T.E.O.T.W.A.W.K.I

Chapter 6.

Settling In  

"I hope you guys don't mind sharing a room, I mean it has two beds at least" Charlie said as she opened the door to the third bedroom of the house. "I know it's not ideal but it's all there is unless one of you wanted to crash on the couch". I took in the decor of the room in the dim light cast by the small table light.

"This is great, thank you so much" Cassie smiled brightly at Charlie and then myself. "Thank you for everything. I don't know what we would have done if you two hadn't come along" I smile sympathetically at her.

"I don't know what we would have done if you'd refused to come with us" I joked earning a smile from both twins. Charlie tells them where the bathroom is and where to find some clothes that might Cassy and then looks at me for help with Nate. I nod and head to the bedroom where my bag was. It still didn't feel right calling it my room.

"Tomorrow we can go check on the neighbours, some of them might have more fitting clothes but for now this'll have to do I'm afraid" I told Nate handing him the smallest t-shirt I could find along with a pair of basketball shorts. Charlie was downstairs making something to eat and had asked me to help once I'd sorted Nate so I headed back downstairs.

"How old would you say they are?" Charlie asked as she stood searing steak in a pan. I shrugged while washing my hands in the sink.

"Young, they look about sixteen" I admitted wiping my hands on my pants. "How come they get steak on their first night and I got beans on toast?" I asked feigning hurt.

"Because I like them more than I like you. Now are you actually going to help or just stand there all night?" I laugh as she finished speaking, Nate's words coming back to me. With a glare she pointed at an ornate glass bowl by the fridge.

"Prepare some salad" she demanded and without argument I got to work.

The twins both came into the kitchen just as I placed the salad and some minty boiled potatoes onto the table.

"Gotta make the most of the fresh food while we still have a fridge" Charlie remarks to the twins who both look confused at such a spread being laid out.

"It wasn't that last night" I remarked childishly making Cassy smile. "You can sit down you know, I promise the chairs aren't booby-trapped" I turned to Charlie to quickly add "Are they?" She just scoffed and shook her head plating up the steaks. I grabbed two and put them in front of the twins who had sat as close together as possible. I could only imagine what they'd been through so I didn't comment.

"There's juice in the fridge and a pot of fresh coffee by the sink. I wouldn't recommend drinking tap water from now on unless it's been boiled thoroughly before hand. We still don't know how this thing is spread. So any precaution is necessary" Charlie told us matter-of-factly as she placed our plates down. We each helped ourselves to salad and potatoes before commencing the meal in silence.

Nate was the first to break the silence.

"Do you have a radio we could listen to?" He asked Charlie who nodded and pointed to the top of the fridge.

"It's kinda old and doesn't get the greatest reception, but it should pick up the emergency broadcasts easy enough. You guys looking for anyone?" She asked casually. I sat back and stared at her, I was in awe. She was so calm asking things like that, we all knew what her question really meant but she still managed to sugar-coat it.

"No, our parents... Well they came back from work when they heard about the outbreak and we were getting all our things together to leave, but the front door mustn't have been closed properly and before we knew it there was five or six of those things all over the house" Cassy's voice broke towards the end, tears filling her eyes. I nodded in understanding as Nate put a comforting arm around his sister.