Black Death (TNN)

Morning

Beth could feel it stirring beneath her, she was lying with her head on Sorscha's lap. When she opened her eyes, she saw her wife carefully lifting her up.

"What are you doing?" whispered Beth.

"I'm going to get us some breakfast," Sorscha replied quietly, taking the hunting rifle in her hand.

" Be careful..."

" Always." Sorscha gave her a quick kiss before disappearing from the hut. The sun hadn't even fully risen yet.

" She's changed."

Beth looked into the dim corner of the room in surprise. There, leaning against the wall, sat Reece. Max was lying next to him, still fast asleep.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

" You didn't. Carly woke me up when she snuck off to go hunting too. Let's hope they don't run into each other out there."

Beth sat up fully, she knew a lot about her wife's past. But even after all these years, there were still chapters of her story that were hidden from her.
"I don't know what she did to you, but Sorscha is not a bad person."

"I know...... she was just on a dark path the last time we met her." Reece was filled with memories of what had happened to Charlotte and Vivian. What she had done to Mia. He wondered what would have happened if they had never crossed paths with Sorscha. Would Marjorie still be alive? Would Autumn still be here? Or Winter?

Sorscha crept through the undergrowth until she came across a meadow where a deer was grazing. She slowly took aim at the animal, her finger already on the trigger when an arrow hit it.

Sorscha lowered her rifle, Carly came out of a bush on the other side of the meadow.

She knelt down in front of the dead animal and pulled her arrow out of the carcass. It was a big deer, transporting it could be difficult. Carly was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the presence behind her.

"Good shot."

Carly glanced over her shoulder, she didn't say anything and turned back to the animal.

"I can help you if you want," Sorscha said.

"No." Carly replied coldly.

Sorscha sighed. " Listen, I know we don't have the best past together, but I've learnt over the years that sometimes it's better to just let the past rest."

Carly laughed out, standing up and turning to Sorscha. " Let the past rest? The trauma you gave me can never be repaired. Don't act so innocent in front of your new wife! You broke me!", tears formed in her eyes.

"Carly, I...", but Sorscha was interrupted.

"Do you know how long it took me to somehow come to terms with everything! I've lost so many people because of what you did! It was all your fault! So no, Sorscha, I don't want your help, I don't need it and I won't let the past rest!" Carly took the dead animal's legs and started to walk away. "Sometimes I wish I had pulled the trigger back then."

When Sorscha returned to the hut, she saw Carly and Max cutting up the deer together. The Irish tried to avoid they looks and entered the hut. Beth and Reece were talking.

"Good, your back," said Beth.

"Unfortunately empty-handed, Carly was quicker," replied Sorscha.

"After we've had breakfast, we should move on," said Reece.

Sorscha nodded. " It's better to leave this area as soon as possible. The black army will properly still search for any survivors..." she saw a spark of sadness in Reece's eyes. "... I'm sorry you've lost your home."

"Unfortunately, it was to be expected, we refused to help them."

Beth chimed in too." We also lost our home because of the black army... they are cruel and brutal..."

As soon as everyone had eaten something, they set off. Max walked ahead with Carly. Beth was in the middle with Sorscha. Reece was the last, his leg was bothering him again. Sorscha realised this too and dropped back a little until she was next to him.

"What happened to your leg?"

Reece glanced at her. "What happened to your eye?"

Sorscha couldn't help but smile slightly. " Touché... Deliah happened."

This surprised Reece, he never thought he would hear that name again. " Deliah? Really? Why did she poke your eye out?"

"I didn't want to join her weird zombie cult.. Well now you know that, so what happened to your leg?"

" Mia." Reece replied dryly.

" Mia? Why?"

"She lost control and tried to shoot Marjorie. Luckily, my leg was in between."

Sorscha nodded in silence, she could already guess why Mia had lost control. It was because of what she had done to her.

Sorscha looked ahead to the beginning of the group, she saw Max talking to Beth. When the boy laughed, Sorscha saw her.

" He looks like his mum. Well, except for the blonde hair, that's definitely yours," Sorscha said.

Reece smiled slightly. "Yes, you're right."