Echo's POV
I opened my eyes and blocked them from a bright light, my head is killing me. My eyes began to gradually adjust and I realized I was laying in a hospital like bed.
I looked down and an saw my arm handcuffed to the side of the bed. I yanked the handcuffs and looked around seeing a blurry figure of a person,
"Who the hell are you? Where's Olli? Olli!?" I yelled continuously, my voice hoarse as I yanked on the handcuffs.
"He's with his brother, you're both safe." a women's voice said. I ripped the IV out of my arm throwing it onto the ground.
"There's nowhere safe.. I want to see him! Now!" She scurried down the hall instantly.
I took the chance to get up and break the handle off the bed. I slid the cuff off the bar and held my side where sharp pain was more than present. I leaned and set my hand on the bed for support with a wince,
"Echo!" I heard Olli say.He ran to me and hugged my legs gently, bidding relief, my muscles untensing.
"Are you okay?" I said looking him over.
"I found Cody!" he said excited and pointed to the door way. The guy in Olli's locket stood there tall, admiring the sight of his little brother.
A miracle has taken place an I slept through the whole thing.
The women who was talking to me, came in and unlocked the handcuff on my wrist and handed me some water. "Thanks," I said to her quickly reattaching my attention to Olli,
"You found him all by yourself?" I said weakly as I took a sip of water replenishing my dehydration.
"Yeah I did and I protected us until I saw Cody," he said grabbing my free hand.
"I'm so proud of you. " I said, making him grin proudly.
"Cody," Olli waved him over and when he got there he smiled at me. It was a warm smile, but also a tired one.
"Thank you so much, for keeping him safe.You have no idea how much it means to me. I thought...I'd never see him again." He said shaking his head in disbelief in Olli's direction. It's almost like he's suspicious that this is a dream.
"I had a promise to keep, " I looked over at Olli who was still holding my hand, and smiled.
I then looked at him apologetically, "Im so sorry I left you alone Ol, but you handled yourself well, I'm so proud of you. " I gently squeezed his hand.
"You protected him, you did good." Cody said.
"Yeah, you protected me." Olli nodded matter a factly.
I weakly smiled at them both setting the half empty water bottle on the bed, "Thank you guys."
Now that my vision wasn't so blurry I could see how similar the both of them looked to Emma. The resemblance was uncanny.
"Can i ask what this place is exactly?" I asked Cody as I rubbed my heavy eyes.
"A police department, we have a group, and fences. Secure one's." I looked at Olli and he nodded proudly.
"And how long have I been out?"
"Two days." the women said, "I'm Cali by the way."
"Nice to meet you," I said nicely. "-Sorry for yelling at you before."
She chuckled shortly and said, "Completely understandable."
A man with white hair and a white beard, walked in, "Hey there, it's nice to meet you. I'm Lincoln, I was a sheriff here, and now we all live here protected behind fences."he said putting his hand out. I set the water on the bed an shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Echo." It was odd talking to so many people all the sudden. I've been on my own for about three years, I used to think it'd stay that way forever.
"So i've heard," he laughed. "Olli here can't stop talking about you." I smiled at Olli and nudged him softly, making him smile.
Another man came in, he had black buzzed hair, a goatee, and tattoos up his arms, like he was in a metal band or something.
"I'm Marty; the doctor here. You got some serious Injury's. Broken ribs, a concussion, and the bullet wounds of course, your eye socket will heal just fine it didn't get anything important. You should be able to start moving in a week or two, for now you should rest." Didn't expect that.
"Thank you guys, I really appreciate it." they smiled at me kindly and warmly, "Also, if I can walk a few miles while it's bleeding, i'll be good to walk today...but--thank you so much for helping us."
Cali laughed, "Oh..we'll be good friends." I was amused at all the energy she was filled with, it was unusual even before the apocalypse happened. "Ill go get you a room ready,"she said attentively.
I smiled appreciatively, "Thank you, Cali."She smiled and made her way out of the room with a skip in her step.
"I'm really hungry, where can I get some food around here." I asked holding my abdomen that was still very much in pain.
"Someone can bring you food. I really recommend you rest, but I guess I can't stop you." Marty laughed putting his hands up in surrender.
I smiled, "I'll take it easy, I promise."
"I'll show you," Olli said quickly and pulled me by my hand, leading me out of the room in a gentle manner.
Cody walked behind us, through the lit halls. Lights? I thought i'd never see those again.
He led me down the hall into big open doors. When I got inside I saw a few people eating and talking. They stopped to look at us but thankfully just went back to eating.
"This is where the food is," Olli said spreading his arms out like he's revealing something magical.
"You guys can go sit down, i'll get you some food." Cody said walking away before I could protest.
"This is where I like to sit," Olli said leading me to a round table, like the ones at my once high school's cafeteria.
"Good choice, right by the window," I nodded.
I looked outside, seeing more people working on crops. One tall women paced on a long post watching over the fences that were slowly being covered with bricks. I was excited, i'll admit that. But i'm still keeping my guard up, I still don't know these people.
Cody put a plate of meat, corn, and a side of mango's in front of me, I looked up and smiled then looked back down, digging in.
