"Happy Families" (Nature)

Erica sat down on the other side of the desk, facing Annabelle, “So go on then. Tell me what happened, please.” Erica asked her. Annabelle took a deep breath, “You have to promise that when I tell you what happened, you aren’t going to do anything which will harm me…” This was a bizarre request which took a few moments for Erica to process, but she nodded nonetheless. “Alright…” Annabelle took deep breaths and recalled her story…

… ''Annabelle watched as Vanessa and Keith grew closer. She found their interactions with each other to be rather sweet. On the other side of the terminal, she could see Miguel watching them closely out of jealousy. She walked over to him.''

''“See anything you like?” She jokingly remarked, as Miguel continued to concentrate on Keith and Vanessa’s interaction. “Come on Miguel, don’t be jealous.” He shook his head despite having gone bright red, “I’m not jealous! There’s no time for jealousy anymore… In fact, why are we still in this damn terminal?” He clapped his hands loudly, “Chop, chop! Time to go! We need to get a move on if we’re going to find Annabelle’s group again. Hurry up!” He forced Keith and Vanessa apart as the group prepared to move out.''

''With their things packed and their firearms ready, the group headed out of the terminal. “Right then… Where do we start?” Miguel asked. “The map,” Keith pointed to Vanessa who had taken a map from a terminal store. “Let’s see… Keith can you help me read this?”''

''As he went to move around, Miguel got in the way, “It’s alright Keith, I’ve got this one my friend. He blocked him out, assisting Vanessa with the map. Annabelle was trying not to laugh at this situation.''

''The group travelled down an empty and continuously ongoing road. There were no cars or any form of transportation lying about. ''

''“Christ!” Miguel was becoming tired and impatient. “Alright calm down, we’ll find something soon.” Annabelle tried to reassure him, but she wasn’t very convincing. “Except we won’t, will we? That’s just a load of bullshit and you know it, Annabelle. We’re going to die out here on this road. You know that too. I’m hungry, I’m thirsty, and I’m very tired. This place is desolate, which really doesn’t help at all.” Miguel kept presenting the bad news to the group. ''

''“Hold on, what’s this?” Cora picked a cake box on the ground. ''

''“Oh God, please, please, please just let there be something inside to eat!” He literally put his hands into a praying gesture. Cora opened the box, but it was completely empty.''

''“Dammit!” Miguel stomped so hard that he injured his foot. “Look, mate, why don’t you just calm down? Getting angry won’t do us any favours!” Keith suggested in a patronising voice.''

''“Calm down? Why don’t you get your lips off of Vanessa then?” Miguel pushed Keith away from him. ''

''“Oh come on you two, stop it,” Vanessa lightly remarked, unfazed by their drama. “Are you serious, V? You like him? You’ve only just met this guy! Look at him!” ''

''Cora and Annabelle looked at each other and nodded, thinking the exact same thought. They walked off, leaving the other three to argue amongst themselves. “They’ll come around eventually.” Cora smiled at Annabelle, “I know.” She jokingly responded…''

 

… “That was the first mistake we made,” Annabelle told Erica, Tina and Reed. “We should’ve never left them with each other, even if it was pathetic and squirmy drama.”

Erica looked intently at Annabelle, “Why was it a mistake, Annabelle?” Her eyes became ferocious, causing Annabelle to gulp.

“As it transpired, it turned out that those three actually didn’t come around eventually. Not in the way that Cora had predicted anyway.”

Erica slammed the desk, making Annabelle jump. “God dammit! Stop speaking so cryptically and just tell me where the hell my daughter is already!” Tina put her arms around her girlfriend, taking her hand off the desk, “Remain calm, Erica. Getting angry won’t change whatever happened.” Tina slowly took her hands off of her, as Annabelle nodded appreciatively.

Elsewhere, Elliot and Gwen had continued their conversation. “Don’t get me wrong, Gwen… I’m really happy for you that Annabelle came back. But at the same time, I envy you and I hate the fact that she is here…”

Gwen wasn’t cross with Elliot at all, she understood his point of view.

“It just seems like everything goes right for everyone that isn’t me. Why am I still even on this planet? Am I God’s punching bag? His dartboard? What’s the grand prize, Gwen? Because Olivia’s demise to me feels the same way a dartboard must feel when the player gets a bullseye… Stings like hell.” Elliot was still shaken up by the events of what had happened.

“If this was the other way around, Elliot. If Annabelle had died, and if you had found Olivia again, I’d be feeling exactly the same. This conversation would be exactly the same. Except you’d be sitting here and I’d be sitting there.” She gestured between their two positions.

“Gwen…” Elliot cleared his throat, “I have something I want to ask you. It’s a big question though, and it’s a bit unordinary nowadays. But I just want you to consider it at least. Can you do that for me?”

