Dark Sky

25 - Seize the Moment

Chapter Twenty Five

11 Days after the Bombs

Leila finished heating the can of beans over the fire and then poured the contents into a bowl. Adding a spoon to dish she climbed the stairs with a smile.

It had been a stressful time trying to nurse Joe back to health but luckily his injuries had not proved life threatening. Had it have not been for the medical supplies that Ryan and Carl returned with, it may have been a totally different story.

She and Floyd had made quick work of removing the shard of metal from Joe's chest and stitched him up. The antibiotics that were in the ruck sack had done a good job at keeping infection at bay and Joe had finally regained consciousness late yesterday afternoon.

Leila had had to wait three days to get her emotional reunion with him after believing for days that he had been killed back at the farmhouse.

The feeling of guilt for not helping him the night he turned up at the house and refusing point blank to even see him, had torn at her in the time he lay unconscious. If he had died from his injuries, she never would have forgiven herself and vowed to never treat anyone in need like that again.

The feeling was soon replaced with relief and a strange form of excitement when he had woken up, she noticed that he had been just as happy to see her again too. She found herself getting butterflies in the pit of her stomach every time she entered his room and this time felt no different as she arrived outside his door with the beans she had cooked him.

She wished she had something more interesting than beans to offer him, but until a supply run had been made there was very little left in the house. Pausing for a second, she took a happy breath trying to settle the butterflies and then stepped into the room.

"Good morning." She greeted him with a smile that seemed to warm the room.

There was a gas heater burning in the corner that Ryan had scavenged from somewhere, but it was only just big enough to take the chill out of the air. It was sufficient for someone that was wrapped in a thick duvet though.

"Hi ya," Joe's eyes lit up as she entered. "How are you?"

"I made you some breakfast." She gestured at the bowl. "It's only beans but it's all we have until we do a supply run."

Joe smiled as he took the food from her. "This is fine, I'm quite hungry."

Leila sat down on the edge of the bed and observed the half assembled radio that was scattered across his lap. She had given him it to work on last night after he had complained about being bored and had tried to get out of bed. Being concerned that he had only just woken from an injury induced sleep, she had insisted he stay and rest. When he had protested she had tasked him with fixing another radio.

"Have you been working on that all night." Leila frowned pointing at the device.

"Yes." Joe replied sheepishly taking a mouthful of the baked beans.

"Your supposed to be resting." Leila scolded him playfully.

"I slept for three days straight," Joe defended himself with a smile, "I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to."

Leila chuckled and picked up the radio to inspect, "So when will it be ready?"

Joe finished the last of the beans and set the bowl down on the wooden bedside table and turned to Leila with a glow in his eye.

"Just needs the case putting back on." He took the unit from her. "Oh and I'm gonna need a battery."

Leila's smile grew wider still. She hoped the emergency message would be updated and provide some information that would tell them what to do next. Just sitting around hiding in an abandoned house for the rest of their lives didn't really appeal to her much, and she wanted this radio to provide the answers.