Clockwork Heart

"My Dearest,

I no longer remember the date, and I have written countless entries to you. Honestly, I am beginning to doubt we will ever be reunited, but I hold onto the dregs of hope that one day I will hand you this ragged diary and hang your necklace around that lovely neck of yours once more. Perhaps on that day, you will decide you do not care to read through the miseries I have traversed since our parting just before the H Day when everything went to hell. If you do... I will not apologize for the actions I have taken, regardless of how cruel or morally disgusting they may be. Every action, every fight and struggle, has been to get back to you my dearest heart. My only regret is not being by your side to offer you whatever shelter and protection I could in those chaotic early days. I hope you are safe. I hope to find you soon, slim as the chances are. I will not stop searching until I find you or my last breath.

Today has been relatively quiet and I have not crossed paths with anything, living or otherwise. Perhaps it is a good sign. For now, I am off to hunt and perhaps find a clue to lead me home to y-. "

Blaine let out a low curse as the ink pen he had been using failed him, grumbling lowly to himself as he stuffed the useless think back into his pack. “Of fucking course and it’s my last one.” Carefully closing the scarred leather-bound journal, he placed it reverently into the inner pocket of his coat. Pulling his hand free, he brushed his thumb lovingly over the one item that truly helped him keep his sanity in the wasteland the world had become. An old brass locket, ornate filigree covering the stylized gears that decorated the front of the heart charm. A miniature skeleton key opening sat squarely in the middle of the walnut sized charm. He did not know what was inside of it, as it was his lost love who still held the key. Certainly, he could force it open... However, that felt too much like giving up on his last vestiges of hope. The loud gurgling protest of his stomach had him rising, securing his meager belongings and leaving his haunt of the day to venture forth, seeking sustenance.

All around him, night time’s soft light did what it could to hide the crumbling buildings and horrors that now ran rampant under the light of day. With careful footsteps, he picked his way through the overgrown city. At least something was thriving from all the hell that had rained down upon civilization. Night was safest since that fateful day. Those things could not hunt well in the night and usually hibernated wherever they were once the evenings embrace touched them. They could still be dangerous if some unfortunate fool stumbled upon them, however Blaine had grown very good at avoiding the creatures.

Spotting an old Mom and Pop store, tucked off of the main street of the town, he peered at it from a distance. The windows were still whole, though one of the doors hung slightly ajar as if forced open from a group of panicked people, frantically trying to escape. Perhaps it wasn’t completely ransacked. At least that was his hopes as he prowled carefully towards the shop.

For once, luck was on his side, allowing him to slide in the seemingly empty store front without making a sound to alert the creatures to his presence.

The lack of the cloyingly sweet mold scent that tended to announce the presence of those monsters was a welcome relief as he scanned the shelfs. Dust coated most surfaced but he managed to find a small haul of chips and things that had not been taken. Taking a case of protein bars he found, he silently ripped them open, one at a time, filling his stomach enough to ease the aches of hunger before storing the rest in his oversized backpack. Some pens were still up on the rack, and some headache medicine as well as some small first aids kits. This place had likely been overlooked since the initial outbreak. loading down with everything of use he could find and carry, he cracked open a warm beer to celebrate the find.

Grimacing when the yeasty liquid hit his tongue, he instantly regretted his choice, but he downed it anyway. Beer was a good filler when all else failed. Wiping his face with the back of his hand, he shouldered his trove and made to leave, but froze at the door.

The sound of footsteps had him quietly cursing once more, slipping into the shadows as he watched a pair of scrawny people dart right past him. One, a gangly teen, all knees and elbows as she pulled her hoodie close, trying to cling to the shadows. Her companion, a towheaded male who looked like he hadn’t eaten in weeks was less cautious. Greedy eyes scanned, looking for something. The pair zipped into the abandoned farmer’s market across the street and Blaine sat tight, not wanting to out himself to the travelers. Few could be trusted in times as they were and he was less than willing to risk anything that wasn’t a lead to his goal.

A few minutes passed and he had nearly stepped out, thinking the coast clear when a blood curling screech declared otherwise. Hand sliding to one of the many weapons he had collected since the time dubbed as H Day, he tensed. Dark blue eyes watched the horrifying scene unfold. Hoodie girl came scrambling from the dark abyss of the market. Her dark eyes were wide with sheer terror as she clawed past the boards that covered the door.

