Mark, who had been scribbling in his notebook, looked up. "Hold on, Alex. The 'Perimeter Walk'... that fence has to be, what, a five-mile loop? Isn't that... super inefficient? And dangerous, even for two people?"
Alex actually smirked, as if he was waiting for this. "You're right. Walking it is the backup. The 'once a week' maintenance check."
He gestured back toward the house. "The real check is the camera system. There are 40 high-definition, thermal, and night-vision cameras in a daisy-chain around the entire perimeter, all wired to the main server. The 'daily' check is me—or Mark, once I teach him—sitting at the computer with a coffee for 20 minutes and fast-forwarding through the night's motion-sensor alerts. The walk is just to check the wiring, clear any brush, and make sure nothing's tried to burrow under."
Mina, who had been listening, beamed. "YES! Even less work! This is the best!"
"Wait," Alex said suddenly, his brow furrowing. He looked... annoyed at himself. "I'm an idiot. We're dividing chores for tomorrow, but we don't even have a baseline. I've just been... feeding them. I have no idea if they're all actually healthy."
He turned his full attention to Jess. "Jess, I need you. Tomorrow. Forget the normal schedule. You and I need to do a full workup on all the livestock. Check for parasites, infections, log their health. Get a baseline."
He continued, "And that means starting early. Is it too much trouble for you to get up with me at sunrise? I need you to check the cows before I milk them, just in case one is sick."
Jess, who had been quietly observing, straightened up, all professional. "That's my job, Alex. I'll do it. But... I'll be honest, my internal clock is a mess. I can't guarantee I'll wake up that early on my own."
"Don't worry about it," Alex said simply. "I'll wake you."
Just then, Alice's voice called from the house. "Lunch is ready!"
The whole discussion about labor had lasted right up until Alice finished cooking. They all piled inside, the smell of fresh food making them realize how hungry they were. They quickly devoured the meal.
"Alice, I'm not kidding," Mark said, his mouth full. "This is better than most restaurants I'd go to on a normal day."
Jenna nodded in agreement. "We've dined better in the last two days than we have in months."
Alex got up, stacking his plate. "Mina. Dish duty."
Mina's face fell into a deep frown. "But... but..."
"Dish duty."
She groaned but, seeing no way out of it, started gathering the plates.
Alex turned to the others, who were sinking into the couch in a food coma. "Well, we've got the rest of the day. If you feel like it, we could play something." He gestured to the massive cabinet. "I've got strategy, like Axis & Allies... party games, like Cards Against Humanity... or pretty much anything in between."
The rest of the day was spent in a strange, peaceful bubble. They fooled around, the sounds of arguments over board game rules and occasional, genuine laughter filling the fortress. As the sun began to set, one by one, they all retreated to their new, private, and—most importantly—safe rooms to rest.
The next morning, Alex woke as usual before the sunrise. He got dressed in his work clothes, went downstairs, and started a large pot of coffee. He drank one cup in the quiet kitchen, the house still silent, then poured a second, black. Time to wake the doctor.
He went up to the first floor and knocked gently on her door, conscious of the others sleeping nearby. "Jess?"
No answer. He knocked again, a bit harder. "Jess, time to get up."
Silence.
"Right," he mumbled to himself. He carefully opened the door, just a crack. "Jess?"
The room was dark. He could see her form, half-covered by the blanket, sleeping soundly, unbothered by the world.
Alex sighed. "Well, she said she might not wake up... but this is more like someone was knocked out by a brick."
He walked closer to the bed. "Jess. Wake up." Still no reaction. He was now standing right beside her. He hesitated, then, seeing no other option, he decided to shake her. He placed his hand carefully on her shoulder. "Jess. Wake up. We have to..."
He never finished. Her hand shot up like a steel trap, grabbing his wrist. In the same, shockingly fast and strong motion, she pulled.
Alex, caught completely off balance, was yanked down with a surprised grunt, landing half on top of her. Before he could even process it, she had, still mostly asleep, rolled and wrapped an arm around his back, pulling him tightly against her. His face was now resting squarely on the warm, soft swell of her breasts.
"...mmph... five more minutes, Hugo..." she mumbled into his hair.
Alex's face flushed a deep, instant crimson. He was frozen. This was... an unfamiliar feeling. And... satisfying, in a way that made him deeply uncomfortable. He immediately tried to "wrestle" himself free, pushing against her. It was useless; she had an iron grip.
Now genuinely flustered, he called her, his voice louder. "Jess! Doctor! Wake up!"
Her eyes finally fluttered, then opened, blurry. They tried to focus on the dark shape on top of her. Her eyes went wide. She opened her mouth to let out a full-force scream.
Alex, anticipating it, moved just as fast, clamping his free hand over her mouth. "Shh! Shh! Don't! It's me, Alex! Don't scream!"
He spoke in a fast, urgent whisper. "Don't misunderstand! I just came in! You refused to wake up! I knocked, I called, I just tried to shake you a bit, and you... you pulled me down! This is your fault!"
As he finished, he slowly took his hand off her mouth. Jess, her face as red as his, released him instantly, as if he were on fire. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she whispered, mortified. "I... I have a habit... body pillows... I just... I hug things. It was... it was an instinctual reaction!"
Alex scrambled off the bed, shaking his head, trying to get his composure back. "Right. Fine." He was already at the door, not looking at her. "Get dressed. Come down. I made coffee."
