Page 17 of Burning Love

The compound sprawled in front of her with chaotic disarray, its hangars and other outbuildings rising like angular fortresses. Stacks of damp pallets and coiled wires lay abandoned, their edges sharp and unyielding.

Can’t we use some of this stuff to secure the perimeter? Jesus. Have I got to do everything myself around here?

The ground beneath her boots was littered with scattered gravel and fragments of broken glass, a sharp, silent reminder to tread carefully. She knew she shouldn’t be here. Not tonight. Not with everything going on. But the thought of Sophia waiting for her, hidden away in a secluded corner, pulled at her with a force she couldn’t resist. She glanced around, ensuring the shadows concealed her well enough. The perimeter patrols were pretty predictable—she’d hammered the schedule into the team repeatedly over the last few days—but she knew better than anyone how unpredictable the undead could be. A flashlight beam swept across the gravel not far from her, and she held her breath, willing herself to stay still.

Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me.

Once the guard moved on, she slipped through the gap between two storage units, her boots crunching against the cold dirt. The small supplies shed—their meeting place—came into view. Its concrete walls seemed to shine bright in the moonlight, but she knew it must be her imagination. The door was slightly ajar.

She’s here already.

Her chest felt tight. The anticipation of seeing Sophia alone felt almost unbearable.

What if she’s changed her mind?

Alex pushed the door open, the faint creak of the hinges causing her to break into a sweat.

“Wow… I’m about as discreet as a bull in a china shop,” Alex said, biting back a curse as her boot nudged a loose can that rattled loudly against the concrete wall.

The air was slightly warmer inside. And there she was. Sophia sat cross-legged on an upturned crate, her slight frame wrapped in a scruffy blanket. She looked up, her expression softening as soon as their eyes met. “You’re late, boss,” Sophia said in a teasing voice.

“It was hard getting over here without anyone seeing me,” Alex replied, stepping inside and shutting the door quietly behind her.

Sophia’s gaze seemed to linger on Alex’s face. “I was thinking that maybe you wouldn’t show up.”

Alex moved closer, lowering herself into a crouching position. The proximity to the younger woman sent a ripple of heat through her despite the sub-zero chill. “It was my idea, wasn’t it?” she replied.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy but not uncomfortable. Sophia’s fingers fidgeted with the edge of the blanket while Alex’s hands rested on her thighs.

“Yes,” Sophia began, breaking the silence. “It was a good idea to get away from the group. I don’t think I have any real friends here… apart from you… so, um, why did you want to meet up?”

“Like you said… I don’t have many friends here either. It’s hard to get close to people when you’re barking orders at them all day. I thought this might be… what we both needed.”

“Yeah… it is.”

“Good…”

“Tell me something about you, Alex. Something real.”

Alex tilted her head to the left. Her lips curled into a half-smile as she rolled her eyes slightly. “What is it you’d like to know?”

“Anything,” Sophia said, leaning forward slightly and wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders. Her eyes seemed to be searching Alex’s face. The intensity of the moment felt unnerving but exhilarating. “Something you haven’t told anyone else.”

Alex hesitated. What was happening right at that moment wasn’t exactly her strong suit. She didn’t do vulnerability. But Sophia’s way of questioning made her want to start to pull back the layers, one by one.

“Okay, so, when I was ten,” Alex ventured in a nervous voice, “I wanted to be a firefighter. I can’t tell you how bad I wanted it. I had this red toy fire truck my gramps gave me, and I used to drive it all over the house, pretending to put out fires. My dad…” She paused, swallowing hard. “I was an army brat, and my father used to say I’d make a great soldier instead. He always said I was too serious to be a firefighter. I never really knew what he meant that.”

Sophia laughed softly. “I think I know what he meant. It’s in the way you carry yourself. But I also know that rescuing people is a definite skill you have.”

“Thanks,” Alex smiled.

“No, thank you!”

“You’re welcome. What about you, Sophia? Did you have any childhood dreams?”

Sophia looked down at her hands. “Well, as you know… I always wanted to be a dancer,” she explained. “And I did it. Well, I did it for a while before… It’s odd, isn’t it? The things you think define you can disappear so easily. What am I now if I’m not a dancer? The outbreak took it all away. At least you’re still doing your job in a way, right?” she shrugged. She looked resigned and tired. Alex could tell that Sophia was having a hard time processing what had happened.

Alex reached out before she could think better of it, her hand brushing against Sophia’s. The contact was brief, but it sent a jolt through her body. Sophia’s eyes darted up nervously. “You’re still you, Sophia,” Alex said, her voice steady but soft. “You’re not being punished for something you did wrong, you know? Although, I get that it feels like that. Outbreak or not, you’re still a dancer. All this shit doesn’t change who you are. I bet you’re a fantastic dancer. I’d love to see you dance.”

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