Epoch of Desolation

“Wait!” Rain was on the verge of slicing open his palm when Alice’s firm voice rang out, forcing him to halt instinctively and look up. A few steps away from where he was there she stood with Sean beside her and the fingers of her right hand smeared with the wax of the half melted candle she held. “What do you think you are doing?”

The question was simple, but Rain seemed to be at a loss for words. He was not sure how to combine and articulate what was running through his head. Or rather, he was not sure what exactly to tell Alice.

Was it that J had fainted out of hunger? Or was it that…

Rain gritted his teeth, brushed his eyes over his Companion’s body very quickly, then muttered, “She was hungry when I left her here. I think she’s… I’m not sure, but… Tch.”

“You think she’s dead… out of hunger?” As usual Alice was blunt. Rain looked up at her and nodded; Sean, on the other hand, had an expression of concern. It was as though he was only holding back from approaching J because Alice was present. “You just woke up yesterday, right? So you met her between yesterday and today.”

“I met her yesterday,” Rain answered, even though it had not been a question.

Alice shifted her gaze from Rain to the Jaguar lying on her side on the floor, and heaved out a sigh.

“One, a Jaguar can survive without food for two weeks.” Rain’s eyes widened. “Two, that Jaguar is one of the healthiest beasts I’ve ever seen throughout my life on this earth, including before the apocalypse came. Three, look closely, focus on her chest.”

Rain was confused. One of the healthiest beasts she had ever seen? J? The same Jaguar that shared the same dehydration as he? It sounded like complete bullshit. But he was curious as to why Alice had said all that, so without talking back he heeded her words and focused his gaze on J’s chest, examining with as clear of a mind as he could have. And to his utmost surprise, it was rising and falling in a rhythmic and steady manner that both cut out the notion of the Jaguar having lost her life or fainted.

Furthermore, her ribcage wasn't exposed the way they had been at the hospital. It was almost like she had added weight. Had she? Only one reason came to Rain’s mind for such a development. His blood. Then… Rain took a second to check out his arms and he noticed they too weren’t as shrunken as they once were. The Coyotes blood had not only fixed his wounds but his health?

“She’s just asleep,” Alice added then, and Rain’s focus shifted.

Damn you, J! You almost gave me a heart attack. How come you didn’t open your eyes with all my calls? Work on your sensitivity as a wild cat, you paws-for-brains Companion!

A sudden lightness hit Rain at his core, causing him to drop his knife and go from squatting to sitting with his legs outstretched.

“Two weeks,” he muttered in relief after a couple of seconds. “That’s good. That’s very good.”

Alice scoffed and shook her head. “You’re quite a rash one, aren’t you? A moment of carefully analyzing your Companion’s breathing pattern would have told you all that you needed to know.”

Analyzing, huh? Rain’s eyes were raised up to the ceiling while he leaned backward.

Truthfully—at least considering how he’d gotten through almost a day in this ruined world—he did analyze a lot. This whole situation with J had just caught him by surprise—for some reason.

From the first instance he had begun to think about her wellbeing his mind had brought up the worst case scenario. And when he’d arrived on the scene, his immediate intuition had not been to consider what exactly was wrong with her, but to quickly help her in the best way he could.

Looking at it from a rational point of view, Alice was completely right, he had been rash. But deep down Rain didn’t seem to be troubled. He felt like he had done well; he felt satisfied.

At least everything turned out okay. And I learned something useful too. Rain smiled.

“Then, I’ll be heading back.”

“Wait.” Rain stopped Alice and Sean. He didn’t want to leave J all by herself here again, so he wanted to find out everything he could now and prepare himself as required. But first… “How did you know? I’m sure not just anyone would know how a Jaguar’s body system works.”

Alice did not hesitate to reply, “I am a VET. Well, at least before the world turned to what it is now.”

“I see.” Rain downturned his lips while nodding.

“Is that all?” She sounded impatient.

“No,” Rain said. “I don’t want to leave her here all alone, so I’m not planning on returning to the utility aisle. Do you mind telling me of the plans made? I want to prepare myself accordingly.”

Alice was silent for a moment, glancing between Rain and his Companion. “I understand,” she said with a sigh. “You don’t have to worry about the route we’ll follow then, I’ll be the one leading, after all. And we can just go through that later on. As for the time of leaving…” She listened for the rain. “Early dawn tomorrow morning.”

Rain folded his arms and bobbed his head up and down. “Mmm-mmh. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“One more thing,” Alice was already turning around when he halted her steps. Her lips pursed as a result. “Pardon,” Rain apologized first. “The map, can I borrow it?” He had not seen enough yet, and now he could not go to seek out a map and leave J all alone.

Alice raised a brow. “What for?”

“I have somewhere to head first. I want to confirm where that is on the map and which path I should take.”

Rain was well aware that in hindsight he sounded like someone who had some sort of ulterior motive. And for the sort of person Alice was, with all her ‘don’t trust humans’ talk, he was sure she thought he did have one, even if for a moment.

Well, she proved his thoughts right soon after. “How are you going to get it?”

Huh? Wait, what? She didn’t prove his thoughts right?

Rain was befuddled so much that it leaked out and contaminated his face.

“Is there a problem?” Alice asked.

Rain waved his hands around. “No. No. It’s just that. You’re not suspicious of anything?”

Alice upturned her brows. “It’s just a map; I can always just get another one in this store. Also,” she looked at J, “you said you didn’t want to leave her alone, which means you can’t go and get your own map yourself.”

In all honesty, Rain couldn’t believe his ears. He couldn’t believe this was the same hard hearted woman who was giving him a speech on not allowing others to make use of him. Was she not giving up herself to be made use of now?

He couldn’t help but smile. “Why, thank you,” he said in a jolly manner. “You’re really a kind person, aren’t you?”

“This isn’t my place to ask, but where are you planning on going?” Alice changed the subject.

“My home,” Rain answered without a moment’s hesitation.

She seemed to mutter something under her breath before saying, “Your home is most likely gone.” Again, she was blunt.

“I know. But I have to go there.” Rain’s joyful mood dwindled somewhat as he rubbed his hand on his forehead. “There might be something there that…” He paused and sighed. “I just have to go there. Don’t worry, I’ll be leaving once the rain stops, that way I won’t waste your time tomorrow.”

Alice frowned at those words. Rain didn’t know why, but he saw something akin to fear in her eyes.

“You,” she said. “Do you know what time it is?”

“I don’t have a watch, so—”

“It’s at least four p.m. at the moment,” her voice was no longer as firm but it was still authoritative. “By the time the rain stops it would have clocked seven or eight; you shouldn’t be out at that time.”

A chill climbed up Rain’s spine and invaded his skull as the taste of fear touched his tongue. Suddenly he was scared of going out when the storm that had descended upon Edinburgh came to its final stop.

“What are you talking about?” Rain asked, his tone low and hasty and expectant for an answer.

“Unless…” Alice narrowed her eyes into slits. “Do you have a Benefactor?”