An Unstoppable Dawn

14. Distant Family

I unlatched my eyes to look up the ceiling of a cottage. My mouth was bitter and my fingers were numb. I tilted my head around to observe my surroundings and I seen a woman knitting a sweater.

"She's awake." A man's voice announced to the woman as her eyes glided over to look down at me. When I glanced at the two faces, my facial features danced up and my lips dropped in revelation.

"Will? Aunt Feliz?" My voice faded as I positioned my body up carefully. The woman hugged me and tears flooded down my cheeks as I realized that Will and my aunt were still alive and well during the pandemic. "I thought I lost you guys." My words whimpering in my aunt's arms as she caressed my back with her hands. Feliz scanned my features and was pleased, brushing my hair from over my eyes.

"Look at you. You've grown to look just like your mother. Your beautiful face." She remarked, pointing out the resemblance I had with her sister. Will watched over us thoughtfully before he helped me up from off of the bed. "Wait. Where's Blue Eyes?" I berserkly moved around the cottage but Will figured I was looking for the ape he saw me with. "He's outside. He doesn't seem to like us after he regained consciousness. I didn't mean to throw my bag at him." Will apologized, gazing through the cottage window. I held his hands and sighed, feeling sympathetic towards my old neighbor. "It'll take some time for him to realize your mistake." I gripped onto his hands firmly, intelligently eyeing him. "Are Charles and Caroline..." I slowed down in my words before Will gave out a sorrowful sigh. "They passed away from the virus." He detected him sniffling, battling with the tears until he looked over at my aunt. "But I sucked in all of the courage to move on." He told me, his eyes remained on Feliz. I recoiled my eyes between the two adults and realized that the two are in a romantic relationship, hence the rings on their fingers. "You guys are married..." My lips ascended into a gradient smile. I then started to ask them marital questions which evolved from my curiosity.

"Do you guys have any children?" I asked them as the two adults began to chuckle. "We have only a daughter. Her name is Nova. She's your little cousin." Will reported while my face lightened up with overloading joy. Feliz made an indication with her eyes for me to look down on my body where I saw that I was robed in a nicely fitted crop top and comfortable tights with boots from my indigenous traditions. "Everything looks so good on you, dear." Feliz complimented me while I ran up to hug the married couple. "Thank you guys." My head in their chest while they sighed happily. "I'll go enjoy the air outside." I decided, strolling towards the cottage door. The two adults gave me authorized smiles as I slipped through the door and was outside where I came to my senses that I was in a small town when I saw other houses surrounding the cottage. I glimpsed at Blue Eyes as he was looking at a garden of lavenders with eccentricity. He revolved his head around and started to run towards me as I did the same. He swirled me in the air wonderfully and brought me back down for a embrace as we chuckled delightfully. He held me in his muscular arms and latched his blue sky eyes with my bright, brownish hazel eyes. He allowed an attractive chuckle to escape his mouth while I smirked at him.

"I'm so glad you are okay." He signed, refusing to keep his eyes off of me. The handsome ape prince scanned my petite body, beaming at it fondly. "Your clothes look nice!" He cheered, happy I wasn't dressed in bloody clothing from back in the woods. Blue Eyes started to explore the new town with his eyes before he turned back to me in order to sign. "We are quite far from the colony." He mentioned, having an uneasy look. "Who were those humans? From back in that cottage?" He asked me, his gaze hardened on the cottage behind us. I produced a hesitant sigh from my mouth before I explained to him. "The human woman is my aunt. My mom's sisters. The human man is my old neighbor from before the outbreak." I signed to him, solidifying my gaze on him. He dipped his head down as troubled emotions triggered him, his fingers quivering near mines. I acknowledge that we weren't in a romantic relationship but I held his hand to ease down his worried vibrations. "Its alright. They won't harm you." I reinsured him as he elevated his eyes down at me slowly, smiling understandably.