Survival Of The Fittest

Two stories. Two bedrooms and one bathroom upstairs. Dining room, living room and kitchen downstairs.

It was a nice house, albeit a bit small.

Dawn had always assumed she would live in a bigger one when she grew older.

((Dawn Montogomery continued from WALK THROUGH THE DOORS AND I'M GOOD))

After making their exit from the church, she and David looted a few places before deciding on a short rest. Which somehow turned into a long one. Dawn didn't mind. After all, the places they had yet to scavenge were getting thinner. Soon, she would have no excuses left but to build the memorial.

The second floor felt slightly saver, but neither wanted to share a bed. Therefore, they rested in different bedrooms, doors open to communicate in case of an emergency.

Whatever kind of emergency they were preparing for was left unspoken.

"Hey, David." Her voice sounded hoarse as she cut through the silence. "Do you know what date we have? I think I lost track."

((David Worth continued from WALK THROUGH THE DOORS AND I'M GOOD))

David looked around the house the pair had entered. They had decided on sleeping separately. Dawn had suggested that they sleep separately, although David didn't know - he would have rather they slept together. Not out of any feelings of lust or anything, the temperature made any form of sex impossible unless one enjoyed hypothermia. No, he just figured it would be harder to take two irritable, paranoid people by surprise than it would to take one irritable, paranoid person by surprise.

Dawn's voice then cut through the silence, asking about the date. David just pinched his nose as he thought about the question.

"I don't know ... it's like, the fourteenth or something? "

The Fourteenth, huh.

"Thanks.

"...

"Looks like we are all gonna miss christmas.

"...

"To be honest, I always went to Ethan because my family never celebrates. Mum and dad are both workaholics, and there is always work for doctors. Did you know that the days around christmas have a significantly higher rate of suicide attempts? The theory is that everyone being visibly happy and festive makes the less fortunates ones even more aware of their struggles.

"...

"Sorry, that was an odd thing to bring up.

"...

"...

"So, how does your family celebrate?"

"Christmas?" David shrugged. "We'd get up late, open presents, that kind of deal. It wasn't formal or anything. We just did it."

David didn't know what to make of it. On the one hand, it reminded him of what he was missing out on. On the other, it wasn't the stuff about death that had plagued them for over a week.

"We just relaxed because it was a week off work and school."

"..."

Did the former inhabitants of the island use to celebrate? There had been christmas deco in the research station, but the station was probably unrelated to the town.

Dawn didn't answer for a half a minute, instead staring at the ceiling. When she resumed, her voice sounded hoarse.

"There is something on my mind. Something I need to know."

She stopped, as if David would just figure out her question via mind-reading. After a few seconds of silence it became clear he was incapable of such a feet, so Dawn forced herself to continue.

"You know, when I woke up here, on the first day, they gave me a bag of drugs for a weapon. I found a group with Tully and some others and we- well, we got all high and my memory gets foggy at that point."

Those details weren't really necessary. Dawn knew that. But she still allowed herself a few seconds before the heavy part.

"So I kinda... overslept? And I missed the first announcement because of it.

"...

"So I hope you don't mind me asking.

"...

"..."

...

...

"What happened to Ethan?"

Ethan? Oh, man. That was so long ago. Even if it was only a week ago, given what had happened then, as the cliche went, it may well have been an eternity.

"Ethan ... ah shit. Ethan died on the first day. Someone pushed him off a cliff ... Przemyslaw. I think that he's dead, too, so the exact why isn't something we'll find out." David just grimaced, knowing that it wasn't the answer Dawn or even he wanted to hear.

"Sorry."

Apart from the faint sound of Dawn's hastened breath, there was no reply.

David looked at Dawn.

Oh, no. Did he just break her?

"Dawn?"

The silence continued for a few more seconds before he got a response.

"I am still here.

"I-I kinda knew it for some time. D said something as she died, and if Ethan was still alive he would have found me by now.

"But thanks for telling me."

For the first time in a while, Dawn's view left the ceiling. She looked through the hallway over to David's room.

"Mind if we go to sleep now? It's already late and I don't feel like doing anything for the moment."

Phew. Dawn hadn't broken. But, if she'd only suspected that Ethan had died, then David would likely have to keep an eye on her for a bit. Just to make sure she processed it properly and not suicidally.

As for Dawn's request, David just looked back to Dawn.

"Sure. We can get some rest and regroup tomorrow."

((David Worth continued in Big Brother Is Not Watching You))

"That would be nice."

From the distance, David had no chance to see Dawn's faint smile.

---

Three hours later, Dawn carefully inched out of her room. One full daypack was on her back while the other one rested in her arms. Carrying it would be a pain.

Wearily she looked into David's room. To her relief, he was sound asleep. Dawn felt a tad guilty about leaving him unprotected, but with the size of the town, the odds of someone coming in was slim.

"Goodbye" was not something she could afford to say out loud as she descended the stairs.

((Dawn Montogomery continued in Long Live The Void))