The water in the bath was warm. So different from the cold showers I'd have at the hotel. "We filter and heat our own water, just so it's cleaner than the water from the water plant downtown," Cecily says.
"That's cool," I reply, swimming my hand through the bubbles.
"So, where you from originally?" She asks.
"Uh, Newcastle," I say.
"Nice, I'm fromManchester. I've been living here for about 13 years." She says shrugging. The bath smells of Lush bubble bombs, a sweet one, like candy. "Hey Cecily, how old are you?" I ask.
"I'll be 28 in June." She replies. She is quite young, she looks mature for her age, her eyes crinkled around the corners. "You?" She says.
"I'm 17," I said
"It's a pity you didn't get to finish school." She says sadly.
"Yeah. A pity." I say quietly, glaring at the rubber duck floating around my toes. I kick it.
"So, where were you when the disease hit?" She asks, breaking the silence.
"Um, well I was at home," I say.
FLASHBACK
I almost jump off the couch in alarm when mum opens the door. No. She shoved the door and rushed through it. "Mum? What's wrong?" I say worriedly.
"Quick! Get in the bomb shelter! Go go go!" She says gesturing for me to get through the steel door. I close my laptop and grab the charger. Mum hops over the table and grabs the bowl of fruit and glances at my phone, then grabs it and follows me into the bomb shelter. When the door is locked shut, I finally ask her."Mum, tell me what's going on." I say sternly.
"Ok fine. A disease. Seriously contagious. I can't risk you getting it. It kills you very fast by blocking up your lungs and all your arteries- you know what arteries are right?" She says.
"Yeah, I took grade A biology," I said, my eyes wide.
"Ok, well that eventually stops your heart." She starts talking faster and faster "And obviously you can't breathe since your lungs are all blocked up with fluid. And you can't do CPR because then you get the disease and-" She takes a deep breath "That is what's going on." I stare at her in shock and she looks back at me with pity. -+-
"I was babysitting. Sad right?" She looks at me with a hint of a smirk.
"Just a bit," I mumble.
"The kids I was babysitting- Oscar and Leonie. Do you know them?" Cecily asks. I gasp.
"No way!" I yell. Cecily looks stunned. "Leonie was my best friend! And Oscar... Well..." I laugh, then look back down at my toes. "I miss her," I say quietly.
"Same," Cecily replies.
"D'you reckon she's still alive?" I ask.
Cecily looks at me intently. "I wouldn't have a clue."