Never ending nightmare - 【Daryl Dixion】book one

[not edited]
(Warning: mentions of blood and gore.)

The next day Willow was up with the sun, her eyes skimming over an old anatomy textbook that she had found. This kept her busy during the quiet mornings and nights; it kept her mind sharp. Willow felt that if she didn't read or study that she'd forget everything that she learned and mastered while she was a resident.

Willow missed the hustle and bustle of the ER, the chaos and adrenaline she felt each time she was scrubbing into a surgery. She missed it all.

She missed being busy.

Willow set at the small glass table on the front porch the large textbook splayed out in front of her a black pen between her fingers as she lightly smacked it against the book. She kept small notes on empty pages in the front and back of the book during her runs; she looked for notebooks for notes. In her spare time she also began to learn botany or horticulture and with the lack of medicine it came in handy. The more Willow knew about plants and their medicinal values helped when medicine ran out.

Her studies kept her busy for awhile before even the studying and textbooks began to bore her but she kept studying and learning even though the world had stopped. She knew it would come in handy one day.

"Hey...how are you feeling?" Aster asked softly as she slipped out onto the porch. Her eyes went to the large book on the table, messy handwritten notes scribbled onto the sides of each page. "You know the world ended right?" Aster teased her childhood friend. "I don't think it matters if you study anymore." She slowly sat down trying to gage the situation. Was Willow still angry? That was the question she asked herself as she spoke choosing her words carefully.

Willow flipped to the next page. "I'm fine. I'm waiting for Amelia to get up so that I can go out to look for it." She kept her eyes on the page where she had read the textbook from front to back dozens of times. She really needed a new one.

"What for?" Aster questioned, tilting her head slightly to the left.

"Somebody has to stay on watch while I'm gone. Those people could be looking for me and it seems like the brain eaters are migrating." Willow flipped the page tucking a piece of greasy brown hair behind her nicely pierced ears.

"Amelia and I will go out. She needs to learn to go on runs." Aster slipped a foot under her trying to get comfortable. "We'll only go to the highway and search cars. Those people should be gone by now if they are smart." She tried persuading her friend hoping her empty words would somehow comfort the girl. "Willow..you need rest. I know you've been out here all night." Aster leaned forward, shutting the textbook for her. "Stay with Charlie today. For me."

Willow finally looked up, her brown eyes glossy. "Okay.." she whispered softly. "Okay I'll stay." Aster couldn't help the soft smile that tugged on her lips as she leaned forward pinching her cheek. "We'll be back before sundown." Willow nodded as aster stood. "I'll wake up Amelia." She gave her friend's cheek a soft pat before heading into the cabin leaving Willow once again all alone.

"We'll be back before dinner!" Called Amelia as she happily climbed into an old pick up truck that Willow had found on one of her runs.

Willow stood on the steps with blue laying at her feet and Charlie in her arms. She used his small hand to wave at his mother and aunt. "Be safe. Don't stay in one place too long and make sure to park somewhere far from the highway-" Willow listed off do's and don'ts for the girls to follow but she knew they wouldn't listen to them.

"Don't worry Willow!" Amelia called out her hand smacking against the rook of the truck. "We'll be fine. Trust us." The two girls gave Willow a smile and wave before driving off leaving the young woman alone with Charlie.