VIRUS

TWENTY THREE

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Birthday Party

It was strange how even in the midst of a world falling apart, the small things still managed to matter. Dawn sat at the table, focused intently on cutting strips of colorful old fabric they'd scavenged from the basement storage, trying to make them look somewhat festive. Isabel was next to her, carefully stitching pieces together to form makeshift banners. It wasn't much, but it was something—something for Holden.

"Do you think he'll like it?" Dawn asked, biting her bottom lip as she held up the banner they'd been working on. It read "Happy Birthday" in mismatched, brightly colored letters. She wasn't sure if it looked cheerful or sad, but it was the best they could do with what they had.

Isabel glanced at the banner and smiled softly. "He's going to love it. Trust me. The guy's been through hell, and honestly, I don't think he dislikes anything you do."

Dawn's chest tightened at the thought. "I just want it to be special for him. He deserves something... normal. Something good."

Isabel stopped sewing for a moment and looked at Dawn, her eyes soft but knowing. "You know, you're really good for him. I've never seen Holden this... I don't know... happy before. Even in all of this mess."

Dawn blushed, feeling the warmth rise to her cheeks. "He's good for me too. I didn't realize how much until... well, until everything."

They sat in silence for a while after that, the soft sounds of fabric being cut and stitched the only noise in the cabin. Dawn's mind wandered, thinking about the way Holden had opened up to her—about how deeply he cared, how much he feared losing her. She knew that fear all too well; it was the same fear she carried every day, knowing that in this world, nothing was certain. But Holden... he had been through so much more. His burdens were heavier than hers, and she just wanted to give him something to smile about, even if it was just for a day.

After another hour of crafting, Isabel stood up and stretched, yawning slightly. "Alright, I think we've done enough decorating. Now we just need to finish that cake."

Dawn grinned, feeling a little surge of excitement. "Yeah, let's do this."

They headed into the kitchen, where they'd found a box of cake mix that was, miraculously, still in decent condition. It wasn't perfect—they didn't have eggs, milk, or even butter—but Isabel had figured out a way to make it work by using a can of soda they'd scavenged from an old vending machine. It sounded weird, but Isabel was a genius when it came to making do with what they had.

"I can't believe we're actually making a cake in the middle of an apocalypse," Dawn said with a laugh as she poured the mix into a bowl. "It feels... surreal."

Isabel smirked as she cracked open the can of soda and poured it in, mixing it until it became a smooth batter. "Yeah, well, desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, it's his birthday. If we can't give him anything else, at least we can give him cake."

As the cake baked in the old oven, filling the cabin with a sweet, comforting smell, Dawn felt a small flicker of hope. Maybe, for just one night, they could pretend that things were normal again.

***

"Dude, you've got to be kidding me." Ryland laughed as he tossed a football to Holden in the front yard, keeping him distracted. "You've never gone camping here?"

Holden shook his head, catching the ball with ease. "Nope. My dad wasn't exactly the type to do father-son bonding trips. We only came up here to hunt, and even that was more about him showing off than spending time with me."

Ryland frowned but didn't press. He knew better than to dig too deep into Holden's family issues. "Well, you're missing out. If we ever get a chance, we should totally camp out. Maybe in the spring when it's warmer."

"Yeah, if we make it that long," Holden muttered under his breath.

Ryland jogged up to him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Hey, we've made it this far. You never know. There might be better days ahead."

Holden smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Ryland was about to say something else when the front door opened and Isabel stuck her head out. "Holden, can you come in now?"

Holden raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "Why?"

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Just get in here."

Ryland grinned. "Come on, man. Let's go."

As they stepped inside, Holden froze in the doorway. The cabin had been transformed. The living room was draped in bright, makeshift banners, and small candles were lit around the room, casting a soft, warm glow. In the center of the table sat a cake—an actual cake, with a candle stuck in the middle of it. Dawn stood next to the table, smiling shyly, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Surprise," she said softly.

Holden blinked, his mouth slightly open in shock. "What... what is all this?"

Dawn stepped forward, her eyes filled with warmth. "It's your birthday, Holden. We wanted to celebrate."

Holden's eyes darted around the room, taking in the decorations, the cake, and the effort that had clearly gone into making this happen. His throat tightened, and he swallowed hard, trying to keep his emotions in check.

"I... I've never had a birthday party before," he said quietly, almost as if he were ashamed to admit it.

Dawn's face softened. "Well, now you have."

Holden took a deep breath, his chest aching with an unfamiliar mix of gratitude and sadness. He looked at Dawn, then at Isabel and Ryland, who were standing nearby, grinning like idiots.

"You didn't have to do all this," Holden said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Of course we did," Isabel said, waving him off. "You deserve to be celebrated, Holden."

Ryland nodded, clapping him on the back. "Happy birthday, man."

Holden's gaze shifted back to Dawn, who was looking up at him with that same soft, caring expression she always had when it came to him. He didn't know how to process this—the kindness, the thoughtfulness, the love. He'd spent most of his life believing he didn't deserve any of it.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Dawn stepped closer, taking his hand in hers. "You're worth celebrating, Holden. And we're not going to let you forget that."

He looked down at her, his heart pounding in his chest. "I've never had this before... people caring like this. I don't know how to..."

"You don't have to do anything," Dawn said softly. "Just enjoy it. We're here, and we love you. That's all that matters."

Holden's eyes filled with tears, and for a moment, he couldn't speak. Instead, he pulled Dawn into a tight hug, holding her as if she were the only thing keeping him grounded in this moment. She hugged him back, her arms wrapped around his waist, and for the first time in as long as he could remember, Holden felt safe. He felt loved.

After a long moment, he pulled back, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Alright," he said, clearing his throat. "Let's eat some cake."

They all laughed, and Dawn handed him a knife to cut the cake. As he sliced into it, he couldn't help but smile. It wasn't the prettiest cake he'd ever seen, but to him, it was perfect.

As they sat around the table, eating the makeshift cake and joking about how terrible it tasted (even though it wasn't that bad), Holden couldn't help but feel something he hadn't felt in a long time: hope. Maybe they could make it through this after all. Maybe, just maybe, there were still moments of light left in the darkness.

And for now, that was enough.