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Paige let out a shaky breath. It had been a while since she had driven down this road, but despite the years every turn was still etched in her memory. Her grip tightened on the wheel as she turned into the driveway of a small white house. A rusted grey truck sat in-front of the house, I guess Fern never got to her car Paige noted to herself, worry building in the pit if her stomach.
Parking the car she was able to get a better look, the house was worn compared to what she remembered visiting. Dirt had settled on the surface of the, now damaged, walls and the garden was filled with thick over grown shrubbery. She looked over to the front door, it was wide open Fuck. She practically jumped out of her car, fumbling and dropping the keys in the process, as she raced to the door. The old wooden stairs creaked under her weight as she burst into the house. “FERN!?” She yelled into the dusty foyer, faintly lit by sun shining through the windows. She heard no response, “FERN ARE YOU HERE?” She called again with only silence as a reply. She took a moment, reasoning with herself, c’mon Paige you knew she wouldn’t be here, you’re just going to make yourself a dead dude buffet if you keep being so noisy. She frowned at her own internal monologue as she started down the hall.
Fern was her sister, older by about 5 years though that had never caused conflict between them. They were close, almost inseparable, before the walkers came a little over 6 months prior. The day it all happened She had been away, driving to an interview at a daycare. Often she wished she hadn’t gone.
Visit me when you get home, i have something for you, P
Paige thought hard but thats the last thing she could remember Fern saying. It had been eating at her for months, she had almost no idea what her sister could’ve meant, as close as they were she was always good with surprises. She turned into the kitchen no knives, someone was definitely here she noted as she began looking around. She didn’t know what she was looking for exactly, just some clue to find her sister. She missed her a lot, going through all this without her sister, life long best friend, had been taxing on her. She wanted to leave the university so much sooner to look for her but Ruben had warned it wouldn’t be safe just yet, they didn’t know how many walkers had overtaken the town yet. A panic had been building in her for months, she was so afraid she had missed her chance to say goodbye.
The kitchen was turning out to be a dead end. Frustrated she turned and continued down the hall. Subconsciously she had walked to a bedroom, her sisters. She was used to it being a bit messy, but it was clear that it had been searched through. Drawers and their contents were scattered along the floor, plenty of things such as her clothing obviously missing. Paige’s eyes welled up with tears and she felt her breath caught in her throat. She feared the worst, it was clear someone had scavenged the house, but she had a sinking feeling that it wasn’t her sister who had.
Scanning the room again the corner of a red crate, tucked behind some other boxes underneath the bed frame, had caught her eye. She crouched down and moved some boxes out of the way, pulling out the red milk crate. It was full, though she couldn’t see what took up all the space in it yet as it was covered by some cloth and an envelope. Picking up the envelope she froze for a second. Right there, in Fern’s handwriting, For Paige .
She hesitated. Finding this meant her sister wasn’t fully gone yet, there was of her in whatever words lay inside. And she wasn’t ready for her to be gone yet.
She stashed the envelope in her pocket, turning her attention to the dusty cloth covering the contents of the milk crate. It hasn’t been that long since all this started,, how long did she have this for? Paige questioned before pulling off the cloth. A cloud of dust jumped into the air causing her to cough and her eyes to sting. Once her vision had readjusted she saw what the crate was filled with.
Music had been something that her and her sister bonded over. They had started collecting cassettes together way before her mom had torn her sister and dad away from her. And even then, despite her mother’s attempts to keep her away from Fern, she would sneak out every weekend and go visit her sister. And they would always be listening to their music together on their walkman. And once she had run away from her mother for good and lived with her dad and sister full time they would do so almost daily.
She teared up as she sifted through the cassettes in the crate, finding the walkman and a pack of batteries alongside them. She thought she would’ve never seen them again when her sister took them to college with her but here they were.
Noticing through the window that the sun was lowering outside she began to pack up the crate again. She didn’t want to have to leave the house in the dark and be an easy target for a stray walker.
On her way back the car she had a realization. She was certain now that Fern had been planning to surprise her with the collection and their old walkman, so that she could have it for college just like her sister had years prior.
Even with her vision blurred by tears Paige hopped in her car, securing the crate in the seat next to her, before looking around for the keys she had dropped prior.
She was devastated to have not found her sister but thankful to at least have a piece of her now. She didn’t have to do this without her anymore.