Family Comes at the Weirdest Times

Chapter 3

We sat there in the Tree House for a few minutes, warming up. I ended up putting on the sweater that was in the House. God, it smelled like them.

The other six just sat there waiting. I knew they were, too, but I sat there taking in the heat from my little heater. Frost was laying next to me as I rubbed her belly.

"Five years,"

They all turned their heads to look at me whilst I was looking at the ground.

"Five years is how long this has been happening." I took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears at bay. Thank God for the invention of masks.

"I lasted five years with no other human. I had friends, family. They died within the first month of the infection." I looked up at all the pictures I'd drawn over the years. They started with shows and movies, then turned into animated drawing of my friends, and the YouTubers in front of me along with a few others.

"I've lost track of everything. Days, months. I go by the seasons. I just know that I was ten when this all started.

"We've all lost one or more people we love, I know that, so I shouldn't be saying anything. I know you guys know how hard it is." I said, looking back at them. They all avoided eye contact. Except for Cry, but his mask blocked out his eyes.

There was an awkward silence for several long minutes before anyone spoke.

"Tell us about your hobbies. What were you into before all this?" I looked up at the sound Cry's voice. I looked at him and I'm pretty sure he was looking at me behind his mask.

"Yeah, what was your life like?" Ian asked. I flickered my gaze to him, then to the other YouTubers. They seemed to have lightened up a little bit. I couldn't help the ghost of a smile enlighten my face.

"If you can't tell, I used to watch you guys, or listen." I said with a small laugh and looked down at the wooden floor. "But other than that, I played a lot of sports, and read. That's about it. Not much to tell."

"We can tell that you liked Cry, with the mask and all. But what sports?" Minx asked. She surprisingly had purple bangs like the fan pictures.

I shrugged.

"Mostly softball, but anything really. Volleyball, soccer, basketball; anything with a ball." I heard snickering from most of the guys.

"Wow. You guys really are immature." I smirked. "Now, what about you guys? What were your lives like? How did you all meet up?"

"Vidcon in New York. The six of us were hanging out when it had just started. We decided to try and get to our families," Anthony started.

"But no one was aloud out of the city. They thought it would keep us safe. It ended up killing more than protecting." Felix finished.

I heard about Vidcon. I'd always wanted to go to one, but it never came to Canada.

I looked at them after they went silent for a few minutes. I noticed that they all looked tired. Felix had bags under his eyes, along with Minx. Ken looked like he was drifting off, while Ian and Anthony looked about ready to drop dead. Cry was the only one who I couldn't tell if he was tired, but his posture gave him the look of 'in-need-of-rest.' I stood up, making sure to not disturb Frost, who was out cold, and made my way to the ladder on the Tree.

"Where are you going?" Cry asked. I looked back at them, thinking of what to say.

"Get comfortable," I decided on. "I'll be back with blankets and pillows. I don't want you guys getting sick." I started down the ladder before popping my head back up.

"I'll bring some food as well. You guys look like you could use a meal or two." And with that, I climbed? down the ladder and went into the house, gathering said products.

It wasn't that hard. Jack had told us were we could find spare blankets and sleeping bags (which was in the attic), and I had stored canned food in a secret stash in the vents and under beds. I had stocked up at the beginning of the spring.

I grabbed six thicker blankets and six cans of food. I don't really eat that much, just enough to stay alive, and it's the middle of fall, but I didn't get cold that easily.

Once back in the Tree, I found that everyone had fallen asleep. I sighed, it wasn't an irritated one, just everything that happened it doesn't surprise me that they fell asleep. They probably couldn't find a safe place to sleep without someone keeping watch.

I admit, it was a little weird 'tucking in' six adults, but it was starting to get colder, and they needed this. I started to cover them with the blankets and put the pillows I had grabbed under their heads, lifting them off the floor. Since they were all asleep, I just left the cans of food by the heater.

I decided to stay up a bit later and look out over the town. I sat at the door of the Tree House with my legs hanging over the side.

Over the soft breathing and light shuffling of the people behind me, I could hear moans of zombies from a few blocks away. Even a scream a ways away.

Judging by the moon, it looked to be only about 11 at night. I took off my monotone mask and looked up at the moon with yellow and blue eyes. I had the weirdest eyes from everyone at school. It was out of place like the rest of me. That's why I had my brothers. They were just as out of place as I was.

My eyes started to water as memories started to play in front of my eyes. Everything from grade two to the last day we all spent together ran in front of my face. I was unable to stop the salty water leaking from my eyes.

I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore. I cried enough in the past five years.

"I miss you guys. So much."

I was still looking at the moon and stars. They were my favorite part of the night other than the darkness. I knew they're up there, watching me right now.

"Ahem."

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a presence beside me and pulled on my mask to hide my tears. I looked down at my hand in my lap, not speaking.