Flash Fic Party, Day 2: Reggie!

Today's guest author is Regatta.

I love Reggie. She's a snarky but sweet lady made of equal parts awesome and win. She loves zombies, pinups, zombie pinups, and preparing for the inevitable Zombipocalypse. Right now she's going through multiple house moves and stress from hell, but she found time to write some fic for us. Ain't she swell?

Not to mention that what she wrote, especially for us, is her very first fic about her character's former fiancé, John. Total exclusive!

Author: Regatta

Word count: 651 words

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“Did she rise?”

“John...”

“Did she rise Charles, that’s all I want to know. It’s what I need to know.”

It had been a year since Regina had fallen to the Plague, and the possibility of her rising had never left his mind. He clung to it like a drowning man to a raft. Some days the hope that Regina was out there somewhere, and that he could find her, was all he had.

“John, it won’t matter any. You can’t go running off after her. She’s one of them now.”

Sometimes, Charles knew him better than his own father did. Sometimes, he was too similar for comfort.

“So you left her with them? How could you do that to your own daughter?”

“What choice did we have, boy? It was either take her to her own kind or..”

“We’re her own kind Charles.”

Charles looked at him with pity, “Not anymore John. You need to realize that. It’s the only way you’ll move on.”

“Was she in her right mind? Was she still Regina?”

A pause. “Aye. She remembered her family. She knew what had happened to her. Knew what she was.”

“And you still sent her away. I never thought you could be so empty inside, Charles. She’s your only daughter.”

“She knew what had to be done John. For her safety, for our safety. What if they’d have found out we were harbouring her? That she’d turned, and we hadn’t done anything to stop her rise? Do you think being burned alive is preferable to life among them? Do you think the elders would’ve taken kindly to our harbouring? Think they’d have understood? Carmichael burnt his own mother. Do you really think he’d have spared my girl?”

John was quiet for a long time.

“Do you know where is she now?”

“I won’t be telling you. It’s madness to go where she’s gone, do the things she’s done. How she gets up each day and fights alongside those monsters I’ll never know. But she does. Because she’s not our girl anymore. She’s theirs now.”

“How do you know what she’s doing?”

“She writes. Sends trinkets, gold. Tells us about her strange adventures, her new life.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“John, we didn’t want you to hurt any more than you already did. We all talked it over and decided it was best for you to mourn and then, move on.”

He looked down at his hands and said, almost inaudibly, “Has she moved on?”

Charles passed a hand over his face. If he lied, maybe then John could finally get on with his life.
“Aye boy. She has. And so should you.”

His face was grim as he slowly walked out of the room, shutting the door silently behind him. Charles had braced for a slam, and when one didn’t come he knew that John hadn’t believed him. He also knew, that very soon John would do something stupid.

***

He lies awake in the dark listening to her breathing. She breathes out of habit more then necessity. He himself never breathes. It’s just a waste of effort. He doesn’t even really need to sleep, but she does. So he lays next to her and enjoys the feeling of her weight leaning against his side, while he listens to her sleep. She’s so loathe to give up the little pieces of her life. She still writes her letters to her family, despite the fact that return letters are few and far between. Especially now that her Grandmother was growing frail. Soon her Grandmother would pass, and then her family would finally just let go. Then she would have no choice but to let go as well, and look to the future. The very thing he refused to do so long ago.
She rolled over and he kissed her forehead gently.

There is something to be said for tenacity.