A few minutes later, Jess came down, her hair hastily tied back. Alex handed her the mug of coffee, and she gulped it down, the heat helping. They left the house, the silence between them thick and awkward.
Jimbo was waiting by the front door, restless. He saw Alex, then saw Jess emerge with him. The massive dog let out a low, rumbling woof and gave Alex an expression that looked suspiciously like a doggy grin, as if he knew something.
They made their way to the barn. Alex unlatched the door, and as the cows began to file out, Jess was immediately in "vet mode." She watched them, her eyes sharp.
"Wow, Alex," she said, her voice full of professional respect. She ran a hand along the flank of one of the cows. "They're... they're in excellent condition. Good coats, bright eyes, lively. The environment here must be perfect for them."
"I try," Alex said, grabbing a pitchfork.
As he began his work, Jess started her own checks, making small talk. "You know... back at the Applebee's... you weren't exactly talkative."
"Didn't seem like the time for it," Alex replied, tossing hay.
"Fair enough," she said. "But... I have to ask. How are you like this? So prepared? So... adjusted? You're 21, but... you seem like you've been doing this for years."
Alex stopped, leaning on the pitchfork. He was quiet for a moment, then shrugged. "No reason to hide it. I've had nightmares. Since I was a kid."
Jess looked up, her expression curious.
"About this. The world ending. The infected. All of it. The only time the nightmares would ease up... was when I did something to prepare for it. So, I learned. Martial arts, engineering, first aid, farming... you name it."
He gestured around the barn. "When my parents... when they died in a car accident a few years ago, I got a lot of money. Insurance, inheritance. The nightmares got worse. So, I built this. The 'Heritage Farm' project. Put every dime into it. I just... I never stopped."
He went back to work. "So, that's me." He then turned it around. "What about you? You said you were European. That's a long way from home for a vet."
"Oh," Jess said, "I... I came to the States for the Cornell program. It's... it's the best. My family's all back in Germany. I was supposed to... well, I was just starting my career here." She sighed, a look of sadness passing over her. "Guess I'm just lucky I'm an 'in-demand' profession."
They finished checking the cows and milking them. Alex, having finished mucking the stalls while Jess sat on a hay bale observing, wiped his brow. He whistled sharply. "Jimbo! Take 'em out!"
The bestest boy, who had been waiting by the gate, reacted instantly, barking and artfully herding the cows toward the open pasture. Alex walked over and offered a hand to Jess.
"If you're not too tired," he said, helping her up, "we could check out the chickens too and be done with it."
Jess nodded, stretching. "Yes, I just needed to sit for a bit. It's still... it's still way too early for me."
They made their way to the chicken coop, the awkwardness from the bedroom gone, replaced by an easy, early-morning familiarity. They were in a good mood, joking with each other.
"Careful," Alex teased, as she unlatched the coop. "That big hen, 'Matilda,' she's got a mean streak."
"Oh, please," Jess scoffed, bumping him slightly with her shoulder. "She's just misunderstood. You probably don't know how to talk to a lady."
While Jess checked the chickens' health, Alex topped off the feed and water. He was gathering the eggs when he asked, his tone teasing, "So... who's this 'Hugo'?"
Jess froze. Her ears turned a bright, furious red. "He's... my sleeping companion," she said, her voice low.
Alex misunderstood instantly. "Oh. Oh." He stopped gathering eggs. "I... uh, I didn't take you for that type of woman, Doc. But, hey," he tried to sound casual, "it's not like I'm experienced myself. No judgment."
Jess looked up, offended. "It's not like that! What do you...?"
"No, no, it's fine!" Alex said, waving his hands, trying to be supportive. "I get it! Everyone needs someone. Don't worry about it."
"It's NOT LIKE THAT!" Jess raised her voice, her face getting redder. "He's... he's my giant teddy plush! I... I sleep with him!"
Alex's jaw fell. He just stared. He found it infinitely harder to imagine this 25-year-old, highly-educated veterinarian sleeping with a plushie than... well... a nighttime companion.
Jess, overcome with embarrassment, crouched down, hiding her face between her knees and arms. "Oh my god, just... forget I said anything."
Alex, realizing he'd made it worse, tried to defuse the situation. "Hey... no, it's fine. Really." He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "I... I understand. Everyone has sleeping habits. I... for example... I can only sleep in boxers. I feel stuffy otherwise."
Jess looked up, her face mock-angry. "That is not nearly the same thing!"
"Right... right," Alex said, looking profoundly awkward.
Seeing his reaction, Jess suddenly started to laugh. "You're terrible at this." She stood up, brushing herself off. "Are you done? Can we go back?"
He nodded, relieved. "All done." He quickly grabbed his things and the basket of eggs.
They made their way back toward the house, both still chuckling. Alex opened the door and let Jess in first. They were both smiling, and the vibe between them was clearly, undeniably closer than it had been the day before.
The four others were already up. Mark and Jenna were at the dining table, finalizing the new, retought chore division. Mina was in the kitchen, "helping" Alice make breakfast.
They all looked up as the door opened. They saw Alex and Jess enter, laughing at something.
Mina, who was supposed to be watching toast, stopped. She lightly kicked Alice in the shin. "Psst. Sis. See that?" she whispered, her voice urgent. "She's already working her magic. You need to activate. You're losing."
Alice looked over. She saw Jess's easy smile and Alex's relaxed posture. Her own face, which had been bright, clouded over with an unreadable, complicated mix of jealousy and sadness.