The most fucked up thing about viruses is that they keep coming back. Just when you think it’s over and it’s safe to breathe again, those fucking critters swarm you and you’re fucked.

“Logan?” Don’t talk to me.
“Logan?” Don’t touch me.

We were planning to return to the road for a while. Thought we could find some good people and leave Adele with them. Maybe some nice couple with kids of their own.

“Logan.” Keep your hands to yourself.
“Logan…” Stay the fuck away from me!

We explained things to her. Just sat in the kitchen and talked. She cried a little, but she understood. She was surprisingly smart kid. We were going to wait yet another year.

“You don’t have to do this now.” Yes. I have to.
“There’s time. You can leave it until tomorrow.” No. I can’t and you know that. There’s no leaving this for tomorrow.

First week she kept asking at least million and one questions. Could she go somewhere where they had TV and a real bathroom? Was there ice cream? Could she have a dog? Some new clothes? Would she have to go to school? Drove me nuts, but I tried to answer to every one of those questions.

“You’re tired.” No shit, Sherlock?
“Come on. I’ll make us some coffee. Please.” No. Not now. I have to do this first. Maybe after…

Second week went by more fluently. She wasn’t as jittery anymore. Made me build that goddamned ant farm instead. I made it after she promised she would keep it away from the cabin. She was practically beaming when I got it finished. Her own little world complete with a queen, soldiers and drones. Yes. I dug through three hives before I found that fucking queen, but her smile was worth it. That farm kept her entertained through the third week.

“Logan, it’s getting dark already.” Thanks for the heads up. Kind of noticed it already.
“It’s raining.” Yeah. My jacket’s already soaked through. Doesn’t matter. I’m not made out of sugar.

I should have noticed it sooner. It took me three days to realize that something was wrong. Adele was tired and little feverish. We thought it was just flu. A fucking flu. Right.

“Logan, let go of that shovel.”
“I can’t Marie. It’s raining now, but tomorrow’s going to be a hot day. She’ll start to reek pretty ripe before the noon. I have to do this now.” Because tomorrow I won’t be able to do much more than crawl to a corner, curl up and hope to die. I’m tired of this shit. So fucking tired of watching people disappear from around me. Adele, Anna only recently, so many more before them.

After it had taken Anna Legacy had hid inside of Adele. Staying dormant. Don’t know what woke it up. This morning she woke up with a headache and I knew. Started digging this grave little after noon. She died at three o’clock. Marie was with her. I have been out here, digging. Ground is soft, but rocky. Deeper I get, the bigger boulders I have to haul up.

“At least stop for a while. I’ll bring you something to eat.” How the hell she can even think about eating?
“I… I made some bread and there’s stew and potatoes.” Made some bread? What the fuck is wrong with her?
“I dressed her to that blue shirt and those jeans she liked and braided her hair. After that… After that there was nothing else to… Nothing else to do, so I… I…”
“Fine. I’ll come to eat.”

She looks like she’s just sleeping. Little girl, fallen to sleep after long day. Too tired to change to her pajamas. Only thing giving up the truth is the scent. It’s too faint for Marie to notice, but to me it’s plain as a day. There’s no life in her. She won’t be asking piggy-bag rides anymore. She won’t be taking care of that ant farm. She won’t be following me around, talking and scaring off the prey when I’m hunting. She won’t be growing up and leaving us. She will be sleeping next to her mother.

Have to carve her a stone. For both of them. When Anna died, I was too fucked up to do much anything more than cry. Then I had to take care of Adele, and I kind of forgot the whole thing. Have to ask Marie what kind of stone she would want for them. As soon as she’s able to talk about them without bursting to hysterics. Might take some time, but that’s something we have. We have all the time in the world, and nothing to use it for.