Embrace The Madness: Cataclysm

13. Stories

[day 147]

Months flew by, everyone was anxiously awaiting the return of the strangers. However, this time they were ready.
A small yet sturdy fence wrapped around the perimeter of the land. The dead rarely got close, but whenever they did, they were taken care of.
It was just after midnight, everyone was sitting around a small campfire, which was suppressed enough that the dead would catch on to the glow.
There were small logs which Oliver and Noah had cut to imitate chairs and benches.

Rose sat next to Patrick on a log, Oliver, Marco and Noah shared a log as did Hadiza and Seamus. Frank, however, sat in a small folding chair in his own corner of the camp.
Everyone was drinking alcohol, mainly cider, which was just about all they could get their hands on. They even let Marco have a can, to which they laughed when he scrunched up his face in disgust.

As the embers flew and the wood cracked in the flames, the group began sharing stories. Frank and Seamus were reminiscing about their time in the army.
Then Seamus brought up the discussion of marriage, to which Oliver asked...

"Hey Frank, ain't you ever been married?"

Frank sighed and looked down at his chest, whilst smiling.

"Come on," Patrick chimed in, "sharp looking man like yourself..." he had to stop for a hiccup. "Surely you had a special someone."

Rose, who sat close to Patrick, shoulders almost touching, looked over at him with a peculiar look in her eye. She wrapped Hadiza's shawl tighter around her body.

"I.. yes" Frank admitted. To which everyone flared up in excitement, leaning in closer to listen.

For a few seconds, Frank stayed silent, slowly growling his drink around. Then he smiled softly, which was rare.

"Her name was Eve..." he smiled, "and she... god, she was something special."

He continued to tell his romance to everyone around him, though he was mainly speaking to himself, as if he were reminding himself of the joys of life.

"So how did you meet?" Asked Patrick, after sipping the last remainder of his third can of cider.

"Oh wow..." Frank laughed a little, "we were so young..." his smile faded slightly as he scratched his stubble, "we met in a library of all places... well, we got to talking, then we got married."

"Well," Frank yawned and slapped his knees, "we've been up way too late. Night everyone."

The fire was slowly dying, Patrick and Rose were the only ones still awake.
At this point, she had her shoulder pressed up against his, the cold was biting at their skin.
Rose put her hand on Patrick's back and started rubbing it in a circular motion.
They looked at each other, the sweet scent of the fruity drink on their breath.
Patrick then placed his hand on Rose's shoulder, turned, and leaned in closer.
Their lips parted and as they were just about ready, a large gust of wind blew Rose's dark hair in her face.

The tension broke as the two laughed, then leaned away from each other in an awkward fashion.
They agreed to call it a night, so Patrick stomped on the fire and killed it for good.