6. Fleur
6
FLEUR
S till feeling the thrill from the passionate night they’d just had, Fleur woke up a little early. The sun was just barely starting to rise and she decided to make them some breakfast and do some stretches. The soreness of their hike was worse in the mornings. It took her time to loosen up for the day ahead.
She was used to having to walk or run from community to community, but this was the most walking she had done in quite a while and it was taking a toll on her body. She was hoping that this trip to Ohio wouldn’t be for nothing. She didn’t want to waste Lena’s time or put her needlessly at risk.
While Fleur was lost in thought, Lena quietly snuck up on her and wrapped her arms around Fleur’s waist from behind.
“Don’t scare me like that!” Fleur huffed, though her fake anger was betrayed by the smile tugging at her lips.
Lena smirked, leaning in closer. “Oh? Should I stop wanting to touch you then? You didn’t give me that impression last night,” she teased, loosening her grip as if to let go.
Fleur quickly turned, wrapping her arms around Lena’s neck, pulling her closer. “That depends,” she whispered. “Come on, let’s get going.”
With a shared smile, they set about packing up their gear and breaking down the tent. Lena bent over the map, scanning the terrain ahead. "If we keep up a steady pace, we should reach Ohio by today. Do you have any idea where the lab might be?"
Fleur tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced toward the horizon. “From what I know, it’s near Columbus.”
“Columbus,” Lena repeated thoughtfully, tracing a path with her finger. “Not far now. Maybe a day or two depending on how fast we move.”
“Doesn’t sound too bad.” Fleur shrugged.
“Good, let’s get a move on.”
As they walked, Lena’s curiosity got the better of her. “So, now that we’re getting closer, can you tell me more about this cure information? If you’re okay talking about it.”
Fleur let out a long breath.
“You’ve never really explained what happened,” Lena continued. “Why was it so hard for you to find a proper lab to work in?”
Fleur hesitated. “It’s complicated, really. The research was… sensitive. When the outbreak hit, many labs were more concerned with profits than helping people. I had to make choices I’m not proud of.”
Lena leaned in closer. “What kind of choices?”
“Some of the labs I approached… they were doing unethical things. Testing on unwilling subjects, experimenting without consent. It was like a race for who could get the cure first, no matter the cost.” Fleur's voice trembled slightly.
Lena felt a knot tighten in her stomach. “And you were part of that?”
“I didn’t have a choice. I tried to minimize harm, but—” She shook her head, as if trying to dispel the memories. “I didn’t always succeed. That’s why I was so desperate to get away.”
Lena reached out, brushing her fingers against Fleur’s arm. “You’re not that person anymore. You’re here, trying to make it right.”
Fleur’s gaze met hers. “But what if they find me? What if they want me to continue that work, or force me into it? I can’t go back to that life.”
Lena grabbed her hand. “They won’t find you. We’ll figure this out together.”
Fleur searched Lena’s eyes, a flicker of hope mingling with her fear. “You really believe that? How can anyone be sure of anything?”
“Absolutely, I believe it,” Lena replied, determination hardening in her voice. “But you need to be honest with me. I can’t protect what I don’t understand.”
Fleur took a deep breath, the tension in her shoulders easing just slightly. “Okay. Some labs were preying on desperate survivors like us. They’d promise refuge, safety… but it was all a lie.”
Lena frowned. “What do you mean?”
Fleur hesitated, then continued, “One lab would actually turn people into zombies just to conduct tests on them. Can you imagine? They’d take someone in, promising to help, and then…”
Lena’s eyes widened in horror. “That’s fucking awful.”
“Exactly,” Fleur said, her voice shaking slightly. “And another lab used survivors as bait to see if their cures would work. They’d put people in danger just to see what happened. It was like some gory horror film or fucked-up game.”
Lena’s heart was racing, but she still wanted to know more. “How could they do that? How could anyone ethically feel okay with that?”
“They were more focused on results than humanity,” Fleur replied, anguish in her eyes. “It was a nightmare. They treated them like objects.”
“I can’t believe you were forced into that. I can’t imagine.”
Fleur felt a wave of vulnerability as she absorbed Lena's empathy. “I find it hard to talk about. Maybe we can keep walking for a bit and just take in the surroundings.”
