System Reboot (Sequel to System Failure)

Chapter 15

I'm publishing this a day early cause tomorrow is going to be hectic in my house.

Alesa's POV

It was worth the early morning wake up and hour-long train trip when Adam and I stood side by side at the top of the hill, train tracks stretching out below us the sun slowly rose in the distance, bathing the world in a rosey orange glow. The rays stroked the grass back gently and set a sheet of light blue covering the sky, chasing away the deep navy blue behind us. Trees rose like they were reaching for the sun's light with green fingers, a soft breeze rustling the leaves and my hair to usher in the new day. The train tracks shone silver as the sun rose higher, the clouds hovering near it turning a fairy-floss pink.

I felt Adam's arm wrap around my waist and I laid my head on his shoulder as we watched the dawn, neither of us speaking for a long time as the world slowly came awake around us; birds tweeted as they stretched their wings in the morning, grass rustled as wild rabbits and field mice scurried out of their dens.

"I remember this," Adam murmured quietly, his breath brushing my hair a little.

I smiled softly. "I thought you would," I whispered back.

We stood that way for several minutes, just two normal people staring at the beautiful sunrise until the world had fully woken up for the day, then we took the train back to the main city, sitting side by side, fingers intertwined and heads resting on each other. Once we were back, I took Adam to the market street and we wandered slowly along it, getting some breakfast from the bakery and fruit shop before heading over to the harbour, slowly walking along the path that ran beside the water's edge for a long time until we finally stopped, both of us leaning over the railing and staring out at the water that sparkled in the sunlight like a thousand tiny diamonds. Around us, the morning flow of people moved about, some jogging, others sitting or lying on the grass, a few with their pets out in the sun.

I glanced over to Adam, my heart racing a little as I saw the wind lightly shift his hair, his eyes staring at the horizon, both relaxed and deeply in thought at the same time. He had been in that reflective mood all morning, even as he laughed and talked with me. Half of his mind was elsewhere, and I was willing to bet that it was on his lack of memories and experiences as a virus.

But I was hoping that today would help him readjust to the world a little, and get his mind off of all that. Hopefully, it would help him remember that even if he was part virus, he was also human. Still human.

I gave a gentle pull on his arm and he blinked, jolting out of his thoughts, and glanced at me with that sweet, slightly hesitant smile on his face. I returned it and wrapped my hand in his, gently pulling him further down the path. We finished our walk around the harbour and went back into the main city, passing the florist and the cinemas as we strolled at a leisurely pace, enjoying the world.

Adam glanced around then gave me a grin. "You're taking me on the same path that I took you on your first day in the real world."

"If you mean the path you took me on our first date, then yes," I smiled back.

We passed the three story library, which Adam pointed out to me with a nudge of his elbow. "Remember how excited you were when you saw that?" he asked.

I grinned and ducked my head, my cheeks heating up. "Hey, I didn't even remember what a library was, and the library we had in my old city was a small, old, one-story thing anyway."

He chuckled and pulled me closer. "You're cute when you blush," he mumbled.

I glanced up in time to see him turning his head away, his own cheeks turning red. I rose up a little on my toes to kiss his cheek. "You're cute when you blush too."