[Amanda] "Previously, on Alive Inside."
Quick summary of S1 and S2.
In May 2012, a pandemic hit the United States, decimating law and order, crippling the government, the Christensens, a family hailing from Idaho, survived the initial panic, within the first few months, the group found themselves in Georgia, where the unofficial leader Blake, died saving the youngest member in their group, Genevieve, detouring to Tenessee where the group had met a lone survivor named Amanda, a still hysterical Summer, invites the survivor into their group.
Four years later in 2016, the group is living in a small community in Tennessee, after a militia group ransacks the settlement, Summer and the group flee to a small town on the Kentucky border, after being trapped for several months, the group has a chance to escape at the cost of Amanda's life.
Now five years later in 2021, Summer, Genevieve, and the group have settled in Virginia, what lies in store?
Ch. 24
'New normal'
'January 2021'
[Settlement near Richmond, VA]
Nighttime had fallen across the land and yet no one slept this night, *went out one night to make a little round* a band playing bluegrass music with a woman singing, filled the interior of a barn with strings of light, trailing the ceiling with people dancing across the floor, *I met little Sadie and I shot her down, went back home jumped into bed* very few of the people were not dancing, but only one stood alone, *forty-four pistol under my head!* a teenaged Genevieve stood against a support pillar, next to the drink table, watching everyone have fun, with a ghost of a smile on her face, the band roused up the instruments after the last piece of lyric ended, the crowd dancing picked up their rhythm to the sound of the music, the dark-haired teenager rapped her knuckles quietly on the wood, trying to remember the last time she had an honestly good time, *I woke in the morning, half-past nine, hacks and the bugglers, standing in line* a familiar face could be seen dancing with one of the settlement's chief scavengers. *gents and gamblers standing around, taking little Sadie to her burying ground!* a girl stepped out of the dancing crowd having left her dance partner mid-dance, the girl stepped towards the lone teenager. *I began to think, what a deed I'd done, grabbed my hat and away I'd run*
"May I have this dance, Miss Kensley?" the girl asked, with a giggle and courtesy.
*Made a good run, just a little too slow, they overtook me down in Jericho!*
Genevieve's eyes raised to behold the one person she had befriended since getting to this settlement, Genevieve let out a single, soft chuckle, letting a small smile grace her features. "No, Tina," the teenager said as if this wasn't the first time they had this conversation.
Tina stood up straight with another giggle. "C'mon! I've got you out two months in a row, now! third time's a charm!" Tina exclaimed, holding her hand out.
Genevieve let her hands hang at her sides, still leaning against the pillar, hanging her head, trying to say no to Tina was difficult after all.
"C'mon the song is almost over!" Tina exclaimed, grabbing Genevieve's hands, the teenager allowed herself to be dragged out to the dance floor.
Outside the barn, Summer leaned against the railing, overlooking the settlement, a bottle of liquor in her hands, the cold January air, had Summer bundled up in an old canvas green coat with a grey sweater under it, watching her breath dissipate into the air, Summer took a drink, wincing at the strong taste, a form leaned against the rail next to her, Summer looked over to see a familiar face, Trevor with bottle similar to hers.
"Hey," Trevor said, looking out at the view, snow piled high as far as the eye could see, nine years with no smog in the sky was allowing the world to heal, nature had reclaimed its domain, winters were colder, snow was more prevalent, the rain lasted longer and was often heavier, nearly two feet of snow laid across the land of Virginia.
"Hi," Summer said, wiping her nose with her sleeve, sniffling afterward, due to the cold making her nose feel like it was runny.
"You not enjoying the party? Me neither," Trevor said, shivering slightly in his long-sleeve black turtleneck shirt.
Summer shook her head lightly."It was fine, just needed a minute... Out here," Summer explained, gesturing with her coffee cup, at the scenery laid out before them.
Trevor returned his sight to the view of the settlement blanketed in snow, the light wind, swirling wisps of snow around, a few couples trudged through the snow to their respective residences. "It is really beautiful around here," Trevor confessed looking at Summer as he spoke, taking in her side profile.
