Katherin Hassan-Clarke and Esther Quinn, young lovers living on the coast of Riga, Latvia, face the terrifying realisation that their home is no longer safe when a deadly zombie pathogen ravages Eastern Europe. Fleeing their home before they are for...
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"I'm so sorry, Morgana. I'm really, really-"
"I don't need your pity," Morgana snapped.
She returned her phone to the windowsill; hands lingering over Ttod's shirt, before coving the stash with the beam of wood. Katherin turned away. Morgana clearly needed a private moment, and Katherin didn't want to intrude.
Katherin knew what it was like. The social care workers had followed Katherin obsessively after the disaster. They hadn't given her privacy when the funeral agency lifted the cloth of their faces.
Esther had been the only person who had given her space. That was how their love story began.
"You could do something, you know." Morgana's voice was cold; void of emotion.
Katherin's hand stilled over the door handle. This door hadn't been broken down. They must have missed it; Jaxx must have been too tired to break down the doors on the upper levels. It would make sense. They didn't need to break all the wood.
Katherin turned. Tears threatened to spill from Morgana's ocean-blue eyes; her hands balled in tight fists as she tried to hold the storm back.
"How can I help?" Katherin responded.
"Don't let anyone else die. I don't think I can bear it."
Katherin nodded; eyes trained on her bloody hands. They weren't supposed to hurt anyone. Those people were just trying to survive.
Katherin didn't think she could ever forgive herself.
Keeping her friends alive was simply the atonement for the sins she had committed.
Ivory was standing in the hall. Katherin jumped. How long had she'd been outside? Neither Morgana nor Katherin had heard her footsteps. They wouldn't have been so open to each other if they had.
They needed to pay attention. What if Ivory had been a zombie or another band of survivors? They would have been torn to pieces. Katherin's promise would have been broken in a matter of minutes.
Ivory pressed her index finger to her lips; motioning to an apartment down the hall. They'd left the door on that room too. It had been home to a businessman. No one had wanted to live in it. The room felt too cold; as if it hadn't been a person living in the apartment, but a robot.
Katherin glanced behind her. Morgana was still in the room; muffled sobs heard from behind the closest door. The sound tore at Katherin's heartstrings. She wanted to comfort Morgana, but she didn't know how to.
No one had comforted her after their death. Katherin had learnt to death with the pain on her own. Esther had provided distraction; a movie, a couple of bad jokes and some blocks of chocolate. She hadn't known how to comfort Katherin either.
Morgana would freak out if she knew Ivory was outside. She didn't like to appear vulnerable to others, especially to someone like Ivory; who was brimmed with pity and homemade cookies.
Katherin didn't want to be stuck between Ivory's soft words and Morgana's fiery rage.
Ivory seemed to understand. She slunk down the hall; footsteps silent as she opened the apartment door and slipped inside.
Katherin counted to ten in her head. She shuffled her feet; alerting Morgana of her presence. The sniffling ceased. That was good. Morgana would be distracted; too preoccupied with staying quiet than being suspicious.
The door clicked quietly as Katherin shut it behind her.
"Don't tell the others about Ttod," Katherin spoke harshly.
"They don't need to know," Ivory replied.
She smoothed down her yellow shirt. Dust had stained her sleeves and hem. She'd probably fallen over while trying to escape the zombies.
Ivory hadn't wanted to take clothes from people's cupboards. Katherin would have to offer her some clothes from Esther's backpack. They were about the same size.
"I was actually looking for you. For another reason, I mean." Ivory spoke softly.
"Why?"
"I know that your mission didn't go to plan and I know that you're keeping the details from us. That's okay and I'm so sorry to ask, but I need to ask one more thing from you."
"Okay."
"You might be able to survive without joy in your life, but the others can't. It's important that they have some happiness. You need to ensure that. People look up to you."
Katherin pursed her lips. This wasn't about being happy; this situation relied on survival and survival only. They didn't have time to be happy.
"Katherin, I'm serious." Ivory frowned.
She wrung her hands in her lap; her heart racing with nerves. This wasn't going to plan.
The blood on Katherin's hands spoke of an unhinged murderer, not a broken teenager. Ivory didn't want to push too far. Morgana was loyal to Katherin first. They needed to remember that.
Katherin's response surprised Ivory.
"I'll take it into consideration on one condition. You need to keep an eye on those who stay inside. Take care of Morgana. Raven and Esther are vulnerable right now as well; I don't want to have to rescue them if they run outside without thinking of their own safety. Make sure they don't go outside. Not without someone to protect them."
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