The Virus

Twenty Eight

I wake early, just like I used to. It's barely six in the morning when I drag myself from bed and get dressed. I decide to go for a quick run before showering and meeting Stella in the kitchen at nine. We were preparing to make a huge feast for Christmas dinner.

I complete six laps of the school, I plan to keep my endurance up, just in case. I wanted to maintain good physcial health to make it all the more easier if anything went bad. Noah always said thoughts like those were morbid but I simply call it being prepared. I take a long shower and head upstairs to get dressed. Noah was still in bed. I take it upon myself to wake him up by catapulting myself onto him. He wakes instantly and actually catches me before I fall off. He gives me a quick kiss before getting up. I get dressed and meet Stella in the kitchen with Mark. I give him a questioning look. "I'm helping" he insists, with a meek smile. 

I nod. "Right we killed that turkey on the farm a few miles away all for this, so don't mess this up. Mark do all the seasoning we're putting it in as soon as possible. Claire start doing dough for two batches of gingerbread cookies." Stella says, I nod and get to work.

Stella starts the vegetables. Just past midday, all the preparation is finished  and we wait for everything to cook. I grab something to eat since I didn't have any breakfast. Just before the dinner is ready, I go and fetch some wine. Mark calls everyone down and Stella serves it. By the time I get back, the kitchen is bustling with people. I pour the wine for everybody and we all sit down for dinner. Alex leads a prayer for next year and for Jayden and we start eating.

The entire counter is filled with plates full of meat, potatoes, carrots, everything you could imagine for an amazing meal. And the smell of baking cookies wafts from the oven. We all eat like animals.

After we're finished devouring our huge meals, we all sit around drinking and talking. "Oh! Ophelia, Noah! I forgot, I got you a present." Claire exclaims. She goes to a cupboard and brings out a flat present covered in newspaper. "I made it for you." She says. Laurence and I unwrap it together. It's a wooden frame. "It's for that drawing. The one he likes." She nods towards Noah and his face lights up. He reaches over and gives her a tight hug.

"I know we agreed on no Christmas presents, so just think of it as a goodbye present given to you on Christmas Day." She says, smiling.

"Seriously, thank you. He's not gonna stop going on about this now." I say. Everybody laughs. Noah goes to put the frame upstairs and we spend the rest of the night drinking.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

With Christmas over and life beginning to settle down, Claire has already started thinking about leaving. "I think probably late January." She says.

I shake my head. "It's freezing. Your leg will constantly cramp up and your wrist will too. It's a bad idea." I reply.

She smiles at me. "I have to go. It's where I belong." She says.

"No. You belong here. Both you and Kay love it here. We have everything you'd ever need." I say.

"I like it out there." She says. "Even though there's dead people, it's peaceful." She says.

I shake my head again. "Whatever you say." I reply. She laughs.

"What is the date today?" Claire asks.

I have think for a moment. "I think the fourth of January." I answer.

She nods. "When does spring start?" She asks again.

"Usually around early March." I reply. She snorts.

"No way am I waiting until then." She scoffs. I roll my eyes and she leaves. "I'll miss you." She calls.

I'll miss her too.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Claire gave in slightly. She decided to leave on the fifth of February. Everyone dreaded the date. The place would feel empty without Kay and Claire. But, of course, the day came quickly.

I woke early like always. Claire was in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee. When I walk in she gives me a knowing smile and I return it. Our last morning. I begin making pancakes for her last breakfast. "What time are you leaving?" I ask, distractedly.

She thinks for a moment. "Early as possible. I need to find somewhere to set up for the night. If I don't I'll come back and leave tomorrow morning." She answers.

I nod. That makes sense. "If you get in trouble, you now where we are. If we end up leaving, I'll leave a note. It'll say where we are headed. You'll always know where are." I say with resolve.

She smiles at me. "I doubt I'll ever come back, but sure." She says.

We all share a nice breakfast and I go upstairs to help Claire pack her things. She's decided to go at about eleven, it gets dark early now. She'll need some sort of a head start. I pack plenty of food and water for her and Kay. I stuff a blanket into her bag too. I give her a full first aid kit and some sweets. And some sanitary towels and tampons. She thanks me and we make our way back downstairs to say goodbye.

After everyone's hugged and said goodbye, I take Claire and Kay to the gate. We say goodbye and share a tight hug before she goes through the gate and makes her way down the road. I don't leave until she's out of sight and even then I linger for a while. I let the tears flow and make my way back to the school.

Noah sees me and comforts me. We spend the rest of the day doing practically nothing. I insist that we stay by a window, just in case Claire comes back. And if she does I want to know first. As darkness settles I begin to lose hope. But no matter, I stay by the window past evening to make sure she doesn't come back. The thought of her returning while we were all asleep, banging against the gate, begging to be let in but left to die because no once can hear her haunts me At around three in the morning I give up and go to bed, barely keeping my eyes open, I figure whoever is in watch will hopefully see or hear her and let her in.

Several times during the night I dream Claire comes back and I continuously wake up in a panic to let her in, and, of course, she's never there. Several times I rush over to the window, searching for her, listening for her panicked screams only to hear nothing. Every time my heart breaks just a little bit more as I fail to hear her voice.