moment, I forgot that he was a Scavenger and that I didn’t deserve his attention. I forgot that I was the lonely, forgotten, Dormas orphan. He leaned in closer. His lips grazed against the corner of my mouth. It was a ghost of a touch, a light whisper that felt like cool, refreshing mist on my skin.
“My clothes look good on you,” he whispered, shocking me out of my stupor.
“Everything looks good on me, Scavenger,” I replied while licking my lips and took a step backward. “Tell me about the second trials.”
Tallis smiled while rubbing his bare abs which flexed under my stare. I wished he would wear more clothes. Maybe I could bring him some of Hux or Patrick’s old suits. They were similar in size.
“What do you want to know?” he asked while falling into step beside me.
“What was it?”
Tallis took a moment to think about his answer before responding. “I had to spend a month in the deadlands, alone. If I survived, I could continue on, if I died, well… then I was done.”
I pondered over his answer for a moment before responding.
“That doesn’t seem so hard.” I peered at him out of the corner of my eyes.
“Wild animals, toxic water, starvation, neighboring camps, and Walkers. Yep—nothing too major,” Tallis joked while continuing to walk.
“Well, when you put it that way, I guess...”
“The danger wasn’t the hardest part for me. It was the loneliness. Never before in my life did I ever feel so secluded. I looked forward to run-ins with Walkers because it reminded me that I still existed,” Tallis explained while patting his chest. It was as if he could still feel the phantom emptiness of his month alone in the deadlands.
“I hate to admit it, but I can understand that. Chaos is better than rejection—than loneliness,” I whispered. I adjusted the strap of my bag up higher on my shoulder and slowed my steps. The Walker Dorms were coming into view, and I wanted to prolong my time with Tallis before going back. Ever since I made the other women return my mother’s dresses, I had been shunned in all the communal areas. Even Becca pretended I didn’t exist anymore. The Scavengers were the only people that really spoke to me these days.
“I’m growing to like your chaos, Jules,” Tallis replied softly before leaning close. “Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I watched him walk away.
“Goodnight, Scavenger,” I whispered back once I was sure he couldn’t hear me.
Chapter Eight
I was half asleep in my dorm that night when a light touch on my shoulder startled me awake. I moaned in pure frustration, "What the hell do you want, Becca?" I growled, settling deeper into the stiff mattress. My muscles ached from working all day. After spending four hours scrubbing the blood and dirt off my body, I collapsed on my bed as soon as I returned to my dorm.
I’d spent the past two hours trying to aimlessly slip into a peaceful sleep. If I wasn't tossing and turning on my uncomfortable bed, I was struggling to drown out Becca's delirious sleep-talking and the memories from my Walker encounter.
I craved just one night of uninterrupted sleep. One night without Becca’s moans waking me up. A large insistent hand on my shoulder made my eyes open in frustration. I flipped my body over, preparing to slap my needy roommate.
But instead of her wide, fake smile and wispy hair, a familiar pair of crystal blue eyes, illuminated by my nightlight, sparkled down at me. "What are you doing here?" I whispered frantically through gritted teeth. I pulled my blankets up higher on my chest and leaned back.
Tallis bit his lip in amusement before nodding his head towards the door. He placed a calloused finger to his plump lips as he stood. Tallis then gave Becca's snoring frame a timid smile before slipping outside. I continued laying there for a moment. I wondered if it really was Tallis in my bedroom or if exhaustion finally claimed me. Was I hallucinating? I shook my head as I pushed back my sheets and met him in the hallway.
"How did you even get in here?" I asked once the door to my shared bedroom was closed. I crossed my arms over my chest and realized that I was wearing a short black, silk slip. It left little to the imagination, which Tallis seemed to realize. His sharp gaze roamed over my exposed skin.
"Kemper gave me a key for emergencies," Tallis replied with