Dark Tomorrow

Chapter Four- A Way

Nova and Lauren sat there. Taking Madeline's keys. They allowed themselves upstairs into her apartment that was above the shop.

Silence fell between the two girls...

Another low pitched rumble causing the whole house building to shake again. A few more screams come from outside.

The sounds of guns and helicopters was all the two women could hear for what seemed like hours. Lauren sat on the couch. Her knees pressed close to her chest as she examined her hand, and it's new wrapping.

As she examines her hands, she flips it over, studding her nails... Lauren always took pride in taking care of herself. Her nails were always notoriously long, but now most of them weir either broken or cracked.

Such a simple thing made her heart twinge with pain. Not so much for the fact that her once pain nails were ruined. But the fact life as she knew it would be over for a while. Normalcy wouldn't be something she'd have for a while...

She knew nail polish was such a silly thing to have packed. But as the blonde grabbed the tiny bottle, a single tear from her eyes fell... it was a symbolic thing for her. She thought maybe if she held onto it. Just maybe she'd be able to see it and keep in tact what remained of her broken sanity.

In a world where the first thing you see is the caved in head of a man's skull. Sometimes, childish or items like Lauren's nail polish bottle was just enough to remind her of some normalcy. Yet also, to be able to keep a part of herself with her was important.

Nova sat in mals bedroom. Her bed was soft. The covers display a pattern of sage green and white tulips that looked almost embroidered onto the blanket.

Nova slowly ran her fingers along the stitching. Feeling each of their individual groves. She was deafeted, partially blaming herself for not being there sooner. Yet when it came down to who she was gonna save first, as much as it hurt her to admit it. It was always gonna be Lauren who Nova saved first.

There was no doubt in her mind regarding that. It was certainly true that Mal meant everything to her. Yet at the some token. Lauren was someone who would always hold more importance over anyone else.

Nova continued letting her fingers brush against the embroidery, but she halted and froze in place.

The remaining stains of mals dried blood, newly covered novas hands. Her once dried face and calm demeanor had been replaced with a single tear and a clash of heartache. The pain squeezed her heart. Threatening to almost crush it.

Nova's mind beginning to race, immediately caused her to rise to her feet.

Her heart and mind refused to slow their beckoning speed. Closing her eyes, Nova began to try and ground herself.

"1..." First, she began with calming her heart. Taking in her surroundings, she named off three things she could see...

The sage green curtains caught her eye first. They were long and dragged on the floor. The same embroidery that was on the bed also decorated the curtains. Sage green curtains decorated with white tulips and other white swirly designs. Then she named off the paintings on the wall.

They were serious paintings that Mal had more than likely done. One of a small child sitting by a lake. Their warm water color painting put her heart at ease with their soft color. The other one was a painting of a single praying Mantis on a white Lilly. Again, the soft contrast of water colors made the painting seem almost soft and peaceful.

"2..." Next Nova closed her eyes and listed off the things she could hear that weren't the chaos outside.

She could hear the sound of Lauren on the next room softly humming to herself. It was a self soothing thing she often did when she was anxious. Lauren's has a soft and gentle hum that could make one's heart melt at the sound of it.