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  “C’mon, I’ll show ya how we cut the veggies”. I smirked and walked over to the table. She spun back around, while I placed my bottom on the cool wooden seat. I tried not to squirm at the closeness of their bodies around mine. Close quarters! Calm down Jade...you’re good!

  “Since we have only three cooking knives we pass them around like this”. She slid the small cutting knife across the table to Mag.

  She picked it up by the handle cautiously and began to slice up a carrot. I eyed the sharp blade with interest. The steady thud of the blade cutting bits and pieces off the carrot. My throat made an odd growl that rumbled down to my chest. Oh good god...a carrot getting annihilated is making me feel all kinds of ‘what the freak’

  right now! I’m blasted giddy even

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  I swallowed loudly. Tyanna stopped dicing the onion in her hands and gave me a worried look.

  “You okay?” She cocked her head to the side in thought. “This must be making you hungry huh? Don’t worry. In about twenty minutes lunch should be out these doors in a jiffy”. She continued to dice while she hummed.

  “Here”. Bradley rolled a couple Yukon potatoes over to me. I caught one that almost went off the edge; fast as lightning. I smiled inwardly. Those reflexes though...

  She stared at me curiously, then whistled low. She shook her head and got out a bag of green apples and started to cut them up. I wonder if they had raided a supermarket to get all this food.

  I held up a potato and twirled it slowly in my hand.

  “These still look fresh. Where’d you get em’?” I asked examining it.

  “About a couple weeks ago. Our last group of runners past by a farmers market. They said, some of the fruits and vegetables haven’t gone spoiled yet, so they took what they could carry and brought it here”. Mag explained.

  “How convenient”. I muttered. Mag looked up at me and smirked.

  “It was hecka convenient. The run before them only came back with boxes of microwavable food and gooey frozen TV dinner packages”. She shivered and made a gagging sound.

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  “Yeah I’ve never seen so much half frozen meat loaf and peas in all my life”. Bradley added. Sophia jerked her chin in silent agreement. She doesn’t talk much does she? I won’t ask though.

  I ain’t about to pry into her business; ain’t nosy like some people.

  Tyanna wiped down the knife with cloth and handed it to me tip first. From anyone else’s point of view it might have looked like she was threatening me with it.

  I sucked in a breath and sniffed. I picked the knife out of her hand with my fingertips; with ease I tossed the knife up into the air and snatched the handle before it could fall. It was a small knife, no smaller than a fruit knife. It weighed like a feather. Unconsciously, I twirled it a few times in my hand and started to peal each potato expertly. I hadn’t realized the room grew silent. I winced and looked up. Everyone’s eyes were on me. Mags in particular were wide, tiny black dots in pools of white. Bradley’s mouth was open in...Horror? Shock? Amazement?

  Sophia looked neutral, though I noticed the slight quiver of her lips.

  I looked between Tyanna and Cathy, both of them had on ridiculous smiles. I put the cleanly pealed potato and knife down.

  I pursed my lips and folded my hands in my lap.

  “What?”

  “Holy amaze-balls! Where’d ya learn to do that?” Bradley shouted.

  I arched a brow, her eyes burrowed into mine with...what’s a good long word to express this—oh! Astonishment.

  “I’m not sure what you mean”. I asked innocently. Tyanna nudged my side with her elbow.

  “You didn’t tell us you were a knives expert! Missy you holding’ out on us?” I tried not to grimace and rub my ribs. Still hurts when Elise punched them.

  “I’m not a knives expert...”

  “Please!”. She shouted.

  “Language”. Mag snapped back at her.

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  “Then explain what all of that tossing stuff was”. She mimicked flicking something in the air with her hands. I shrugged.

  “I dunno. I wasn’t paying attention so I’m not totally sure what you mean”. I started to cube the peeled potatoes.

  “What are you doing now?” Bradley asked. I continued to cube and looked up at her.

  “Hm?”

  “Oh! You are holding out on us!” Tyanna jumped out of her seat, her body shook with energy.

  “I’m...cutting up the potatoes?”

  “Cu—you’re not just cuttin’ them”. She exclaimed. I reached for the next one and started on that without looking away from her.

  “Sure I am,” I picked up a large cube chunk and tossed it up and down. “I’m merely cutting the potatoes in cubes so that they all cook and finish at the same time”.

  “Cubes?” Tyanna and Bradley asked in unison. I opened my mouth to explain, but Cathy beat me to it.

  “It’s a cooking term. Cube, Julienne, Mince, Shred, etc.” She paused to look at me and smiled. “I attended a culinary school during my college years so I know what they all are sweet heart”.

  Tyanna and Bradley both asked me,

  “How old are you?”

  “Seventeen. Why?” Tyanna scoffed and plopped back down on her seat. Bradley shook her head and giggled.

  “Cooking master and knives expert...what a strange world we live in”. Tyanna said detachedly. Mag chuckled.

  “I’m not surprised. It only explains why she has a pair of swords strapped to her back”. Tyanna twitched.

  “Ooh! I totally didn’t notice those till now,” She bent back in her seat and traced the black sheath with her finger.

