Without the Birds

A/N: I bet you y'all thought this was only a one-shot. It's just a chapter story I'm working on alongside Cloudy Games. Anyhow, here you guys go with Chapter 2!

I wake in a gray room with a cold, damp rag on my forehead and Flint's labcoat in my arms. I hold the item closer to me and remember the trauma I went through not long ago.

I see Tim, Brent, Manny, and Steve come into the room I'm in. "Where am I?" I ask them with my raspy voice, since I haven't cleared my throat from sleep yet.

"Samantha, we're on a boat." Manny comes closer and takes the rag off my head. I make a confused look.

"Yes, my dear," Tim says, "We're all heading to the States to find new homes and lives to live." He holds his arm out and lets Steve crawl onto me. The fur ball curls up on Flint's labcoat. I'm guessing he does that to feel close to him, just like me.

I pet Steve's fuzzy little head. I look up toward the others and ask, "So, is the island not safe to rebuild on?"

"I'm afraid not, Sam. The cleanup could take longer than expected," Manny tells me, "which means that we have to stay in New York until it's done."

"Wait. New York?!" I sound frightened as I suddenly sit up, startling Steve. "We can't go back there!"

"Why not, Sam?" Tim asks with a concerned expression.

"Yeah, why not? There's endless pretzels and donuts and not to mention the Broadway musicals." Brent says, trying to back up Tim's question.

I don't want to tell them the reason why I can't go back to New York, so I just sigh and roll over on my side, back facing the others. "Never mind…"

"Alright. Just to let you know, we're going to dock soon, so be at the gate in 5, Sam." Manny says before exiting with the others.

"Okay…" I whisper in agreement. I look down at the labcoat in my hands. I can see Flint's whole life and adventure just by looking at the stains and faint marks: the FLDSMDFR shutdown, the peanut brittle and licorice, the Jell-O dome, and the explosion. I can even smell the scenery in the coat: Flint's laboratory, the meatball, the dock where we met, and- Wait… Is that…my perfume? The fresh fruit smell of my perfume fills my nose. Flint most likely picked it up in the Jell-O dome, helping me out of the pool in which I got stuck. You know…we never did get that kiss…

I stroke the coat with one hand. Why didn't we just ignore the phone and kiss?

A jolt lets me know the boat has docked. I grab the coat and sit up to stretch. Walking out to the gate, everyone is already carrying his or her luggage to the mainland.

"Don't worry, Sam. All our bags are in the van." Manny gestures over to the news van.

Once everyone else is finished leaving the boat, we all pull out the gate and down the road. "Why don't we turn on the news?" Tim asks. Manny deploys the satellite and the TV turns on. The story was all about the food storm. I shudder, thinking for a split-second about Flint falling down the peanut brittle hole, the sickening snap of the red licorice echoing in my memory.

"I'm sorry, guys, but can we please turn this off?" I bury my face in my knees.

"Oh, sorry, Sam… Manny?" Tim calls over. Manny retracts the satellite again and the TV shuts off. I take a deep breath, still clutching the labcoat in my hands. This wouldn't seem so lonely with Flint here with me.

XxX

It's almost midnight, and we've all found the hotel we're staying in. Once Tim checks us all in, we get keys to our rooms. I receive my own room, which makes me feel lonely again.

My room is cozy, yet a little chilly when I first step in. I click on the heater and change into my pajamas. I haven't eaten anything all day, and I'm too exhausted, so I skip brushing my teeth, and climb into the queen-size bed.

I shiver from the wind chill entering through the window. A small lump forms in my throat, making me feel a little sick. My body feels weak, and I can't get up to stretch. I can't go anywhere or do anything.

I feel a tear fall from my eye and onto the sheets. I release a shaky sigh. How I wish, Flint was still with me…

Later on, I'm half-asleep and curled up in a ball under the bed sheets. The only thing I can hear is my breathing, even though New York traffic is swarming the city streets.

I suddenly hear a small sound, but I am too heavy from sleep to open my eyes. My face is stuck to the sheets from crying. My skin won't stretch, so I just lie still and shut as if I am asleep.

The sound continues for a couple seconds. It sounds like a zipper, my suitcase zipper. I hope to God that there's no one else in here, and it's just my tired imagination making me scared. The last thing I need is to lose all my good belongings right after I lose the one I love.

I tense up as I sense the thing in my room growing closer. Pleasedon'tkillmepleasedon'tkillme… A warm tingle starts in my cheek. A tiny light shines some through my eyelids.

When the light and tingle is gone, I slowly open my eyes to find a white blanket draped over me, but not just any white blanket.

Flint's labcoat…