Page 16 of Burning Love

Her aunt had gone quiet. Her expression turned to one of pain as she spoke to Sophia in hushed tones. “Whatever you do, don’t tell my brother,” she’d finally said. “It’s better your parents don’t know, Soso. People around here will talk. You know that. Whatever you do in London is your business, but around here, they’ll make life hard for you. You don’t want that for your mum and dad, do you?”

The words had stung then, and they stung now. Sophia understood Ellen’s veiled warning perfectly.

“I appreciate your concern,” she said, her voice tight, “but I don’t think my personal life concerns you, for a start. Secondly, you’ve got the wrong idea about Alex and me. If I understand what you’re getting at.”

Ellen shrugged, her smirk widening. “Really? It’s a perk going straight to the kitchen. I’m only in there because of my age. Why are you in there? There was no cleaning toilets for you, was there? No guard duties. No patrols. No laundry. No looking after the kids. Nope. Straight to the kitchen. Straight to one of the easiest, safest jobs on the compound. I’m just wondering why.”

As Ellen turned and walked away, Sophia let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her thoughts drifted back to Alex—her strength, her quiet kindness. Sophia’s chest tightened with longing, a desire not just for companionship but for something more.

I guess Ellen’s right. She can see this more clearly than I can. Does everyone around here see it?

Resolve settled over her as she made her way over to her cot. Tomorrow, she would take a step closer. She didn’t know how, but she had to try. What she did know, however, was that whatever her feelings for Alex were, she wasn’t about to let them be the topic of compound gossip—or the reason anyone doubted her place here.

7

ALEX

“Let’s talk about last night’s attack,” Alex said, her voice edged with frustration as she paced the small supply room. Tromer leaned against the wall, a machete slung casually over his shoulder, but his furrowed brow betrayed his unease.

“Yep. It was bad, ma’am,” Tromer replied. “I think it was the third this week. Is that right? I heard a couple of the guys talking about it earlier. And I’m afraid I have to agree with what they were saying. These things—creatures… whatever you want to call them… they’re getting bolder. They’re getting stronger. It could be that they’re running out of food. But the fence out there is looking weak. It isn’t going to hold much longer. We don’t have much in the way of materials.”

Alex stopped pacing. “Did you see the damage at the end? I know I killed at least five. But how many were there this time?”

“Too many,” Tromer admitted. “I reckon at least twenty. It was mayhem. We’re low on ammo, Alex. If we keep burning through our reserves like this, we’ll be out in a week or so.”

Alex ran a hand through her hair as she felt her jaw tense up. “Jesus. It’s not like we can pop out and buy more. Fuck, I don’t know… It’s as if they’re drawn to the compound.”

Tromer gave a brief nod of his head in agreement. “You’re not wrong there. I’ve been wondering about it for a while. It’s the noise, the smell, I guess. We’re a target. We’re a beacon to them out here. And if one of them gets through?—”

“They won’t,” Alex cut him off sharply, though her tone was more an attempt to convince herself than Tromer. “Not on my watch. I’ll never let that happen.”

Who am I kidding? I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing half the time.

There was a pause in the conversation. Tromer shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot before shrugging his shoulders and voicing the thought that had clearly been eating at him. “There’s another thing I’m worried about. Do you think it’s changing? The infection, I mean. I’ve heard talk of?—”

Alex’s gaze snapped to him, her eyes narrowing into slits as she cut him off. “What talk? Tromer, we don’t know a thing about this disease, so what’s the point in listening to a load of made-up crap? People are getting hysterical.”

“But we both know it’s already getting worse,” Tromer said, lowering his voice to a near whisper. “Maybe it’s spreading faster. Maybe it’s turning into something like that COVID thing we all had…remember? What if it’s airborne?”

Alex’s stomach tightened. The possibility had been at the back of her mind for weeks, but she also knew that she had to trust her experience. Bites, scratches… that’s how it was spreading. Most of the people attacked died. Their bodies were too savaged and mangled to turn. But if their brain and spine remained intact, people turned. She’d been around enough of them to know the drill. “There’s no proof of that,” she said firmly. “It’s bites. Or deep scratches. An exchange of bodily fluids. That’s what was communicated to us through official lines before all the comms went to hell.”

“Official lines?” Tromer snorted. “That was weeks and weeks ago, Alex. Who’s to say it hasn’t mutated? Entire cities have been wiped out. Have you heard the stories of some of the people here? It’ll blow your mind. With something like this, do you think it’s just going to stay the same? It’s getting worse.”

Alex could feel her fingers digging into her sleeves. It was an old habit. Something she did when she was nervous. “Speculation, Tromer. That’s all it is. And it’s not helping. Until we see actual evidence, we have to stick to what we know.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Tromer challenged, his voice rising slightly. “If it’s in the air?”

“I know the risks! You’re talking like I’m forcing people to stay here! Like I’m wanting people to be blocked in here like sitting ducks!” Alex yelled, her voice echoing through the small space. The silence that followed was deafening. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. “I don’t like the way you’re talking to me. I’m your superior. Remember the chain of command, Tromer,” she said, quieter this time. “But panicking won’t help. We have to focus. We’ll reinforce the fences, ration the ammo, and keep the patrols tight. That’s all we can do.”

Tromer hesitated, then squared his shoulders and took a step toward Alex. “What’s the point? What chain of command? Who are you to tell me I need to ration? More rations? Ration the goddamn rations? Really? Nobody’s paid here. We’re not reporting to anyone. You’re no better than me. You’ll die just the same as me. We’ll all die. I’m going to tell the others. People need to know how serious this is.”

“They know,” Alex said, her voice softening. “I get it. We’re all scared, Tromer. But if we lose our heads, if we lose the sense of order I’m trying to maintain here, then you’re right… we’re dead. Every last one of us.”

He sighed and took a step back. “I don’t want to keep checking supplies. There’s fuck all left. I don’t want to reinforce the fence. With what?”

“You calm down, Tromer,” Alex said, watching him leave. As the door clicked shut behind him, she rushed to open it again. “Or you leave. I don’t need you here if you’re not a team player.” The weight of their conversation felt suffocating. Telling the others that the infection might be evolving, becoming airborne, would turn into chaos, and she wasn’t about to let that happen.

She needed a distraction. And she knew exactly where to find it.

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