Awkward Silences (Sharon, open)

I sat in the kitchen with Sharon. Instead of the onion soup and stale bread, we had tomato soup and soft, white bread.
The boys had come good with the last raid. I was happier than normal because I hadn't seen it in a few days and also because Liam was happy. I was sitting at a table with Sharon and her mom, Magnolia or Maggie to most of us.
"Hows Doc?" I asked, making conversation. I hadn't seen Doc for days either. he was either working on something to do with the thing or he was trying to find a way to get the thing out of Jared's girl. Probably. Oh, and also trying to find a cure for Walter. Or at least painkillers.

I dipped my bread in the soup. I had never liked tomato, but it tasted so good to me now. I looked up at Tami when she spoke, I guess we were all so engaged with our food that we weren't talking. "Stressed, I'd say." I said with a mouthful of bread. Then I laughed at myself. I wasn't very close to Doc at the moment, there wasn't alot of him to be close to. He was so focused on work, he had no time for any one else.

I half-smiled. "It really gets to him." I didn't say what I was going to about it being okay that he was only killing the invaders. They had already killed the humans. I just kept quiet and ate a mouthfull of my roll. I half expected her to walk in at any minute. It had been too long without seeing her. That peace had to end sometime.

"Mmm." I managed while stirring my soup. We were almost forced together, this seemed like my oppurtunity to get out. But did I want to? Not sure. "It's quiet, too quiet." I looked at Tami, I'm sure she knew what I meant.

I guessed what she meant, but I was never really close to Sharon, so I wasn't completely sure. "Where do you think she is?"

"Some where wallowing in guilt, no wait doesn't care enough for that." I rolled my eyes. I did blame Wanderer for alot of things.

"Or somewhere, trying to figure out a way to get the Seeker to notice where she is.. Or planning an escape route," I murmured. The kitchen was filling up and no one wanted to be brought down with our conversation, even if it was the truth. Some people just couldn't stand it.

I looked round. The kitchen was filling up, and you can't bitch in a crowded room. Better change the subject. "What was your life like Tami?" I asked eating.

What was it like? That was usually a touchy subject in here. I guessed Sharon was tough.
"Well, it wasn't perfect, but I'd swap it for this anyday. Not that I don't like the people here, I just want a better life for Liam, y'know?" I realised I was rambling so I shut up. "What about you?" I remembered the Sharon was Melanie's cousin. The girl who Wanderer, the mind-erasing alien, had killed.

"Busy, Fun, Happy....Free." I said pursing my lips. I'd given up on ever seeing thise days again. At least I had my mom and dad though, Tami had no-one. And I guess I had Doc, in some sense.

I stared into my bowl when I said this. "What's it like? Seeing your cousin.. like every day... But knowing... it's not actually her?" I imagined Liam being taken and coming back here like Melanie. What would he be called then? 'Clocks Have Faces'? Something stupid like that? I shuddered at the picture.

"Furiating." I bit the spoon. I couldn't bare it some times. "They're nothing alike. Imagine, someone you love being killed, and your living with the murderer." I whipsered.

I realised we were talking about the things that would kill the mood in the kitchen, but thankfully, we were talking quietly. I pushed the bowl away. "Sorry," I muttered. I saw Liam get his food with Freedom. Liam was maturing so fast. He carried Freedom, asking him what he wanted, and making him laugh. He was always cheering up the people in the caves. Ever since Wanderer got here. I looked at the table.

"I know, thanks. I've never been this dark or deep. It's weird. I'm not usually like this." I laughed. I got up from the table and washed my bowl.

I walked with her. I put my bowl on the dirty dishes pile. I think it was Trudy's turn today. I'd help her if she needed it later. I stayed silent at the moment, worried I'd say something that would upset Sharon, I knew that if I was Sharon and some random little idiot kept talking about Melanie, I'd want to either hit her or cry, so I said nothing.

"Your the first person I talked to about it. And thanks for listening. It felt good to get it off my chest." I smiled still talking quietly.

I smiled. "I'm the only one who's been insensitive enough to ask though." I pulled myself onto the counter.

"No not insensitive just unafraid, like me." I grinned. "Or like I used to be anyway." I frowned then. I had changed, everything had changed.

"You shouldn't be afraid now. Your Uncle Jeb might be halfway to the Funny Farm -no offence- but he has got brains and he'd got us all safe here." I murmered soothingly. It was weird. I'd barely spoken to Sharon before, but here I was, telling her who she would be as a person, basically.. I stared at my lap and rolled my eyes at myself.

"Thanks, Tam." I smiled. "Some how I don't feel much better though." I laughed.

"I wasn't expecting it to be a miracle cure," I laughed quietly. "If you ever need anything else off your chest, I'm not going anywhere."

"Thanks," I yawned "Your a good friend." I smiled.

I smiled, her yawn caught onto me. I looked at Liam again, I glanced at him often but I looked at him properly now. He was making Freedom giggle now. It looked like he was having a seizure.

I smiled at the scene she was watching. That was the good in here, surrounded by evil. I bit my chipped black nails, nail polish. I missed buying new nail polish. Took it for granted, like most things.

Liam looked over and saw me watching. He looked at Sharon too, so I did too. She was watching Liam as well. I looked back at Liam and he waved us over.