Chapter 2

I've stayed with Claire ever since then she's always looked after me, help me with everything. Helped me to become a better fighter, to take care of myself, to survive. She became what I need her to be, my protector, my teacher, my mother, my sister, my best friend.

I couldn't sleep after my parents died, I could still hear their screams in my head. Claire helped them be pushed away, she sang silly little songs to help me sleep.

We went from Florida to Ohio. There were five of us in the truck; me, Claire, Marcus, Jen and Lil Pete. We each shared our stories, they were all sad; we all knew how the others were feelings and altogether we had lost someone.

As we travelled we kept searching for survivors, but we didn't find any, all we found were them.

Claire explained it all to me, about the infected, what was happening to the world and who'd done it all, umbrella and how it was all underground, which brought all new nightmares to the tables. When Claire told be it was underground I remembered what my mom had said to me about us escaping it underground, it made me think if my parents had helped caused this, if they were responsible for all the death. I'd slept terrible, waking up crying or screaming or not even sleeping at all, sometimes even Claire couldn't help.

I dreamt that they experimented on people, that they'd hurt them, innocent people. I didn't tell Claire about those dreams.

We travelled around Ohio for a while, looking for supplies and survivors but we left and went to Iowa and found a small town, we stayed in a basement in a house for one night then traveled farther into town, we ended up staying with two survivors, Otto and Aaron, in a tattoo parlour.

I begged Claire to let me have one, she agreed but within reason. I wanted to get a paw print on the inside of my palm. Claire said fine and the others decided to have it done too, to show us as the first survivors. I also got "Fox" tattooed in my ankle, Claire doesn't know this but I wanted something to keep me, me. I'd lost everything and everyone I knew and this reminded me of them, reminded me of myself.

I didn't cry or feel the pain, I suppose I was numb. Pete said that I probably thought this was a dream or some silly holiday or whatever, I didn't yell but Claire did, she said he was an idiot and didnt know what he was talking about, I shrugged.

A few days later we were attacked, Jen and Aaron died in that attack. Otto was really bad after that, his brother just dying and all, I didn't cry, I was all out of tears. I didn't sleep either, Claire's tried to help but she fell asleep before I did.

I got up and walked around for a while, even just walking back and forth, just keeping me active. I never bothered re-lighting the fire... It's not like I needed the light, once Marcus all most shot me thinking I was a zombie but he didn't, he shot the wall, missed me by an inch. Marcus wouldn't quit apologising, but I smiled and said I was fine, nothing to worry about.

We lost Marcus two month later in North Dakota.

We kept traveling, for a long time. We gained Liz, Tony, Abbie, Kate and Johnny, then lost Abbie and Kate six months later and Lil Pete too. Claire found it hard with Pete; she said they were next door neighbours for seven years. Death didn't bother me anymore. It was just another day now.

On the anniversary of my parent's death, Claire and I went away from our group; we burned a small pile of wood and sat in silence. I took out a small tape recorder from my, now worn out, bag.

A few days after Florida, a year ago, Claire looked in my bag and found the tape recorder and a bunch of tapes along with a photo of my parents in the bag.

There were about 9 tapes in there, Claire read them to me, they said: "straight after we're gone", "to your rescuers", "to your protectors", "a year later", "your 13th", "your 16th", "your 18th", "Everyday", and another said something else but Claire said she shouldn't read it to me.

We played both "straight after" and "rescuers" they said that they were sorry to leave me and happy I survived and they thanked my rescuers, hoping I was with good people or even Darren and hoped that they'd keep me safe.

Now we played the one year later tape. Claire sat next to me, her arm around my shoulders as she played the tape.

"Hi sweet heart" said my mother's voice. "Hi Darling" said my father's.

I felt Claire rest her head against mine and hold me slightly tighter.

"Well Nicole we haven't been with you for a year now, and you're still alive and I'm sure you're turning into a lovely young woman" continued my dad.

"We are so proud of you Nicole and we hope your healthy and happy, sweet heart" said my mom, her voice starting to brake as she held back tears I figured.

"We'd like to think that your with friends and if so hello Nicole's friends" my dad said, I heard Claire whisper a hi.

They blabbered on about keeping safe and making sure that I wasn't doing anything reckless.

"well kiddo, just know that I love you, that me and your mom love you dearly and we are so so sorry we left you but always remember that if it came down to the choice of us dying in your place, we'd do it again… in a heartbeat" he finished, then he quickly added "also remember, We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will."

I heard the tape stop and Claire stuttering breath beside me, she gently rubbed my shoulder. I whispered softly "Chuck Palahniuk…"

Claire moved her head slightly "what sweetie?"

I breathed gently then said louder "Chuck Palahniuk… he said that quote, my dad said quotes a lot, of people in history."

Neither of us said anything as I rested my head on her shoulder. After 20 minutes of us sitting still, Claire let go of me and put the tapes back into the bag then added more wood to the fire, we still said nothing until midnight.

Claire sat next to me again and handed me something cold, sharp and metallic, "Happy one year anniversary."

I smiled and frowned softly "anniversary for what?" I said as I fiddled with the object in my hand.

"One year ago was the first time I met you, I thought you'd like it after… well after the other anniversary"

I smiled and set the object down and hugged her tightly, burying my head in the crook of her neck as she wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you" I said, muffled slightly. She stoked my hair "you don't even know what your gift is yet."

I shrugged, pulling away slightly and kissed her cheek, then picked up the object, "so what is it?"

Claire took it off me then took hold of my hand and brushed it gently along the object all the way down to the hilt, the blade was about five inches long. "you got me a knife" I said, and Claire said nothing, I guessed she was smiling.

I grinned, she handed me something of leather, "that's that holster for it and you can strap it where ever." I slipped the knife into the holster and continued to smile "thank you… for everything" she didn't reply, I figured again she was smiling.

"Come on, we need to get some sleep" she said a few minutes later, I nodded.

I heard her stand up and I followed, keeping hold of my knife as Claire grabbed my bad, she started to walk back to where we left the others.

I stood and whispered "happy anniversary" I tilted my head up towards the sky and closed my eyes, breathing deeply and gripped my knife, tightly.

I opened my eyes and trudged on forwards.

I like this chapter, it really shows Claire and Nicole's relationship and its dead cute hehe

you know what you have you do... click it... click review, you know you want too ;D