The Virus Within: The Road Ahead (Book 1 - SERIES COMPLETED!)

Chapter 61

With a stretch, I got up and grabbed my hairbrush. As I brushed my hair, I raised the blackout blinds on my window. Below, a few people were carrying boxes into this building.

My eyes continued scanning the Stronghold as I began braiding my hair. Not many people were moving yet, which was normal for this time of the morning. It was almost strange how quickly I had become accustomed to their schedules and habits.

Over the last four days, I'd formed a routine that suited me. I patrolled most of the night, then relaxed in my room or on the roof until about ten o'clock. Around that time, I went on a patrol that lasted until lunch. After that, I chopped wood until midafternoon, and went on one last patrol before dinner. Nicky usually commandeered the quad and accompanied me on the last patrol in an attempt to get out of work.

Apart from one occasion when Nina came to ask for a couple more vials of blood and saliva, I had only seen glimpses of her and Daniel lately. With her sullen guard at hand during such occasions, I kept the conversation to a minimum. If nothing else, Nina was too busy to even ask me questions.

My meandering thoughts were interrupted by numerous heavy footsteps entering the hallway on this level. That was definitely not normal. With a frown, I went over to my door and opened it.

The people I'd seen outside carrying boxes must have been the end of a moving parade. I stood in my doorway as two people carried a dresser into the room two doors down from mine. Thankfully, it was the room closer to the stairwell, not the one on the other side, which I'd been preparing for Jess.

More people behind them carried boxes or items up the stairs. In fact, there was a pretty good-sized crowd, which was odd since this hallway only had two dozen rooms and more than half of them were empty.

I watched the twenty-some humans milling around in the area between me and the stairwell, and my nostrils flared as one particular scent began to stand out. No... Please tell me I'm mistaken...

Nicky bounced up the stairs and immediately spied me. "Trinity! You'll never guess what happened!"

With a speed that left me wondering if she had somehow gotten infected, the overenthusiastic lady somehow squeezed through the traffic jam of people carrying furniture and boxes. I wasn't sure how she managed it. It shouldn't have been possible.

I used my hands to grab her shoulders to prevent her from hugging me. After a few attempts, she gave up with a groan.

"You're no fun..."

"That's the point."

I let go of her shoulders, and as I half expected, she tried to hug me again. I growled faintly but let her since this hug was a toned-down version compared to her last attempt.

My growl rapidly deepened, and I rolled my shoulders. "Alright. Let go."

She stepped back with a grin. "Guess what!"

"The sun is shining, and for some reason, you're up here instead of in the dining hall."

"That too," she replied with a laugh, "but I get a room close to yours! They're even helping me move my stuff! Isn't that great?"

My thoughts were nowhere near as excited as hers. I was afraid of that. Weren't the last four rooms at the end of the hallway also empty? At least they didn't try sticking Nicky in the room with the lavender plant.

"And to what do I owe this honor?"

Nicky was so excited she danced on the spot. "This morning, my neighbor asked me if I would like to have a room next to yours, and of course, I said yes. Less than ten minutes later, she arrived with people offering to carry everything for me!"