Outbreak 10:37 pm

         10:37 pm, thirty-seven minutes after bedtime.
         Even after bedtime, Rain laid awake in her room. Early on in their time here, she and Brad had claimed the spacious attic as their room. Unlike most places, it was well insulated and even air-conditioned! Laying awake, she sat up with the chocolate colored teddy bear Brad had found for her the day before he went missing.
         “I suppose it would be safe to assume this is your room?”
         She flinched a little, looking through the gloom. She could barely make him out until the man lit his lighter. “Monty? What are you doing up?”
         “I find it kind of hard to sleep nowadays,” he stated. He’d suffered from insomnia at one point. He was a little afraid that it was coming back for him now. “Now, it’s your turn to answer my question.” He snapped the lighter closed, leaving them in darkness.
         “…Yes…” She tried to look at the bear, but it was too dark to see its features. “We shared this room when we started to get close…” She was glad for the darkness. She didn’t want the newcomer to see her cry.
         “I see…” He stayed outside, afraid to invade her personal space. After a second, he invited himself in, but still stayed by the door. His night vision was almost good enough to see in this advanced darkness. “I take it I’d be wrong if I told you it’ll be alright, huh?”
         “Worst saying ever,” she grumbled, wiping her tears away.
         He hated that saying himself. Someone had tried to push it on him when Gael died. “Then, I guess I’ll try another cliché: time heals all wounds. It hurts now, while the wounds are fresh, but it’ll get easier over time.” He didn’t think it would be as easy for her to get used to it as it was for him. …But, then again, he wasn’t completely over it, anyway.
         She sighed heavily, trying to compose herself. She’d never be able to end it if her love was one of them. She just wasn’t strong enough. She turned her green eyes in his direction. “Monty… I know you’re planning to leave soon. …If you don’t mind, would you let me come with you?”
         His laugh might as well have had ice on it. “I didn’t think anyone knew about that…” He was going to leave the moment he got something out of this. He paused, leaving silence between them. “…Would you really come with me?”
         She nodded even though she knew he couldn’t see it. “We talked about this a lot. We wanted to leave, to be on our own, to have a mountain home and live in peace… But, now… Anything is better than being here.” There were just too many painful memories here now.
         “Really?” He sighed, looking around in the darkness. “…The train leaves tomorrow afternoon… If you’re not on it then, you’re on your own…” He turned to leave, but hesitated for a moment. “…And be absolutely sure this is what you want to do…” Without another word, he left her to her thoughts.