Page 15 of Cora

“Why does it mean you have to be something? Why can’t it just be two people enjoying each other in a mutually beneficial way? I think we can leave the labels back in the pre-apocalypse era.”

Once I stopped caring about labels according to a society that no longer existed, I found I immensely enjoyed Remi, not just physically. I wouldn’t necessarily say we were in a relationship, but we had a different kind of closeness.

“Looks like we’re bunking together again,” Derrick told Isaac.

“I don’t know why we even bothered sleeping in separate rooms,” Isaac chuckled.

“Sorry, guys,” I apologized. A flash of lightning followed by thunder loud enough to shake the house sounded, making me jump.

“You don’t have to apologize, T,” Derrick replied, patting my shoulder as he walked by. “I get it. Besides, better Remi than me. It was awkward as hell spooning you every time it rained,” he teased.

“Come on, cuddle bug,” Remi said, tugging me toward the couch. “Let’s read a book while Isaac and Derrick figure out dinner.”

Remi plucked a book off the bookshelf against the wall and sat down, pulling me down behind him. He lifted his arm so that I could tuck myself against his side. At first, I always felt a bit ridiculous because I had a larger build than Remi, but as soon as I got into position, that feeling was immediately replaced by calmness.

Once we were situated, I looked at Remi’s chosen book and laughed. “Little House on the Prairie?”

“What? I likeLittle House on the Prairie,“ Remi said defensively. “It’s good, wholesome, frontier fun. And I suggest you start liking it too because this is only book one, and the owners have the entire series.”

I leaned up and pecked his cheek. “I never said I didn’t like it,” I replied with a wink. “I love me some Laura Ingalls Wilder.”

Remi held the back cover, and I held the front, and together we started to read. The thunder continued to fall as it began to rain, but the sound of it on the tin roof was a mood of its own that I quickly appreciated. All we needed now was a fire to complete the cozy vibes. We had a fireplace, but since we didn’t know how long the house had been deserted, it was best to check the chimney for any blockages before we tried to light a fire. The last thing we wanted to do was smoke ourselves out of the house or burn it down—next time.

A few chapters in, I heard something scurrying inside the walls and looked at Remi. “We should probably start thinking aboutways to get rid of our mouse problem if we’re going to stay here,” I commented.

Remi nodded. “Between the four of us, I’m sure we could rig up some sort of trap,” he agreed.

“What are we talking about?” Derrick asked as he sat in the armchair across from us.

“The mice in the walls and how we need to get rid of them,” I replied.

Derrick nodded in agreement as he looked around the room. Suddenly, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. “That’s her!” he yelled, springing from his seat and grabbing a framed picture off the coffee table.

“That’s who?” Remi asked.

“The girl I saw,” Derrick replied excitedly. He turned the picture around for us to look at. It was a picture of a man who I presumed was his daughter. The pretty blonde teen smiled at the camera with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. They stood together in front of a diner called Granny Sue’s.

“She’s pretty,” Remi commented.

I nodded. “She was.”

“I’m telling you,” Derrick argued, “that’s who I saw standing in that fucking window today,” he said, pointing.

“So what exactly are you trying to suggest, Derrick?” I asked, stifling a laugh. “That the house is haunted?”

“No. Yes. Maybe. I don’t fucking know!” he replied in exasperation. “The only thing I know for certain is that I saw this girl today.”

“Maybe she’s in the walls,” Remi suggested with a chuckle.

“Why would she be in the walls?” Derrick asked.

“Better yet, how could she be in the walls?” I countered.

“Did you forget I sent you in here to let them know dinner was ready?” Isaac asked from the kitchen entryway.

“Oh, shit. Yeah,” Derrick laughed. “Dinner’s ready.” He placed the picture down, the discussion temporarily forgotten.

While we were reading about what Laura was up to in the big woods, Isaac and Derrick managed to put together a decent dinner of old beef jerky we still had with us and a peculiar medley of canned vegetables. Considering we were usually stuck with the beef jerky and only the beef jerky, we were eating like kings.

---