A Family

A Friend in Difficult Times

It's been two weeks since the outbreak begun. You have yet to hear from anyone. The group of survivors are somewhat used to each other's presence now and can handle each other better than they did in the beginning. You have lost a few, who tried to leave the airport. When it's been brought up, you can tell Ethan wants to leave, but he's realistic. How it looks right now, he would need a bigger group to leave than the few duos who had tried. It was for good reason too, because they didn't make it.

  You have a good view of the only exit where they'd get out and sometimes they never got that far. It was not a pleasant sight when you anxiously watched them try to make their way through the herd of zombies outside.

. . .

You and Ethan are getting closer without much effort. With great chemistry and lots of same opinions and morals, you and Ethan naturally seek each other out. You enjoy his company. It feels like you're getting through to him, in a way few do. And you are, because he feels like you understand him. Whenever there's a conflict with him and some of the other survivors, you have a way of not just calming the tension but also him personally. He feels content with your presence and seeks it. Which is very new to him.

Ethan is not comfortable with these new feelings he gets whenever you're around. Also the ones when you're not around and he still thinks about you. To him, it feels like he's struggling to control his thoughts and focus. He hates that. He's usually good at blocking things out when he needs to. But he's constantly thinking of you in some way. Either what your opinion is about something if he's discussing with someone or he's just thinking about you, your smile and laugh.

...

  Ethan and a few went to clear another are of this level of the airport, in order to get access to more food. When they get back you approach them.

  "How'd it go?" You ask Ethan.

He just walks past you like you're not even there. Your brows raise slightly and you turn to look at him.

"Ethan?"

He stops and turn. "Hm?"

"I, uh.. I asked you a question." You say, confused about his sudden behaviour.

"Oh, I thought you asked everyone." He says. "It wasn't a smooth operation but we're fine."

Ethan then just walk away again and you watch him in confusion as he leaves for the bathroom to wash the blood off.

...

Ethan is acting differently around you. Like he's trying to distance himself from you. And you don't know why.

"Ethan, can we talk?" You politely ask him.

He dismisses every time you to try to ask him about it. You feel angry and hurt. You thought you had become friends and that you'd at least deserve an explanation. And having a friend like him among the survivors in a time like this, has been very comforting. It might not have looked like you're struggling, but this is just as tough for you as it is for the others.

...

Ethan might keep his distance, but it's barely working. Now, when he sits somewhere and has a break or is trying to sleep, he ends up drawing in his notebook. He journals and on the side, he draws. It's a talent of his, drawing. He doodles a lot as a way of fiddling and to pass time. It's not something he does professionally or even tries to. He's not one to paint and use his talent properly.

He finishes the recent drawing he was sketching beside his notes about the airport and zombies. Glancing at you in the distance, he then looks down at the drawing and scrolls over the last few pages. It all contains some sort of sketch of you among the notes.