The Outbreak (The Nursery Nurse)

Two

It was early hours of the morning, Charlotte could feel the warm light of day on her face as it filtered through the white curtains.

She liked the early hours of the mornings. The apocalypse had made her appreciate time more cautiously than ever before. The only time of day where there was no panic, no grief and no objectives.

She could turn moments in her mind over and over again without being disturbed.

She could feel Mia's arm, it was closed around her waist in a possessive way, even asleep Mia was always protecting her girlfriend.

The apocalypse had broken out two and a half years ago, so much has changed since then. Sometimes Charlotte found herself grieving the woman she once was, the woman who had always been optimistic.

But Charlotte has since been scolded for having a more muted pessimistic outlook on everything involving this outbreak.

At the start she believed that they could do anything, that they would get through this. But as the years dragged on things seemed to be getting worse. So many more casualties. Humans had turned against each other in a way that appalled Charlotte.

Everyone else in the house seemed to be more optimistic than she was, they still believed that there was hope, that one day there will be something, something incredible to wipe out the zombies, some brave former staff members even claim to believe there could be a cure.

She always found herself wishing she could find this hope to, that maybe they were right. But she'd watched too many friends die right in front of her eyes.

Sorscha's blank stare was abruptly tugged to the forefront of her mind, the smell of blood flooded her nose and the sobs that had torn out her throat that day. She was the first death Charlotte had witnessed. The first person she couldn't save no matter how hard she tried. The first friend she had to leave behind in order to save herself from being next.

She couldn't bare to think anymore, she carefully twisted her way out of Mia's arms as not to disturb her and exited the room.

She found Autumn in the kitchen nursing her coffee idly. She seemed to be deep in thought. Her eyes appeared glossed over and far away.

Autumn and Charlotte had never really been 'close.' She didn't know if Autumn considered her a friend at all. Of course they had small interactions but they'd never been very compatible. However Charlotte had found herself wondering if they were more alike than they both knew.

She was about to turn back and find somewhere else to go and ponder when Autumn's voice broke through.

"Morning Charlotte."

Autumn didn't look up at her, it kind of freaked her out a bit.

"Morning Autumn, sorry to disturb you I'll go someplace else." She started to back away.

"There's coffee in the pot, still warm." Autumn's voice was blank, almost calm. An invitation perhaps?

Charlotte smiled slightly before making her way into the kitchen to poor herself a cup, she tried to be as silent as possible.

She leant against the counter and took a sip. She noticed Autumn watching her with a masked expression. It was hard to tell what she was thinking.

Charlotte almost found herself asking if something was wrong but she caught the thought and held it. She probably wanted to be left alone. They were similar in that way, they enjoyed each other's company because there didn't have to be conversation.

They both soaked up the morning peace for as long as possible before there was noise starting to emerge from parts of the house. The two woman both heard the sound of footsteps approach them, they both turned and was met with a smiling winter.