“Sure, but I think we have trouble ahead,” Lena whispered as she pointed to a trail on the ground leading to a dead animal which had been freshly killed and devoured by the dead. A tell-tale sign they were close.
Fleur slowly pulled her knife out of her waistband as Lena slid out the metal crowbar she carried in her backpack.
“Let’s hide over here,” Lena whispered, pointing to a stack of huge logs.
They waited as the rustling grew louder from the trees at the other side of the track. Two rotten zombies started to make their way back to the animal remains.
“Shall we take one each?” Fleur asked.
“Good thinking.” Lena nodded. “I’ll go left, you go right. And if you’re using that knife again, the temple spot is the quickest hit.”
“I have actually done this before,” Fleur huffed.
“Sure. Let’s wait for them to start feasting, then I’ll swing lefty while you get the other one.”
They sat and waited for a moment, as the slow, stinking rotters did exactly as predicted. They leant down, feasting on the bloody entrails.
Lena nodded at Fleur. They creeped quietly behind them before Lena swung straight into the head of the left one, who quickly fell to the ground. Fleur pressed the knife straight into the temple of the other, who gargled, groaned and collapsed on top of the animal. A deer, they guessed, from what was left to identify it.
“Good work,” Lena said as she wiped her crowbar on the nearby grass to clean off the sludgy zombie matter.
“It still makes my heart beat a million beats a minute. The adrenaline always gets me.” Fleur sighed.
“That means you're alive, it’s a good thing. Staying sharp is imperative in this world. Let’s get going in case others are nearby.”
Overall, the trip had been relatively smooth sailing. A lot of the masses of dead were in other parts of the country. They had heard a huge hoard had been led west into a mass pit to contain the outbreak. They wanted to believe it could be true.
“We haven’t seen much of other people out here,” Fleur commented as she scouted the views from the path they were trekking.
“And that’s a good thing. People don’t come out here much. Just crazy people like us,” Lena laughed.
They took a break near a creek, the soothing sound of rushing water wrapping around them like a warm embrace. Fleur closed her eyes for a moment, letting the melody of nature wash over her. While she missed the chaos of the city she had once called home, she found peace in the wilderness. She slipped off one of her boots, wincing slightly as she massaged her foot, trying to ease the pressure of the blisters she had been hiding from Lena.
“Whoa. Are you okay?” Lena’s voice cut through her thoughts, concern lacing her tone as she spotted the dried blood on Fleur’s socks.
“Yeah. It’s just a little blister. I’m fine,” Fleur replied, attempting to sound nonchalant.
“Let me see.” Lena moved closer, her brow tensing as she examined Fleur’s foot.
“Okay. It doesn’t look too bad, but we almost died trying to get those medical supplies you thought we needed. Why not use them?” Lena’s voice softened, a hint of frustration mixed with worry.
“I didn’t want you to feel like I was slowing you down.” Fleur glanced away, ashamed.
Lena frowned, her expression shifting to one of empathy. “I would rather you tell me about these things.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Let me grab a Band-Aid and some disinfectant. You don’t want an infection there.”
“Okay.”
Lena returned, gingerly holding up Fleur’s foot like it was something precious. The tenderness in her touch made Fleur’s heart skip a beat. She winced at the sharp sting of the disinfectant on her skin.
“Are you okay?” Lena asked, her voice low and concerned.
“Yes. It just stings a little,” Fleur admitted, trying to mask the discomfort.
Lena dabbed the wound with precision, placing a Band-Aid over the blister with a gentle touch.
“Thank you,” Fleur said.
“Please don’t keep your pain to yourself. We’re a team now,” Lena said firmly, locking eyes with Fleur.
“You’re right.” Fleur smiled softly, reaching out to brush Lena’s hand. She wanted to say more, but she hesitated, retracting her hand slowly.
“What’s up? You were going to say something, weren’t you?”
“I’m just… fond of you. Very fond.” Fleur was avoiding eye contact, like a nervous schoolgirl admitting her first crush.
“Well, it sounds like you have a crush on me, but you’re only human,” Lena joked, grabbing Fleur’s hand to pull her closer.
“Oh quit being a big joker, I can tell you’re into me, too. Especially after last night…” Fleur bit her lip.
“You would be correct, but I’m not that good at feelings. I’m just good at doings.”
“That’s fair enough.” Fleur shrugged as she moved closer to Lena, and pressed a soft kiss upon her lips.