A Little Word Called Love

Part 2: Where Is This Journey Taking Me?

"This is unreal," Lilith exclaimed.

Jorge looked down at her "Once that infection fell from the sky a large group of doomsday preppers thought it would be a good idea to keep at least 4 acres infection free. It is really dangerous considering ground zero is 10 miles away between Osprey and Fruitville. We acted fast, took about a week to set up a few buildings and the rest to fortify the wall which was already here. We are at what was known as the Sarasota Military Academy. John, my twin brother, wanted a place where people like you can come to so that we can help them. He didn't want to be in charge, so I gladly took up on that offer."

"You can stay with us," Tiffany said "We have room."

"Yeah," Lilith paused and looked at the two of them "Do you want to know exactly what happened to me?"

"Of course Lily. We are here for you," Damien said "You are safe here."

"In a way that's hard to believe, but I'll take your word for it...for now."

Jorge folded his hands behind and back then began to walk back into the building "Don't forget we did save your life Ms. Ashburn," then proceed to walk "Enjoy your stay."

Tiffany, Damien, and Lilith started to walk down the staircase towards the settlement of buildings. Walking past citizens and other people of all cultures staring at Lilith. One of them walked up to her and asked "You're really lucky madam. Uhh I probably shouldn't ask this but.."

Tiffany interrupted with "Then don't she has already been through enough and would not like people with the likes of you getting in her business. Got that Justin?"

"How do you know her then?" Justin asked.

"We went to the same high school and she was my friend."

"And it was such a coincidence that she just so happened to show up here?"

"I guess so," Damien stood up for her "Now back off."

After they walked past him Lilith said "Thanks...who was that guy?"

"We will explain when we get to our place."

They arrived at the shack looking structure to go inside. Along the walls was a couch and some drawers along with a kitchen to the side and a bed in the back.

"Nothing much but its still home."

"Its something. Me and the rest kept sleeping in different locations every night since we moved a lot trying to get down here. It will actually be nice to come back to something ya know?"

"It must have been horrifying to see all of that," Tiffany said while sitting down on a wooden chair.

"I don't want to treat it as something to be sorry for," Lilith explained "It's just another page in my book."

"Well feel free to do whatever you need to survive," Damien said while pulling a small pot from a cabinet under the personal one burner travel stove.

"We are just lucky to be here and we would recommend that you not go back out there unless something happens to this place," Tiffany reached into her pocket to take out a small item "If anything happens to us when that day comes I want to give you this."

She handed Lilith a 40 GB flash drive "In this there is a program that can cure this thing."

"WHAT!?"

Damien then said "Keep it down."

She lowered her voice "How the hell did you get this?"

"I worked at McDill in the medical center. I worked as an assistant to one of the head researchers there named Dr. Jones."

"Zargo...told me about him."

"You guys went to the base? Was Dr. Jones still there?"

"I didn't go there," Lilith cleared her throat "someone shot my ankle so Dylan stayed behind with me."

"Did he say anything about Jones?" Tiffany continued to question.

"Zargo...killed him," Lilith proceeded "Jones threw Elizabeth into a room full of infectors and Zargo just beat him to death."

"Why did he throw her in there?"

"More research subjects."

Tiffany looked at the flash drive then back at Lilith "He deleted the file on his computer and the only copy he had was on this drive."

"How did you get it?"

"When testing the bomb was a failure Jones told me to take the drive and go to where it crashed and do something to help. So I came down here with Damien to try and figure this out. Turns out there was nothing I could do. Then I bumped into John and Jorge they saved us and took us in. We have been here for the past 3 months."

"3 MONTHS!?"

"John didn't tell you? You have been out for 2 and a half months."

"What the hell?"

"We thought you knew already," Damien stated.

"Two and a half months..."

Tiffany wanted to get back on the subject "I need to explain some more things about what we are going to do. The only other people I told about this was John and Jorge they had the right to know."

"And what did they say?"

"They said that when this place falls we will head out to Miami. If any hospitals are left standing we will go there. Now that you're here all 5 of us can go."

"Wait wait...I never agreed to this."

"Don't you want to help save humanity? Did any of our friend's deaths mean a thing? This is our only chance to do this."

Lilith hesitated.

Damien said "When this place falls and you don't come with us then you are on your own. So I strongly recommend that you come along."

Lilith sighed and nodded her head "Yeah..I'll come."

"Tomorrow I'll tell John and Jorge you are on board," Damien exclaimed.

Lilith grabbed the camera to turn it on and start recording "This is Lilith Ashburn and its been 2 and a half months since I was shot. Coming into this place it felt so familiar for some odd reason; my friends are here, Tiffany and Damien. Tiffany has a flash drive with the cure on it. They proposed that we bring it to Miami to develop it. I can't really explain much more the batteries on this are dying rapidly. Where is this journey taking me? Lilith out."