Life during the apocalypse

2

Weeks passed, but the memory of that moment haunted me. The thought of ever having to raise my weapon against Thorn, my brother, filled me with dread. "Thorn?" "Yeah, Dia?" "Do you think that one day one of us will have...you know," I said trailing off not wanting to finish the rest of it, "Dia, let's not talk like that. I know you're scared but we can't think like that."
But in this world of chaos and desperation, I knew that survival meant stealing myself for the unthinkable. "I know, but what if-" he cut me off "Diamond, I know. I don't want to admit it but I'm just as scared."

As the days and nights grow longer and the shadows deepen, my mind is consumed by fear of the inevitable. The thought of having to raise my weapon against Thorn, my twin, my closest ally in this bleak world, is a nightmare I cannot escape.

I lie awake, listening to the haunting sounds of the night, praying that the moment I fear most will never come to pass. Yet, deep down, I know that in this unforgiving reality, anything is possible. And so I cling to hope, desperate for a reprieve from the darkness that threatens to engulf us all.

One day, Thorn and I decided to look for a town, to look for food and shelter. It had been more than three weeks since we had stayed in one place.

As we cautiously entered the small town, its desolate streets greeted us with an eerie silence. "It looks abandoned," I remarked to Thorn, scanning our surroundings for any signs of danger. "It might be, but we can't let our guard down," he replied, his voice tense with caution. He was right - in a world overrun by the undead, danger lurked around every corner.

We moved cautiously through the deserted streets, alert to any potential threats. Despite the stillness of the town, a sense of unease gnawed at my gut. We couldn't afford to let our guard down, not even for a moment, in this harsh new world where survival was anything but guaranteed.

As we scavenged through the store, gathering the necessities for survival, I couldn't resist the temptation to grab two jars of Nutella. Thorn raised an eyebrow at my choice. "What are you doing?" he asked, bemused.

"I'm getting us some food," I replied, defending my decision.

"That's not a necessity, Dia. That's a luxury," he pointed out, his tone practical as always.

"But think about it," I countered, a hint of desperation creeping into my voice. "We could use it to help blend in with the outdoors. I'm tired of always having mud on my face." But I also really wanted Nutella.

Thorn considered my words for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Fair point," he conceded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. In a world stripped bare of comfort and normalcy, sometimes even the smallest indulgences could provide a much-needed semblance of normalcy.

We settled into the safety of the house and we found that the weight of our journey seemed to lift momentarily. But amidst the relief, the reality of our unkempt state became impossible to ignore.

"Thorn, go shower, for the love of Merlin," I said, attempting to mask my frustration with a hint of humor. "Dia, stop complaining, it's not that bad," he retorted, brushing off my concerns with his typical nonchalance.

"Yeah right, you smell like animal shit," I replied, still trying to maintain a sense of civility. He rolled his eyes at my comment. "If you don't like the smell of something, why don't you go ahead and shower?" he suggested his tone teasing.

Confused, I asked, "What are you talking about, Thorn?" With a knowing look, he replied, "I'm not the only one that 'smells.'" I couldn't help but roll my eyes in response. "I don't smell that bad," I protested weakly. "Just go shower, sis," he insisted, his patience wearing thin. "Just because you're ten seconds older doesn't mean you can boss me around."

Reluctantly, I obeyed his command, indulging in the luxury of a hot shower that had been all but forgotten in the chaos of our existence. "Man, I missed this," I muttered to myself as the warm water washed away the grime of our journey.

After finishing my shower and getting dressed, Thorn finally took his turn. As we passed each other in the hallway, I couldn't resist a smug remark. "Told you," I said with a smirk.

"Shut up, sis," he replied, but, there was a hint of amusement in his voice. our struggles, moments like these - lighthearted banter amidst the darkness - was a reminder that even in the face of adversity, there was still room for laughter and camaraderie.