I must've still been out of it since I forgot to say grace and just stuffed my face.
"It's good." Olli said matter a fact like.
"It is," I nodded shoving more food in my mouth.
When the meat was gone and the corn was to, I started to eat the cantaloupe; saving the best for last. I sighed in satisfaction at the taste of the sweet fruit.I can't remember the last time I had a meal this decent.
"So, how long were you guys out there together?" Cody asked.
"A little over two weeks," I said not taking my eyes off of the delicious cantaloupe.
"Olli said you taught him a lot, thank you for that."
"Sure," I said with a smile, "Kids smart, he picked it all up real fast, didn't you?" I said looking at Ollie,
"Yeah she said I should teach her how to drive." he giggled and then went back to enjoying his cantaloupe. I looked at Cody making sure he wasn't about to tell me 'that was a stupid idea, he's only five.'
"Wait..you taught him how to drive?" he smirked subtly.
"A little," I smiled eating my last bite of the delicious cantaloupe.
A blonde boy ran up to Olli excited. He looked maybe a few years older then Olli. "Caden said that we can put the worms in the soil, wanna come?"
Olli looked at Cody an I for approval, "Go on,"Cody said with a smile.
"Pay attention to your surroundings," I said as he ran off happily.
"Can I ask you something?" Cody asked after some silence. I knew he was going to ask about Emma eventually.
"Yeah."
"Olli said our mom had to go away to protect us--she got bit, didn't she?"
I looked down at my hands in thought, trying to find the lightest words i could possibly use,
"She was bit when I found her, I promised her i'd take care of Olli after she turned.But..a horde came and she told us to run..."
I waited to see a reaction out of him but he just looked at the ground like he was imagining how it went, his eyes flicking around like a bunch of ants were crawling on the floor.
"Im sorry, I wanted to go back but I needed to focus on getting Olli an I somewhere safer. She was an amazing person, I didn't know her long but i knew that much. "
He nodded blankly, "How'd you find them?"
"I was following the creek, I saw her and she was upset- so I stopped and asked her if she was okay. Which normally I wouldn't do--but like she said, God brought us together for a reason."
"That sounds like something she'd say." He gave me a forced smile, "Thank you."
I nodded assuringly as soon Cali scurried over to us.
"Hey Echo, I--wait let me get that for you guys." She cut her self off and grabbed our empty trays.
"Oh thank you," I said as she walked away.
She came back over and sat beside me, "So I got your room set up, I can show you if you'd like."
"Sure," I smiled lightly. "See you later, Cody,"
"See you later." he said in thought as I got up with a small wince,
"Marty set some painkillers on your night stand," Cali said.
"Hallelujah...wait... nightstand?" She laughed in a 'you'll see' kind of way.
I walked slowly down the hall following Cali, she turned down another hall and lead me to a cell with a curtain covering the bars. For such a small police station it had A LOT of cells.
When I walked in I was shocked to see an actual bed and a little carpented side table. There were clean clothes and towels on the bed, "How'd you get all this here?" I asked looking at the twin bed like it was a rib eye steak.
"Lincolns a pretty good carpenter and there's a mattress store a few blocks back . We thought it'd make this place more like a home, not a jail," she snickered.
"Wait do you.. have showers?" I asked looking at the towel with some glee in my heart at the thought.
"Yep,"She smiled. "I'll show you where it's, just probably don't get your stitches wet till it's healed better."
I sat on the bed with a sigh and ran my hand on the soft blanket, "It's weird to you, isn't it?" she asked
"Yeah, but not in a bad way. I just haven't had anywhere like this since the beginning." I said looking at my boots.
"You've been alone since the beginning?" she asked. I felt the bed dip slightly as she sat beside me and I looked over.
"Yeah...until I met Emma and Olli."
"I've had the luxury of being best friends with Lincoln's daughter: Molly. I've been here from the beginning. I can handle myself but I don't know what it's like being out there like that."
I looked at her and then back at the concrete floor, "It sounds weird, but sometimes it can be peaceful. Most of the time..it's like a video game though."
"A video game?" she smiled at me questioningly
"Yeah, " I said with a smile, "There's always a task or mission, now i'm like- in story mode." She threw her head back and laughed loudly, she must've enjoyed video games like I once did.
I let out a small chuckle at her loud yet unique laugh.
"So do you guys have jobs for each of you? I saw some keeping watch and some gardening." I said after a while.
"Kind of, but we all help each other out. Im not allowed in the garden thought because Caleb said i'd make all the plants wither at one glance."
"That's messed up," I said trying not to smile.
"Yeah no kidding," she laughed.
This is weird but a good weird. I think.
"What can I start helping with? It feels weird not doing anything."
"We'll figure that out tomorrow. But for now, get settled in, and i'll introduce you to everyone."
"Okay," I said in a nervous tone, "How many people live here?"
She took a minute, I'm assuming she was counting. "10, but now 12. C'mon, it's like ripping off a band aid," she said getting up.
"Yeah," I said quietly with a smile. I got up in a complicating manner, "I'm ready for that shower." I said with joy.
I think the last time I bathed was in a lake, almost a month ago. Oh how I miss showering everyday.