Hope wrapped in tiny arms

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room. The attic had always been her papa's favorite room, he used to love to hide there and paint many lovely pictures. He didn't do that much anymore, I guess he was just too sad now.

Year 2027 - Place: The entire world as we know it.

The father sat in deep contemplation of the young child standing by the window. At only five years old, she possessed wisdom way beyond her given years. Even though they have been trapped in the attic for many months she did not complain and fuss much. He somehow drew his strength from her fortitude and courage. Food and water were running low. The water closet stank to high heaven, and even when using it, he have to ensure that no threat was around. For now, water still trickled in the pipes. Yet the diseased wracked entities outside showed no signs of leaving anytime soon. Linton had no idea how much longer they would last under the present conditions.

Little Tanya pulled the dark colored, slightly fraying curtain aside just enough so she could peek outside as she stood looking out the lone window in the attic, high above the streets. Doors hung ajar on the abandoned houses as far as she could see. The windows had been smashed, leaving them with gaping holes which had the appearance of faces with jagged teeth, mocking her, taunting her. Black moss and weeds overran the buildings, and the dried vines of dying plants clung to the walls like evil tendrils and fingers clutching at the throat of life, throttling the last vestige of living from the world. For a long time she had not seen a person who was not rotting. Thankfully, she was way too high up to smell them too much. Turning away from the window she spoke to her best and only friend besides papa.

"Papa says that everything will be all right, Matilda. I don't believe him anymore. He had said that when he went out to get Mama, and She never came back. He cried for a long time, I cried too. I still cry because I miss Mama so badly. Yesterday he finally told me that she had been killed by the rotten looking people walking around outside. He said I was now old enough to understand. But I did so understand, she wouldn't leave me if she weren't dead, she loved me a lot". A single tear rolled down Tanya's cheek. She raised her hand, straightened her shoulder as if resolving to be brave, and brushed the lonely teardrop from her cheek.

Matilda, the one eyed, frayed and well used teddy bear stared back at Tanya with a blank look in her solitary eye.

"Yes, I know you told me many times, and yes I did know down there in my heart that she was dead, but I prayed and wished upon the star like it said in the book about Christmas that she would come back to us".

Matilda found herself being flung with great might against the wall. Tanya was having a rare fit of tantrum. Matilda understood, she missed Mama too. At least she would have sewn her other eye back in.

"Tanya honey, remember we have to be very quiet. We don't want anyone to know that we are up here". Her father whispered.

The little girl started crying and sniffling. Linton hugged his daughter. He couldn't begin to understand the pain and loneliness of this young child who had lost so much and suffered pain and misery beyond her tender years. He remembered so vividly the day that Claudia had gone just down the block to bring food and medicine to the families at the Foster house. He blamed himself for allowing her to go out alone, but the danger had only just begun to manifest itself, and he never imagined that it had been close enough to affect their lives so quickly. When she had been gone for far too long, he tried calling her, receiving no response, he went out quickly to investigate, he had left Tanya sleeping and alone, there had no choice then. The Fosters had attacked and killed her. They saw him and came for him, there were others on the street coming towards him, the rotten people, as his daughter called them. He ran. Claudia would wake up and become one of them. He had to get back to his daughter.

Tanya had been born the same year that the pandemic broke out. It had started halfway around the world and in the space of one year the entire world had been paralyzed with fear, disease and millions of deaths. This led to famine, starvation, looting and mass extinction of animal life. Being a doctor, Linton had contacts, and had been able to stockpile medicine, food and water in case the taps stopped flowing. He stored as much as he could in the attic, while assisting in the makeshift shelters to aid the needy in his immediate area.

No one actually knew what the source of the pandemic was, there were guesses and surmises, but nothing concrete or factual to form a proper basis. Whatever it was, it was airborne. Spreading rapidly from person to person and wiping out whole cities at a time. People were still able to live in their houses, go foraging for food and whatever they could find. They were advised to stock up on candles, matches or lighters, and have a portable radio handy. All that had long since been a futile attempt at staying safe. It was no longer safe to venture outside if one did not possess the proper mask or face covering. Linton had two of those, and he wondered if the time would come when he would have to leave this place and find a safe home for his daughter.

Three years into the pandemic, the dead began walking again. It turns out the disease didn't kill, but put people to sleep, mutated them, while they decayed into something vile and disgusting, feeding on the flesh of the living. Those who were actually dead walked the earth as visible ghostly apparitions. Whatever was in the air was strong and potent enough to awaken even the dead. As far as we knew, everyone else was dead and decaying. We were the only survivors peering out of what is probably the last window through which living eyes were still able to view a distorted and broken world.

Tanya had fallen asleep in his lap. He got up and laid her gently on her little bed in the corner where a slither of sunlight always found it's way in to gently dance upon her cheeks while she slept. His precious daughter, what would be her future be in this dreadful dilemma that they had found themselves trapped without a plan of escape.

"Daddy, I had a dream that Mama came back for us. She wanted us to go outside with her, she says that she is outside the window". Little Tanya rubbed her eyes and yawned, coming fully awake.

Linton felt a chill which passed through his entire body. He moved swiftly to the window.

There standing below him, staring unblinking up at the space which was the window, even though he was sure she could not see him, was his deceased and broken wife Claudia. She had found them, and if she were still of the same temperament as when she had been alive and well, she would not give up until she got to them, Claudia was as stubborn as they come.

His audible gasp startled his daughter, who hurried over to his side. She stepped close and took her daddy's hand in hers. Looking out the window she did not at first recognize the person who stood looking up towards her. This woman was all wrong and standing funny. Parts of her face were sunken in, and she leaned sideways in a silly way. Tanya thought to herself.

Then slowly recognition dawned on her.

"Mama". She whispered.

Pulling the curtain together and holding her close to his side, he whispered back: "Baby, that is no longer your mother. I am so sorry, but you would not be safe with her anymore".

"But why is she out there, I though you said that she was dead"? The child looked up at him with so much sorrow on her upturned face that his heart broke a little for her.

"I know, little one. But there is something in the air that makes it possible for those who died to become something like ghosts and walk around for a while". Linton shivered visibly, and the child squeezed his hand in support. Tanya was such an intuitive little girl.

"What are we going to do now Papa"? She asked sadly.

"We are going to stay safe here in the attic for as long as we can Tanya. Just you and I, and hope that mama and all her friends will go away soon. I hope with all my heart that she will forget about us and go on to her new home".

"Where is that Papa. I wish that I could go with her". The child had a wistful look upon her face.

"Someday you will be able to go there to see her, but hopefully when you are a lot older than you are now. I know that you miss her but she can no longer be with us".

"Ok Papa. I understand". Little Tanya replied sadly.

The father and daughter stood a long time looking out the window. Linton knew in his heart that the chances of their getting out alive wholly depended on a miracle or the kind hand of fate.

He held tightly to his daughter's hand, while the apparition which was once his wife shuffled towards the unhinged and hanging front door of the house in which he and his child stood, looking out from behind the last window which they would probably ever know.

For the first time in his life, he prayed, hoping that whoever or whatever granted miracles, actually listened to his plea today.

Had he looked at the face of his daughter at that moment, he would have seen that she was smiling. She had not told him the second part of her dream. Mama had come for them in the attic, she was no longer broken looking, she had been tall and very beautiful, and she had taken them to a beautiful new home in a place with lovely flowers growing everywhere. She had been very happy.

After all, does hope not still spring eternal!

12/20/2022 N.A.