She nodded, “Of course I can, Elliot. What is it? What’s on your mind?”

He looked up at her, “I want you to adopt me. I want you to be my stepmother, Gwen.”

She looked at him bewildered, yet also she looked as though she felt privileged. “Elliot, I,” Before she could give her answer, Elliot interrupted her.

“I know it’s a big ask, Gwen. But I need family now more than ever. Steven was like a brother to me, but he’s gone. Olivia was my girlfriend, but she’s gone. Goodness knows where my sister is as well, dead or alive, it doesn’t matter, the point is I won’t be seeing her again. But you Gwen, you’re right here, in front of me. Be my stepmother. Let Annabelle be my stepsister. Please, Gwen?”

She stuttered momentarily, before warmly smiling at him, “Elliot, I would be delighted to accept you as my son.” He breathed a sigh of relief with an upbeat expression, bringing his new stepmother in for a hug. “Thanks mum…”

“Pretty much half a day passed,” Annabelle was still telling her story, “Before Vanessa and her two lovebirds caught up with us. When they did, it was clear they’d all had a big argument. The amount of space in between them was enough to fit an entire military convoy.”

Erica rolled her eyes, “You’re not funny, Annabelle. In fact, you’re the most boring and blandest girl I’ve ever met. You’re not nothing like my daughter at all, I take it all back. At least if it was Cora sitting there and Gwen sitting here, she’d already know what happened to you. But unfortunately, things are the other way around. So stop wasting my time, stop wasting my patient, and stop pushing your luck.” Her ferocious look returned, sending chills down Annabelle’s spine.

“Alright, alright. Fair play,” Annabelle gave in…

… ''That evening was rather quiet. The group slept in an abandoned house, each in a different room to another. Annabelle slept by the fireplace – one of the few things which actually still functioned properly in the end times. As she nearly fell completely asleep, she was rudely awoken by a noise outside. It was as though someone was trying to break in. Instinctively, Annabelle grabbed the red hot poker which had been left in the fireplace. In her other hand she readied her pistol as well, headed towards the source of the noise.''

''She reached the basement door, noticing it was slightly ajar, hearing someone or something beneath her. She took a deep breath, and fired a warning shot down into the basement. The gunshot rang out as the entire house fell silent momentarily. ''

''“What the hell are you doing?” Vanessa tied up a dressing gown – which was now hers – as she investigated what Annabelle was doing. “Someone’s down there!” Annabelle whispered to her, as she handed Vanessa the poker. “Wait up here,” Annabelle instructed her, as she pushed the creaky basement door open slightly – it was too dark to see anything.''

''“Open the blinds!” Annabelle called back to Vanessa, who rolled the blinds on the window up, allowing the moonlight to shine in, lighting up the basement dimly, but also enough for Annabelle to see down there. ''

''As she creaked down the stairs, she noticed where the bullet had hit as a hole had been made. She looked at the area behind the stairs, but there was nothing. ''

''“Hurry!” Vanessa peered down, concerned for Annabelle and also for her own safety. She screamed slightly, as Miguel grabbed her from behind. ''

''“Jesus Miguel! Don’t ever do that again!” She gritted her teeth at him. “Sorry Vanessa, but this is for your own good… Well actually, it’s more for my own. But at least you won’t have to deal with that prick Keith anymore.” He pushed her into the basement as she tumbled down the stairs before closing the basement door on her, barricading it from the outside. ''

''“Vanessa! What the heck?” Annabelle crouched down next to her, as she drearily put her hands over her head. “My goodness, you’re concussed! What happened? Vanessa?” Annabelle shook her, but she didn’t respond. ''

''Upstairs, Miguel pulled out his pistol and primed it. He held it out in front of him, “Time to end this.” He headed towards the stairs, headed for the upstairs rooms…''

 

… “And that was the second mistake we made.” Annabelle followed up. “Should never have gone into the basement. Even now I’ve still got absolutely no idea how he did it – How he made all that noise in the basement, or maybe if it was just a coincidence. I guess I’ll never know now though…” As Annabelle began to daydream, Erica clicked her fingers, breaking Annabelle’s trance.

Erica leant across the desk, “Now listen here, you bitch. Now’s not the time for daydreaming. You can do that once you’ve finished your little story. Hurry up and tell me already, where is my daughter?”

Annabelle nodded in fear and acceptance, “Alright. This is the hard part…”

-As of this chapter, Elliot is now Gwen's step-son as well as Annabelle's step-brother.
 * This is also what the title is a reference to. "Happy Families" is a card game, and in this context it doubles as a reference to Gwen's 'adoption' of Elliot as her own stepson.