A moonless night fell over the Floridian home. Cole delighted in viewing starry constellations, so much that she was unaware of the grieving veterans. Some self-quarantine, while others wander the night. Heaviness in their hearts, there seemed to be no end to the pain.Worn with guilt and sorrow, Natalie hides within the cherry painted walls of her office. Where her bereaved state is first discovered by Eris. He desired to comfort her, however, all Natalie desired was a drink, and Eris provided it.Many hours into the night, Eris and Vincent pronounced the death of another patient. A veteran who was the husband of Sadie Santana, their group's only science engineer."How did he get sick?" Natalie questions in private, glancing at both doctors. Grief and exhaustion wears in her tone as she leans back in her chair. A drink in her hand did nothing for the severity of stress that weighed on her soul. In vain, she made every effort to prevent more infection. An outbreak was consuming everyth
"Vin… Vin… BLONDIE!" Tuck's voice calls eagerly from his right. Vincent stirred awake, lifting his head to see that Tuck was pointing at his wrist. Where a similar tech wristlet was beeping away."Could you turn that off? Jeez…" Tuck groans, rubbing his tired eyes as he is about to return to bed."Oh god…" Vincent stares at his wristlet, which showed an increase in his patient's heart rate. "Why is she awake?" He mumbled, forcing himself to sit upright. "It's 1am… Cole's never up this early.""She's probably having a nightmare." Tuck guesses, throwing himself back in bed.Vincent chewed his lip as he thought about it. Eventually, he laid back down and silenced the wristlet.--"SOMEONE!"Eris opened his eyes, instinctively pulling out his pistol from his clutter. Natalie did the same as she slipped from their bed and entered the hall."That was Cole!” Tuck came out of his room but was yanked back in by his collar."Don't leave the room". Vincent blocks him quickly and shuts the door.N
Cole sucked in a breath, and without another thought, threw herself forward.Flashes of her past flood her mind. Like looking at shiny gold treasures in a chest. Cole remembered the moments when her parents smiled, when her sister giggled, when things were simple, safe and beautiful…Her ears filled with distant flutters of bird wings. Until the flutters became pops again and murmurs became shouts."COLE!"All at once, her gray eyes opened, and the full moon’s glory filled her vision."COLE WHERE ARE YOU?" A voice shouts. Cole's heart pounds as she realizes it was Tuck shouting for her. She frantically looked around, seeing that she had indeed landed on the terrace. While her attacker lay unconscious on a broken table; which was crushed under his weight."COLE!"Another shout makes Cole turn her head to the right, finding the house door. Right away she knew Tuck was checking every room on the third floor.The floor creaked, drawing her gaze left again, and Cole's gray eyes went wide. A
"There's time for that later". Went Vincent, as he looked her over for other injuries before slipping on an extra mask over her face. "Take deep breaths. Don't think about anything else".Cole breathed in and out; feeling his gentle touch on her arm. "You're going to be okay…"A moment passes. Then another, as Cole mentally processes what happened. Turning her head to see the man, Lucas, lying in a pool of his own blood with a piece of a chair leg nearby. The wooden thing was stained at one end. Immediately Cole knew what the Doctor had done…“Oh… Oh he’s dead…” Cole repeats as her breaths become harder."Breathe Cole". Vincent touches her cheek. Guiding her vision away from the sight when her breathing becomes feverish."V-Vin… M-My window". Cole tries to speak, starting to feel the pain in her bones. In her mind, she remembered the trio that broke into the house."I know". Went Vincent. "They broke in. It'll be over soon"."Come here". Vincent carefully lifted Cole to sit up. One han
Natalie's scream pierces through noises of gunfire. The sound reaches Eris, who rushed from his spot near the front door. Into the living room, where Natalie was pinned under a man who hasn't met him yet.Eris yanks him off, slamming him to the floor and beating him in a rage. Natalie got up, firing shots toward the yard as she neared Eris. "They're retreating! Eris! Those bastards have our supplies!"Standing up straight, Eris stood over the unconscious man and glanced at the window. Then at Natalie. "You're injured". he says, looking at a bullet wound in her left arm."It's just a flesh wound". Natalie sniffles as she casually reloads her silver pistol. "I'll be fine…" She exhales, but Eris could tell she was trying to hide her pain."Let's go get our stuff back". Natalie takes the lead and heads for the door.--Curled up on the floor, Cole holds her sore stomach while the intruder reaches down for the weapon. Only to be shoved into another wall. Cole turned her head to see Vincent
Cole lay in bed, eyes open and staring blankly at the white ceiling. The room was filled with morning light. She breathed lightly, waiting for whatever analgesic Vincent gave her to finally kick in.Eventually, it did. The soreness in her bones was nonexistent, except for some slight stinging in her right thigh.A bag of blood dangled to the left of the bed. The intravenous tube extended carefully to the bed. Vincent eyed the blood as it traveled through the tube. Cole observed the side of his face that was partially protected by the mask. A red streak on his skin showed beneath his jaw. As if someone had attempted to strangle him…Cole turned away before he could see her face. Hoping he didn't notice tears spill from her eyes. She breathed deep and willed herself to stop. Though her heart remained sore.The sting of fluid didn't help as Vincent started cleaning her smaller injuries.Once it was over, Vincent put away his kit and ordered Tuck to stay with the patient. Whatever was goin
"Cole." Eris's husky voice was softer now, laced with an undercurrent of tension. He exhaled, his brows knitting in concern. "I know I can’t force you to eat… or make you sleep. These things aren’t easy. But my hope—" he paused, choosing his words with care, "is that someday, when the world’s not so broken, you and Tuck will get to be kids again. Do normal stuff… stay out late, go to school, have holidays…" His voice trailed off, distant, as if lost in a memory. "You remind him of someone important. His best friend. They got separated when she got sick."Cole blinked, her eyes rising to meet his, a flicker of curiosity there. Eris seemed to catch himself, his expression guarded now, like he had revealed more than he intended."I’m telling you this so you understand what’s coming. When Tuck finds out you’re not eating…" His gaze shifted briefly to the shadows beneath her eyes, the fatigue evident in her pale face. "And not sleeping either."Eris fell silent, studying her. For a moment,
"I…" Cole blinked nervously, looking down at her hands in shame. Even though Vincent showed no sign of anger. "I think I overslept."Vincent was quiet and had an air of calm surrounding him. His seated form shadowed hers. Vincent was wearing a pair of dark blue trousers and the protective mask covering his face. Seeing he was shirtless and with wild hair of his own. Cole guessed he rolled out of bed and slipped on a mask. It wasn't proper protection, but Vincent did not seem to care."Vin, if you get sick, I'll never forgive myself". Cole spoke, peeking up at him. "You should go put s-something else on".Vincent took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he extended his other arm. Reaching, he cups her chin in his hand and brings her gaze to his again. "There are worse things to die from…" He says, chewing on his lip as a thought crossed his mind. Cole read the look in his green eyes as they traveled to the bruises on the side of her face. Pain surfaced in them, darkening the light i