World War Zayn • ZM

14 || Just One Yesterday

And it did, Jasper smiled, thinking about how wonderful it felt to wake up yesterday morning. Zayn had fallen asleep sitting between the two of them, his arm wrapped around his sister, and his hand clutching Jasper's as she rested her head on his thigh.

Yesterday was great.

Yesterday was amazing.

Not compared to her current situation.

"DIAD," she mouthed, hoping Zayn would hear her, but all that replied was drip, drip, drip...

Pathetic.

Who'd ever think she'd end up dead in a ditch?

* * * * * *

Day 2

The three of them woke up with a new routine in mind.

It was an unwritten rule: you don't dwell on yesterday.

They made breakfast, the three of them. Weapons within easy reach, they made a short journey to the chicken coop, purposely ignoring the mound adorned with flowers on the ground a few meters away. After Zayn had set the ladder secure against the coop, Jasper and Safaa took turns and climbed up the roof. The girls giggled at the chickens and Zayn laughed, their eyes misty yet filled with glee.

Handing Safaa the basket of eggs, Jasper and Zayn followed her back into the house. They held hands as they walked, taking each leisurely step back home.

It felt like they were in their own world. They even ate dinner like a real family-sitting at the dining table, saying grace before eating their feast of eggs and naan bread. Jasper and Safaa even made desert-gulab jamun-sweet milk balls drenched in sugar syrup. They'd be back to saving more food tomorrow, they knew, but tonight, they had to feel like this was a normal day.

The day of grieving was over and they had to enjoy the peace.

Watching Zayn tease Safaa mercilessly, Jasper laughed to herself that night and thought that yes, they were going to make it.

They were going to survive this.

* * * * * *

It was wrong to think that way, Jasper realised. Optimism was a curse in this world. It was a mistake to think for a second that everything was going well.

Because now she was alone.

The truth of the situation felt like a knife had been pierced through her heart. With each breathing moment, the knife twisted hard and destroyed whatever piece of her heart that was left.

How was she going to keep her sanity this way?

Why couldn't they have just stayed in their own world, even for a few more days?

Life was one cruel, sadistic bitch.

At least they had a day to be happy.

One fucking day.

Why them?

Why did she always end up alone?

Why was it so hard not to ask why?

WHY!?

* * * * * *

Day 3, this morning...

"Hey guys?" Safaa's voice came from the other side of the door, her voice highly amused. "I'm making breakfast, so you guys take your sweet time in there."

His face and ears red as a ripe tomato, Zayn buried himself under the covers as Jasper thanked the young girl for her sweetness. When they heard Safaa going down the stairs, Zayn groaned out loud. "I can never get used to knowing she knows about... the birds and the bees."