After the Spike || Covid-19 Fic

*.4.*

Will he like me? Emily wonders, patting back her hair. It's gotten longer since she chopped off the ends a few months ago. Maybe I should have it in a ponytail...

She glares at her reflection in the window. Now I wish I had brought more makeup. Her cheeks were blotchy from leaning against the bus window. There was still a bit of sleep on her eye line. The all-female meeting had been relatively uneventful. A long list of rules; do this, don't do this, go here, don't go there. Drugs, unlicensed alcohol and the like were prohibited. So were contraceptives.

"Hopefully there's no one with STDs," Julia had giggled to Emily. She'd blushed.

Of course not, that was one of the things they'd all been tested for.

And now was the moment of truth. All the women were gathered in a group, being called in by name. They'd enter into one of the rooms and meet their spouse! As the hunger gnawed at Emily's stomach, she realised that she still hadn't eaten.

"If I faint," She turned to Julia, murmuring, "it's because I haven't eaten in several days, not because I have 'corona,"

Julia pursed her lips, her brow furrowing. She hisses in concern, "You should've told me! We need to find you food!"

"But we're about to go in!" Emily whispered back, her voice strained.

"Oh don't worry about that," Julia waved her off, "we're probably the last to go in, there's like sixty other gals they've gotta get through,"

"I don't know..."

"You can't go in there absolutely starving and faint into your future husband's arms because you haven't eaten in several days!" Julia rolled her eyes.

Without waiting for her to answer, Julia pulls her away from the group and around the corner.

The retreat was two hours north of the city; nestled within some of the most mountainous terrain. When the buses finally emerged from the thicket of the trees and revealed the view, there was a collective gasp. The city hung in the background; fiercely glimmering from a buildup of dirt and age. Behind it, the large expanse of ocean reached to the sky.

The retreat itself was on the opposite side of the mountain; looking out into a landscape that seemed to have been carved by hand.

"It's like a painting," Julia had breathed out in awe, the crispness of the mountain air pressing against their cheeks.

The main retreat was made up of a central collection of wooden buildings; a mess hall for school camps, two large meeting spaces, as well as a few other little admin buildings here and there. The accomodation was spread; little one-bedroom cabins dotting the hillside. The grass was almost a fluorescent green, wildlife darted from tree to tree. It was such a heavy contrast to the grey, sturdy bush that Emily had gotten used to.

The grass was soft underfoot as Emily made her way to food hall. Knees slightly bent, moving swiftly through the grass. Julia plodded behind her.

"Julia Delaforce!" The employee calls distantly, Julia pauses.

Emily turns back to her, it's her moment!

"Go," Emily smiles, squeezing her hand, "I'll find something to eat... Good luck,"

"Thanks," Julia breathes, a little starry-eyed, she turns back, swiftly moving around the corner, "here!"

Time to move quickly, Emily thinks to herself, almost sprinting. She reaches the windows of the mess hall; inside, an array of cooks are working furiously to prepare. Emily did her best to ignore the fact that the cooks weren't wearing masks either.