Not noticing his gaze, Summer lowered her eyes to the low about of liquid in her bottle left, sloshing it gently, Summer closed her eyes and raised the drink to her lips, finishing it off. "Ya," Summer agreed simply, standing slowly, taking a deep breath before walking back into the barn.
Summer made her way to where Genevieve had been left at the drink table, not finding her, Summer assumed Tina had dragged her off somewhere, the usual happening since about a year ago, Summer brushed it off, seeing Ian grabbing a drink.
"How you doing?" Summer asked, in a New York accent, picking up a roll from the snack table.
Having not noticed her, Ian jumped before looking at the woman he'd known for years now, his face brightening immediately. "Sup, sis!" Ian shouted, excitedly.
His words reminded Summer of her long-dead brother, pushing the thought away, Summer promptly dropped her fake accent. "Nothing much," Summer replied dryly.
"Niiiice!" Ian growled, jokingly.
"Seen Genevieve around?" Summer asked, scanning the dance floor.
"She was dancing last I saw her," Ian replied quickly, gulping his beverage.
Summer picked up on Ian's swift answer. "I don't see her now," the woman declared, turning her attention to the band playing.
"Maybe she turned in for the night, she has to go scouting tomorrow after all," Ian offered, setting his drink on the wooden surface he stood next to.
"Maybe you're right," Summer said, walking towards the exit.
"Or maybe she's hanging out with someone?" Ian called after her.
Summer knew then, that Ian probably had an idea where Genevieve truly was, home or not, deciding she shouldn't worry too much about it, both for Genevieve's recent history and for the person Summer assumed she was with, Summer continued out of the barn. "Tina's," Summer said over her shoulder, ceasing Ian's continued talking, confirming her suspicions.
Ian cursed under his breath, watching as Summer disappeared into the chilly winter night.
Feeling the snow crunch lightly underfoot, Summer looked at the treetops, the snow glittering as it passed by a light post, the now twenty-six-year-old, stuffed her hands in her coat pockets, the paths ahead had been shoveled by the local boys, a tiring job given the accumulated, Summer made it to her abode and shrugged out of her grey sweatshirt, leaving on a T-shirt, Summer stepped into the hallway, peeking her head into Genevieve's room, the door was only open a crack, but it was enough for Summer to see the teenager was not occupying the room currently, deciding she would stay up and wait for her young housemate, Summer resigned herself to the couch.
An hour passed by, Summer was still waiting on the couch, rubbing her tired eyes, her body tired from her workday, Genevieve had got up early and shoveled the porch and the pavement leading to their dirt road into town, the fact that Genevieve did these types of things without any prompting, made Summer smile, the little girl was now a young woman, occasionally, Genevieve beat Summer waking up which wasn't easy given the fact Summer got up at about five o'clock every morning.
Summer's tired, rambling mind focused as the knob to her front door started turning slowly, the woman already knew who would enter, sitting herself up from her splayed-out position, Summer awaited the teen's entrance.
The door opened almost silently, the teenager trying to seem nonchalant as she entered the house quickly and closed the front door, shrugging her coat off, and hanging it on one of the four lag bolts drilled into the wall, for use as coat hangers, Genevieve kept her back turned to Summer, the teen grabbed a small piece of paper from her coat pocket and stuffed it gently in her hoodie pocket.
"Hey, kiddo," Summer greeted, watching her young housemate act oddly.
"Hi," Genevieve replied quickly, keeping her face hidden from Summer.
"Ya have fun tonight?" Summer asked, laying her arm across the back of the couch.
"A little," Genevieve answered shortly, thinking back on the events of tonight.
"Hm," Summer said, mulling over what she would say next. "Did you dance with Tina again?" Summer asked cautiously, hoping the teen wouldn't close up on her.
"Uh... Yes," Genevieve said carefully, hoping Summer wouldn't try pressing for more information.
Summer watched Genevieve closely after the incident about a month ago, which ended up with Genevieve turning over anything potentially lethal in her room.
Looking the girl up and down from the couch, Summer's eye caught something on the teen's neck, Summer figured it may be dirt at first, but quickly dismissed that, Summer knew now that her kiddo was seeing someone since she was sure it was a hickey on Genevieve's neck.
"So... What else did ya do?" Summer asked, hoping Genevieve would look at her.
