New Accommodations

Posted on Wed Jan 14th, 2026 @ 10:12pm by Lola ‘Myth’ McDowell & René Rouen & Juliet Parrish

2,094 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Safe Harbour
Location: Lola's Cottage
Timeline: 03 December 2012, 1900 hours (7pm)

Juliet made her way through the snow covered streets of Thistledrift. She would occasionally look over her shoulder at the young Frenchman trying to keep up while lugging a backpack with all his worldly possessions, save those that he had left in the garage back at Cassandra's cottage. Mostly tools needed for repairing his motorcycle.

René was tired, bordering on exhausted. He had traveled nearly a week on poor roads. Spent the night in the cottage of Thistledrift's community leader. He had risen early to make repairs to his motorcycle and split firewood in payment for a comfortable night's shelter in a bed. He spent the remainder of the day accompanying a group to a nearby coastal town to gather supplies for the coming winter in support of the small community.

The pair arrived at a modest cottage and Juliet pulled up short just shy of the porch to pause and look René over, as if trying to decide if she was doing the right thing helping the young René in finding accommodations for himself. “Look, René. You seem like a decent guy. The person who lives here is a good friend of mine. If you do anything that upsets them in the least. I will see to it that Cassandra tosses you out of town. Do you understand me?”

René turned to Juliet and stared at her for a moment before nodding that he understood. “Oui, Mademoiselle Parrish. I understand.”

Juliet took a deep breath as she looked René over for a moment. She then stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door.

The door opened almost before her hand fell to her side. Lola had seen them approaching through the frosted window and had already begun to unbolt the lock. Her warm smile greeted them both as the door swung wide, letting out a gust of heat from the woodstove within.

Lola was wrapped in a thick sweater and fingerless gloves, her sleeves pushed up as though she'd been busy with something before they arrived. She was a slender woman with a calm, grounded presence, her dark curls pinned back loosely. She had agreed to take someone in because she had no current roommate and more than enough space to spare. The community had options—empty rooms and cottages scattered through the town—but with winter setting in fast and resources growing tighter by the day, it made more sense to group up. Every fireplace, every shared blanket, stretched a little further when people stuck together.

"Hello," she said, her voice gentle as she opened the door wider to let them both inside. “Come in before you freeze out there.”

Juliet hurried inside and René followed quickly behind with his belongings, but kicked off a majority of the snow on his boots prior to entering Lola's cottage. He glanced briefly at the lovely young woman before looking at Juliet.

Juliet smiled at Lola as she gestured to René "Lola, allow me to introduce René. He's the courier I told you about the other night at the pub. The one who saved Alicia and Johnathan from the group of undead."

René faced Lola for a moment. "Bonsoir mademoiselle." He was actually thankful for the cold wind he and Juliet had walked through to get here from Cassandra's cottage. His cheeks were already flushed with color and would hide the embarrassing blush of his alleged heroics in saving two of the community's children.

Lola stood there a little dumbstruck for a moment. She had not realised the man was actually French; she should have, but if that had been mentioned, she had completely forgotten that part. "I did not realise you were French. Ça va?" She laughed as she asked 'how are you?' or 'how's it going?'. She only knew basic French as it had been nearly a decade since her GCSE french exams.

"Je vais bien, merci d'avoir demandé." Rene repeated his words in English. "I am well, thank you for asking." He smiled at Lola's use of French to ask how he was doing. "I am quite fluent in English. I studied it all throughout secondary school and I have been in England for the last three years." He glanced and gestured at a table with odds and ends of things. "I apologize. I hope I didn't interrupt something important."

“Thank goodness as my French is basic and what I have been picking up recently.” She admitted thinking of her Sunday night mate dates with the woman across the ocean. “Not at all. Juliet said you were going to be coming along eventually but this is one of my radios that I am trying to get going again so we can maintain contact whilst we go out better.” She admitted moving a few pieces of the machine away so that that both could sit down.

Juliet took a seat and gestured to Lola with a friendly smile. "Lola is a genius when it comes to communications technology. She runs a radio station that can transmit on FM, she has a shortwave set that's allowed us to contact others settlements in Europe, Greenland, Iceland, even North Africa. She has salvaged a few dozen hand held transceivers and walkie talkies."

René, sitting across from Juliet, listened attentively to Juliet as she spoke of Lola's accomplishments. He turned to Lola. "You should be proud of yourself. If we are ever to prevent the Soulless from bringing about Armageddon, it will be due to people like yourself."

“I am not a genius.” Lola scoffed as she moved to put the kettle on the range. “I have been salvaging stuff when I can go out with support so that we can prepare ourselves bette for when Europa are not around for months.” She added leaning against the oven smiling at the warmth.

Juliet met Lola's scoff with light chuckle as she pointed to a breadbox with handcrank sticking out the side. "Invented that device. It's capable of recharging batteries. She made about a dozen or so from spare electrical and mechanical parts from cars and old appliances. She has remarkable ingenuity when it comes to technology."

