Infection - Part I

Epilogue.

"Is that everything, Detective Simmons?" Detecting Malcolm Kelly inquired.

"Yes, that's everything, Detective..." Valerie responded. "It all happened so fast... But I don't think I've left anything out.".

"Very well then," Detective Kelly responded. Looking at Haileigh's way, she gave him a nod. "Interview terminated at time...". He checked his wristwatch. "8:31 in the evening with the same persons present in the interview room.".

Finally, a beep marked the end of the agonising interview.

Shortly after, Valerie was dropped back off at the building where she found a way up and got back to the apartment. Walking inside, she found Frank in the living room, sitting on the Sofa with the television on. By the wetness still present in his hair, and the pair of new clothes he had on himself, she noted he had showered too.

Averting his eyes from the screen, he looked toward Valerie. His gaze acknowledged her, but he uttered nothing.

Allowing her legs free will, she made her way to the balcony, where she watched what remained of the sunset.

Though she didn't notice, Frank had gotten up and made his way to the balcony too. Only when he reached the railing did she glimpse his way.

Again, nothing was said, at first, but that was all to change when Frank broke the short-lived silence. "It's Valerie... yeah?".

She nodded, uttering a mere "Yeah.". Afterwards, as it seemed to slowly become the new norm, silence ensued once more. "And you're Frank, right?" she asked, seconds later.

"Yeah...". He paused, taking in a deep breath seconds later. "What was all of that for?... The detectives on the door?...".

Valerie took a moment to get all of her thoughts straight. Being in an interrogation room, more specifically being questioned for 3 hours came with its entanglement of pure exhaustion. "I was asked to regurgitate the last... 50-odd hours of my fucking life... that's what happened.".

"Where do you come from?..." Frank inquired next, his voice becoming a tone softer.

"Lailin... a small town of Artull," Valerie began. "About 2 hours from Liß... What about you?".

"A few hours from here... it's more of a village if anything.". Frank paused for a moment. "However, I came from somewhere else... somewhere far from home.".

"Oh?...".

"I was on my shift in Iarterre when the evacuations started. And then I was sent here...". Frank released a sigh before continuing. "It's all a blur, now that I think about it...".

"Well... we're here now," Valerie began, steering her gaze away from Frank. "It should be safer here than out there...". She continued to gaze at the setting sun.

"Yeah..." Frank muttered under his breath as he also moved his eyes to the setting sun. "Yeah, it should be...".

It wasn't long before the orange hue slowly disappeared and Frank and Valerie decided to return to the living room of the apartment.