Virus 3 - The Final Chapter

10th October 2042

Harper

I sit behind Margo, slowly combing her hair. She has her eyes closed, humming softly to herself. I was always jealous of Margo's white blonde hair. I always had dirty blonde with brown streaks underneath. Hers was completely white. Apparently she got it from Dad's side; his Mum had white blonde hair.

"Should I feel guilty?" She asked.

"About what?" I frowned.

"Max." She sighed, opening her eyes and looking into the mirror at me. "And Amelia."

"Why should you feel guilty about that?" I asked. "Anyway it's been 3 years, bit late to be becoming guilty."

"Because deep down I don't believe she's dead." She said. "I think she's out there and she's looking for Max."

"And?"

"And if she finds us what am I meant to say?" She asked. "She was my best friend, and now I'm sleeping with her boyfriend."

"Ex-boyfriend." I corrected her.

"What does it matter what he is to her." She pulled away from me so she could turn and look up. "They didn't break up Harper; it's not like you and Luis."

"Luis and I aren't what we're talking about now."

"Why not? Why do you never want to talk about him?" She interrupted.

"Because I don't. So drop it." I snapped. She rolled her eyes, getting up and walking away from me. I stood there awkwardly, the hairbrush in my hand.

"She may frustrate you; but I'd give anything to have my sister back." Someone said from behind me. I turned to see Zara. Zara was kind of the leader of this group. She helped us set this whole camp up, she keeps us safe and she knows what she's doing. We all trust her.

"You had a sister?" I asked. She smiled, walking over to me and taking the hairbrush out of my hand.

"Sit down." She said. I sat down on the chair, turning to face the mirror. She pulled the hair tie from my hair, shaking it loose. My hair was long now, almost to the bottom of my back. I've cut it twice since Chicago, but they were just trims. I didn't want to back to the short hair I had before.

"How old was your sister?" I asked.

"When I last saw her, 18." She sighed. "Her name was Myer. She had just graduated high school; was going to pre-med in the summer time. Smarter than anyone in my family, definitely me."

"How long do you think she lasted?"

"Like I said she was smarter than me." She sighed, running the brush through my hair, "So she would've killed herself the day after the outbreak which is exactly what I should've done."

"Kill yourself?"

"You think I want to live this life?" She scoffed. "No family, no job, no house, no husband, no kids."

"You have Harrison?" I interrupted.

"A 25 year old who has never had any life experience." She rolled her eyes, brushing my hair.

"He loves you." I said.

"They all love me, then they get introduced to a pretty blonde and they're gone." She smiled sourly at me.

"I don't understand."

"Nothing to understand dear," She shook her head. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay?"

"Hey I think it's time for a haircut?" She quickly changed the subject. I shook my head.

"I don't want my hair cut."

"We all need something different every now and again." She smiled. "I won't go too short."

"But -"

"Trust me Harper, you won't regret this." She said. Half an hour later she walked out of the tent, leaving me alone to stare at myself in the mirror. I couldn't look away, she had ruined my hair.

"No." I whispered as I ran my hands through it. The bottom of my hair sat just above my shoulders, cut into an awkward bob.

"Hey Harper, Zara said I could find you in here -" Uriah walked into the tent, but stopped short as he spotted the hair on the ground. He looked up at me, and I turned to face him. "What happened?"

"She cut my hair." I said. I hated it; I wanted to kick and scream and cry like a toddler. It wasn't the same as Columbus, but it made me feel the same way; unattractive.

"W-Why?" Uriah stuttered.

"Because she wouldn't take no for an answer." I said. He walked over to me, avoiding the hair on the ground.

"Are you okay?" He asked as tears began to form. I know I shouldn't cry about hair, but that's not the whole reason. Having my hair this short takes me back to Columbus, to Chicago, to Luis.

"No, no I'm not." I shook my head. He squatted down in front of me, his hands reaching out and cupping my cheeks. "It brings back a lot of bad memories."

"Like what?" He asked. I took a deep breath, shaking my head lightly. I didn't want to tell him about Luis. "Why don't you want to talk about your past?"

"I can't think of 1 thing that makes me feel happy from my past." I said.

"You can still talk to me about it." He said. I reached up, taking his hands off my face.

"Can you go please?" I whispered.

"Go?" He scoffed, standing up straight. "Why won't you open up to me?"

"Uriah -"

"I've done everything for you. I've respected your wishes, I've been nice to your family, I haven't fought with anyone, I haven't ask you for anything yet when I ask you a simple question you tell me to go?" He spat.

"I want to be alone." I said.

"Do you want to be alone now or in general? Because I can make the second option possible." He said. I looked up to him, my brows creasing. Did he just threaten to leave me?

"I just want to be alone now, Uriah." I said. He rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He turned, walking to the door of the tent. "I tell you everything you know."

"You didn't tell me about Zara." I said, suddenly making the connection. The 'pretty little blonde' was me; that's why she cut my hair. Uriah must've been in love with Zara.

"Zara was 7 years ago." He said.

"So is my past." I interrupted. He rolled his eyes, storming out and leaving me by myself. I turned back to the mirror, wiping away the tear that had leaked over. I hadn't cried since the night we left Chicago 7 years ago. Was that too long? I can't tell.

"Are you busy?" I heard from behind me.

"God, can I never be alone?" I sniffed, turning around to see Mason standing there. "Oh Mason – sorry."

"Don't worry about it, I know you need your space sometimes." He smiled sweetly.

"What's up?" I asked, wiping under my eyes again to get rid of any remaining tears.

"I just wanted to tell you that you and Molly are on the next run duty tomorrow." He said.

"Oh, okay cool." I nodded. I hadn't been on a run in ages; maybe 5 months. We go once a fortnight and with 25 people in a group and 2 going at a time you never have to go often. "What weapons are we taking?"

"Rifle I think, maybe some handguns." He shrugged. "Depends on how Zara's feeling."

"Okay." I smiled sadly. He must've gotten the message, because he bowed his head and left me to cry on my own.

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