Deep Breaths

Chapter 2

We all take off to our assigned positions.

Trey walks silently beside me as I lead the way up to my place.

I hadn't taken the time to really look at him until now. He is gorgeous. I can't remember the last time I've seen someone as perfect as he is.

"We should probably look for some backpacks," he says, bringing me back to reality.

"Yeah," I agree, "I have one in my room," or what's left of my room I think to my self as I go to search for it.

I make my way into my bedroom and over to my closet. My bookshelf has fallen over, now blocking the closet door.

"Shit," I quietly sigh to myself.

There is no way I am going to be able to move it while holding the baby. I walk over to my bed and take the quilt off revealing clean and dust free sheets underneath.

I carefully lay the baby boy down on my bed and go back to the bookshelf. I get behind it and set myself up to push the massive thing out of the way.

Deep breath in.

As i exhale, I push with everything I've got. The bookshelf slowly slides out of the way making the most obnoxious screech as it does so.

I stand up and open the closet, hardly any dust has made its way inside. I take breath of the clean air, smelling what used to be home. I have to jump to reach the black backpack on the top shelf. I check to make sure it's empty and swing it over my shoulder.

After I pick up the baby I walk back to the kitchen where Trey is searching through my cupboards. It seems strange to watch, normally I'd never let a stranger go through my things, but I guess the end of the world changes things...

"Got any water bottles?" Trey speaks into the cupboards.

"Yeah," I say, "in the pantry." 

"What about baby food?"

"There'll be some downstairs." 

This time he looks at me when he speaks, "why downstairs?"

"Oh," I say, realizing I said the baby was mine earlier. "The baby really isn't mine, it's my neighbors, but it was easier to say yes than to explain."

"Oh," some emotion goes across his face but I can't tell what it means. "What's it's name?"

"I don't know..." I say now realizing I really don't know.

"Probably should name him if you're going to keep acting like he's your baby," Trey suggests.

"Right. I'll think about it," I say. "I'm going to go get some of his things from downstairs."

"Okay," Trey says as he goes back to scavenging for things in my kitchen.

I hold the baby close to me as I walk up to Amber's apartment. I force myself not to look at her body as I walk to the baby's room. I lay the baby in his crib again and look around the room. Cute little baby decor hung all around the walls and ceiling. The name 'Noah' was spelled out in wooden letters over the crib.