A necessary disclaimer
: this is a story about a group of adults, traumatized by their life experiences, trying to survive, stay sane and find love in the post-apocalyptic world. This is a slow burn story, and you won't likely see any lewd activities for quite a while, so if this is not your cup of tea, find something else to read. Also, all characters are 18+ years old.
You've been warned.
Love,
Cy~
Empty World
Chapter 02
Now words like innocence
Don't mean a thing
You hear the music play
But you can't sing
Those pictures in your mind
Keep you locked up inside your past
Lu opened her eyes to the gray light streaming through the blinds, just like the day before. The day before... her chest seized and breath caught up in her lungs as all of yesterday flooded her mind. It wasn't just a nightmare after all. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to breathe through pain and panic, fighting off the existential dread - and it retreated, after several extremely long minutes. Lu rolled on the other side with a groan, wincing from a sudden sharp headache, and opened her eyes again, to be greeted by a tall glass of water and two pills on her nightstand.
"Wh- who put this here?" she hoarsely asked, not really expecting a response.
"
Good morning, Lu. Max expedited scanning of painkillers he brought in yesterday, and asked me to make sure you have everything to help you fight your veisalgia.
"
"My... what?"
"
Your hangover. This is a soluble detox medication, it will completely remove all symptoms in approximately 7 minutes after ingestion.
"
"Oh... right. Thank you, Mother," she sat up gingerly, trying not to move her head too much.
"
You're welcome, Lu.
"
Huh? Nevermind, head hurts, stop thinking. She dumped two pills into the glass and started to undress while they dissolved. God damn, you fucking reek,
chica
, never missing a shower from now on, no matter how wasted you are. She took off her hoodie and t-shirt, smelling of cigarette smoke, and threw them on the floor. Jeans followed into the heap half a minute later. With a look of disgust on her face, she pulled her still damp panties down, wincing as they were nearly glued to her labia. Ugh... nasty! Panties topped the heap on the floor. Cherry on cake. Nasty smelly cherry. She downed the glass with dissolved medicine and stumbled her way to the bathroom.
"Mildly warm shower and an aspirin is all that a girl needs in the morning," she nearly sang, emerging some ten minutes later, wrapped in a bathrobe and toweling her hair. She stopped by her bed, eyeing the heap of dirty clothes.
"Mother, what Tower-folk is supposed to do with their dirty laundry?"
"
Uniforms should be disposed of and replaced. Personal articles of clothing of sentimental value can be cleaned in the Tower's laundry room in service hallway B.
"
She tilted her head, giving the pile a critical once-over.
"Do you have casual clothes?"
"
Not at the moment, I'm afraid.
"
She sighed, sat on the edge of the bed and tied her dirty stuff into a bundle.
"Laundry it is then. Mother... what's security chief supposed to look like?"
--//--
Dressed in neutral gray security uniform with the markings of the chief, she sauntered into the canteen, where Max was about to finish scanning his loot. He briefly looked at her over his shoulder.
"Hey, Lu. Sleep good? Mother, last batch, please."
Beams slid over the items on the table and he pushed them into the open bag. Medical supplies done, gotta decide on the next scavenging run.
"Hey..." Lu didn't elaborate. "Had your coffee yet?" She walked to the row of replicators.
"Wouldn't mind a breakfast first," he turned, giving her a once-over. "Looks good on you. Decided to take the offer?"
"Somebody
has
to do this around here, and you ain't security material, Weller, no offense," she smirked and pushed the button. "Continental breakfast, please."
"None taken. That's exactly why I offered you the role," he shrugged and pressed the button on the replicator beside him. "Bacon and eggs, mocca black, two sugars."
They took their food trays out and sat at the table. They ate in silence for a while, avoiding each other's eyes, feeling awkwardness building again.
"Hey, Max," Lu started, spreading jam on her toast.
"Yeah?" he immediately responded, chewing on his bacon.
She paused, then got angry at herself. The fuck, Lu? It's the same Weller, a bit fucked in the head, a bit older, but he's not a threat. Are you scared? You've interrogated much scarier people!
"Listen, about clothes... no, scratch that, that's not important right now. You know what, I want a tour of the place I'm supposed to secure," she took a bite, put her elbows on the table and looked into his face, chewing, trying not to blink.
"Um," he took a sip of his coffee. "The Tower is too damn big. Even a nickel tour will take a day, so we'll focus on the most important parts, and Mother can show you the plans for everything else," he managed to look back.
"I only need to know where the jail cells are," she said with a straight face.
"We don't have... oh, really smart, Lu," he grunted seeing her face breaking into a grin.
"Gotcha, Weller! You bought it!" She laughed and bit a huge piece of her toast, enjoying herself.
He sighed. His fears of his own mental fuckery were unfounded after all. She was still here, chewing on her breakfast and smiling, not a product of his imagination, flesh and blood... soft and warm. He ran his hand over his face and rubbed his eyes, then chuckled - her realness brought in a completely new set of problems.
"I'd say 'like in the good old times', but the old times weren't exactly good," he looked away. "A'ight, find me in security when you're done."
