Necrocide

Chapter 32

FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE OUTBREAK...

Aaron lay in his room, buried up to his neck in his blanket. He snuggled his head into the pillow and let out a sigh of relief. This had been one of his favorite days at the children's home. It had been snowing in London ever since Christmas, and three weeks into January it was still coming down strong. Twice a week they would all travel to the nearest parks to play in the snow. Then they'd finish off the day back at the children's home with hot chocolate and a movie.

As much as he enjoyed the day, especially when Jonah decapitated the snowman they made and launched the head at Natalya, he was glad to be back in his warm bed. He also loved his view from his window. The perfect view of Big Ben on the other side of the Thames combined with the serene descent of the snow only made him feel more relaxed as he attempted to fall asleep.

Just as his eyes were about to slide shut for the last time that night, he heard his door creak open. Since he was faced toward the wall, he couldn't tell what was coming, but he didn't feel threatened. Anytime someone entered his room it was always one of the Hecoxes. But not this time.

Aaron slowly tilted his head toward the door, getting a quick glimpse of the ceiling before encountering his visitor. Turns out his visitor was the same golden-haired bookworm who always kept him company in the library every day.

"Hi, Aaron!" Nika greeted with a smile. She stood next to Aaron's bed in her nightgown, clutching a Peter Rabbit book to her chest.

"Nika," Aaron groaned tiredly as he sat up on his bed. He took a quick glimpse at the clock hanging from his wall. "It's past midnight. Get some sleep."

"But I can't sleep. We didn't get to read today and you promised me we'd finish it before Christmas."

"But it's the twenty-fourth of January."

Nika raised an eyebrow. "Exactly."

Oops, Aaron thought to himself. "Fine," he said halfheartedly. "But only because I now need help sleeping, too."

Nika sat down on the bed next to Aaron and placed the book in front of them. She briefly hugged Aaron, pressing her head against his shoulder, before letting go and remaining close to him as they prepared to open the book. Aaron suddenly lost all of his focus in that one moment. He felt like he forgot how to read.

"W-w-what page were we on last time?" Aaron stuttered.

Nika took the book and flipped the pages until it landed on a page marked by a purple slip of paper. "Here, silly. We marked it earlier, remember?"

"But I thought Mr. Hecox said he would read the rest of it to us."

"He's asleep!"

"What a surprise."

"And I like it more when you read it. You're good at doing the character's voices."

Aaron shrugged. "I guess."

He grabbed the book and placed it in between the two of them and prepared to read. Even though it had been a fortnight since he last read The Tale of Peter Rabbit, he and Mrs. Hecox agreed he was improving in his reading skills. Plus, Nika had become one of his closest friends besides Jonah and Natalya--the Cod Squad as they called themselves--and he hated seeing her unhappy.

"Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the toolshed," Aaron read, "perhaps hidden underneath a flower-pot. He began to turn them over carefully, looking under each. Presently Peter sneezed-'Kertyschoo!' Mr. McGreg--"

Nika giggled. Aaron glanced at her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Kertyschoo!" Nika repeated, continuing to giggle. "That sounds funny! Say it again!"