  “Are they real?” Bradley asked. I smirked and nodded.

  “Tough Japanese steal I can tell ya that. Called, “Tamahagane”

  which means “Jewel-steal”. The forging process takes a long

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  time. By the time I got these bad boys I literally almost peed my pants. Sharp as heck, they could slice through almost everything”.

  It warms my heart to boast about my babies. I sighed dreamily and resumed cutting up the rest of the potatoes. A satisfied smile pasted on my lips.

  “How in holy-bells did you get real Katana’s?” Tyanna asked incredulously. I pushed aside the finished potato pieces and winked.

  “Now that, I’ll leave as a mystery”.

  After a couple of minutes, we’ve all set ourselves into a steady rhythm. The veggies were stirring in a large steal pot. I placed the platter of sliced apples on the table in the cafe room. A long with the stew is warm bread slathered in butter. I helped Mag carry over the large pot and set it down on a wooden board on the table.

  Sophia trailed after her sister like a baby chick, and I thought well ain’t that just blasteded sweet Placing both my hands on my hips I huffed.

  “Thank the gods! I’ve finally found you”. I looked over my shoulder and found Elise flushed and panting.

  “Hey there”. I waved.

  “Hey’ my arse! I’ve been lookin’ all over the god blasted place for you. Do you have any idea how worried me and Nika were? Nearly gave me a freakin heart attack”. She grunted and stormed over to me. She was a good two inches taller, plus the added one inch from her boots. She practically towered over me. Don’t make me look diminutive E. please don’t.

  I twisted my lips in order to hide my smile.

  “Sorry?”

  “Pfft. You better be freakin blasted sorry”. She rolled her eyes.

  “What were you doing here anyways...?” She traveled off and looked around me. I heard her stomach grumble. I arched a brow and snickered.

  “Is that...is that what I think it is?” She whispered.

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  “Yes E. It’s food. They’ll be serving in ten minutes”.
Her green eyes brightened with delight. I shook my head. She’s gone.

  “Hey”. Cathy passed behind us. Her curls bounced with each step.

  “Cathy this is Elise. A friend of mine. And—where’s Nika?” I asked her.

  “Somewhere. Doin’ something—everywhere—move”. She pushed me aside and stalked into the kitchen.

  “She seems nice”. Cathy chuckled. I crossed my arms and hummed.

  “Yeah, word of advice: Don’t have any sort of food on you. Specifically during the middle of the day. I won’t guarantee you’ll survive the attack”. She blinked.

  “Attack?”

  “Oh, E gets a little animalistic when she’s hungry. And I’m not always there to keep her on a leash ya know,” I said lightly. “If she starts snarling give her a granola bar or an apple. That’ll keep her calm for a bit”.

  “Are we still talking about a person or do you have a pet dog we don’t know about?” Her eyes danced with amusement.

  “A person—unfortunately. But, don’t tell her I said that. She’s a bit sensitive about it yeah?”

  There was a loud crash and a piercing shriek coming from the kitchen. Cathy dropped the paper cups on the floor and raced into the kitchen. I followed behind, one hand lightly gripping the sword handle. Once inside, the group of women were clustered towards the back. I stepped cautiously close to them.

  “Calm down”. Bradley’s voice shouted out. I could hardly hear her over the screeching coming from...Tanni.

  Blasted that girl could scream, I may lose my hearing after this.

  I looked over Mags thick shoulder, Tanni was on the floor. She had her arms wrapped around her knees, slowly rocking back and forth. The screams died down to whimpers.

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  “What happened?” I asked Mag. She looked over at me and dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

  “When she went to place the leftover food in the pantry, we heard a crash and the girl started screaming bloody-murder,”

  She rolled her dark eyes and jerked her thumb towards the shelv-ing unit in the pantry. “We found a hold in the wall. I’d guess she got spooked by a rat or something. She’s a blasteded drama queen is all”

  I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or...laugh. A rat? She got spooked by a rat?

  All that screaming over a tiny arse rodent who’s more scared of her than she was of it?

  I scanned the group and found Elise hunched over. Her shoulders shook with restrained laughter. Everyone else was trying to either calm Tanni down or look for the rat. I offered to patch the hole up with duck tape and cloth.

  “That would be a good idea Jade, thank you”. Cathy said.

  She patted Tanni’s back and coddled her lightly. As if she were a frightened child. I tried not to snort. Ooh...Tanni can’t be one of those wussy types right? God, I hoped not. If this place were to get breached no way in heck was I gonna get stuck with a wussy girl like that. That’s wayyy too much responsibility. Uh uh no way ma’am.

  After that little scene, everyone cleaned up the kitchen. By then people started to trickle into the cafe room. Definitely more men, a few families, and few women. Unease started to prickle the base of my neck, I absently rubbed it to make it go away.

  I spotted Elise holding on to Nikas arm in a death grip. I don’t want to know

  I met them half way, Nika had on a blank expression; boredom?

  While Elise’s face flushed with restrained anger. Don’t ask Jade “You found her! Congrats”. I pat Elise’s shoulder, trying to calm her down. Those green orbs burned into mine, and I instinctively took a step back. Ooh, she’s mad...

