Re-read: Chapter Eighteen- Bored

"No one is every sorry for hitting Kyle."

With very little interaction with others and the silence that filled the days, Wanderer begins to lose track of time. Between Wanderer and Melanie, they have ran out of topics to discusses and take turns flashing through their memories to pass the time. Jeb returns to take her on another walk, but Jared jumps to the task this time around. Unlike Jeb, Jared makes no concessions for her as she travels blindly through the caves. With her arms out in front of her, she attempts to make her way and on occasion touches Jared as she feels for the surrounding rock. He jumps at her touch and carries on without a word. 


As Wanderer reaches the washroom again, she thinks Jared would be unaffected if the current in the spring were to claim her, but Melanie disagrees with her assessment. Jared barks at her to head back to the cave where Jeb is waiting with two bedrolls. Jared claims only one bedroll is needed and though Jeb is saddened by this cruelty, he goes along with Jared's decision. He unrolls the mat right at the entrance of her prison and threatens to kill Wanderer if she tries to get past him, though she was happy to stay isolated if it meant avoiding those that wished to harm her. 


Days or weeks could pass, but in their isolation, Wanderer and Melanie have no way of knowing. Jared begins to intercept their meals from Jeb and it has been days since Wanderer has spoken to another person. Their meals were always the same with bread, soup, and vegetables, but Jared was often treated to packaged snacks like Pop-Tarts and Red Vines. 


On occasion, others would venture down to the secluded cave, including Kyle and his threats. This time, the somewhat less menacing Ian O'Shea came down to talk with Jared. Sitting down with her guard, Wanderer overhears Ian tell Jared that the Seekers and others called of their search for her. Ian hesitates before relaying information about one particular Seeker who carries a Glock. When the search for Wanderer was called off, this particular Seeker was visibly not happy about the situation. Upon hearing Ian's story, Wanderer hisses and cowers against the back wall of her cell, attracting the attention of Ian and Jared. They gaze inside the cave and Ian notices the frightened look in her eyes. Jared demands to know about the Seeker in black, but Wanderer cannot answer. Climbing into the cave, he crosses the distance until he is kneeling in front of her.


"'Tell me what you know,' he ordered."