Snow howls all around us, and I am happy that we were able to escape the weather.
We had been driving for a few days, having to stop quite frequently to get some air or to let us stretch our legs. A few times we were even delayed, having to take back roads around congested freeways or having to dodge a few of the monsters.
Once we reached the mountain pass that separated Oregon from California, we had to stop. The snow had been coming down heavily, making our trip slow going, and it did not look like it was stopping anytime soon. The pass became too dangerous, and so we decided to wait out the storm.
Luckily, there was a small camping area not too far from the entrance of the pass. It consisted of a bunch of little log cabins, spread out through the woods. We took the one closest to the road, not wanting to get stuck too far away from our getaway route.
A few of the cabins farther down the trail had smoke coming out of their chimneys, indicating that others are staying here as well. But, they didn't bother us, so we didn't bother them. A few children had even been outside playing in the snow, but their parents had ushered them inside when they saw us driving down the path.
The cabin that we found was a small two-bedroom log cabin, with a big living room and fireplace that greeted us when we first walked in. Delaney and Danny had gone in first, scoping out the inside before coming back to help us unload the bus. We couldn't risk someone stealing from us.
A fire had been lit immediately, and we have continued to stack it with wood to keep it burning. It managed to keep the entire living room warm, and if the bedroom doors are left open, the heat drifts in there as well.
As of now, three days since we first arrived, I am the only one awake. Margaret and Mary took one of the bedrooms, and Finn and I had taken the other one. Delaney and Danny are sleeping out on the couches in the living room. Alena drifts between the rooms, spending some nights with the other women and others sleeping in the living room.
The cabin is quiet, the only sounds coming from the crackling of the fire. Finn is asleep behind me, his arm wrapped around my waist, keeping me close to him even in sleep. Remy is sleeping in between Finn and the wall, taking up more space than a small body should be allowed. Viola spent the night sleeping next to me, and looking down, I can tell that she is about to wake up any minute now.
She has her little nose scrunched up, something she only does when she is upset about something. Reaching down, I brush my fingers across the stands of her dark hair, watching as she starts to wake. Sure enough, a few minutes later, she blinks open her blue eyes.
She will start to cry in hunger in just a few minutes, so I decide to beat her to it. With a tired sigh, I slip out of the warm bed, scooping up Viola once I am up. She snuffles against me, and I know she is really going to hate me in a few seconds.
Having done this for the past few months, I am able to get her diaper changed and her into a fresh set of clothes, despite her wiggling arms and legs. She is just starting to cry when I am slipping on the hat Alena got her a couple weeks ago.
"Let's get some food in your belly, hm?" I whisper, picking her up. She snuffles against me in irritation as a way of answer.
The floorboards creak slightly as I walk across the room, but the others stay asleep. We have been exhausted lately. The stress of making it out of that place was high. For the first two days, we had all been anxious, thinking that they would come after us. After all, we did have three fertiles with us. But no one came and we slowly started to relax.
The past few days have been spent catching up on rest. We have not been too worried about the beasts. We did not see any the entire time we were driving to these cabins from the main road, and we have been here for days now, no beast passing through.
The kitchen is small, just big enough for a gas lit stove and counters. Pulling out a small pot, I fill it halfway with water, setting it on the stove to warm. Viola is sucking on her thumb watching as I prepare her bottle. She reaches out a hand for it once it is fully mixed, but instead, I place it in the water warming on the stove.
She lets out s betrayed cry, and I just cuddle her against my chest, placing a few soft kisses against her dark hair. "You'll like it better warm, trust me."
Thank god for Delaney. He had been preparing this escape for a long time, ever since they recaptured him. Apparently, Danny had seen him trying to get the bus started- failing miserably- and the two of them started to work together.
Danny was focused on fixing up the bus, while Delaney was in charge of getting supplies. Because he was a fertile, he was able to get whatever he wanted from the storage room. The woman who was in charge didn't even blink an eye. She knew what he was doing, and was just waiting for his destruction of this place. Most of us didn't want to be there, so the downfall was like a dream come true.
Delaney had gotten everything that we need. There is plenty of food along with seeds and plants for when we settle down. He had even grabbed tons of containers of formula, more than Viola will ever go through, and I am extremely grateful. Other supplies such as clothing, blankets, pots and pans, and other miscellaneous objects are packed away in boxes.
Once they had everything ready- the bus fully running and the supplies packed inside- Delaney had made his plan of attack. The guards were so busy securing the building, that they never went outside the perimeter. Delaney had been attracting the beasts to the area for weeks, putting swipes of blood on trees. He kept them contained in the area somehow- he didn't share that bit of information- and then when he was ready, he had set them free.
