in slow-motion. "Good luck..." A worried look crossed her features, but she forced it away and gave him a smile instead before creeping back to her bunk.
Kael mouthed the words, "Thank you," as Hannah retreated back to her own bunk before he curled his legs back up to rest his arms across the top of his knees. Kael wasn't a religious man, hadn't been to church in several years, but for the first time in many years, he bowed his head and he actually prayed. Maybe someone would listen and see fit to give them all a helping hand.
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