Desired

2. Wet...day

It will be fine for us. It has to be.

We climb in through the window and dump our bags on the floor. I take off my waterproof jacket and hang it up. My clothes are soaked, as are all the contents in my bag. We both start searching cupboards and drawers for anything useful. This time our finds aren't much: one small towel, one quilt and a penknife.

We won't be keeping anything we found today.

Shivering, I wrap my arms around myself as Zach places our drinking containers outside to collect the rainwater.

He returns and starts peeling off the layers of soaking fabric clinging to his body. He stands in only his underpants and I can't help my gaze drifting over his semi-naked body towards the waistband of his boxers which are sitting incredibly low on his hips. At first, I never looked, averting my eyes from him the entire time, even when washing. I soon realised I needed to get over my embarrassment. Zach doesn't care so I shouldn't.

'I'm going to wash. You coming?' Zach asks.

I nod. 'Yes.'

Zach winks then walks outside. I take off my wet clothes, leaving my underwear on, and gather my sodden pile along with the clothes from our bags and proceed to hang them around the room.

Outside, I catch the bottle Zach throws at me and pour a dollop of the gloppy liquid, contained inside, into my hand. Lathering it onto my skin, I stand still waiting patiently as the raindrops wash away the thick liquid called 'Mint Shower Body Wash'.

The label is wrong. This stuff is a mint imposter. It's too strong, too green, too tingly. Yet, my chest still constricts every time I use it because the smell reminds me of home, of the real mint concoctions we made and used to clean our body and teeth.

We picked up the body wash in a large building in one of the towns. Walking along rows and rows of mostly empty shelves, only a few items had been left which included body wash and toothpaste. We took a few of each. Both of us decided it would be a good idea to at least try to keep ourselves clean even though we hadn't found a single working shower. We still haven't. Instead, we've resorted to washing in the occasional river, water butts, pools of water forming by the side of the road and the rain.

The rain is the worst.

Even now when it's heavy, it takes too long to get rid of the sticky green gloop which means I have to wait even longer until the bittersweet memories of home are washed away.

We don't go near the lakes or sea. The natural water masses which would have once been perfect to swim and clean in are black and toxic. All those years ago when they killed all the animals in an attempt to stop the spread of Virulence, they also killed any chances of anyone in the future using them.

I open my mouth and drink the rainwater. I wonder what we'll do in summer. How will we survive when the rain takes a break?

Darkness creeps in as daylight disappears into the distance, yet I remain outside shivering slightly. I'm unsure what to do next. This part has become the norm for us. Zach's seen me in my underwear more times than I can remember, and it doesn't bother me anymore. It's the next part I'm nervous about. Before today, we've always found shelter in places with more than one room. I've always had a place I can change in private and cupboards full of spare clothes to replace our dirty or wet ones. Today, I have none of those options.

One room, one towel, one quilt and no dry clothes. This is going to be awkwardly interesting.

'You go in first. I'll wait till you're ready,' Zach says as he tenses his jaw in an obvious attempt to reduce the chattering of his teeth. He's trying to hide how cold he is. He's giving me space, which makes me happy but also irritates me for some reason.