Day 55: Bonds
The museum was quieter than usual as the day wore on. With Jay, Mae, and Dom out on a supply run, those who remained behind found themselves with a rare opportunity to relax—if only slightly. The tension that had gripped them since the world fell apart began to ease, allowing conversations to flow that weren't solely focused on survival.
Raya and Sarah stood watch by the windows, their eyes scanning the empty streets below. Despite their vigilance, their conversation drifted into more personal territory as the minutes ticked by.
"You ever think about what you'd be doing if none of this had happened?" Sarah asked, leaning against the window frame, her tone contemplative.
Raya, usually quiet and reserved, glanced over at her. "Sometimes. I try not to, but it's hard not to wonder."
Sarah nodded. "Yeah, I get it. What did you do before all this?"
Raya hesitated before answering. "I was a paramedic. Spent most of my time in an ambulance, rushing from one emergency to the next. I guess I'm still doing that in a way—just without the ambulance."
Sarah looked surprised. "A paramedic? That must've been intense."
"It was," Raya admitted, her voice softening. "But it was rewarding too. Knowing you're helping people when they need it most… there's nothing like it. I miss that feeling."
Sarah offered a wistful smile. "I was a teacher. High school English. I used to think my job was stressful, but now… it feels like another world."
Raya nodded, understanding the sentiment. "It does, doesn't it? Like we were living in a different reality, and then everything just… changed."
Sarah sighed, her thoughts drifting back to her classroom. "I used to complain about grading papers and dealing with rowdy students, but now I'd give anything to be back there."
Raya turned her gaze back to the window, her expression thoughtful. "Do you think we'll ever get back to something like that? A world where we can just… live again?"
"I don't know," Sarah replied after a pause. "But I hope so. Maybe one day."
Blake, who had been listening nearby, approached the two women, his usually guarded expression a bit softer. "I was an accountant before all this. It wasn't the most exciting job, but I liked the stability, the routine. Now… I'd give anything for a boring day at the office."
Sarah and Raya both nodded, the weight of their lost lives settling over them. Blake's presence added another layer to the conversation, a reminder that everyone in the group had left something behind.
"What about you, Sarah?" Blake asked, genuinely curious. "Did you always want to be a teacher?"
Sarah smiled faintly. "Yeah, I did. I loved books, loved helping kids find their voice through writing. It wasn't always easy, but it felt meaningful. I miss that."
Raya leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "We've all had to put our dreams on hold. But that doesn't mean they're gone forever. Maybe one day… we'll find a way to make them happen."
The others nodded, taking comfort in the thought, even if the future felt uncertain. They knew the world had changed, that their lives had been upended in ways they could never have imagined. But in sharing their stories, they found a sense of solidarity—a reminder that they were not alone in their loss.
Across the room, Luke and Derek were engaged in a conversation of their own. After checking the barricades and ensuring the museum was secure, they had settled down to talk about their pasts—something they rarely had the chance to do.
"What did you do before all this?" Luke asked, genuinely curious.
Derek took a moment before answering, his voice carrying a hint of pride. "I was an engineer. Worked on big projects—bridges, tunnels, stuff like that. I loved the challenge of it, figuring out how to make something strong, something that would last."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "An engineer? That explains a lot. You've been a big help with fortifying this place."
Derek chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so. It's not exactly the same as building a bridge, but it's something. I miss it, though—the work, the satisfaction of seeing something you've built stand tall."
Luke nodded in understanding. "I was in construction—building homes, laying foundations. It was hard work, but I liked knowing I was creating something solid, something that would last."
Derek looked at him with newfound respect. "No wonder you're so good at fortifying this place. You've had practice."
Luke smiled slightly. "I always liked the idea of building a future, you know? Something tangible. Now… well, I suppose we're still building, just in a different way."
Derek nodded in agreement. "We're all doing what we can to survive. But yeah, I'd like to think that one day we'll get back to building things that last."
Nearby, Cass sat with Ben, who was busy trying to solve a small puzzle she had found for him among the museum's remnants. It was a simple toy, but it helped keep his mind occupied, giving him a sense of normalcy in a world that had little of it left.
"What about you, Cass?" Ben asked suddenly, looking up from his puzzle. "What did you do before all this?"
Cass hesitated, her eyes distant as she remembered. "I was a photographer. I traveled a lot, capturing moments, places, people… anything that told a story. I miss it sometimes."
"A photographer?" Ben repeated, clearly impressed. "That sounds cool."
"It was," Cass said with a gentle smile. "I loved it. There was something special about freezing a moment in time, telling a story without words. But now… I guess we all have to find new ways to tell our stories."
Ben looked thoughtful for a moment, then asked, "Do you think we'll ever go back to that? To telling stories like that?"
Cass considered his question carefully. "I hope so, Ben. I really do. But for now, we help each other in the ways we can. That's all we can do."
As the afternoon stretched into evening, the conversations around the museum grew more relaxed and more personal. They talked about their dreams, their families, and the things they missed most about the world that had been lost. For a little while, they were more than just survivors—they were people, sharing stories, finding common ground, and remembering what it meant to live.
Raya, who had been listening quietly, eventually spoke up. "You know, I always wanted to travel. See the world. I'd saved up for years for a trip to Europe, but… well, that didn't happen."
Sarah smiled wistfully. "I always wanted to write a book. I never had the time, though. Now, it feels like there's all the time in the world, but no way to do it."
Derek leaned back against the wall, his hands resting on his knees. "I wanted to open my own shop one day. Fix up cars, maybe even build a few from scratch. It was just a dream, but it kept me going."
Luke, who had been quiet, finally spoke up. "I wanted to build a home—one that I could live in, with a family. I'd planned out every detail, down to the last brick. I wanted it to be perfect."
Cass listened, her heart aching with the weight of their lost dreams. "We've all had to put our dreams on hold. But that doesn't mean they're gone forever. Maybe one day… we'll find a way to make them happen."
Blake, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. "I just wanted a simple life. Go to work, come home, spend time with people I care about. I didn't need much—just stability, you know? Now it feels like that's the hardest thing to find."
The others nodded, understanding the longing for something as simple as stability. They had all lost something when the world changed, and that loss bonded them in ways they hadn't anticipated.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the museum, the group gathered in the main hall, waiting for the return of Jay, Mae, and Dom. The conversations had slowed, but the bonds they had formed grew a little stronger with each passing hour. They had shared their pasts, their hopes, and their fears, and in doing so, they had found a sense of community—a reason to keep going.
When the sound of footsteps finally echoed through the museum's entrance, everyone tensed, weapons at the ready. But as Jay, Mae, and Dom stepped into the hall, their bags full of supplies, the tension melted away into relief.
"We made it," Jay said, a tired smile on his face. "Found some good stuff, and we didn't run into any trouble."
Cass quickly moved to help them with their gear, her earlier worries easing. "Good job. We were starting to get a little worried."
Mae grinned, though the exhaustion was clear in her eyes. "We stuck to the plan, kept it quiet. That seemed to make all the difference."
Dom, usually quiet and reserved, nodded in agreement. "It was smooth. We found what we needed and got out."
As the group gathered around to examine the new supplies, the mood lightened. They had survived another day, and in this world, that was a victory worth celebrating.
Luke looked around at the people who had become his family. They had all come from different walks of life, each with their own dreams and stories, but they had found each other in the chaos. They had formed something strong, something that could withstand the darkness of the world outside.
As the night settled in and the group prepared for another evening in their fortified home, they knew that the challenges would continue, that the world outside would never stop testing them. But for now, they had each other, and that was enough to keep the darkness at bay.