Final Days (MCSM Fanfiction)

Chapter 13 - A Memory's Resurface

10:05 – Day 2

A loud thud against the wooden door caused Lukas's head to shoot up, whipping around in the direction of the wooden door.

"Wha-?" Petra muttered sleepily, lifting her head slightly.

Another loud bang followed, waking the warrior up all the way. Even Jesse's eyes opened, turning around on the couch.

"What is that?" She asked as all their gazes turned to the door, hearing another thud against it.

Petra hopped down from the armchair, grabbing the hunting knife in an instance. Jesse and Lukas got up to, Lukas protectively wrapping an arm around Jesse's shoulders.

The thuds against the door repeated themselves more rapidly, more desperately. Like somebody was banging a fist against the door in a knocking matter, tugging at the doorknob as well.

The three friends exchanged glances, not sure whether they should make their presence known. Then again, the smoke from their fire probably gave them away.

"Please, somebody!" A hoarse voice called from outside the door, followed by another bang. "I-I need help!"

"Somebody's out there, in this cold." Jesse said softly, looking over at the others.

Petra bit her lip, twisting the knife in her hand. She wasn't about to leave a person to freeze outside their door, but she also didn't know who she could trust. She glanced over her shoulder at Lukas and Jesse.

"I'm going to unlock the door. Stay back, okay?"

They both nodded. Lukas wrapped both of his arms around Jesse, holding her even closer as Petra slowly began to head towards the door.

"Please, you gotta let me in!" The person cried outside the door, their fist banging against the door a few more desperate times.

Clutching the knife in one hand, Petra reached for the door with the other. The person had stopped banging against it, but they were still sobbing out pleads and begs. Petra carefully slid open the lock before pulling the door open, her eyes meeting those of the person outside.

Jesse was still in Lukas's arms, waiting tensely. She heard Petra gasp the moment she yanked open the door, followed by the sudden clang of her knife dropping the the floor.

"Petra?!" Lukas called out immediately, tightening his grip around the terrified Jesse.

There was a thud of the door being slammed shut again, the cold draft from the wind outside disappearing in an instance. And then Petra came into sight again, her one hand once more holding the weapon. The other arm wrapped around another person.

"Olivia!" Jesse and Lukas both called out, letting go of each other immediately.

The engineer was desperately clinging to Petra, the warrior carrying most of her weight. She was trembling all over, her clothes wet with snow.

"Jesse, Lukas!" Olivia's shaking voice flooded with relief when she saw the two of the them.

"Come, get down by the fire." Petra said, helping Olivia over to the heat she so desperately needed.

Immediately the other two dropped down by her side as well, the three of them crowding the shivering Olivia. Jesse swiftly undid the buttons on her soaked red coat, removing it and hanging it beside her damp sweater to dry.

"I didn't know you guys were out here too!" Olivia said, as she held out her shaking hands in front of the fire.

"Kind of, we were all spread over the place as well." Lukas explained. "All of us kind of gravitated towards here, it being the only proper house nearby."