Human Nature (Book 4): Human Nature IV by Borthwick, Finlay (book recommendations website .TXT) 📗

conscience against killing people for no reason greater than territorial control.

“And if they make it to the safe zone? What then?” Johnno further queried.

Euan laughed evilly, “Those four walls aren’t what keep us out of that place, Johnno – It’s the fact that the people within them dare not to step foot on our streets.”

Johnno didn’t understand what Euan meant, evident by the perplexed look on his face.

“They’re a self-sustaining micro society. If our new ‘friends’ go in there, then we can wipe all of them out and take back full control of this city… For Kyle.” Euan explained.

Now, Johnno was grinning evilly as well. “For Kyle…” He echoed Euan’s words.

Chapter 12: Danny

With one of only two solar farms inside the safe zone having been severely damaged, the residents had decided two things: Firstly, several buildings houses would go without energy so as more of it could be directed to the hospital, and secondly, small groups would start going on scavenge runs outside of the walls again.

Nikola had volunteered to take Rubin, as well as new friends Kieran and Valorie, out on the first supply run with her.

“Are you sure you’re okay to go?” Sandra was concerned about how quickly Valorie had stepped up to the mark.

“Richard died because of that dreadful storm,” Valorie remarked in angst, “I’ll be damned if I let the aftermath ruin anybody else’s life – I have to go out there and find the tools that Mac needs to fix the panels.” She justified her reasoning for being so eager.

Sandra bowed to her friend before stepping aside, “Good luck out there.”

“Good luck in here.” Valorie said in jest as she nodded towards the hospital; the lights inside were flickering on and off unpredictably.

Inside the hospital, Cora was shadowing her mother; for now that the two of them were reunited, she had hoped to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a nurse herself.

“Ignore the blinking lights, Mac will have them fixed in no time assuming that these supply runs go well.” Erica reassured her daughter whilst training her to use the defibrillator on the wall in case of emergency.

“Yeah, about that…” Cora scratched the back of her head.

Erica planted her hands on her hips, “What is it, Cora?”

“Well, you see, by Rylie’s calculations, my crew have been in this safe zone for around seven months now,” Cora explained, “We were able to live off of some of the supplies that had been buried away just whilst we set up a little garden.” She nodded through the window towards the not-so-little orchard that had meant Cora’s group hadn’t needed to leave the safe zone ever since they arrived.

“Okay, so?” Erica couldn’t see her daughter’s point.

Cora sighed, “So… I’m not entirely sure if my lot are ready to dive back into supply runs just yet. We haven’t been practicing any self-defence or doing any kind of survival training.”

Erica laughed, “They’ll be fine. Nikola and Rubin are extremely capable survivors, dear.”

Cora shook her head in desperation to rectify the misunderstanding, “Oh no, I didn’t mean it like that—I’m just saying, we don’t know how much the streets have changed out there. If things go, you know, wrong, or aren’t how we remember them to be, they could be in trouble.”

Erica shrugged, “So what do you suggest we do? You said it yourself, the resources which Mac needs to fix up the southern solar farm,” the residents differentiated between the two solar farms using compass points, “Aren’t anywhere within these walls.”

“I know, I do, I just—I don’t know, I guess.” Cora had run out of valid points to make.

“Hey,” Erica brushed her daughter’s hair out of her face, “They’ll be fine, alright? As soon as Mac has all the equipment he needs, we’ll close the main gate up for good; just as we did a long time ago.” She smiled at her as she referenced the weirdly distant past.

Feeling comforted by her mother, Cora smiled back at Erica in kind.

Then, the reception doors squeaked open; it was Adela.

“Oh,” Adela tiptoed back slightly upon noticing the tender moment between Erica and Cora, “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll come back another time, sorry.”

“No, no, you’re fine.” Erica permitted her to stay. “What is it, Adela?”

After tasking Cora with separating all the medical equipment from each other, Erica had taken Adela into a private room.

With Adela nervously lying down on the bed in front of her, Erica gently lifted her shirt up and tucked a piece of tissue along the bottom of her tummy.

“This’ll be a little cold, okay?” Erica forewarned Adela as she squirted the ultrasound gel onto her patient before rolling the transducer along her abdomen.

Adela was taking deep breaths in a desperate attempt to keep herself calm; a million thoughts were racing through her mind, most of which involved the hypothetical scenario of Alek and Tia finding out the truth about her baby’s father.

Looking at the monitor, Erica gasped as bright smile came upon her face.

“What? What is it? What do you see?” Adela was desperate to see what exactly it was on the monitor that so quickly brought joy to Erica’s heart.

With no words and a smile only, Erica turned the monitor to Adela’s view. “You’re three months pregnant.” She confirmed.

Although Adela politely smiled at this news, she was very much aware of when exactly her baby had been conceived.

“And look at this here,” Erica pointed to the centre of the screen with her little finger, “You see that little flutter there? That’s your baby’s heartbeat.”

Adela’s whole world suddenly stopped, for nothing else mattered to her in this moment. In an instant, she began to cry with tears of joy, “My—My baby!” Joy was a rare emotion for Adela to feel.

“The foetus is healthy,” Erica’s more professional