The Cure, стр. 3
I had grown up from a very young age with all the other children on the military base and we had an extremely close connection. The president’s sons, Logan and Daniel, had been my friends since the start and we became inseparable, often compared to the three musketeers but more often the three stooges. They were there for me and helped support me in any way they could. Logan was strong, physically and mentally, and as soon as he was old enough he asked his father to join the army on the base as his security detail. Daniel however was a dreamer. Daniel was three years younger than Logan and the same age as me. He was my closest friend and we would stay awake at night talking about what might have been if The Cure hadn’t brought us to this place. He was physically his brothers equal, but emotionally he couldn’t process the fact that he knew people were suffering when we were not.
Logan would gather the kids old enough to understand what was happening on a daily basis. He would give them information as to what was happening on the outside of the base, and how the ‘people in charge’ were looking to make everything right again, so America could rise like a Phoenix from the ashes. Logan was clever in that he only ever told them enough to stay positive and continue living the way we were, without worry or stress. But Daniel knew his brother and he knew he was holding back. Things were a lot worse than we could even imagine.
The brothers loved each other but as time went on Daniel distanced himself from both Logan and me and Logan saw this as his opportunity to tell me how he really felt about me. So began a love story in the worst of circumstances. Little did we know that everything was about to change again, as The President was about to make a decision which would affect the whole of the country.
And as for me, well, my name is Tallulah Wanikiy.’
Chapter Two
‘Tals. You coming over tonight?’ a girl shouted across the canteen to Tallulah.
‘I’ll see what I can do Faye. Dad will no doubt be working late. I’m normally asleep by the time he gets back home, and he’s gone when I wake up,’ she replied.
The girl approached Tallulah ‘Tell him Tals. He needs to be there for you too. He’s your father and he has a responsibility to you as well as the people on this base. You’re his daughter.’
‘Yeah, but it’s tough when he’s the one trying to save the world. I get it. It’s fine,’ said Tallulah.
‘Mm, well I’m trying to save the world, one boy at a time,’ she grinned ‘and talking of boys,’ she raised her eyebrows as a young soldier threw his arm over Tallulah’s soldier.
‘Logan,’ Faye said. ‘Can I steal her tonight, or you got plans to wine and dine her?’
‘All yours tonight I’m afraid. Big meeting this afternoon. Not sure what it’s about but it sounds serious. All the top guns are going to be there,’ said Logan.
‘Your loss is my gain. Hey, where’s that brother of yours. Tell him I was looking for him,’ she winked at Logan ‘See you at eighteen hundred hours Tals,’ she saluted, mocking Logan, and walked away smiling.
‘Sir yes Sir,’ she replied.
‘Very funny. You eaten lunch yet? I’ve got a surprise for you,’ he said.
‘Oooh, sounds exciting. Come on then soldier, where are we going?’
Logan took her hand and they walked down busy corridors, greeting people on the way. ‘Not much further,’ he said to her. They reached a storeroom which had a sign on it. Cleaning Supplies. Logan bowed and held his hand out beckoning her to walk through the door.
‘How romantic Logan. You’ve taken me to a cleaning supply storeroom. Are we going to go crazy and sweep out the mess hall? Or maybe even the latrines,’ she laughed.
‘Just look, would you?’ he said.
Tallulah opened the door and covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.
The room was completely covered in fairy lights and in the middle of the room was a table covered in a red tablecloth set out with plates, cutlery, and two glasses.
Tallulah touched a plate ‘China?’ she asked.
‘Only the best,’ he replied.
Tallulah hadn’t noticed a boy stood by the door as she came in and jumped as he stepped forward, arm out with a cloth over it and pulled out a seat for her.
‘Chuck,’ she giggled ‘He put you up to this?’ she smiled.
‘Madame,’ the boy said, pushing the chair in behind her.
‘This is amazing,’ she said. ‘You did all this for me?’
‘Of course, who else?’ Logan sat down and took one of her hands in his.
Chuck stepped away and removed a bowl from one of the shelves in the room and placed it in the middle of the table. Then took a small jug and placed it down beside the bowl.
‘Thanks Chuck,’ said Logan ‘I think we’re good.’ He shook Chuck’s hand and Chuck left the room grinning from ear to ear.
‘Oh, My Goodness. Is that what I think it is? Strawberries! Where did you get strawberries? I haven’t seen a strawberry in forever. Perhaps when I was three. What? Where?’ she stammered.
‘Let’s just say I called in a favor, or five,’ said Logan, taking a strawberry from the bowl and holding it up to her lips. ‘Got cream too if you want it.’
‘Logan Mathers you have outdone yourself,’ she said standing up and walking round to sit on his lap. She bit into the strawberry and closed her eyes. At that moment she was no longer in a storeroom but in