When the rains may come (Science Fiction)

15. The door to hope

"Dad's gonna be okay." Zack asked as he huddled closer to Marie in the stall. "Right, mom?"

Marie frowned at her son, her heart thundering louder than the fists slamming against the door. She looked down at her son. She managed to steady her breathing. She nodded. "He will be, honey. He will be." She stroked his hair and pulled him closer.

Clint stood facing the door. His forehead scrunched up, his eyes narrowed, his heavy breath fogging the inside of his mask. The door was rocking back and forth from the force with which the infected horde was slamming into it. The bolt rattled and so did the hinges. A screw fell loose.

His fingers twitched. Cold sweat broke out on his back. His knees felt weak. He reached out to unlock the door.

#

Marllowe had left her alone and gone back to fixing the tyres after she'd uttered those words. "What's the point of loving someone if you are only gonna lose them?"

She kept staring at the road ahead of her. The broken tarmac, the crumbled buildings, the melted metal of cars and congealing flesh of humans. This was all that was left in the city that used to be her home.

She took a large gulp of water and put on her mask. She climbed out of the truck, straining to move with her large belly. Outran government operatives, killed two people and now is the time when I find it difficult to move with this kid inside me? A dry involuntary chuckle left her lips as she made her way out.

Marllowe was by the back of the truck. He'd already replaced two tyres and was now working on the third one.

"You said there are friends in Sector 27," she said, "who are these friends?"

"Is that something you're looking forward to?" Marllowe said. "Making friends?" He was cranking the lug wrench, unscrewing the lug nuts in the rim.

"I shouldn't?" She crossed her arms.

"I'm not sure."

Lisa gritted her teeth and threw him a subtle glare. "What does that mean?"

"Why the look? I thought you were allergic to getting close to people?" He pulled the half deformed rim from the axle and tossed it aside. "Since you only care about the time when they are gone. And you have to bear the pain of losing them. If you are gonna be a downer and ignore the good times and focus on the shitty present, I don't think you should bother making friends anyway." He shrugged.

"Is this about what I said earlier?" She stepped up to him. "Did that offend you so much that you feel like lecturing me about optimism?" She scoffed. "Well I'm sorry then. I apologize that my husband is dead and I'm sad about it. Does that make you feel better now?"

"Yes, your husband is dead." The dark plexiglass helmet turned to her. "But do you think he regretted it? Do you think Dr. Neville wouldn't have gone on to throw his life away for you even if he knew he wouldn't make it?"

Lisa's expression softened.

"Your husband didn't regret dying for you, Mrs. Neville." Marllowe rolled a big tyre towards the naked axle and hauled it up to fix the hub in place. "Then why do you regret living for him, for your baby, for the girl in the back who is fighting God knows which disease that is keeping her eyes closed?"

Lisa looked away, her mouth trembling as she wrapped her arms around her large belly. "I-It's not just regret...i-it hurts...that Richard is gone. H-He is never gonna see the b-baby. H-His baby..."

"Don't you think he would've done it all over again just to make sure you and the child were safe?"

This was when Lisa lost it. "Don't you get it, you idiot?!" She screamed at Marllowe. "I just lost the man I loved! The father of my unborn child! He was murdered! I'm feeling like shit!"