Keep Your Eyes Open

Time Waster

To say that I was bored was an understatement.

I had started to go stir crazy as a result of being stuck in this bloody house for over a month.

Harri was sitting next to me that day when I said how much I wanted to get out.

"You know what's out there," he muttered, not looking up from his book.

"I know, but I haven't been able to get out of the house for ages!" I sighed, throwing my hands up in the air.

"I know." I looked at him with disbelief, how could he be okay with staying inside for so long? "Shouldn't you be used to it though?" He asked, putting his book down.

"What're you saying?" I glared at him and he just looked blankly back at me.

"What I'm saying, is when it was all normal you wouldn't go outside anyway," he huffed. "Even to see me." He glanced away from me, his heart obviously heavy in his chest.

"Uncalled for. I went to school, enjoyed myself there. Came back home on the bus, and just stayed at home, switching off." He just shook his head.

"The rest should be back in a bit, with more food." He stood up and I watched him. He had done well considering. It had only been a week since the amputation, and Harri had already begun to get used to it.

"Do you want me to make you a snack? I'm going to make one anyway so..." He nodded gratefully, and I stood up to make the food. As I smiled at him, he took hold of my wrist and pulled me closer to him before kissing me lightly.

"I love you," he whispered sincerely, his hot breath washed over my face.

"I love you too," I whispered back, looking up at him and kissed him on the cheek, cupping his face in my hand for a few seconds before I smiled and turned to go to the kitchen.

"I'm coming with," I heard Harri behind me and I simply nodded. He usually came with me when it was my turn to cook the food. He thought that if he left me alone for a minute I might disappear.

Which is fair enough.

"Whatcha making?" He asked, watching me carefully from his chair.

"Cheese and crackers, we need to finish the cheese ASAP, I seriously doubt that the power will last too much longer," I shrugged, "either way we still get food."

When I finished making the food, I placed the cool, white porcelain plates down on the small table and sat opposite Harri, who wrapped his legs around mine protectively, to which I smiled at him gratefully.

"How're you feeling?" He asked, watching me carefully.

"You mean mentally?" He nodded and I scoffed. "As well as you think. I'm missing my family and I just wish this was all over. Do you think anyone else is actually left?" I asked, starting to hyperventilate.

"Babe, Tabitha, please calm down." He dropped his cracker back onto his plate and took my two hands in his one. "It's going to be okay. I'm going to protect you no matter what," I glanced at his arm, "as well as I can at least."

I nodded dutifully. Harri squeezed my hands before letting them go and began to eat again.

"What about you?" I asked carefully, my voice shaky. He shrugged.

"I dunno, I guess I'm just happy my brother is here, but I'm still worried about the rest of my family. I dunno," he stopped a minute, thinking about how to put it into words. "I just still can't believe it I guess."

We heard the car and got up quickly and rushed to the door, opening it carefully. Everyone was there, carrying food in bags and... Laughing? None of them were bloody or looked like they had been hurt or in a scruff or anything. They looked normal for once. Last time we sent out a group, Vaseva came back with a huge gash down her left arm.

"Hey guys!" Vaseva called. I waved at her, before gesturing for her to hurry up. "What's wrong?" She asked me as she got to the front door. She walked into the kitchen and I followed her, giving her a concerned look before I started talking.

"Why aren't you guys hurt? Not to sound sociopathic or anything, but... You know. Usually someone has some injury or another." Vaseva was emptying the bags quickly and spoke relatively cheerfully.

"There weren't any zombies," she said, still unpacking. "None at all, it was literally a ghost town." She turned around, holding two cans. Seeing my confused look on my face, she huffed and handed me the cans. "It isn't that hard to understand."

"I know, but it... It just doesn't make sense," laughter erupted from the corridor as the guys filed into the kitchen. "Is it true?" I asked them, "there are no more zombies?"

Lennon nodded whilst pouting, "None that we could see at least." Prasan and Rhys nodded in unison.

"Right..." I nodded, turning to put the cans in the cupboard.

We all helped put the food away. I opened the fridge to put some water in it, and I noticed the light didn't turn on.

"Shit! We've lost power!" I screamed. I turned around quickly and nearly ran to the sink. "We don't have any fresh water any more." I gripped the edge of the sink and began to breathe heavily. I knew it was coming, and yet I'm still overreacting.

I sighed and shook my head, glancing at everyone else in the room who were all staring at me. I turned around again and faced them.

"What do we do now?" Rhys asked quietly. I shrugged.

"We use the water in the baths as little as possible and use it as a reserve. We drink the water in the bottles..."

"How do we wash?" Vaseva asked, "we don't have a sink anymore."

"We don't." I said bluntly. I shook my head and stormed dramatically out of the kitchen. I opened the door and stepped outside, not really caring anymore. I sat down on the wall outside my house and stared off dramatically into the distance.

I doubt we would live to see the next few months, let alone the next few years.

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A/N

Hey!

Yea, I iz back.
What'd ya think of the newish cover? I think it's pretty suave if I do say so myself...