Inmortuorum

Up the stairs in the beautiful Craftsman style home were four rooms - a common room, which doubled as a bedroom, Abbie and Sarah's room, a bathroom turned storeroom, and James and Adele's room. Sarah took Katie to the common room and sat her down on one of the three couches placed around a large hand-crank flashlight.

"Katie, wait right here. We're going to go lock up for night. Just..."

Sarah looked around for some way to help Katie deal with being alone in the dark.

"...crank the flashlight. Turn it on a few times. Just, make sure it's charged. I think we'll all be up here a bit longer than usual tonight."

Sarah turned and walked out of the room, leaving the door open. Katie watched as the light from Sarah's flashlight proceeded down the stairs. She looked at the light in her hands and pulled out a black lever from behind the bulb. Around and around she turned the plastic black lever, zoning out. A bang from downstairs startled her. She jumped and dropped the flashlight with a loud thud. She cringed and flushed with embarrassment. In an attempt to feel free from her awkwardness, she picked the flashlight up and toyed with the handle.
After awhile, the banging stopped and she heard feet make their way up the stairs. Katie placed the lit flashlight down and was somewhat amazed at the way it almost completely illuminated the room. She looked around and noticed the dressers in the corner, cardboard boxes on top of them. Part of her wanted to go to the boxes, but decided snooping around probably wouldn't be the best show of her character to these new people.
Everyone entered the room - Sarah first, followed by a young Asian girl, younger than Katie, the boy from earlier, a woman with curly red hair, probably Adele, and a man, bald, but muscular. Silently, everyone sat around. Katie stared at her feet as she could feel their eyes on her. Looking up, she made eye contact with Sarah, who flashed her a pristine white smile and handed her a can of soup, a spoon and a can opener. Sarah looked around at everyone who was getting ready to eat,

"So, everyone, this is Katie."

Everyone looked up from their food and stared at the girl. Katie suddenly resented Sarah for making her the center of attention. She felt her stomach drop.

The cute boy from earlier laughed, "Hello, Katie."

Katie smiled in his direction.

Sarah pointed to the little Asian girl sitting next to her, "Katie, this is my little sister, Abbie."

Abbie smiled. Katie waved.

"I know what you're thinking, 'Are they really sisters?'. We're adopted. Two dads out in California, you know."

"What happened to your dads?"

Everyone stopped eating and the entire room grew silent. All eyes shifted from Katie, to Sarah and Abbie. Katie's heart sunk realizing the question she had asked.

Sarah rubbed her knee and looked around at everyone. She bit her lip to try to keep herself from crying.

"Well, probably the same thing that happened to everyone else's parents. They were killed, but they weren't eaten, or bit by one of those... things. Thank god. No, they died in a car accident trying to flee San Diego when it all began. Abbie and I were on our way to our grandparents when we heard about it."

Katie mumbled an apology and Sarah playfully punched her arm.

"Oh, don't stress it. I knew what you meant. Anyway, pretty boy over here is Chris."

Chris smiled crookedly and scanned Katie with his emerald green eyes. Katie blushed and raised her hand.

Sarah laughed, "He doesn't really talk much, but neither do you. I see a real friendship between you two."

Adele mumbled something under her breath.

Sarah sighed, "Well, you should at least meet Adele..." She pointed to the ginger woman on the couch.

Adele gave a sarcastic 'welcome' and went back to eating her food.

".. and that handsome bald gentleman next to her is James."

James held out his hand to Katie, "Hi, I'm James. Former pediatrician. I'm kind of like the self-proclaimed doctor of the group."

Katie smiled and shook his hand.

Although the introductions had taken a short time, little Abbie had gotten tired and fell asleep on Sarah's shoulder. Sarah quietly excused herself and Abbie, and took her over to their room, leaving Katie with Adele, James and Chris.

Adele took another look at Katie and snorted, "No way in hell I'm going to vote her in. No. She's going to just diminish our supplies then leave. She's not worth it."

Without another word, Adele stood up, folded her arms over her chest and walked out. James looked apologetically at Katie and hurriedly whispered as he was walking out of the room - "I promise she's a better person once you get to know her. I swear on it. She was like that when we first met, too. Just, I'm sorry for tonight. She'll want you in. I'll talk to her about it."

Katie felt her stomach drop, she felt her throat swell, she felt her face redden. She didn't know what to do or say. She felt like she should apologize just for existing. Instead, she just let a few tears stream down her face. Chris tried to ignore the conflict with Adele, but seeing Katie hurt scared him. He didn't know the girl, not a single thing about her, but he knew she had been alone, and right about now, she probably felt more alone than she had all those months. He moved over to her on the couch and took her hand down from her face, and wiped away a tear. He pulled her head into his chest and held her there. After a few seconds, Katie pulled back.

"I'm sorry, Chris. I'm usually not like this at all. I think it's just because of how everything is, yeah? I don't know. I'm probably tired."

Chris smiled, "Oh, no, it's perfectly fine. Adele, she's just a bitch. But she's a bitch because she cares. About us. And she'll care about you, too. Don't worry. It's just her."

Sarah walked in and noticed the situation on the couch.

"It's always the quiet ones", she mumbled.

Katie jumped back from Chris and hit her head on the edge of the green couch.

Sarah burst out laughing, pressing her hand to her mouth and shaking trying to suppress her laughter.

Chris stood up and hit Sarah with a pillow.

"Shut the fuck up, Sarah."

He threw the pillow at Katie.

"Goodnight, Katie."

Sarah looked up at Chris and outstretched her arms for a hug. Chris shook his head, smiled and walked out.

Sarah leaned out of the doorway and blew Chris a kiss, laughed and then went over to go sit next to Katie.

"Katie, Chris.. He's something. Don't get caught up in it. I've seen it, just, watch out. Alright?"

Katie nodded.

"Well, I'm too tired, and I'm not putting you out tonight. So, there's blankets over in the corner and this pillow. So, you have anyone of these couches, and the floor. And you're locked in, so don't get any ideas."

Sarah smiled and turned to leave.

"Oh, Sarah?", Katie's voice nervously shook as she spoke.

Sarah turned around,"Hmm?"

"Thank you."