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  “And a good thing too,” I sucked in a breath when Elise shoved Nika between the both of us. “I really don’t trust the people here jade—well some of them—still, it ain’t safe for me, you, or Nika”.

  Don’t you dare ask?

  “Why? What happened”? God Blasted!

  Nika sighed with exasperation. She crossed her arms and gave me and Elise a look.

  “Nothing, she’s just overreacting”.

  “Overreacting?” Elise snapped.

  “Keep it down E”. I whispered, I looked around us. Most of the people in the room haven’t noticed our little group yet. But some closest to us overheard and quieted their own chatters.

  “My god Elise, it was only a bottle. Like...I had one sip. It’s not like I chugged the whole blasted thing”. Nika breathed. I stilled and looked at her with raised brows.

  “Uh huh, I saw that. But that doesn’t change the fact that you had liquor. Do you have any idea what that would do to your body? Especially during times like this? What if you got sick or something and you needed medicine for it or...or—ooh!” Elise shook her head vigorously, she shoved her hands in her pockets, biting her lower lip. I gave her a minute to collect herself. These sibling fights aren’t rare and at times I find myself enjoying their little squabbles. I’m not a good friend...apparently.

  Nika threw her hands into the air and scoffed. “Sis! I’m fine okay?

  It was a sip. I just wanted to know how it would taste, give me a little room to breathe Blasted. And if you haven’t noticed, we live in a fudged up world now. So I’d worry about dying from those undead mongrels outside, than worrying about me taking a baby sip from some low grade alcohol!” I squinted my eyes at that.

  And really, I had to agree with Nika. I know Elise was just being a little overprotective. Okay, really overprotective. But can you blame her? Nika is her only little sister and I would be acting the same way if I had a little bro or sis. Moments passed, and finally

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  after pacing in place for a good five minutes, Elise drew out a long breath.

  “I’m sorry”. She said sheepishly to us both. Then she looked at the people gathered around the room. There were still some on lookers but, everyone else paid more attention to themselves or the food in front of them. I grinned at her. Nika squeezed Elise’s hand lightly to comfort her. And now. .it’s over. For now.

  “Alrighty then, now that you guys are good to go, you wanna get some grub?” I asked them. Elise coughed once to hide her obviously hungry tummy, and began walking towards the line for food. Nika skipped beside me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. I cocked my head in thought then glanced over at her.

  “What kind of alcohol did you take a “sip” from?” I asked bemused. She eyed me for a minute, the corners of her lips curling into an impish grin.

  “Good ol’ Jack D’s”. I nearly tripped on my feet. She dashed into line along with Elise. I scratched the back of my head, a throaty chuckle past my lips.

  “Low grade’ my arse”.

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  I f I gotta be honest—even without enough salt—the stew was pretty tasty. It wasn’t as loud as one would expect, especially considering half the room was filled towards the corners with people. Most of the families stayed in one corner of the room, mingling to one another. The other was silent. Most kept to themselves. We sat on one of the tables closest to the far right wall of the room. Nika chewed on an apple slice, nibbling lightly.

  Elise had gone out to fetch half of our supplies—as a thank you for the people’s’ “hospitality”. I turned in my seat, facing out I stretched my legs. I moaned softly at the release of tension around my knee caps.

  “How long have your knees been aching?” Nika asked.

  I crossed my arms and tucked them behind my head.

  “Hm, since three weeks ago—I think,” I glanced at my left knee and sighed when I saw that the skin around bone had turned a light shade of red. “‹Swellings not too bad...wait for winter, then start to worry”.

  I laughed it off. Nika looked between me and my knees, concern etched on her face. I chuckled and pat her head.

  “I’ll be fine. If it starts to irritate me I’ll wrap ‹em up okay?”

  “Sure”. I gave her hea
d a final pat, then re-crossed my arms across my chest. I have this joke where, I feel like I’m aging too quickly. My mom’s told me I was just being overly dramatic, but I think otherwise. My bones would occasionally creak and groan

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  around specific seasons. Especially my knees. Sure, I used to run every morning—still do but for another reason besides exercise— my knees would protest at a certain point. And very rarely, they’d give out from overuse.

  The best thing to do, would be to massage them every other day, stretch before moving, and wrap them with cloth.

  Ever since cutting those potatoes a while ago, the need to cut something up has been nudging the back of my mind. I uncrossed and re-crossed my legs, my body longed to move—or something along those lines. Nika was braiding her hair, the gray colored hair tie caught between her teeth.

  “Relax”. She said. I groaned in response.

  “I can’t relax—my body refuses to relax. I wanna run or something!” She giggled.

  “Then run or something. No one’s stopping you”.

  “But like, if I start sprinting around the building people will think I’ve gone and lost my marbles”. I sighed heavily. Nika straightened in her seat and poked my cheek.

  “Too late for that dude. People already think you’re weirder than weird. So, run—jump. Do whatever your heart desires”. I grabbed her finger and looked at the skin around the nail. It was reddened and calloused from our journey.

  “Thanks for the support, Ni-Ni”. She snatched her hand back and glared at me.