Human Nature (Book 4): Human Nature IV by Borthwick, Finlay (book recommendations website .TXT) 📗

Dawn grunted upon noticing the ashamed look in Mac’s eyes, “You’re not blaming yourself, are you?”

Mac shrugged, “I think I’m partly to blame—Myself and the rest of the supply run group that is.”

Dawn rubbed his back, “If you hadn’t had brought that woman in, then we would’ve been completely clueless about The Bandits’ attack.”

“…And if we had just let her go like Nolan, who’s to say there even would have been an attack?”

“You can’t do this to yourself, Mac,” Dawn told him compassionately, “Believe me, I know better than anybody else that the blame game won’t get you anywhere. The Lord knows that I spent years on end blaming myself for Eric’s death, but one day, I suddenly realised, it wasn’t my fault by any means.”

Mac gazed down at her with sombre eyes.

“My son’s death was down to a woman named Sonia,” Dawn shuddered as she spoke that name, “She’s also the reason why Elliot is blind.”

Mac’s eyes widened slightly upon hearing this revelation, for he had been wondering what the scar across Elliot’s face was about ever since he had fell out of the sky.

“She sliced a knife straight across his eyes,” Dawn went into unnecessarily graphic detail, “And he told me one time that he could feel the pain of his cornea splitting open.”

Mac was slightly disgusted by this vivid description.

“The point is, Mac,” Dawn got back to what she was trying to say, “The moment I realised that Sonia was the reason for my misery, I found it so much easier to live with myself; whatever happens when The Bandits attack, you’ll one day have that realisation for yourself. Whoever, if anyone, dies, you’ll know because of this little conversation that you won’t blame yourself forever.” She offered him this advice as, in the back of her mind, she had a rather strong feeling that the impending attack would take several lives on both sides…

Leaning out of the living room window, Alek listened to all the kerfuffle happening on the other side of the safe zone.

“What can you hear?” Emile asked casually, as if he had not just blackmailed somebody into threatening a child.

“There’s a lot of distress out there alright.” Alek answered. Whilst listening to the commotion, he was also looking across at the destroyed solar farm – So much had been happening in such a short amount of time that Mac had not had the chance to repair any of the panels.

“I know you won’t like this,” Emile forebodingly began, “But I got this from the armoury earlier just in case.” He produced a rather small and compact Glock 26 that he had tucked into his trousers underneath his shirt.

“Emile!” Alek protested. “What happened to the ‘no guns in the cottage’ rule?”

Emile grinned at him, “That’s why I grabbed the smallest one that I could find.”

Alek sighed, “Alright fine, but just—Keep it in your pants, okay?”

Emile initially chortled at this remark, but then, after it replayed in his mind, his guilty conscience interpreted it as a double entendre and sent a reflexive jolt down his spine.

‘Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock!’

The second visitor of the day to the cottage had a far more hurried and urgent knocking, however.

“I’ll get it this time.” Alek strolled over towards the door; Emile was now feeling too much guilt in his mind to even react to this.

Alek opened the door.

“Oh!” It was Rajan, who had been caught by surprise, “Hello there! I—Um, well, to be honest, I wasn’t aware that anybody lived here. I was only knocking to make sure!”

“…I’m sorry, who are you?” Alek did not recognise the shocked face on his doorstep.

“Of course! Where are my manners?” Rajan shook his head at his own impoliteness, “I’m Rajan, part of the new group that arrived recently.

Alek’s face flooded with realisation, “Oh right! Yes, I know of you. You’re the one in charge, right?”

“Oh please,” Rajan played down this question, “I hardly think of myself as a leader.” In truth, and in ego, however, Rajan very much did believe that his moral stance put him in charge of the rest of his group.

“Is there—Is there anything I can help you with?” Alek asked, still not entirely sure of why a newcomer had come this far out into the safe zone.

“I come seeking refuge!” Rajan was enthusiastically honest.

“Alright then, well, you’d better come in.” Alek stepped aside to permit him passage.

“I—Wait, really?” Rajan was surprised at how co-operative Alek was being.

“Yes, really,” Alek affirmed, “It’s okay. We don’t want to fight and die the people outside either.”

As Rajan stepped in, he questioned Alek’s choice of words, “We?”

“Yes, Emile and I.” Alek nodded over to the window where his fiancé was stood and introduced him.

“Oh, forgive me! I didn’t see you there!” Rajan commented in jest at how still Emile was being as he rested against the window ledge.

“Nice to meet you too.” Emile languidly stated.

Rajan looked back and forth between the two cottage residents, “Are you two… Brothers?” He guessed.

Alek laughed, “No, no. We’re engaged.”

“Engaged?” Rajan further enquired, “How so? Like a phone line?” He clearly didn’t understand what Alek was getting at.

“He means that we’re boyfriends and we’re getting married.” Emile intervened and declared the entire truth to spare Rajan from further embarrassing himself.

“Oh… Oh!” Rajan slapped himself as he realised his mistake, “I do apologise!”

“It’s alright, don’t sweat it.” As Alek forgave Rajan for his mistake, a new thought was turning over in his mind: Did he really look like he could be related to his fiancé?

“Just so you know,” Rajan began, “I’m not armed. You can search me if you wish, but I assure you, I am quite opposed to violence.”

Alek nodded at him appreciatively, “No need, I believe you.” He