Six weeks (Frerard)

Chapter 5 "Home, sweet home"

There was not one person on the streets... Frank tightly held my hand and walked a little behind. My eyesight was beginning to adjust to the darkness; I could watch the shadows and silhouettes.

"Where shall we go?" Frank whispered. Then I thought, I didn't know where we could go... We had no refuge. We couldn’t survive. We could walk to my house and stay there for a while, while we weren't being rescued. If they were actually going to save someone in this city.

"My home is nearby. I think we will be able to live there."

I knew that Frank’s house wasn't so close to the mall. Moreover, neither one of us wanted to be separated now. Nothing in life is an accident; meetings, events. We were in the same place at the same time. It was then supermarket was closed and we met... It's an interesting thing.

It took us about ten minutes to get to my house. I was so preoccupied with this escape, this atmosphere that I felt no tiredness, no sleepiness. All that happened to me this week was unusual, I bet, and would make a good book or even a movie.

When we got home I had to let go of Frank to get the keys and open the door. I don't know why, but my hands were shaking, and I couldn't get the key into the keyhole until after the first few tries. I pushed Frank forward, and then I closed the door behind him.

Home, sweet home. I hadn't been here for almost five days, and what a mess it was! I felt embarrassed in front of Frank. No made up bed, the messy closet, the layer of dust, scattered pencils, plates, pots of gouache paint, newspaper clippings. In short, there prevailed a full creative mess.

Frank looked around my house, as if he was in the Sistine chapel or Buckingham Palace. He looked at absolutely everything with great curiosity, and it seemed as though in the mess he wasn't confused, but that it was rather like him.

"We'll stay here," I said to Frank. "I think we need to get some sleep. You can lie down on my bed." 'And I'll sleep on the couch... '

What had come over me to offer for the guy - whom I've known only several days - to sleep in my bed? What possessed me? I don't know. I don't know what happened to me, but Frank was delighted at my suggestion. He probably had already thought that he had to sleep on the floor. I loved when Frank smiled. It made me happier about what was happening. It is very pleasing to me.

I fell asleep almost instantly on the couch. I was willing, but my body was exhausted.

When I woke up, it was already noon. A wonderful feeling when you wake up at home. I looked over at Frank. He is so cute asleep, hugging a blanket; like a child.

I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, staring at Frank.

'Oh how long I could’ve been sitting here,' I thought and looked over to the window. 'What the hell?'

I abruptly stood up and walked over there. A few metres from my home, in the next backyard, there was a man. It was a horrible sight; at first I even closed my eyes in horror. Next to him was a huge puddle of blood, which he coughed up; a symptom of the virus, which spread through Milford, and within a few meters from my house a man was infected with the deadly disease, dammit!

I quickly walked over to Frank and touched his shoulder.

"Frank, we can't stay here anymore."

"What? What happened?"

I waited until Frank sat up and started to think soberly and perceive my words.

"Frank, there, do you see?" I pointed to the window, from which the infected was visible. "We need to go somewhere we can't catch it!"

Yes, I accidentally scared Frank. I was scared too, suddenly thinking what if the infected was a moron; he could have touched the door handle, which I then touched yesterday?

After a couple of minutes Frank and I decided to take all the necessary items from my house and run away. While Frank grabbed backpack food, I was looking for objects for defence, a torch and other necessities for survival. After a couple of hours we collected everything that we could take away.

I tried to encourage Frank. "Well, I think we can live for at least another week with such a supply." And if we have to live without help more than one week? What then? I thought it would be better not to think about it.

We left the house. I closed the door, but I doubt I'll be back soon.

"And where are we going now?" Frank looked at me, hoping that I had a plan. I knew absolutely nothing. I had no idea where to go, what to do, what to look for.

"Just going," I replied with a sigh. "Then we will get somewhere."

And we went. I don't know why Frank trusted me, nor why I trusted Frank. I don't know what we'd do without each other. Maybe we were headed towards certain death, and the people from the supermarket have already been evacuated by helicopter? So many questions were in my head... still no answers. It is hard to be in the dark about what is happening. And in fear.