Life According To Logan
He lets Marie take the lead. He’s too tired and numb to take care of himself, let alone make important decisions on behalf of both of them. His thoughts race around in circle, returning always to one and the same question. How? She had been dead. He hadn’t been exactly careful when he cut her open. How is it possible that she’s alive and talking to him? He doesn’t want to ask. He is afraid he won’t like the answer. So he makes an effort to think about something else. How she reminds him about Aislin. Same way they move, same patterns of speech. There’s not a single scar marring her skin. And how is it possible? Last time he saw her she had had half of her head blown off. And he should really stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about death. He should concentrate more to the question how did she get out. Nobody gets out alive. Only reason he managed to escape nearly two decades ago was momentarily lapse in security processes. It’s highly unlikely they would have made the same mistake again. So, how did she get out?
They have been walking for hours, Marie chattering about things he doesn’t really care, Logan following her like a big, lazy dog, slouching after her in a trail she has made in the snow. Suddenly she stops. He’s so out of it he just keeps on walking and nudges her to the ground before he realizes it’s time to stop.
“Hey! Watch it!” Marie shouts. He just shuffles his feet, eyes cast downwards. He hasn’t spoken in two days. Not that she has noticed it. She has been talking constantly. And Logan starts really miss Aislin. At least she had enough common sense to shut her trap when there was nothing to discuss. He isn’t completely sure about Marie anymore. More he thinks about it, this is probably just a new trick. Way to lure him back. Back so that they can cut him some more. Well, he has a surprise in store for them. He has a plan. He is going to be a good boy, and behave. And when they least expect it, he is going to slice and dice all of them. Starting with this creature that’s pretending to be his Marie. Who she can’t be. His Marie was like Aislin. Kind. Lovable. Pure. This thing crouching at his feet is more like Mystique had been. Vile and treacherous creature. Well, he has surprise in store for her, too… But while waiting for the right moment… He forces an apologetic smile on his face and offers his hand, helping her up.
Forest around them is deathly silent. As a matter of fact, he has never been in this silent forest. No animals. Not even their tracks. And he tries to remember when was the last time he ate something. They left the compound he was observing roughly about a week ago. First night he went to hunt. He had caught a small deer. They both had eaten. He had left the carcass to a bear he had spotted on his little hunting trip. That was his last, clear memory about food. He hasn’t been hunting. They have been walking from sunrise to sundown, sleeping nights under thick spruces, cuddled together to stay warm. No food in nearly a week. And she hasn’t been sleeping. At least not that he has noticed. He has fallen asleep every night before her, and she has been awake before him, waking him and forcing him to his feet.
And she’s talking again. Sound of her voice grates his nerves, so he shuts it out and concentrates listening to her hear beat instead. It’s slightly erratic but strong. He tries to walk in same pace with it, but he notices he’s starting to catch up with her and he slows his pace, falling few meters after her. He would like to tell her to shut her trap for a moment, but he can’t It would blow his cover; alert her that something is wrong. It could mess up his whole plan. So he grunts, nods and smiles occasionally when it sounds that she’s asking for something. And they walk.
One more thing boggles him. According to his calculations they have passed at least two towns, and four smaller villages. She has gone round them. As well adjusted, as she seems to be after her alleged trip in the lab, she should be craving some company. Ordinary people around her. She doesn’t seek shelter from number of people there would be. Instead she turns deeper in to the wild. He really doesn’t mind being alone with her, easier to follow his plan when there’s not too many extra pair of eyes watching, but her behavior is truly illogical. They should seek shelter and food. Instead they are turning their backs for them.
Does she ever shut up?
She was so happy when she found Logan. Last thing she expected to see when she walked out of that godforsaken place was him, sleeping sound and solid just few kilometers away from her. He is bit grouchy, but he is probably thinking about Aislin. After all, she was his daughter. He raised her and loved her. She feels kind of bad that she can’t mourn with him, but joy of being alive and free drowns that feeling almost completely.
Logan doesn’t seem to be surprised when she tells him about how she got out. Legacy. Somebody botched up some experiment, and virus spread instantly to whole compound. All mutants were released. She believes they were let out to spread the infection. At that point they still believed it worked only for mutants. Boy, were they wrong! Last thing she saw when she walked out was one of the guards, fallen face down to the ground, convulsing in agony and bleeding from every orifice. She knows all bigger settlements are most likely contaminated already. She asked about that from Logan. He seemed to agree with her, that they should stay away from people at least few months, to avoid the possibility of infection. She suspects she is immune, she didn’t get sick when all other mutants started to die from around her, but she doesn’t want to take the risk.
