The Outbreak (The Nursery Nurse)

Fourty Two

Once the air wasn't thick with smoke and dirt Charlotte could somewhat breathe, she held a shaking hand to her chest as her heart slowly began to calm down.

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she looked over Mia.

"Oh my god." Charlotte gasped finding her voice, stepping backwards she wobbled slightly, unbalanced on her feet.

"Charlotte." The name rolled from Mia's tongue with unease, she took a step forward and Charlotte raised a hand to stop her.

Charlotte sobbed into her hand as the gravity of the situation around her sank in, she turned and paled slightly at the bodies scattered around her, that's if they were intact at all.

"Charlotte." Mia repeated, firmly now.

She tried to back away but it was no use, Mia pulled her into her arms in a tight embrace.

Charlotte's head was pounding she was about to pull away but Mia separated them somewhat.

"Don't you dare ever leave like that again." Mia warned, low and hurt.

Charlotte's eye's widened slightly, she couldn't speak, she was in a state of shock, her chest spasming.

Mia's lips quivered slightly, "I have warned you, if anything ever happens to you I will kill every last one of them, that isn't a threat, it's a promise." The words were thick with malice.

Charlotte choked on a sob before she pulled them closer, locking their lips with fierce desire, it was harsh yet delicate.

As if it were a goodbye.

Charlotte pulled back and her blood froze in horror, looking to her left she found Siobhan.

Charlotte ran over and fell to her knees at her body.

Her lifeless body.

"No, no, no." Charlotte rushed as she placed a hand to the older woman's cold cheek.

The realisation sank in and Charlotte felt her chest heave, she brushed the blond hair that was sticky with blood out of her eyes, Charlotte's tears fell onto Siobhan's pale cheeks.

Mia was standing behind Charlotte, her face was cold, unwavering, as she watched the interaction.

"It's okay, you're okay." Charlotte tried to tell herself, trying to bring her back, pushing her hands into Siobhan's chest violently, waiting for a glimpse of life.

Mia was abruptly behind Charlotte and gently pulling her away.

"Mia stop! We have to save her, we have to!" Charlotte was frantic now, her heart was beating faster with each passing moment.

Mia took her hands and placed them on Charlotte's shoulder, "We have to go, we don't have a lot of time."

Charlotte shook her head, "That's Siobhan Mia! We have to save her, she can't die for me."

"It's too late." Mia confirmed slowly looking over to her corpse.

Charlotte's heart sank as she struggled to find her bearings, "No, no."

"Charlotte! We have to go, there will be more soon." Mia rushed angry now.

Charlotte stepped back once more fighting to calm down, "You need to take her back to Viv." She whispered, the wind harsh and cold as it whipped her hair, her wounds were starting to ache as she struggled not to sob.

Mia's eyes widened at the ridiculous thought, "I'm taking you home."

"You need to take her back to Viv first! I'll be behind you I swear, you have to take her back." Charlotte argued in despair, her voice hitching with pain.

Mia reached out an arm, clutching onto Charlotte's wrist, "I never get to choose you, please let me choose you."

Charlotte shook her head, "If you do this, if you take Siobhan back to Vivian I swear to you I'll do anything you ask, I'll leave with you, we will go someplace far and never turn back, please Mia, please."

Mia's face was a whirlwind of shock and misery her mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find her voice, "You'll leave with me, get away from this place so you will be safe?"

Charlotte nodded violently.

Mia looked to Siobhan before her eyes darted back uncertain.

"Please." She begged now, her voice low and pained.

Mia kissed her once more before finally nodding, Charlotte's chest bubbled with momentary relief.

"Go, now." Charlotte ushered, she looked away when Mia lifted Siobhan into her arms, carrying her away.

Charlotte wiped her tears, inhaling deeply she picked up her gun that was discarded on the floor a few feet away, she loaded it before heading the same way Mia had gone.

Charlotte's head cleared slightly and she realised with great despair that her leg was injured, Mia had knocked her down with such force it left her limping slightly.

It was the same leg that had broken years ago.

She gritted her teeth as she tried to overcome the tight pain, she squinted into the trees yet Mia was long gone.

She felt the earth shift around her slightly and she froze, two men were hurdling towards her, heavily armed.

She couldn't run.

"Don't shoot!" One of them called to the other.

Charlotte shut her eyes tightly, she lost grip on her gun as it fell to the floor she winced, she didn't have any survival left in her.

You need to protect them.

She thought about the group at home as the men took hold of her, dragging her away.

She thought about her deepest memories with them and slammed them to the back of her mind with force.

In return she took all of her darkest memories and pulled them from the protective walls she had spent so many years building, she let them hang at the forefront of her mind, playing over and over.

Leaving no space for her loved ones.

The grief left her breathless as she screamed.

There was only darkness and misery.

She was pulled to the ground and the men looked over her, it was too dark to make out any facial recognition.

"Is it one of them?" One asked, suddenly a torch was in her face and she didn't pull back this time.

"I think so, not quite sure, we will get the boss's opinion."

Charlotte held her breath as the taller man lifted his foot, he kicked her in the side of her head with might, knocking her out cold.

-

When she woke she was being restrained, a small group of people were in-front of her and it took several minutes for the world to focus.

There were several voices but they were blurring together, it felt as if her mind was drowning and she was struggling to pull herself to the surface, each time she got close she was pulled back down.

Nothing was making sense to her, her gaze fell to the floor as she struggled to breathe.

"Well?" A male voice broke through, his voice was next to her ear and she winced at the pounding it bought to her head, she held back a pained sob.

Charlotte tried to move her arms but simply failed, she realised that her wrists were being held in a tight hold and panicked internally.

She hesitantly looked up and her eyes widened at what was standing in front of her.

Marjorie was looking back at her with cold eyes, not an ounce of remorse as she watched Charlotte's own swim with desperation.

Marjorie's gaze lingered for a moment before looking to the man who was holding back Charlotte, "It's one of them, take her away."