There were too many of the beasts for the guards to hold off, and they were hungry too. The guards stood no chance. Delaney had raced back to the hospital, and he had been the one I saw running back into the building when the beasts first approached. The rest is history.
Viola lets out a coo, drawing me out of my musings. Smiling down at her, I grab the bottle from the pot, turning off the stove in the process. After checking to make sure the bottle isn't too warm, I give it to her, watching as her eyes start to droop in contentment.
Harry walks out of the bedroom, collapsing onto my feet once he reaches me. He does not like to be away from us for long, barking unless we let him follow behind. Finn theorizes that Harry is afraid of being left behind again. He had been on his own for a few days when we were first brought to the hospital, and he was still pretty little then. Now, he is medium sized, but a puppy still.
The snow is still falling outside, and mixed feelings settle inside me. For one thing, the snow is keeping the beasts away, making it safer outside. But it is also delaying our trip. I want nothing more than to finally settle down. We have been on the run since the disease hit the West Coast, making it four months we have been wandering around.
The others are anxious as well, I can tell. Alena has been obsessively checking us over, making sure that everyone is in perfect health. I know she is most worried about Margaret, though. She has been in good spirits but being crammed in a car wasn't helping her at all. She has spent the last few days here sleeping, going outside to get fresh air while she is awake. Alena says she is getting better, but she will never fully be healed. But once we reach the beach house, she can have plenty of clean, fresh air, something that will help her sensitive lungs.
Mary has still been her quiet self, but now she actually responds to questions when asked, especially about how she is doing. She is still indifferent about the pregnancy, not ever acknowledging the baby on her own. Finn hasn't been much better, either. It is hard to determine how he feels about the pregnancy. I think both of them are still trying to come to terms with what is going on.
Shaking my head, I look back down at Viola, seeing that she has finished her bottle. Once she sees that I am watching her, she spits out the nipple, giving me a wide smile before sticking her thumb in her mouth.
Viola is definitely doing better. She has always been an easygoing baby, but both her and Remy have been smiling and laughing a lot more. It is a nice thing to see.
Harry grumbles as I move my feet out from under him but follows behind me anyway as I walk into the living room. Both of the men are still out cold on the couch, so I stoke the fire a bit before sitting down in the armchair closest to the fireplace. Now that she has a full belly, Viola is content to just sit in my lap, trying to chew on her toes while sucking her thumb at the same time.
We sit there for a long time, Viola cooing to herself. The others slowly start to wake up, the sound of voices coming from the back of the house. Delaney wakes up before Danny, giving me a grumbled greeting before stumbling outside. Finn comes out to join me, Remy in his arms. Both of them have wild hair, making me laugh.
Finn leans down to give me a kiss before depositing Remy in my lap. The little boy is delighted to play with Harry, who laves his toes in kisses. Finn leaves to start breakfast, the smell of pancakes filling the air.
When Delaney comes back into the house, he looks a little shell shocked. His eyes are wide, and he quickly closes the door behind him, locking it for good measure.
"What's wrong?" I ask, immediately wrapping my arms around Remy and Viola.
Delaney runs over to the windows, quickly closing the curtains. "Some of the monsters were spotted wandering the woods by one of the other cabin residents. He was out hunting and said there were two of them. They seemed weak but determined. He is going around warning everyone, says to stay low while the creatures pass through."
His words make my heart pound, but I nod my head anyways. Delaney leaves the room in a jog, closing the curtains of every window he passes. He must explain what is going on to Finn, because he pokes his head into the living room, clearly worried.
"You alright?" he asks, brows crinkled in worry.
"We will be," I answer, giving him a tight smile. "The beasts should pass right through."
We are all on high alert after that. Eating breakfast quietly. Sure enough, nearly an hour later, the familiar clicking of the beasts can be heard. They sound weaker than before, though. Delaney watches them from a crack in the window, not pulling away until they are gone.
"Passed us by," he says, closing the window. "But let's stay inside for a few more hours, just in case."
We all agree, and reluctantly, I set Viola and Remy on the ground. The little boy immediately starts playing with Harry and a few cars that had been buried in one of the supply boxes. Viola just does some tummy time on one of the blankets I had laid out last night, kicking her feet as she babbles to herself.
Letting out a tired sigh, I walk over to where Finn is standing in the kitchen, cleaning the counters. He immediately wraps his arms around me when I lean against him, letting me rest my head on his warm chest. His comfort is nice, and just what I need at the moment.
It feels as if we are always on high alert, never being able to escape the dangers of the world. Closing my eyes, I force myself to relax. We are going to make it to the beach house, where things will be better.
They have to be.