Hannah woke up with a start, looking wildly around the room. She hated the nights, she hated the sleep. The infected were always there at the back of her eyelids when she closed them. The dreams of her infected parents haunted her almost every night.

Sitting up she brought her hand through her damp hair. Her body was sticky with cold sweat. She pushed the quilt and blankets aside and stepped out of the bed, walking up to the table. On it stood a pitcher of water, a bowl, a wash cloth and some soap. She poured some water into the bowl and grimaced when she stuck her finger into it. It was absolutely freezing. If she ever got a chance to take a hot shower again she would take her time savouring the moment. She cleaned herself up the best she could. Afterwards she felt wide awake after the cold wash and the nightmare. She stood there in the silence, the moonshine lighting up the room through the cracks of the boards covering the window. She felt so alone. She didn't want to disturb them but she felt like she was going insane with fear and the hurt.

She pulled on some clothes and then left her room, walking up to the door to the master bedroom. She stared at the door for awhile wondering if she should knock.

Afraid that Jim and Selena might be doing something she really didn't want to interrupt and walk in on Hannah put her ear to the door, feeling embarrassment wash over her. It seemed silent but still she feared opening the door. She didn't want to be a bother.

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The cold was almost making her teeth clatter and the shadows in the corridor seemed to move making her hold her breath in fright. Somewhere a board creaked and she told herself that stuff like that always happened in old buildings. Didn't mean that somewhere an infected was lurking. Hannah looked back towards her own bedroom. The door was ajar, the room empty and uninviting. She didn't want to go back there.

Hannah braced herself and slowly opened the door sneaking in and closing it behind her.

Selena was sleeping soundly, her back against the door. Jim laid beside her on the bedside that was closest to the door, sleeping on his back. He seemed to be having a bad dream. Hannah took one step towards the bed and stumbled over a pair of shoes.

Jim sat up in bed with a jolt. In a second the light from his flashlight was hitting her face. She could hear him exhale in relief.

"Christ, girl! You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry."

Jim turned his head to look at the sleeping beauty beside him and shook his head in wonderment. "Looks like someone's been nicking the Valium again."

He laid back down, resting his head on his hand and looked over at Hannah still standing quietly by the door.

"Nightmare?"

Hannah nodded. Jim pulled down the quilt and patted the mattress.

"Come on. Jump in."

Hesitation could be read on Hannah's face as if something was on her mind but she had a hard time putting it into words. Jim frowned.

"What?"

Hannah blushed.

"You're not naked under there are you?"

Jim looked surprised for a second then chuckled.

"No, I promise you I'm completely decent."

Jim pulled down the quilt further to reveal his sweatpants.

"Ok?"

Hannah nodded, blushing even more and climbed into bed, facing Jim. He tenderly covered her with the quilt in a brotherly fashion and stroked her back.

"Warmer?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Anytime."

They laid there quietly for awhile before Hannah spoke.

"Jim?"

Jim opened his blue eyes and locked them onto hers. "What, love?"

"I don't know which are worse: the nightmare I'm living or the ones I dream."

Jim didn't know what to say to that. He took her hand and squeezed it gently and then kissed the back of it.

"Thing's will get better."

"How do you know?"

Jim sighed.

"Because it has to."

Hannah smiled, a tear rolling down her face, staining the pillow. Soon she was sobbing hard and Jim pulled her close, hugging her tightly.

"I just miss them so much."

"So do I, darling. So do I." he mumbled, trying to hold back his own tears.

An hour later they were both sleeping, this time dreaming of their past before the infection and for that short moment they were unknowing of the horrible reality they would face again when they woke up.