Until morning comes

[8]

"Nick! Tommy!" I turn around to see Ashlie waddle over to us.

"Where's uni and dawn?"

"Don't know, haven't seen them yet." Ashlie pursed her lips.

"Let's hope they're doing fine,"

"Yea."

_______

"Dammit!" Ashlie yells as her side of the generator blows up in her face.

"Quiet Ashlie!" I whisper yell to her as me and her hide behind a wooden board. We had lost tommy awhile back and I was worried for him. The heart beat came and went, I realized I was starting to get used to this, this world, this way of living; surviving.

Me and Ashlie headed back over to the generator when we lost sight of the hill Billie.

"Do you think the others are alright" I look over at Ashlie, her face full of concern, yet determination. I look back over to the side of the generator I was working on.

"I'm sure they are fine, they are strong people, being out where for a while really toughens you up, y'know?" Ashlie replied, a slight smile on her face.

Silence.

"How long have they been out here?" I ask.

Silence.

"A long time, even before I came here. Cory came after I did, uni and dawn before me, and tommy Before any of use. Who knows how long thats bee-"

"Two years" I cut her off.

"What?" She looks over at me, stoping what she was doing.

"You've been out here for two years, that's how long you've been away from home." Her face droops and she goes back to working on the generator.

"Two years . . . Has it really been two years . . ." I nod solemnly.

"Dad misses you, mom misses you . . . I missed you," I mailed sadly over at her.

"And I promise I'll get us all out, mark my word." Ashlie smiles at me.

"Two years nick, you really think we can get out of here?"

"I know we will, because we got in, there has to be a way out."