With a sigh, I splashed some water on my face as the weight of my exhaustion threatened to knock me on my ass, but I didn't have time for this… how can I possibly sleep knowing that if I had a cure for the Undead virus, or at least figure out a way for the humans to stop having Ghoul babies…. That would at least save our rapidly dwindling population… but nothing I try seems to work!
With a growl, I slammed my hands down in the sink, sending water flying everywhere like a dumbass. I laughed at my stupidity as I wiped the water from the mirror, catching my reflection in the mirror.
I ran my hand through my messy platinum blonde hair that had been shaved on the sides to create a faux mohawk that screamed defiance as my steel-gray eyes peered back at me, so much like my father's that I could barely hold my own gaze. I shook my head as his death still felt like it had happened yesterday… If only I had been there… Could I have saved him?
With a heavy sigh, I cleaned up the rest of the water, then left the confines of the bathroom that was located down the hall from the lab. As I turned the corner, I ran straight into someone with an oof. Strong hands wrapped around my arms before I fell on my ass… I looked up in shock to find the familiar face of my brother, who looked almost as warn down as me.
"Umm… Hey… JR… How are you and Izzy doing?" I asked, "I'm sorry that I haven't come by for a visit since the wedding…"
Eleven years ago, after our father died, JR took on the role of the male figure and became the First Commander of the entire colony at the age of eighteen. The years have warned away his old humor and given him an abrasive side, but when he met Isabelle on a supply run, they fell in love and got married a few weeks ago.
I glanced over my brother's face, which had aged so much since Dad died; the shadow of his facial hair made him look older than thirty-nine.
JR released his grip from my arms before running a hand through his cropped hair with a sigh, "We are doing good, but what about you, Bree? You look like you haven't slept in days and seem to have lost a lot of weight."
"I…ummm…, I haven't slept in two days, honestly… It's tough for me to sleep…"
"Are you still having those nightmares?" He asked, looking concerned.
Ever since the day Dad died, I have been plagued with nightmares that won't go away no matter what I try… The easiest way was to go without sleep…
Tears filled my eyes as I nodded; I was so damn tired, both mentally and physically, that it was wearing me down.
JR shook his head, "I'm going to call the lab and tell them you will be taking the next few days off, Bree. I know the nightmares are bad, but you have to sleep. I can't and won't lose you, too; I know I have Izzy now, but you are my sister, and I can't bear the thought of losing you."
"But, JR!"
"No buts, Bree. Please head to your quarters and get some sleep; I will come to check in on you later after my meeting."
"Is this an order from my Commander?" I asked, crossing my arms.
I watched as my brother lifted his chin and straightened his shoulders, "Bree, this isn't an order but a plee from your older brother, but if I have to order you, I will if I have to."
"Eye eye, captain!" I snapped, feeling pissed; I gave my brother the one-finger salute before changing my direction to head toward my quarters. Ugh! Sometimes, I really just wanted to punch him in the face! Freaken Asshole…
I mumbled many complaints as I made my way through the maze of corridors. In the last fifty years, this place has transformed from a giant maze underground with dirt floors and walls to a place with walls and floors coated in white resin. Drawings of our history decorated the walls, along with paintings and other things people find outside to make us feel more human.
When I finally got to the hallway of my accommodations, all the apartments and living accommodations had numbers on the doors. I stopped at the metal door numbered 1516 and used my keycard to unlock the door. Stepping inside, I sighed as I took in the two-bedroom apartment that used to house Isabelle and I before she married my brother and moved into our parent's dwelling, leaving me all alone… But I was used to being alone… I have tried dating, but there isn't a single man in this place that I feel drawn to; hopefully, someday, I will be lucky like my brother and meet someone new.
Since we live underground, there isn't much we can do about living space; all my apartment included was two bedrooms with twin-sized beds and wardrobes. I had a small living room and a kitchenette, but I never cooked; I usually went down to the canteen and ate there. I had tried cooking once, but JR told me that my cooking was deadlier than a zombie… asshole…
With a sigh, I kicked off my shoes, then trudged towards the bathroom for a much-needed hot shower, leaving a trail of clothes on the floor as I stepped into the shower and turned on the steaming hot water. I loved the fact that we have running electricity, running water, and plumbing. We have so many people here who have worked together to create this incredible colony; our biggest problem was running out of medical supplies and food.
After the radiation faded away, there were animals left, but now they are scary and mutated. Apparently, before the war, deer didn't have wings, and rabbits didn't have antlers… so weird…
After scrubbing myself clean, I grabbed a towel, then trudged to my room and pulled on an oversized t-shirt before plopping into the bed, falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I groaned when I, once again, returned to the day that my father died. The dream always started when the horde of zombies split us up… but I knew that that ghoul boy would be there to save me. He is the only salvation in this dream when he grabs my hand and pulls me through the horde of zombies and ghouls that stood at the edges, laughing at us like it was a sick game to them… Since that day, I have wondered what happened to that boy… how the hell was he able to navigate around them when he wasn't able to see?
When he got me safely away from the horde, I always hated that I couldn't control the dream; I constantly relived it the same way… I swallowed hard as my feet took me closer and closer to Dad and JR… Tears streamed down my face at the sight of my brother's tear-streaked face as he held our father's body.
"Bree!"
I looked around, hearing my brother's voice all around me; what the hell!?
"Breelynn, wake up!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I woke up with a gasp as I sat up, colliding head-first into my brother's forehead.
"Fuck!" Yelled JR as he stepped away from the bed, rubbing at his forehead that now had a giant red spot from where we collided.
I groaned, wincing when I reached up and touched the goose-egg-sized welt forming on my forehead.
"Damn it, Bree! You damn near knocked me out with the hard head of yours!" JR said with a groan.
"Sorry, it's not like I knew that you were there…What would you do if you were woken up from a nightmare?" I asked with a raised brow, "Anyways… why are you here?"
JR sighed, then sat down next to me on the bed, "I told you I would come to check in on you when I was finished with my meeting. You were sleeping soundly at first; I was about to leave until I saw that you were crying…"
I rubbed my hands over my face with a sigh, then looked up at my brother, "Well, thanks for checking in on me…"
JR nodded as he stood, "It's what a big brother should do…" he said, then ran his hand through his hair with a sigh, "I'm sorry for making you take two days off of work… but you really need to start taking better care of yourself, Bree… I can't even fathom the thought of losing you… I can't, and I won't…"
I ran a hand through my hair with a sigh, then nodded in understanding, "Okay, Bub, I will take today and tomorrow to rest…
"Thank you, Bree… I need to head out now; we are preparing a hunting party to search the nearby forest for some food…"
"Alright, be careful out there," I replied as I snuggled into the blankets.
"I will send Izzy to keep you some company this evening," JR added as he turned to leave.
"Mmmhmm, okay…" I mumbled as I started drifting off to sleep… " Love you…"
"Love you, too, Bree,"
That was the last thing I heard before I fell into a deep sleep.