"Okay, I see why you usually eat while looking at victims, it saves quite a bit of time considering how much time we take to eat every day and that time could also be saved and spent doing productive things like work," Midnight said, sitting next to Ravi and eating chow mein over an open cadaver.
"I know, right? See, Liv? You just don't get the efficiency," Ravi said.
"Ugh, I don't get the appeal of eating noodles while looking at someone else's last meal," I said then yawned.
"Liv, you've been yawning an awful lot lately, are you alright?" Midnight asked.
"Yeah, just haven't been getting much sleep, I couldn't last night so I binged an entire season of 'Zombie High'," I chuckled.
"Ugh, shows like that are just terrible, 'oh look the basement is open and the lock has been torn apart, let's go down and hide there', surprise, hoard of zombies just waiting to infect you while you have nothing to defend yourself," she said and set her empty takeout box aside, "a great zombie movie would be Resident Evil, I mean, the main character is a bad-ass chick who's ex agent, a little psychic and that progresses through the movies, and she doesn't make stupid decisions like walking into a basement full of zombies."
"Whoa, alright, calm down there," Ravi said as he got up and threw away their takeout boxes, "You are really passionate about that, aren't you?"
Midnight blushed a bit, "I kind of went on a rant, didn't I? Sorry, I mean zombie movies and shows are cool though obviously they're nothing like real life," she said, "Take Liv for example, functions as a normal human, just has occasional visions." M got off her stool and walked over, "The only similarities to Hollywood zombies she has are the need to eat brains, the pale, dead complexion and her zombie mode. She's perfectly capable of speech, she's not rotting, normal motor functions and her heart still beats although it's much slower than average but she's not average," she smiled at me, "and I think that's awesome."
I chuckled, "You're not exactly average either, you have amber eyes that look gold, and you're working in a morgue while most kids your age are still in school."
"Right, but I do still go to school, I mean I'm only sixteen and if I drop out then I'll lose my job here," Midnight pointed out, moving her glasses to her head, "And I like working here...okay let me rephrase, I like working here with you two, it's fun. Ravi's always up to something odd and he's pretty funny and you keep things interesting, being part of Team Z and all."
"Well we like having you here too, you're a great help," Ravi piped up and Midnight took his empty takeout container to throw away, "See? Even little things like that, you're really helping out here, even if your supposed immunity isn't too much help when looking for the cure."
"Yeah, I'm a bit bummed that I couldn't help with that, I guess it's good that I can't turn though, that's one less zombie and no one can use me as leverage to threaten either of you," M shrugged, she knew about Blaine now and others that have been dangers to us.
I heard some footsteps descending the stairs to the morgue and saw a familiar face, M jumped on Major with an excited cry of his name, my ex-fiance laughed and caught her.
"Hey, kid, how's work?" Major asked then got a playfully stern look, "I hope you're doing well in school, no slacking off," he ruffled her hair but it did nothing since M's hair was in a tight braid.
She laughed, it was always nice to see how excited she got to see Major, "I'm not slacking, I have straight A's, except for Government, it's a little confusing," she said, "and work's as dead as ever."
Major chuckled, "Well you do work in a morgue, I'm glad it's dead, wouldn't want things coming back to life like Liv and I did."
"Well hey, stranger, long time no see," I said, "don't worry, the only things coming back to life here is the mood when you walked in. So no work at Filmore-Graves today?"
"I got the day off and I figured I might as well visit and see how things are going," Major said then picked Midnight up, making her protest and struggle.
"Major! Put me down, I'm wearing a skirt today!" M pushed against his muscular chest before sighing and bending backwards to look at me, "Liv, help? I know you're on pacifist brain but please make him put me down!" she whined.
I couldn't help but chuckle, "Alright, Major, I think that's enough messing with the part-time assistant ME, put her down," I said as M righted herself, pouting.
Major set her down with a falsely disappointed sigh, "Fine, but in my defense, she's fun to mess with."
M huffed, "I'd kick you in the shin but then Liv would scold me, stop picking me up during work hours, especially when I'm wearing a skirt," she turned on her heels and strode off to Ravi's office.
Ravi whistled a bit, "Well, looks like someone might not be getting one of Midnight's special choco-crispy covered strawberries."
"What? Aww, I love the choco-crispy strawberries," Major said with a little pout then sighed dramatically before looking at me, "oh right, how goes the search for the cure?"
I groaned, "Still nothing and we've hit a dead-end," I sighed as Midnight called from the office.
"Ravi, have you seen my Government textbook? I was studying earlier and I left it on your desk," she poked her head out.
"Ah, I put it on the table next to the couch," Ravi answered.
"Thank you," she smiled then slipped back into the office and soon came back out with her book bag, she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge, "Major, heads up!" she tossed him a plastic-wrapped, chocolate covered strawberry.
"Whoa!" he caught it with ease, "Nice! Thank you, you make the best choco-crispy strawberries."
Midnight closed the fridge and stripped off her lab coat, "That one is homemade, reduced-sugar dark chocolate," she said and tossed her bloody coat in the basket with the others to be washed before walking over, "with those energy drinks you get, I figured you needed less sugar in your diet," she stuck her tongue out as she passed.
"Ouch, that really hurt," Major chuckled.
"You'll get over it, soldier-boy," M teased, "See you guys tomorrow," she said then paused on the stairs, "Ravi," my boss' attention was turned to her, "stay away from the hollow strawberries with flakes in the chocolate, they're for Liv to fill with...I don't know, brain pate or something and they're spicy." She looked up then at me, "Seems like you'll get to have them today or tomorrow at the latest," she smiled before heading up, "Hey, Clive, warning, if you raid the fridge then stay away from the hollow strawberries, there is a chocolate covered one with your name on it though, literally."
"Noted, see you tomorrow, Midnight, oh and good luck on your test," Clive said then came into view with a new case. Those spicy chocolate strawberries were amazing.
