Girl Talk

Posted on Mon Oct 13th, 2025 @ 12:53pm by Lola ‘Myth’ McDowell & Chloé Rouen
Edited on on Mon Oct 13th, 2025 @ 4:49pm

1,646 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Before
Location: Rouen Family Estate/Thistledrift Radio Station
Timeline: 27 October, 2013 (1600 hours or 4pm GMT)

Chloé took a seat at the workbench that her grandfather's old shortwave radio was set up on and turned on the power switch. It would take a minute or two for the radio to warm up, so Chloe took that time to consider the last month. She had grown rather fond of the weekly conversations that she and Lola had begun just over a month ago. She felt a genuine friendship with Lola despite never meeting the young woman. She hoped Lola felt the same way.

Lola hated being late but she was running late after making sure the Europa left port correctly and the communications were closed correctly. She ran into radio station breathing heavily as she did not want to miss the one thing that made her week worthwhile sometimes. It was hard to explain why just talking to the other girl had become an important part of her routine but it had. “Hello…” She said into the mic as she moved the dials to the familiar numbers. She sounded breathless but she knew a few minutes of sitting down would calm her lungs down.

Chloé made a happy noise as Lola's voice came over the radio. "Bonjour Lola, it's good to hear your voice." She was excited to have her weekly conversation with Lola, especially this Sunday. She wanted to ask Lola's advice on a matter she had no practical experience with. "How has your week been?" Her voice was exceptionally cheerful, almost brimming with excitement.

"I am sorry I got held up." Lola said gulping down some water. "I have been busy." She had several days where she had slept at the station. "It has been a busy week here preparing for winter coming in." It was not that simple but it was pretty close to how things had been with Europa leaving for 2 months or so.

"No problem." Chloé was just glad to hear Lola's voice. "I have been busy today as well. We're in the midst of bottling season and storage for last food crops harvest before winter sets in. Though that's not what I wanted to tell you."

“It is very similar here.” She admitted thinking it was most likely standard for any community now that wanted to survive winter. Thankfully Lola had no involvement in that other than having scavenged for vinegar and salt last month. “What did you want to tell me?”

Chloé couldn't hold back ger excitement anymore. "I met someone at market yesterday. He is part of new garrison in the city and...Putain, il est canon !" (Damn, he's hot!)" Realizing what she just said. "Oh my, that's two things I am going to have to tell Father Laurent at confession."

"You should not confess in these times when there are so many things you can no longer enjoy." Lola teased a little. She would not tease more, but the girl was allowed to think that someone was hot in this day and age.

Chloé wanted to believe Lola, but deep down she knew that Confession was what helped her gain perspective of her thoughts. "I am a devote Catholic. I need to understand if what I am feeling is truly love or if I am being lured by lust. Besides, Confession is good for ones soul."

"Devote or not ... you are confessing to me, and I am not judging you." Lola laughed, knowing they had discussed this recently. Lola lived a very different life, she had been raised in the Church of England, but it had been years since she had attended Church before she came to Thirstledrift.

Chloé laughed. "Be that as it may. I think Father Laurent would have good advice. Enough about my possible love life. How did your first date go with that guy you mentioned last week? David or Daniel? I remember it started with a D."

“Duncan and it was okay. I do not think he is my type but we shall see. I have a second date tonight.” Lol explained smiling a little as the other girl pushed the conversation onto her. Duncan was one of the scouts that had joined the community from the Europa but she was not at all sure he was her type. He was handsome, strong and kind but there was just something a little too eager about him that Lola could not put her finger on.

"Well, I hope things go well tonight. You'll have to tell me all about it next Sunday." Chloé gave a wistful sigh. Her thoughts traveled back to just before the Fall and her life in Paris. She had just started her studies in music and drama at Conservatoire de Paris. She had won the part of Esmeralda during auditions for the Fall production of the Notre-Dame de Paris musical and was to play opposite one of the most handsome young men at the university. "Do you think life will ever get back to normal? That perhaps women like us will ever be able to find true love and raise a family without threat of the Damned or Brigands?"

Lola heard the sigh and let the woman have the silence for a moment . Everyone needed a moment like that but the question surprised her. Lola had never send her life before the undead as normal or going down the route of true love and raising a family. She had been very much trying to figure herself out. “I am not sure. I never really viewed my life as having that as an option.” She admitted quietly.

Chloé took a moment to allow Lola's words to sink in. "You've never been in love before?" She had grown up in Paris, the City of Love. Though she'd not been allowed to date until she was 16, she'd had several boyfriends in secondary school. "You've must have had a boyfriend at least."

“Boyfriend … girlfriend … not entirely sure it was ever love but who knows maybe I have just grown cynical over the last few years.” The woman was not sure that she had ever had the opportunity to be in love but it was hard when you moved around.

Chloé sighed again. "I know it may sound naive, but I think love finds us when we least expect it. Usually when we aren't even looking for it."

“Would be nice to happen in this case.” Lola did not believe, nor did she hold onto any hope but it was sweet that others did. She wished the best for the girl across the channel, she wanted her to find the happiness and love.

Chloé nodded. "We will see. Hopefully things will work out for you and Duncan too." She yawned. She'd been up early in the morning all week what with harvesting the last of the crops and bottling wine for trading at market. "I hate to cut this weeks conversation short, but dinner will be soon and I have to set the table."

"It is okay. I have ... lots to do today, but next week we shall talk longer and more to update each other on." Lola said positively. She did not want the girl disheartened by their different lives and wanted to keep talking to her.

Chloé paused a moment. Something in Lola's voice sounded...off. She keyed the microphone. "Is everything okay? I can stay if you need me to."

"No... no... You go, we will talk more next week." She assured quietly. Lots of things were mostly cleaning another room at the cottage and trying to organise this random mess of the radio station, more so it was more her.

Chloé gave a sigh, audible over the radio. "Something is on your mind. I can tell by the tone in your voice. I'm not leaving until you tell me."

"I could just hang up, but it's nothing, Chloé. I just wish I had your hoo." Lola finally explained with a small, sad smile that she was sure showed in her voice. It was hard being a woman in this new world, and wanting to share it with someone was something unattainable.

Chloé laughed. "You want to get up early in the morning everyday milk the cows, feed the rabbits and prepare breakfast for 7 people? Then go to a stable to muck out stalls, feed and groom the horses before tending to the crops?" She gave a long sigh. "Then papa insists we do épée training for an hour after supper six nights a week. I would much rather have your life. Living in a village would be so much easier than on a vineyard slash farm. One of the reasons I like Sundays is chores are kept to the essentials, going to Church service in town, market day, and conversations with you in the afternoons.

“Hope not home. Sorry there was a glitch on the signal then but glad to know you are keeping busy.” Lola said quietly smiling amused at the misunderstanding. “You are full of hope Chloe don’t lose that.” Lola said quietly as she started to get some more static. That was strange but maybe things were not as charged as she liked in the autumn light.

Henri’s voice echoed down the stairs of the basement telling Chloè to shut down the radio as a thunderstorm was rolling in fast and that lightning had struck close to the house.

Chloe called back up that she would do so. "I have to go. Lightning storm. Talk to you next week and maintain your hope too, mon amie." She clicked off the radio before the signal drew a lightning bolt to the antenna.

Lola said goodbye and smiled a little as the static filled the air and left her by herself. That must have been the issue with the transmission - lightning Storm, she decided to herself as she closed it all down.

 

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