reunited, and it feels... not good
Everything was perfect. The world. His job. His wife. His entire life was nothing but perfection. Sean and Cleo had finally gotten married – after everything they’d been through, they finally tied the knot. And not too long after that, they’d begun starting their family. Or, at least they thought. Getting pregnant was tough on a woman, and Cleo was no different. Unfortunately, it was tougher on her than either could expect. It was almost nearly impossible for them, the doctors said. After they did everything they could, after they’d given up, though, there they were, a few months later, in the doctors office being called a miracle. With twins, even.
They couldn’t be happier. But it all seemed too good to be true – and it was. On the cusp of her due date, a virus infected the entire city; then the entire state not too long after that. Somehow, they’d gotten separated. He’d hoped she was one of the evacuees, as he’d stay behind to help people get out and stay safe, because it was deadly. It was brutal. The cell towers and internet and even power was cut off or shocked at some point since everyone was trying to use them. Systems overloaded and no one could contact anyone. So he didn’t know whether she got out or whether she died. Though he hoped for the former, he was assured the latter, since most hospitals had become overflowed or shut down due to the virus. Sean wasn’t given the time to grieve – he was one of the only officers left who was willing to fight and help. So, all his energy went there.
Military personnel had stepped in, recruiting those who were helping, and that included Sean. He hated the idea of leaving it all behind, but there was really nothing left; he had to remember that. They’d created these places, places that were sterile, meant for women, children, or anyone who was still considered healthy. They were sectioned off areas, located all over the country. Though, some of them were still developing, and harder to keep control of. A lot of people still managed to get sick, even inside. Those were the places he’d spent years helping. Three years, to be exact.
This new place wasn’t as crowded as the others, and it was bigger, giving children more room to run and play in. But there were no physical borders. Not yet. Just signs – and not every centimetre of the sectioned off area was marked. Some places had lines drawn where signs weren’t present. Thankfully, the military had the technology that could determine the coordinates from the palms of their hands and on their weapons. As he was walking around, reading the satellite readings of their location, he spotted a young woman, with two toddlers wandering around the border. The children wandered off further towards it, while the woman, he assumed was their mother, hadn’t almost a clue they could step over the lines. ‘Stop right there!’ he called out, stern, loud. He was close to reaching for his gun, but he had to remember, there were children involved.
All three of them stopped, the two children turned around and ran back towards their mother. Slowly, he approached them all, his weapon in hands reach just in case; he couldn’t take any chances. There was a chance they could all be infected. ‘Turn around and step away from the borders, more towards me. Before someone gets hurt,’ he ordered. ‘The rules are to stay at least four feet behind those lines, ma’am. And especially to keep your children even further back. The second they stepped over those lines, they could have not been allowed back in,’ he added, as the young woman began to turn around. Sean was looking down at his handheld as he walked towards them, so he didn’t see her face just yet. ‘I suggest you teach these two how follow the rules of this sanctuary or else they’re liable to ge-’ he stopped once he looked up.
It couldn’t be. No. It had to be a dream. Or the heat was finally getting to him. She was there. Standing right in front of him. She had dirty blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, pinky-red lips... she was beautiful. She was breathtaking. She was... his wife.
