The Outbreak (The Nursery Nurse)

Fourty One

Reece was sitting with his head in his hands when he felt the sofa shift beside him.

He looked up startled slightly, his sister was looking to him, concern swimming evidently in her eyes.

"I couldn't stop her." He informed, barely a whisper.

Autumn inhaled deeply before wrapping her arms around him, "They'll be okay, they're going to find Marjorie I know they will."

Reece shook his head into her shoulder, "Aut those men are evil, I don't even want to think about what would happen if."

Autumn pulled back, "Hey, stop, nothing is going to happen." She interrupted gently.

Reece was about to argue but the words caught in his mouth abruptly when the sound of little footsteps filtered through the room.

"Mummy!" Nova cried out before running into her mother's arms.

Autumn smiled warmly, she stroked her daughters hair gently, "Hello baby, are you okay?" She asked softly.

Nova pulled back, "I miss Auntie Char-Char!" Nova said, her eyes were wide and sad as she tried to understand what was happening.

Autumn frowned, "I miss her too darling, she will be back soon."

"Where is she?" Nova said her voice shook slightly with yearn.

Autumn placed a hand to her cheek, "She's helping us."

"Helping how?" Nova persisted.

Reece nudged his sister, "Wonder where she gets the stubbornness from?" He joked lightly.

Autumn shot him a disapproved look.

"Stub-or-ness?" Nova said slowly, her eyebrows stitched together as she looked to her uncle dumbfounded.

"Sweetheart are you hungry?" Autumn asked, promptly redirecting her curiosity, before standing up and lifting her daughter so she rested on her hip.

-

"Okay watch your step." Charlotte informed quietly.

Siobhan and Charlotte had just searched another town.

No sign of Marjorie.

Charlotte was walking ahead of Siobhan and she stopped when she noticed Siobhan was no longer following.

She turned and saw Siobhan standing still, an apprehensive look on her face, her mouth kept opening and closing as if she were choosing her words.

"Char, I'm tired, it's been two weeks now, maybe Marjorie doesn't want to be found." Siobhan informed quietly, careful with her tone.

Charlotte shook her head, "I'm not giving up on her."

Siobhan shifted on her feet slightly, "Charlotte please, I want to go home."

Charlotte inhaled deeply, "Then go."

Siobhan's eyes widened slightly, "And leave you here defenceless? Mia would kill me, quite literally."

Charlotte looked to the floor, she shifted the rifle on her shoulder as she avoided eye contact, "I can take care of myself."

"Charlotte." Siobhan huffed.

Charlottes looked back up to her, her eyes widened as she lifted her hand, "Stop!" She said panicked.

"No but,-"

"No Siobhan really, stop talking!" Charlotte exclaimed desperately.

Siobhan froze in fear and looked around.

The forest opening they were in was silent until it wasn't, there was the sound of footsteps nearby, quickening footsteps from all different directions.

"Run!" Charlotte called.

They started to sprint, the trees around them blurring together as they heard several gunshots be fired.

Charlotte could feel her chest tightening as she tried to think, she took Siobhan's hand as they continued to run.

"They're surrounded, close in!" A voice was close by and Charlotte held her breath as she jerked Siobhan the opposite way.

Charlotte let go of Siobhan's hand to loaded her gun, two men came into view, she shot them down and they wailed in pain, collapsing to the floor.

Charlotte and Siobhan jumped over their bodies, hurdling towards a field opening.

Her heart pounded as she tried to keep calm, the adrenaline coursed through her veins and she came to a sudden realisation.

She didn't want to die.

Siobhan was taking out the men with ease, slightly ahead of Charlotte now.

Charlotte gasped as she tripped over, she tumbled towards the ground her hand slicing on a rock as she caught herself, she winced in pain before scrambling to her feet, sprinting once more.

Siobhan looked back to Charlotte, her eyes wide.

"Keep going!" Charlotte called out frantically, her voice cracking.

But it was no use, they were surrounded.

They were going to die.

Siobhan realised this too, running back to Charlotte she clutched onto her hand with might.

Siobhan's eyes were wide as they looked over Charlotte's face.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Charlotte choked as the men got closer.

Charlotte's eyes were frantic darting around the area and she felt her heartbeat quicken as the men surrounding them started to drop one by one, she thought she caught a glimpse of red.

But there was too many of them.

Someone was yanking her backwards then and she lost her hold on Siobhan.

"No! No!" Charlotte cried out in shock.

"Charlotte!" Siobhan shouted wildly as she got further and further away.

Charlotte tried to fight back but it was no use, someone had her wrists in a tight hold before she was shoved down to the floor as the air exploded around her, shaking the earth she was now clutching onto.

A bomb explosion, Charlotte was sure of it.

She coughed and spluttered as the smoke filled her lungs, she was bleeding from somewhere, the blood dripping into her mouth with an unforgiving metallic sting as she tried to stabilise herself.

Her ears split with the sound and her throat made a low pained gasp, as she tried to get a grip of what was happening.

She was yanked onto her feet and lifted backwards, something was shielding her.

A familiar scent flooded her nose and her heart stopped beating for a moment.

Once the explosion faded she looked up slowly.

Her vision was blurry and her chest spasmed, she brought a hand to her chest, fighting to breathe. 

Once her vision finally focused she sobbed.

Mia was looking back at her, her eyes fiery and unforgiving.