Leaning against the wall of the hall, Beth took a moment to close her eyes, the first time she’d been able to do so in what felt like the longest time. Her hand was gently stroking Ellie’s hair as the little girl slept soundly on the cot she had been supplied. Despite all the anxiety and fear around her, Ellie still managed to sleep with a small smile on her face, her beloved Dalmatian laying across her feet. Making sure Ellie was tucked in, Beth pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning to one of her friends. “Can you watch her? I just need to go somewhere where I can’t smell people for a couple of minutes.”
It was all she needed, to find a quiet room where she could take a few breaths of air that hadn’t been breathed out by, what felt like, every other person in Wilmington. A couple of minutes and she felt a little refreshed, strong enough again to face the room of the mass evacuated. Walking back to her spot, Beth saw the familiar figure and immediately, her heart lifted. “Jacks! Hey! When did you get here?” Beth rushed over to him, her face breaking into a smile that was so full of anticipation. “Are Beau and Sydney here as well? I thought Beau would be with you, is he just getting some water or something? I’d better go and let him know where we’ve set up camp. Do you want to join us?” @jcksnodycr
