Love Among The Ruins-Chapter 46

NADINE’S P.O.V

The moon was all the light I had to go by.

If I said it wasn’t terrifying to walk alone under the dark sky, I would be a liar. Every step had to be meticulously calculated and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. I felt the paranoia creep up my spine and threaten to swallow me whole but against all odds, I kept moving.

I didn’t know where to find a pharmacy so the first thing I did was search for a map- anything to help me realize where I was and how to get out. It took almost five minutes to get that and I tried to hide my frustration at that. I wasn’t sure how long I had until Dan and Rowan came back, but I needed to ensure they had whatever they needed when they did.

It was just my luck that there was a supermarket nearby. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

I ran, as quickly but quietly as I could. I couldn’t afford to walk, not right now.

I wasn’t sure how long it took me to get there, but by the time I got to the supermarket, I nearly cursed once I realized it was locked with a chain. I couldn’t pick locks- not like Rowan anyway. I had no idea where the next one was.

"Fuck," I mumbled, my fingers running through my hair in frustration.

I walked over to the back, checking for any easy way to get in but there was none save for a single window that seemed to lead into a back room. I bit down on my bottom lip, knowing I was about to do something incredulously stupid but it was either that or let them die.

I grabbed a large brick and smashed it into the glass.

The loud crash reverberated through the air as glass fragments shattered everywhere around me and into my fingers. I dove into the room as quickly as I could and hid under the table. I heard the growls and the sound of running as the monsters raced, trying to find the source of the sound.

I held my breath, waiting for them to pass. I smelled their decayed flesh, heard their snarls and the horrible noises they made but they didn’t come in. I wasn’t sure if they couldn’t or if they just didn’t know I was here.

I stared at the glass fragments in my hand and the redness around it but I didn’t make to pull it out. The last thing I wanted was for them to smell the blood and come for me.

It felt like hours before they finally moved on, each second feeling like a thousand.

I dragged myself out from under the table and made my way into the main supermarket.

I couldn’t take much, not when I was on a time-sensitive mission. I grabbed a backpack and shoved as many medical supplies as I could. I grabbed all the bandages I could find and rubbing alcohol then I grabbed snacks and water. They would need food in order to heal properly.

Once the bag was full, I climbed back out the way I came, ignoring the cuts on my hand from grabbing onto the broken glass and I headed back to the station.

It was still dark, but I could see the sun peeking out on the horizon. I had always loved the sunrise, but before all of this, I could count on one hand the number of times I had actually sat and watched it.

Everything in me screamed to stay put, to see the beauty that was the dawning of a new day, but I couldn’t. My heart worried for Rowan and the shame I felt had not abated. I didn’t deserve the sunrise, not when I had abandoned him out there.

I headed back to the station as quickly as I could hoping to see Dan and Rowan but I was met with silence.

"You’re back," Jennifer’s voice filled my ears and I turned to find her still hiding in that stupid conductor’s room. "Did you get everything?"

"Where are they?"

"They’re not back yet."

It had been well over an hour. They should have been back by now.

"I’m going to find them. You can keep hiding here if you want."

"You can’t-" She reached out for me but I snatched my hand out of her grip. "Don’t be stupid."

"Don’t be a fucking coward," I snapped back. "They sacrificed themselves for us. The least we could do is-"

"Stay alive," she finished. "We have to stay alive and keep moving."

I stared at her in shock, not believing what she was saying. Did she not feel an ounce of guilt? of shame? Did she not feel bad? Was she not worried that they could be dead or dying alone on those tracks?

"You’re a coward and a bitch and you don’t deserve to be-"

"Nadine-"

"No," I cut her off. "They were willing to die for us and you aren’t even willing to try to find them. You don’t even want to help-"

She grabbed my shoulders and spun me sharply. It took me a second to realize what I was seeing and when I did, a gasp left my lips. My lower lip quivered as the weight of all the fear and worry I had felt over the past hour slammed into me.

Dan and Rowan made their way over to us, their clothes and faces splattered with blood, their steps slow, but alive.

They were alive.

A sob left my lips as I abandoned the bag and rushed over to them. If I were in a better frame of mind, I would have noticed that they were leaning on each other for support, but I was so overwhelmed that the detail didn’t settle instantly.

Rowan stepped away from Dan for a second and I threw my arms around his neck.

"Don’t ever do that to me again," I whispered, my voice cracking just a little. "I thought you were dead."

"I thought we were dead too," his fingers ran through my hair as his lips brushed my temple. "More of them came out of nowhere. It’s a miracle that we’re alive."

I pulled back to stare in his eyes. "Are you hurt?"

He opened his mouth to speak when a sound of pure pain filled the air. I turned to find Dan leaning against a pillar, his face contorted in pain and his hand clutching his sides.

"Fuck," I rushed over to him, one hand going under his back while Rowan supported his other side. "I have medical supplies waiting for us. We can find an open cart and treat him there."

"No trains," Dan managed out. "Perhaps an office or a waiting room. I don’t want to die in a coffin shaped box."

"You’re not dying, you bastard," I hissed out. "Come with me."

We pulled him over to the main buildings and thankfully, the doors were open. Jennifer trudged behind us, holding the bag of supplies I had brought. I couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t venture too close to Dan but I didn’t know why.

We found an office big enough to accommodate all of us and lay Dan on the bed.

"Bring the bag."

For once, Jennifer didn’t fight me, she just handed it over.

"Where did you get these?" Rowan asked as he stepped closer to me. "What happened to your hands?"

He had just noticed the cuts.

"I had to find stuff, we left everything behind."

"Princess-"

"Please, not now." I kept my voice soft but firm. "Take off your shirt, both of you, I need to see how hurt you are."

"I’m fine-"

"Now!"

The corner of Dan’s lips tipped upwards. "Yes ma’am."