Feeding Frenzy

Chapter 52

SIX YEARS LATER

Evey had always loved Christmas. Ever since she was little, she would get excited when decorating the tree and baking cookies. Her mother would make everyone hot chocolate in the morning before opening presents. Evey was the one who suggested that Christmas remain a holiday, and the others loved the idea. She could not provide her daughter with the same little traditions as she had growing up because it was a different world, but she still wanted the day to be special.

The big Christmas dinner Evey used to have changed drastically. There was no big turkey. There was no cranberry sauce. There were no sugar cookies and pies for dessert. Instead, they had various vegetables grown in the garden they made in the hospital courtyard. Raiding hardware stores, they found seeds, dirt, and supplies to build a greenhouse. One group of survivors that Ross contacted had come from a farm. They survived because they were isolated and living off the land. Coming to the city, they brought as many chickens as they could. This gave them a small amount of meat and eggs daily. The rest of their food came from raiding grocery stores and homes for canned goods. Slowly, they were clearing Toronto of rotting bodies.

Evey was in the kitchen with other Immune survivors. They had prepped the dinner and were about to bring them out to the cafeteria. Darion burst through the doors, chased by Lila. For Evey, naming her daughter after her little sister was easy. She wanted to keep her memory alive.

"Darion, no running!" Millie shouted. "You're going to trip."

"We're playing tag," he said.

Despite the world falling apart, the children were happy. Darion and Lila were best friends and played childhood games. Tag and hide-and-seek were their favourites. They could run through the Toronto streets without seeing any dead Infected. It made all their work to clear the city worth it. There was a space that children could be children.

Lila giggled as she ran to Evey. She grabbed her leg and looked up at her mother. It always made Evey's heart melt when she looked into the blue eyes that Lila inherited from Ford. She wore a red and green dress, and her dark hair was pinned back with a bow.

"Mommy, I'm hungry," Lila said.

"Dinner is ready," Evey said. "Go to the table with Darion, and don't run."

Lila nodded her head before turning on her heels. She tried to hold Darion's hand as they walked out of the kitchen, but he kept pulling out of her grasp.

In the kitchen, Evey and the other Immune gathered the food. They carried it into the cafeteria. The rest of the Immune were gathered around the tables. Most turned to look as the food was placed on one table beside a stack of plates. A line of people formed to gather the food on their plates.

Evey stepped back and stared at the scene. Healthy people were gathered to share a meal while there was a Christmas tree in the corner and a string of lights around the room. Ford had piled enough food on his plate for him and Lila. He held her hand as they walked over to one table. Lila had developed a habit of eating meals while sitting on Ford's lap. She wanted to be around Ford all hours of the day. He loved it until Lila tried to start sleeping between him and Evey every night.

Fiona and Joey were in the line for food. Fiona had taken over running the daycare, and she had also cared for Joey. He had grown so much that Evey barely recognized him as that terrified little boy in the high school gym on that dreadful morning. Hurt and guilt sat heavy in her chest when she thought about Josie and the little girl wandered off.

Evey was the last to get her dinner, and she sat next to Ford and Lila. Millie, Caleb, and Darion sat across from them. The sounds of laughing and talking filled the room. Evey smiled, and warmth spread across her body as she looked around the room. The days of running and being scared for their life were gone. The Infected were all dead, and new babies born into the world were vaccinated against Thyestean.

"You okay?" Ford asked.

"I'm wonderful," Evey said. "Who would have thought this would happen?"

"What?"

"All of this." Evey gestured to the room. "People are happy. People are safe. We actually have the ability to celebrate the holidays."

"It's what you wanted since the beginning."

"Just because I wanted it didn't mean I would get it."

Millie laughed. She shook her head before taking a bite of her potatoes. Evey raised a brow.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"You're so incredibly stubborn, Evey," Millie said. "You would have found a way no matter what."

"Thank God," Ford said. "Someone else knows you're stubborn."

Evey giggled, and Ford flashed her a smile. He had been doing that a lot more since Lila was born. It still brought her joy to see the happiness on Ford's stern face.

"Do you think any Infected survived?" Caleb asked.

"It's been years, honey," Millie said. "Many years. There is no way one did not starve."

"It could be feasting off the flesh of the dead. You never know."

Ford covered Lila's ears with his hands. Lila squirmed in his hold.

"Seriously?" Ford asked. "Kids are here."

"We have to remember Thyestean," Caleb said. "We have to remember and keep the history alive. We have all overcome so much. Our kids need to know what happened. They must be prepared if they ever see one of those things. This virus could mutate. This could all happen again."

"When should we start teaching Lila how to fight?" Evey asked.

"Never," Ford snapped. "They're all dead. She won't be near one."

Evey placed her hand on Ford's arm. His muscles were tense. Lila had stopped fussing on Ford's lap while he covered her ears, and she resumed eating.

"I think if Thyestean has taught us anything, it is that we always have to be prepared," Evey said.

"She can learn with Darion," Caleb said. "We were going to teach him how to use a knife next year. Seven seems like a good age."

"Are you crazy?" Ford asked.

"This isn't the same world we grew up in," Evey said. "This will be part of the new normal for the kids."

Ford took his hands off Lila's ears. He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Let's just enjoy our lovely dinner," Millie said. "We'll talk about all that stuff later."

"We'll do what we always do now," Evey said. "We will take life one day at a time."

The End.