A hellish wail followed her, the cry of the newly infected. Glowing green eyes peered after her slight form, the girl throwing any scrap she could in the path of the creature as she attempted her escape.

With a jolt he realized she was darting right for his hiding spot, muttering a brief” Fuck,” under his breath before he slid out of the door. “You’ll be a sitting duck in there princess.” He cautioned, jerking his head down the street, eyes peeled for anything else attracted to the noise. Seeing nothing at the moment he positioned himself between the petrified, sobbing girl and the monster from within.

Boards flew away as her former companion burst free. His eyes glowed an electric blue as dark black veins twisted through his skin as the strange mold took control of him, making him simply a vessel for one of them.

“Might want to look away kid, this won’t be pretty.” he cautioned in a moment of understanding concern. It was her choice to look after that, but he did not pay any mind to see which she chose, swinging his oversized plumbers wrench upwards as the infected charged him. The blow caught the creature under his chin, jerking his head back before Blaine let gravity do its thing, swinging the hefty tool down on the thing’s face hard enough to shatter the skull and destroy the brain within. The thing collapsed and he turned on the girl, using his frame to block the sight, "Were there more in there? Or just that damned Mold?” he asked firmly, watching her fiddle with something around her neck.

She gulped and shook her head, ”N-Nathan didn’t see the mold on the door knob. It started crawling all over him the moment he grabbed it.” she managed, her voice a thin quavering blend of grief and fear. Relaxing only slightly he sighed deeply, glancing side to side. He wanted to head on out, however....

“You stay close to here, Princess?” he asked gruffly, discomforted by her open grief and praying to whatever gods lingered that nothing else tracked them down. She nodded slightly and pointed towards the way they had come from. Closing his eyes and unable to believe he was doing this, he turned and started down the street. “Come on then, unless you think you can make it home alone.” he growled out lowly, striving to keep his voice from carrying. She jogged quickly to catch up with her, her gangly stride able to match his long leg’s pace well enough.

After ten minutes, he noticed she was still playing with the necklace she wore, "I doubt there are much in the way of gods watching the world anymore.” he said softly. She looked up, brown eyes wide,” It’s not a cross.” she said, opening her fingers to reveal an old brass key. One whose design was strikingly similar to something he held very dear. “Where did you get that?” he said, his voice rough with barely leashed emotions. He froze in place as he stared at the key, feeling a tremor of emotion run through him.

“M-my aunt. I appreciate you saving me but you can’t have this!! It’s her lucky charm!” she said tensely, her hand closing on the key with white knuckles, looking for all of the world ready to fight him over it. Clenching and unclenching his fists he managed to rein in his emotions, barely managing to leash the excitement and hope welling within him. “How much further?” he asked.

The girl was still for a moment, seeming to evaluate the man before reaching up towards the fire escape to her right. There was a raggedy rope dangling from it, and she tugged, a gentle chiming coming from somewhere up above. A rope ladder descended silently and she jerked her head up, gripping the ladder and beginning her climb.

Barely able to breathe, he followed, nerves taut as he climbed. It both lasted an eternity and also only a mere heartbeat as his emotions warred within him. Clearing the ledge of the building he found the girl, rapidly explaining in hushed whispers to a cloaked figure. The figure turned as the girl gestured to him and Blaine’s heart stopped. “Mikalyn” he whispered, cobalt eyes wide as his hand went to the locket around his neck.

The figure froze, her own cornflower blue eyes matching his shock. “Blaine?” she queried, taking a hesitant step towards him. He rushed towards her, dropping everything as he wrapped his arms around her. Barely restraining he exultant cry he lifted her high and spun her around, burrowing his face in her hair, uncaring of the built up grim. He certainly looked no better.

“The how’s can wait.” she said, pressing her fingers gently to his lips, “The Hellites are going to be waking soon. We must be out of this town before that happens and I promise we will catch up after.” she vowed. He reached into his bag, pulling out the protein bars and offering them to her and the girl who was the niece she had been traveling to meet when this whole thing exploded, which meant the boy, Nathan was most likely the girl’s twin. A pang of regret stuck him, but nothing else could be done.

“Then we will go. And we will survive, together.” he vowed in return, steeling his resolve with his new goal now that he had his love with him once more. They would survive the blight that was the Hellites, where ever the hell they came from and whatever the hell they wanted of humans, they would face it together.