Elsewhere...
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For the first time in a long time, her son is staying quiet. On any other occasion, she would be happy about that, but...
The two of them reached the decks outside some hours ago. When they finally made it out of the darkness of the ship's interior, they came upon nothing but ruin. In a matter of moments, what had once been a place of luxury and comfort had devolved into a disaster area. She'd never seen war, but at the moment she stepped out of the dark and into the mess, she couldn't help but wonder if this was what coming out of a bomb shelter after an airstrike was like.
She'd done some looking around, as if that would help her come to terms with everything, but eventually she tired of it. There was only so much of it she could take in before it started to leave her weary.
Now she sits outside amidst the wreckage of what was supposed to be the topmost deck of the ship. Railings, floorboards and no small number of broken furnishings lay strewn about all around her. Holes and smears of blood from where bodies had fallen only add to the static chaos of the scene. It's like whatever showed up here came with nothing but death and destruction on its mind. Even the pool hadn't been spared.
She supposes that's just as well. Swimming is the last thing she wants to do right now.
She stares out into the all-encompassing horizon around the ship, losing herself in the ocean's expanse. Right now, as she drifts on this large and empty vessel with only her son to keep her company, she feels more alone than she's ever felt in her life. Something about this situation and the way it's played out has left her with a dark and desolate feeling in the pit of her stomach. She feels like the world around her has come to its end. Or maybe it's just on it's way?
Her mind recoils at the thought of that awful thing working its way through the rest of the world, tearing it apart little by little until there's nothing left. It's all she can do not to run back into the dark and lock herself away until the memory of that creature disappears. She hopes she never has to see that thing again. The very idea of it scares her beyond words.
...Now that she thinks about it, will she ever see anyone again? She doesn't even know how far into the ocean she is, much less how long it will take for the ship to make it back home. It could be days, weeks, or even months. Hell, with the ship's generator out of commission, she might never make it back to New York.
She shakes her head. Focus on the positive. She and Joseph are both alive and kicking. That's what matters. As long as they stay alive, there's still hope.
...But for how long?
Her thoughts falter as parts of her body begin to itch.