She is starting to get hungry. They haven’t seen any animals for days now. She asked about it from Logan. He just grunted and shrugged. Maybe they have died, too. So she eats what she can find. Mostly small seeds from pine cones when she’s walking. She joked about turning to a squirrel, but Logan didn’t find it funny. Maybe she should think before talking. Maybe he took it as an accusation. She hasn’t forgotten the promise he made for her years ago. He promised to take care of her. He probably hasn’t either. She keeps hoping that they will eventually find some kind of shelter. Not that she minds sleeping with him, wrapped up in his warmth, but she knows they can’t go on like this forever. They have been lucky. Nights are not yet too cold, and it hasn’t snowed. But how long will their luck last? Logan just shrugged and flashed one of his rare smiles when she asked him about the weather. His smile was kind of crooked, but she doesn’t care. Every reaction she manages to bring forth in him is a small victory.
Right now he seems to be wrapped up in some pleasant memory. He smiles. An actual smile. She believes they will get through this.
She has been quiet for several minutes now, and just stares at him. He panics. What? What now? What does she want? What does she expect from him? Why did she quit talking? Is this it? He glances around. Nothing. Just deserted forest. What is going on? Why is she smiling? His heart is racing and cold sweat breaks on his skin when she takes a step towards him. He forces his body to obey, to stay put. No matter what she does, he has to act naturally. Otherwise everything is ruined. Slight shiver runs through his frame when she suddenly bounces on him and wrapping her hands around his neck and legs around his waist. Every muscle in him freezes. He can’t breathe. Trapped. She knows about him. Claws ooze out from his hands, and then she does something unbelievable. She kisses him. Long, wet, sucking kiss, with tongue involved. Claws back in. He resists the urge to throw her off, and answers to her kiss instead. He knows how to play this game. But when his hands start to knead her buttocks and caress her breasts, she breaks loose from his embrace.
Caught in a moment? Right. Lie to me some more, he nearly spats, but holds his tongue. At least she is quiet now. He catches up with her and observes her from the corner of his eye. Shoulders sag. Hands are fidgeting. Rosy blush on her hollow cheeks. Those black botches around her eyes kind of ruin the picture, but they go actually good together with her outer appearance otherwise. Raggedy clothes, body straight from interment camp. Malnourishment, sleep deprivation, exhaustion… As a matter of fact, he seems to be all and all in much better condition than she. Good. In her current condition she won’t put up a fight when it’s time to put his plan in action. He snickers.
Every night he says good night to her. To Aislin. He said it every night even during those five long years she wasn’t with him. No matter how drunk he was, no matter which ho he slept with, no matter how stupid it was. He made it out of principle. So he does now. And every night abomination that pretends to be his sweet Marie, wishes him good night, too. It angers him. Gnaws his nerves. But he takes it as a learning experience. He can’t remember time when he would have been more collected, calmer. He is sure that after this little trek to Hell he’s going to have patience of a saint.
“Good night, Kid.”
“Good night, Logan.”
Even though she’s hungry and cold, his presence comforts her. He still doesn’t talk much, but she’s used to it by now. She worries only one thing. He doesn’t eat. She has tried to offer him pine seeds, but he doesn’t seem to care. He is still grieving. He has lost some weight, but his healing factor keeps him going. Generally he appears to be in better shape than she. But she has a good feeling about tomorrow. Today she saw a trail of a rabbit. She showed it to him, and he looked interested. Maybe there’s something to eat tomorrow. And maybe, maybe they finally find some kind of suitable shelter, too. Nights are getting colder. They should try to make fire next evening before they go to sleep.
He is getting tired and edgy. He knows he’s walking on thin ice. It might be good idea to take care of her now, when he is still capable of rational thinking. No use to carve her up if he doesn’t get information he needs out of her before she dies. But first things first. Time to start talking again. If he can make her talk, maybe she will accidentally blurt out pieces of information. Maybe he gets everything he needs from her by talking. That’s always a possibility. So later he doesn’t have to worry. He can really make her scream.
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