The Protector || Zig-Zag - Chapter 9| Finding Treasure (2024)

Tara's P.O.V

I woke up to the drill alarm the next morning. I ignored it, already falling back asleep before I had realized I was doing so. I groaned over the cabin's loud noises and curled up in a ball under the thin blanket.

"Looks like sleeping beauty needs more sleep." I hear X-Ray mock.
"Shut up." I grumbled. I started falling back asleep again, coming to only some as someone stalked up to my bed, feeling their presence loom over me.
"Hey. Come on. Time to wake up, Jumpy." They laugh. I sink further into the bed, ignoring them entirely while dozing back off to sleep.
"Alright then, you leave me with no choice." I was suddenly picked up and thrown over someone's shoulder. My eyes opened, only to meet someone's back. I look around glaring at the others as they laugh at my initial reaction, turning back some to see the bushy head of curls, instantly knowing it was Zig-Zag.
"Fine. Now you gotta carry me all the way there, sucka." I grinned contentedly, the others laughing more at how the situation took a turn. I stopped in my little smug fest, feeling his body rumble to indicate he was laughing as well. A fluttering feeling bubbling in the bottom of my stomach.
"Doesn't affect me any, you're so damn light it's just like carrying an extra shovel." He throws back. I could tell he was smiling, causing me to in return.

"Well, looks like someone's comfy." I hear Pendanski say. I lifted my head and stuck my tongue out at him.
"His decision, not mine." I crossed my arms.
"Is that so?" He asked, looking at Zig-Zag skeptically.
"Yeah, she wasn't gettin' up." He replies.
"Doesn't matter to me, just so long as you two get your holes dug." He said and I salute my confirmation. After that Zig-Zag walks over to the breakfast table. Again they had those honey coated tortillas. I felt Ziggy move, more than likely grabbing one before he turned around so I could grab one as well. I smiled at the gesture and grabbed one before munching down on the sticky sweet tortilla.

I looked at the sky seeing it was starting to light up a bit now, but not quite yet sunny. Zig-Zag started moving again and I continued eating my food. I listened to the sounds of everyone's morning routine, the bustling, the grabbing and clinking of the shovels. Zig-Zag moved forward, probably grabbing a shovel. And then he was on the move again. We started walking towards the digging sight, the talk there not being any bit interesting. I huffed in boredom after a little while, finally lifting myself up to get his attention.
"Hey, can I walk now?" I asked him boredly. He hummed in his own amusem*nt, and kept walking.
"Hey!" I pouted.
"You sure act childish." Zero mumbles quietly. I looked up in fake shock, seemingly to be the only one to hear him. I smirked at him.
"That's not very nice." I pout sarcastically. He tried to hide his smile and walked faster ahead. We finally made it, smiling eagerly as I excitedly jump off Zig-Zag's back.
"Thanks, Ziggy." I chirped and grabbed a shovel he had handed out for me.
"Ziggy?" Armpit questions wildly.
"Guess it's a new nickname." He shrugs as I try not to let them see my face from the name slip. I walked over to an open space of dirt, setting my water jug off to the side and began digging. I slammed the shovel down on the dirt and scooped some up, flinging it off somewhere thoughtlessly. I dug to the sound of my own beat, humming along to my own music as I tuned out the blistering heat around me. Soon I was done with the first hole, and took a small water brake. After my struggle to get out of the newly dug hole I drank from my jug, questioning myself for how much I've drunk already. Man, I drink a lot.

I made my way over to another open space and set my jug off to the side. I unzipped my jumpsuit a bit and tied the sleeves around my stomach before I brought the shovel down and started digging once more.

"Man, I'm serious, she's faster than Zero." I heard someone mumble. I looked up to Squid, him and some of the others looking at me in bewilderment. I looked over at Zero seeing him almost done with his hole, while the others were barely half way done. And that's just because today was a good day, they normally aren't this far ahead of schedule. I shrugged and continued with my shoveling. I drank some more water, pausing for a minute while wiping my forehead as I saw the truck heading this way. The others start climbing out from their holes but I continue a bit longer till the truck pulls up closer, finally climbing out as it draws near.
"How many today so far?" Mom asks.
"Two." I replied boredly and walked off. I head back, looking back towards the line as I set my water on the ground. I stopped, seeing it was only Zero left in line. My brows furrowed together angrily as Pendanski shoves his jug back to him barely half filled. I start to stomp my way over, yell at Pendanski for acting like a bad mother, but not getting a chance to as he hops back in the truck and speeds off leaving a dust trail in Zero's face.