Genevieve half-turned to face her guardian, gauging Summer's face before answering. "Uh... I went over to Tina's house too," Genevieve replied.
Summer's heart rate hastened, she had been right, but this was starting to look bad for Genevieve.
"What'd you do there?" Summer asked, carefully.
Genevieve's heart skipped a beat at the thought of tonight's events. "Just hung out," Genevieve replied, swallowing hard as she flicked her eyes in Summer's direction. "I'm going to bed," Genevieve said, pulling her boots off, setting them in a row next to Summer's.
Summer feared pressing further since she figured she may be right about this. "Alright, do... Ya wanna hang out before you go to bed?" Summer asked, retreating from the difficult conversation.
Genevieve's heart sank, knowing she would have to decline, knowing full well that Summer already knew that too. "I have to wake up in the morning," Genevieve replied sadly, walking down the hallway towards her room, closing her door softly behind her.
Summer sighed sadly, as the doorknob to Genevieve's door rattled lightly, signaling the teen was retreating into her room and her isolation.
On the other end of the closed door, Genevieve pulled out a picture that Tina had taken this morning, it showed: Genevieve and Tina laying on Tina's bed on their stomachs, Tina had an outstretched arm that held the camera which took this picture, Tina was kissing Genevieve's cheek, while Genevieve gave the most heart-felt smile she could muster.
The teen sighed at the look on her own face, Tina had thought it was beautiful, but it was just a fake smile, no one could seem to see her hurting heart, her sadness, her rage, setting the picture in her black rucksack, an old and dirty pink unicorn sewn haphazardly on, gifted to her unceremoniously by Summer almost ten years ago, Genevieve could barely remember the face of the previous owner, but remembered her voice well, Genevieve's heart dropped at the thought of how that person had died.
Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, Genevieve shrugged out of her hoodie, wiggling out of her cargo pants, laying them on the footboard of her bed, the teenager slipped under the covers, a chill overtaking her body as she settled in, her mind wandering back to that fateful night, if only she could have moved quicker, Blake could have saved Jenny, that was a name she hadn't said or even thought of, Blake, just another person that fell victim to her failure, then there was Corrine, if only Genevieve had ducked faster, the woman never would have had to die, Genevieve clenched her fists under her blanket, the thought of these people dying because of her, shook her to her very core.
Summer had gotten up from her seat on the couch and headed for the kitchen, picking up the dishes from breakfast, walking to the sink, Summer turned the 'cold water' knob, the facet whining for a couple of moments before the water came out, hitting the cracked, porcelain plates, brushing off the bits of egg that had been left behind, Summer and Genevieve didn't often have many dishes, given the fact both of them ate while they were out working, having thet up early, the duo decided to have eggs and ham steaks, after finishing up the dishes, Summer dried her hands on her shirt as she walked towards her room directly across Genevieve's, stepping towards the teenager's door, Summer peeked her head in silently, seeing the motionless girl in her bed, Summer froze and held her breath, waiting to see Genevieve breathe, after a moment, Summer saw the rise and fall of the young woman's breathing, grateful to see she's alive, Summer retreated to her room, closing her door silently.
Hearing Summer's door close, Genevieve swung her feet down to the floor, grabbing her rucksack, Genevieve pulled out an old phone, cracks, webbing across the upper and lower edges of the device, The teenager opened the lock screen, moving to the picture gallery, Genevieve swiped through the old pictures, her heart hurting from every face that once belonged to her family, Blake, Amanda, Corrine, others had come in and out of her life, the pain of scrolling further eventually became too much to bear, clicking the power button, Genevieve set the phone back in her pack, curling back up in her blanket, Genevieve shivered slightly at the chill that had settled over her skin, Genevieve closed her eyes before breathing in deeply through her nose, pulling the covers over her head, she exhaled from her mouth, opening her eyes, pitch-black was all she could see, Genevieve listened closely to the sounds around the house and just outside, the creak of the house-walls in frigid outdoor air, the wind howling just outside the window, Genevieve wondered what Tina was doing, sleeping, Genevieve assumed, but the teen wished Tina was here, Genevieve always felt better when she was around.
but always felt worse when she was gone.