René was impressed with Juliet’s tales of Lola's accomplishments. He thought of the book he had given Cassandra. "You should get with Mademoiselle Lennox. She has something that you might find useful in your...inventions." He took a deep breath and frowned. He rose from his seat. "Erm...is there someplace I could go wash up? I haven't really had a chance to clean up since I left Oxford for the courier run to here."

Lola blushed under the woman sharing what she had created for Thistledrift out of parts. She did not like being put under spot light as it put a target on her back but she tried her best.

“Cass? Oh sure I will.” The young woman assured thinking on what he could have possibly given Cassandra that she could use to make things easier. “Oh yeah sure. Solar panels might have heated enough water for a proper shower. If you wait like five minutes you could abbé a hot drink to go with it.”

René gave Lola a smile. "That is kind of you to offer and I would enjoy a tea after I'm clean." He looked down at his disheveled appearance. "I know that I must look a mess."

“No worse than anyone else.” Lola assured quickly. “I bet everyone else looked like you coming back from supply run.” The woman assured quickly as she moved to a cupboard and pulled over towels holding them out. “You room is the one opposite the bathroom.” She directed pointing to the closed door where the stairs were between the kitchen and living area that took people up stairs.

René looked at the clean bath linen and gave Lola a warm smile. He was truly grateful for all the hospitality that the citizens of Thistledrift bestowed upon him. "Merci Mademoiselle. I shall return shortly for that cup of tea." He turned and went to the stairs.

Juliet watched as René headed upstairs. She appeared thoughtful, as if something were weighing on her mind. She turned back to Lola and smiled.

Lola just nodded, hoping her new roommate was not going to be this formal all the time. "What are you thinking, Juliet?" Lola wondered as she prepared 2 out of 3 cups of tea and placed one in front of the woman. She had looked thoughtful a lot recently, but she could not quite put her finger on what it could be.

She glanced back at the door René had departed through before turning her gaze back to her friend. "I was thinking about something he said to Cass during the supply run. He told her he was expendable. I get the feeling he is...very sad sometimes. I don't know. I guess he misses his family back in Paris."

“A lot of people feel like that. We’ve all lost people.” Lola said softly. “But no one is expendable, especially not now with so few people. I bet that went down like a lead balloon.” Lola could only imagine Cassandra’s reaction to that.

Juliet nodded thoughtfully. "I think he said it because he isn’t a member of the community. The storm hit hours after he arrived and now he's sort of stuck here. At least that is my hypothesis from the psychology courses I had to take in med school.'

Lola smiled calmly and shrugged. She did not have any experience like Juliet but she would definitely offered some comfort and advice if the man asked for it. “Well I think after how it all went on your excursion he is pretty much part of this community now.” Lola commented.

Juliet looked upward at the ceiling as the shower ran, stopped for a minute and resumed for a short period before turning off again. Doors opened and closed and sounds of movement could be heard overhead. "He did. He held off a dozen of the Undead at the shore end of the dock while everyone else was getting aboard. He's reckless though. If Cass hadn’t felled the last one with an arrow shot...." Her voice trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought.

“Why did you bring him to me of all people? Others have space?” She demanded narrowing her eyes.

Juliet noticed Lola's suspicious look and laughed a bit considering their conversation at the pub the other night that had touched on Lola's lack of a boyfriend. "I'm not trying to play Cupid. You're able to talk to people and get them to open up. Kind of like with that French girl you talk with on the shortwave every Sunday. Cass is curious what René knows about the rest of the UK." Juliet sighed. "He's also good at being helpful around a household. He split three days of firewood for Cass and her mom and that was before he went on the scavenger mission to Dunsbrough."

"I am fully capable of splitting my own wood, so please do not try and play cupid," Lola said, rolling her eyes a little. "Leave my friend out of this. She's just another lonely voice on the airways." Lola said protectively of her French friend. She was sweet, and it was nice to chat with someone. "But fine... I will ask and prod."

Juliet nodded as she stood up and set her cup down on the table. She heard movement upstairs and the sounds of boots descending from above. She glanced at Lola. "Just so you know. I told René to be on his best behavior while staying with you. You let me know if he isn’t. As for me. I think i'm going to go see Travis. Maybe it's time to tell his children that we're...getting to be more than just friends."

René entered the downstairs room. He looked ten times better after his shower and in a fresh set of clothes. He turned to Juliet, who was heading for the door to leave.

Juliet paused at the door and turned. "Goodnight Lola and welcome to Thistledrift René." She exted the cottage.

René turned to Lola but glanced away for a moment. He understood why Juliet had issued her statement regarding staying on his best behavior. He took a deep breath and looked back at Lola. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am René Rouen from Paris and...." He paused as she looked at him in astonishment.

TBC IN NEW REVELATIONS

 

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