Haven (on hold)

2

"But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars."
― Martin Luther King, Jr.

~Aurora's Pov~

A virus broke out all over the world, It was everywhere. There wasn't one place that was safe, we saw it on the news. At first it was just a couple of weird stories but at one point whenever you turned on the radio or turned on the TV it was all updates on this virus and how it was getting worse. Videos spread of the sick people attacking others and biting off their flesh. We found out if you got bit or scratched you'd get sick and eventually die only to come back as one of them. The only way to take them down is a shot or hard blow to the head. Carl, Mom, Shane and I were at a camp right outside of Atlanta with other people. This used to be a public place but now it was just us, we were safe here, we've been safe here for a while. I just hope it stays this way, we haven't seen any walkers.

Carl looked around as we were doing our chores, "What are you looking for?" I asked as he did a full circle, looking around him. I smiled at him. "What?" I giggled once he didn't answer. He stopped and looked at me. "I left my water bottle in the tent." He said, wiping some sweat off his forehead. I grabbed my bottle and handed it to him. "I'll go get it," I said. He nodded and opened the water bottle, I walked back to where all the tents were and walked in ours to see Mom and Shane kissing. They turned around immediately and mom covered her mouth looking at me in shock. I furrowed my eyebrows looking at her, feeling my heart race. I looked at Shane angry then back at my mom. I scoffed and walked in further grabbing Carl's water bottle. "Aurora." Shane spoke out first.

"Unbelievable." I said looking at my mom. "Are you serious?!" I asked, angry. "Don't talk to her like that." Shane said. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" I asked angrily. I walked by them, then out of the tent. It hasn't even been 2 months since my dad passed and they're already all over each other. "Aurora- Aurora." I felt a hand on my arm. "Don't touch me Shane!" I snapped and turned back to see him and my mom coming towards us with tears in her eyes. "Baby-" I cut her off. "What the hell is wrong with you two?!" I asked lowly knowing we were close to camp and closer to Carl now, I didn't want him to know about this. "Huh?! Why the hell would you do this to dad?!" I asked looking at my mom. "Alright let's just calm down-" I cut off Shane off again. "Don't talk to me." I commanded and turned around starting to walk towards Carl. I put his water bottle down next to him and I stood by him helping him wash the dishes again.

Mom and Shane walked up to us. "Can we talk please?" Mom asked as her voice shook, fiddling with her necklace where she had her wedding band. The fact that she wasn't wearing it made me even more mad. "Mom?" Carl asked, noticing she was upset. "Why don't you go on and play with Sophia. Everything's alright, Go on bud." Shane said looking at Carl. Carl looked at mom again then over at me, ignoring Shane's order. I grabbed a plate and scrubbed it. "Rory?" Carl asked softly. "Now Carl." Shane said. I put the plate and scrubber down, "You wanna go down to the quarry? Take a break?" I asked, looking at Carl while I dried my hands. He nodded hesitantly, "Get our bottles cmon." I said, he grabbed our water bottles and I put a hand on his back. We started walking away from them. "Aurora- baby please-" Mom called out. "Let her cool down," Shane spoke back to her. We kept walking. "What happened?" Carl asked. I shook my head, "Nothing you should worry about." I said taking my hand off his back.

".. Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded not looking at him. "Yeah, yeah." I said softly, feeling angry. "Are you sure?" He asked. I nodded, "Yeah." I repeated and looked over to him, giving him a soft, reassuring smile. He returned it, I grabbed my water bottle from his hand and held his hand as we walked.

~Later on that same day~

I ditched all my chores, I was angry. I didn't feel like doing anything so I just stayed in the tent alone trying to wrap my head around the fact that I walked in on mom and Shane kissing. "Dad!" I heard Carl's voice. I furrowed my eyebrows at the word. "Dad?" I asked myself and sat up trying to process what I just heard. "Dad!" I heard Carl's voice again. I put my shoes on quickly and got out of our tent, running towards the main area of the camp to see mom and Carl hugging my dad. I gasped furrowing my eyebrows, I stopped in my tracks watching him hug them. My heart started racing and I felt my eyes start to burn with tears.

Was I dreaming?

"Dad?" I asked myself again, confused. He looked over at Shane while still holding mom and Carl. "Dad?!" I called out louder as a tear fell. He looked over quickly and smiled with tears in his eyes. He let go of mom and put Carl down. "Aurora." He said walking to me quickly. "Dad!" tears finally fell and I ran to him. He held his arms out towards me and I hugged him. "Aurora." He cried and bent down the slightest. Both of us were crying and holding each other. "Dad oh my god- daddy." I cried feeling relieved. "Oh-" he cried and held me close. He put a hand on the back of my head and held me. "I'm here. I'm here sweetheart." He said catching his breath.

He rubbed my back, "Let me look at you- let me look at you." He said pulling me away. I looked at my dad as I cried. "Dad." I smiled as more tears fell. He smiled too, tears falling from his own eyes too. He put a hand on my cheeks and wiped my tears. "Oh thank god." He said and pulled me back into him. I hugged him back and buried my face in his chest. I felt a pair of arms around my torso, Carl hugged us. Dad put a hand on his back and mom hugged us all.

Word Count: 1109