Love & Death

Rooms?

The elevator was packed to capacity, everyone squeezed in like sardines. "I've never seen a doctor so heavily armed," Daryl remarked. Jenner glanced back at him and replied, "There were enough weapons to go around. I took the initiative to arm myself." He studied the group and added, "Though you all seem rather harmless." A brief silence followed. "Except for you," he continued, eyeing the little boy, prompting some laughter from the others. Just then, the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.

As we stepped into the hallway, I couldn't help but take in the bare walls, my eyes finally landing on Carol. "Are we underground?" she asked. Jenner looked back at us, a hint of bemusement on his face. "Are you claustrophobic?" he questioned.

"Kind of," Carol admitted.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Jenner reassured her as we moved forward.

We soon found ourselves in a large room filled with computers and empty chairs. "Where is everybody? The other doctors? The staff?" Rick inquired, his voice tinged with concern. Jenner paused and turned to face us. "I'm it. It's just me here," he said, his words hanging in the air.

Lori broke the silence, her brow furrowing. "What about the person you were talking to? Vi?" Jenner merely smiled, tilting his head slightly. "Vi, say hello to our guests. Welcome them." The computer chimed in, an artificial voice warmly greeting us, "I'm all that's left. I'm sorry."

After that strange introduction, Jenner led us to a small exam room where he was set to draw blood. I leaned against the wall, waiting for my turn, feeling the tension in the air. When my name was called, I stepped over, took a seat, and placed my arm on the counter. We engaged in light conversation while he worked, trying to keep our spirits up despite the circumstances.

Finally, it was Andrea's turn. She walked over, taking the seat across from Jenner. "What's the point? If we were infected, we'd all be running a fever," she challenged.

Jenner paused for a moment, then replied, "I've already broken every rule in the book to let you in here. Just let me be thorough." He continued his work, and soon all the blood draws were completed. We were then ushered into another room, where food awaited us.

Dale gestured toward Carl, grinning as he spoke. "You know, in Italy and France, children have a little wine with dinner."

Lori quickly shot down the idea. "Well, when Carl is in France or Italy, he can have some then."

Rick glanced at Lori, his eyes asking questions without words. "What's gonna happen?" he said, trying to gauge her reaction. Lori rolled her eyes but smiled slightly, placing her hand over the cup.

I watched as Carl picked up a half-filled wine glass and took a sip, a soft smile breaking across my face as he scrunched up his nose in disgust. "Ewww!" he exclaimed, causing laughter to ripple through the group. "That's my boy," Lori said, beaming as Carl continued to complain about the taste.

As the laughter faded and the conversation flowed, I noticed Rick rising with a glass in hand. "It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly," he said, looking over at Jenner.

"He's more than just our host," T-Dog chimed in. "Hear, hear!"

"Here's to you, Doc!" Daryl added, raising his glass high.

I found my gaze locked on Jenner's smile—one I had never seen before. It was disarming. His eyes caught mine, and I felt the heat rush to my cheeks as I absentmindedly petted Rouge, who was resting in my lap. Taking that as an invitation, Jenner stepped closer and settled next to me, those captivating blue eyes trained on my face. "I saw you eyeing me," he said, smirking.

Caught off guard, I replied playfully, "Oh, was I?"

His smirk deepened as he leaned in closer, whispering in my ear, "Oh, I know you were, because I love these eyes of yours, and I can always tell when you're looking." His voice was low, intimate against the backdrop of the bustling room, and I turned away, flustered.

Just as I was about to respond, Shane's voice sliced through the moment, heavy with impatience. "So when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, Doc?" he demanded, effectively draining the room of its lighthearted atmosphere.

Rick shot Shane a warning glance, but the other man wouldn't let it go. Everyone fell silent, the jovial mood evaporating.

Jenner leaned into Shane's questioning, explaining how many people "opted out" when the world began to crumble. "I just kept working, hoping to do something good," he added, his voice laced with a hint of regret.

"Why didn't you leave?" Andrea asked softly.

He looked down, the weight of his own words hanging heavily in the air. "I just kept working," he repeated, the room now enveloped in somber silence until Glenn broke it, sighing, "You're such a buzzkill."

With that awkwardness trailing behind us, Jenner led us on a tour of the bedrooms. He cautioned us about not overusing anything and to be mindful of hot water. The mood lightened once more as everyone cheered and dashed toward the rooms. I chose a room at the far end, wanting to distance myself from everyone, seeking solace in my own thoughts and the oppressive weight of the depression swelling within me. It was exhausting pretending to be happy, especially when the reality outside these walls loomed ever more ominous.