Koalas (Kyle O'Shea)

Chapter 10

Now she just wanted to find Kyle and avoid the alien as much as possible. The reflective eyes sent chills down her spine and she could almost feel the adrenaline in her veins preparing her to run for her life.

She saw Ian, Brandt and Kyle walking towards the kitchen as Jeb exited the tunnel to the storage room. When he saw the girl looking at him he sent her a tired smile but she just nodded her head, showing him, she didn't appreciate this before walking towards the kitchen.

The men sat at a table quietly when she entered the room. Her main focus immediately went to the O'Shea brothers. Of course she cared about the other men as well, Kyle and Ian, however, were family. Kyle looked at her with a grim expression.

"We'll have to let it be or Jeb will kick us out." He told his girlfriend as he pulled her into his arms.

Kyle was worried about her. Souls were a sensitive topic for the small woman as they were for anyone. He felt the need to protect not only her but his little brother as well, his family. Of course, if his mother came here he would be affected as well but he knew she was dead, taken over, with no chance of her ever returning.

"Can I move back in with you?" Melody asked, the need to stay close to the brothers burned in her chest.

"Of course." It was Ian who answered and Kyle nodded in agreement.

Ian felt conflicted. He wanted to do what was right which was protecting his family and the people he lived with for the last two years. At the same time he was confused. Trying to kill that thing made him feel terrible and guilty. What if it really just wanted to unite with her brother and boyfriend. The way she moved herself in front of Jared to protect him. It didn't make any sense to him.

Kyle and Melody left hand in hand to get her stuff back to the old room. She quickly talked to Lily, who sat in her room talking to Wes. Lily was very understanding and kind. It didn't take long for her stuff to be back in Kyle's and Ian's room. Now it was like in the beginning. Melody turned to Kyle kissing him lightly and innocently but Kyle returned it harshly, trying to tell her all his promises of love, protection and safety through the kiss.

He picked her up as she started kissing his neck and carefully laid her down onto the mattress, him between her thighs as he sucked on her neck opening the buttons of the shirt she wore.

"We don't have any protection." Kyle whispered against her ears.

His breath tickled her as she glided her hands towards his trousers. She tightened her thighs around his waist and turned them over. Kyle sat up straight looking into her deep brown eyes as she balanced on his lap. Melody silenced him with a sweet kiss only letting go to move his shirt over his head. His hair fell into all directions. She loved his black hair. When they had met it was still somewhat short but by now it reached his chin making his beautiful blue eyes shine brightly. She tangled her hands through it and pulled him closer. He played with the hem of her shirt, pulling it of. Melody pushed Kyle down and opened his trousers.

Both were glad the men had replaced the quill with an actual door so something like privacy was possible. No one in the hallway was aware of what the two adults were doing together. Neither Heath nor Trudy could hear Kyle's moans through the door.

Later, in the evening, after Kyle and Melody left their room both having flushed faces Jeb called a few together to plan the next raid. The alien being able to use the storage room as a prison only proved the shortage of resources. Melody went to the kitchen as Kyle left.

The mood of the kitchen was very hostile. No one was particularly happy to live under a roof with one of those things.

"We can't do anything about it?" Melody asked with sore throat.

"No, we just let Jeb play his little game." replied Aaron.

Heat was something a lot of people welcome and appreciate, Melody was usually one of them. Australia was always perfect in that sense, in every sense, if you would ask her. She would spent hours on the beach with her best friends back when the world was still normal.

Her best friend of them all was Evangeline. She was from a poor neighbourhood in the down they lived in but she was a lively girl. They stayed in contact the first hear or so after Melody moved to the States but the contact broke off after Evangeline's dad died. She was never the same after that.

Melody often wondered what happened to her former beat friend. Did Evangeline live a good life before she was taken over? Melody hoped so because she remembered her best friend to be kind and caring.

But not even the hot sun burning down onto the desert making all the humans in the cave sweat could relax her after hearing the news.

"When will you be gone?" Melody asked him, tears visible in her eyes.

"We will leave tonight."

Her shoulder's shook with silent sobs.

"So you leave me to live with that thing alone? What if you come back and we're all gone and have reflective eyes?"

His eyes got hard. "That won't happen! Ian will stay here to make sure that everyone stays safe. I won't lose you like that!"

He held her close as tears streamed down her face. Kyle was most gentle with her as he wiped her tears away and kissed her.

"Why can't you stay and someone else leave?"

"Jeb's orders. He wants us to get some distance to ensure we won't her that body snatcher for a while." His nose still hurt from Jared's punch.

After Melody calmed down, they walked to the kitchen for their last meal together, Kyle's arm wrapped around her neck.

The kitchen was full but quiet. No one really wanted to talk. Some whispered back and fourth as they ate their meal. Melody and Kyle each grabbed a plate with food and sat down at the table with Ian, Aaron, Trudy, and Heath. Nobody said anything. Kyle's hand laid on her thigh rubbing up and down occasionally. As Jared stood up and left the kitchen Melody quickly excused herself and followed him.

"Jared, wait!"

His steps faltered once he heard the voice of the Australian woman. He turned towards her and waited as she quickly walked over to him and placed her hand on his upper arm.

"How are you with everything going on?" She questioned him, worried.

He just shook his head. "The love of my life came back with a worm infecting and controlling her, claiming she loved me and Jamie that she found us. I..I can't. Every time I saw her now my heart skipped a beat only to be broken when I saw her reflective eyes."

Melody quickly hugged the men and he breathed heavily, trying to calm down.

"We're getting more bodies. There has to be a way to get those things out of their bodies again!"

"Ok. Just be careful. Don't make it too obvious and don't try to kidnap humans."

Jared laughed quietly, "why not? Last time we had a good catch."

Melody shook her head. "Idiot."

He laughed as he left, most likely saying good bye to Jamie.

Saying good bye was something Melody learned to dislike when the world was normal. Back when she had to say good bye to her grandparents, her friends, and her cousins. It was so final, there was seemingly no backing out.

She hugged all the raiders before standing in front of Kyle. Melody grabbed the back of his neck and pulled his lips onto hers. He responded immediately and hugged her, promising her to come back, mumbling all the sweet promises she wanted to hear. Her heart fluttered. Sweet Kyle was her favourite Kyle.

The men got into the car and drove away. Ian and Melody walked back into their room and got ready for bed. Both laid there in silence thinking about the alien now living with them. Their thoughts couldn't be more different.

How would they survive? What if this thing just tricked Jeb to do her bidding, bringing them to one of those haunted hospitals, where so many people died because of those things?