𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 • 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟖 : 𝐀𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

   I wasn't used to waking up in a bed, let alone a home. I wasn't used to having somebody around. Someone who would leave breakfast out on the counter for me to eat when I eventually stumbled out of bed and downstairs. No one had ever asked me how I liked my coffee or if I wanted my eggs scrambled or sunny side up. No one had cared until now. And what was strange was he was a total stranger. We barely knew each other but seemed to trust each other completely. We had escaped a cult who wanted us dead. We had brought home the President's daughter so that she could safely live her life. We had survived so much together in our short time of knowing each other. He was gone for the most part, probably down talking with the DSO. After all, he had brought back someone who was thought to be dead. I wasn't supposed to be here. I wasn't supposed to be alive, but here I was, a living, breathing memory of the horrors Albert Wesker had caused and what corporations like Umbrella could do still. Sure, Umbrella was gone, having filed for bankruptcy a short time after the incident in Raccoon City. Umbrella was just the beginning, the tip of the iceberg when it came to biological weaponry and viral experimentation. I was only one of many BOWs to come. Though, I was one that had a brain, that wasn't a dead corpse or a mutated monster. I was in control, I was still human, for the most part.

. . .

It was mid-morning when I woke up, pulling the sheets over my head as the sun crept in through the window, falling across my face. I didn't want to get up but I knew I had to. At least I had breakfast waiting for me. He always made sure I had something waiting for me when I woke up since the past two days he has been gone before I got up. But I like sleeping in, I like finally being able to fall into a deep sleep. I didn't have to worry about people coming in, experimenting on me. I could relax for once in my life. I don't remember there being a time I ever could. I sighed, eventually pulling the covers off my head. My eyes flinched at the bright light as I sat up, tiredly rubbing my one eye with the palm of my head. I yawned and slipped out of the bed, shivering a little as my feet hit the cold wood floor. Sleepily I stretched and walked over to the door, pulling it open. Across the hall was the bathroom I had been using while staying here. I walked in and flipped on the light, taking a look at myself in the mirror. My blonde hair was a mess. The grey shirt I wore hung loosely around my small frame, which could be explained by the fact that it wasn't mine. I didn't have any clothes so I have been borrowing his old ones. Mainly t-shirts and sweatpants, both which didn't truly fit me ever. The sweatpants hung low on my hips and no matter how tight I made them, they still rested there in the end. I grabbed the toothbrush that was mine to use and the toothpaste. I brushed my teeth while staring at myself in the mirror.

   I never thought I would be free again, I never thought I would see a home again. I spit out the toothpaste once I was done and rinsed out my mouth before leaving the bathroom. The house was quiet and I guessed he had left already. I shut the light off and walked down the hallway towards the stairs and headed down, brushing my hair out of the face. I was almost to the last step when I stepped on my shoe from the night before, causing me to fall. I yelped and grabbed the banister, falling on my bum on the step. With a huff, I pulled out the shoe from under my foot, tossing it down the rest of the way down the stairs. A laugh cause me to shoot my head up. There he was, standing in the kitchen. He hadn't left for the day. My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.

   "Maybe you shouldn't leave your shoes lying on the stairs." Leon said, walking over to me with a cup of coffee. He offered me his hand, pulling me up after I gently took it. He handed me the cup of coffee with a warm smile. How he could be this cheerful in the morning was beyond me, though he did just have the amusing sight of me falling down on the steps to cheer up his morning. I walked over to the kitchen, smiling as I noticed the plate of food waiting for me on the counter. I slipped onto the barstool with ease, pulling the plate close and grabbing the fork. Scrambled eggs and hash browns filled my nose as I took the first bite, a smile spreading across my lips as I enjoyed it. I hadn't had a home cooked meal since, well, ever. It tasted amazing like every other morning.

   "I thought you had left already." I commented between bites of my food and sips of my coffee. Leon shook his head, leaning forward against the counter top.

   "No they didn't call me in today." He said, taking a sip of his coffee. I had to admit, he looked cute in the morning. His t-shirt wrinkled from sleeping and his blonde hair tousled. He looked relaxed. "Plus, I have some people coming over soon." He said, glancing at the clock on his phone. I nodded, quickly finishing my breakfast and coffee. I definitely needed a shower before whoever was coming over arrived. I set my plate and cup in the sink before going back upstairs. I grabbed my towel from where it laid over the chair in my room before walking across the hall. I took a quick shower, coming out smelling like the lavender shampoo and body wash he had bought for me. I could hear voices downstairs, guessing who he was expecting had arrived while I was in there. I slipped on another pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, still drying my hair with the towel as I went downstairs.

Leon turned as he heard me come down the stairs and into the living room.

"Anna, this is Chris and Claire."