Epilogue

"You really think this is clean enough?" I ask, tilting my head to one side and waiting.

"Uhm," Tim murmurs, but he picks up the scrub brush and takes the pan out of my hand.

"Thank you," I say, turning my attention to the rest of the kitchen.

I'm tired, but that's okay. It's been a good day. Everyone is fed, which makes me happy and my kitchen sparkles, which also brings a joy of its own.

"Okay guys, good job," I say. All the workers look up from their final tasks and look expectantly at me. I clap my hands and then wipe them against each other. "I know this is hard work, but we all rose to the challenge. Our fellow survivors are fed for another day. Well done. Now wrap up and go get some sleep. Tomorrow is coming fast."

They return a round of acknowledgments and set to getting done. I take a cloth over the prep table one more time just to add that final bit of shine to get it just the way I like it. As my crew files out to go home I go to follow them when a rattle catches my attention.

Frowning, I try to figure out exactly where it's coming from, something is making it, clearly, but what? I make my way around the kitchen tracing the sound then it gets louder and there is no doubt what the source of it is. The freezer.

"No, no, no, no," I mutter.

I pull the door open and there is no longer any doubt that this is the source of the noise. A loud clang and clatter assaults my ears and there is smoke coming out of the fan at the back. I stare helpless, unsure what to do. My only idea is to shut it down, but if I do how long will the meat we have in here last?

"No choice," I say to myself.

I step towards the off switch and as I do there is one final loud bang and rattle then a puff of smoke and the motor stops.

"Oh shit."

I close the door to keep what cold air we have inside. This is a problem. A big one. I need to find Jean now. I rush out of the kitchen door and run through the halls. Turning a corner I run right into one of the Zmaj.

We collide hard and I'm sent reeling back. He catches me around my waist and keeps me from falling, but barely.

"Sorry," I say, ready to move then my eyes and his meet and the world stops.

He has rich, yellow eyes a color that I've never seen. He looks young, but I'm instantly turned on. Ridiculous, a woman my age, but I'm also old enough to not confuse these feelings for anything else. We both gasp as if shocked and neither of us moves.

"Hello," he says in a whisper.

"Hi," I say, all thoughts of the freezer and the imminent problem gone.

My heart is racing, my breath ragged, and every nerve tingles. This is trouble of an entirely unexpected nature.

"Beautiful," he says, his voice louder and stronger now then he brushes a loose hair out of my face.

Oh. Shit. What is happening?