Sunlight beaming in, I wake up and for a brief moment. I forget where I am. I see Germaine reading under the window.

She notices me looking at her.

"Oh, you're up, I hope I didn't wake you."

Rubbing my eyes I say.

"No,no that's okay, I didn't even know you were there."

"Listen I'm sorry about last night. About us arguing. Tensions are just high, you know? I don't want you to feel unwelcome here. We really do need your help. And it sounds like you've been through hell, so you probably really need a place to relax."

"That's okay. I'm just happy to have found other living people. Are there a lot of us left?"

"To be honest with you, I'm not sure. I don't think Court has encountered anyone other then you for a few days now. I haven't left the apartment since all this started, over a week ago. And with the power out, the elevator won't be working again. So I don't know how I could leave if I wanted too. That's why Court does all the gathering. You'll be helping her more today by the way. But you've got a few hours before she'll even wake up. She was up late drinking and taking those pills again. So she'll be passed out well into the afternoon."

"What do the pills do?"

"They're pain killers."

Germaine explains.

"Is she injured? She seems okay to me."

"Wow, You really are so innocent. No she's not injured. She just likes the way they make her feel."

We continue talking on like this for a long time. Hours pass as I tell her about everything. All the events of the last few days. Not leaving out any details. And in turn she told me about what happened to them. Not just since this all started but before then.

Twins, living together on their own for a few years. Both patents died in a car crash that left Germaine paralyzed from the waist down. How they opted to sell the house and use the money for physio therapy and medical bills. Using the rest to pay rent for their apartment. And keep them afloat as they finished high school and now, as they are, or were. looking to start their careers.

We eventually wrapped back around to current events.

"Do you think anyone knows what caused all this?"

I asked.

Germaine replied excitedly with.

"I have a theory about it. Let me show you!"

"She leaves the room in a hurry and comes back moments later with a science magazine.

"I had a few articles saved online. But, well... That's not an option right now. So this will have to do."

She rolls up beside me, holding the magazine open.

There's a group of people in lab coats. Standing in a semicircle, posing for a picture. Their names listed underneath.

"Now, I've been following this story pretty closely. Having a vested interest, As this could have given me my ability to walk back. So, what they did was make these little robots."

She turns the page to show A majorly magnified image of a little silver robot.

"They usually call these things nanobots, or bugs. So what these bugs do, after they've been injected into your blood stream. They get to work. Helping your immune system, killing any virus before it has a chance to spread. They'd repair damaged organs. Liver failure, heart disease, anything like that would have been a thing of the past. They could improve organs that were already working fine. Eye sight would have been better than any of us could imagine. Brain power, muscle tone. The list is nearly endless. Anyways, getting back to my point. Early reports of testing, unverified mind you, said anyone tested on. Ended up brain dead. In perfect physical shape. Hell, no longer even needing to eat. But just sitting there indefinitely. Never moving. There was some speculation online that free will is inefficient, in terms of safety. If their primarily goal is too keep the host body safe. What better way then to sit idly."

She puts the magazine down and continues.

"Now, The silver slime you mentioned. Said it was moving, flowing within itself. Court told me she saw the same thing. The bugs have adaptive technology, meaning they learn as they go along. So it stands to reason that once all the internal threats to the host body are taken care of. You then go on to remove the external threats. As in other humans. Either that, or they're programmed to work for the betterment of all humanity instead of just the host body. I'm honestly not sure which it is. As I'm just speculating here. But that's what brings us too the spreading. I don't think they're trying to kill us. I think they're trying to inject the bugs into us. Easiest way to do that? take a bite, tear the flesh with your teeth, and simultaneously spit bugs into the wound. I haven't yet figured out where they're all coming from though. Maybe they can reproduce. Maybe they salvage materials and create more bugs that way. I honestly don't know. But this is the best explanation I can come up with."

"So, If your right. What do we do?"

I ask.

"I'd imagine these bugs, like any tech, Need a power source. With the power being out. I figure we just need to fortify our place and wait. Sooner or later their batteries will die, and its problem solved at that point."

A few more hours of chatting pass by as we wait for Courtney to wake up. Germaine uses a butane canister to heat us up some coffee and oatmeal. I've never had coffee before. It's different from the teas I'm use too. I don't like it at first. But in the interest of being polite I drink it anyways. She pours me a second cup. By the time I was done, I found myself really enjoying it.

I liked talking to Germaine. I've had only a few experiences interacting with outsiders before. But this was different. Others had always talked down to me. As if I didn't know anything. And always with the questions about being Amish. Like we were some strange creatures to be studied. When Germaine spoke to me though, She did it as if I were her equal. As if we were both simply human. I wonder if She'd be the same way towards me had we met under different circumstances. She asserted that she felt comfortable talking to me because we'd both be considered freaks and outsiders in regular society. I can't fully attest to that. But I can say I'm glad we found each other.