Wandering Panacea

After the events of Raccoon City, the three of them had been staying in a small roadside motel, waiting for the government to pick them up and for the chaos outside to settle. The room was cramped, and Claire couldn't help but notice how restless Sherry had become. A kid her age wasn't meant to spend her days staring at faded wallpaper and a flickering television.

One afternoon, while Sherry was taking a nap, Claire quietly pulled Leon aside.

"Come on. We're going shopping." Claire said as she made sure Sherry slept soundly before they go out.

Leon blinked. "Shopping? Where?"

"A mall a few blocks from here."

He followed without questioning it.

Claire smiled to herself. "I just... want to take Sherry somewhere nice. After everything that's happened, she deserves a reason to smile."

Her thoughts drifted to Chris. When they were kids, he would always find some excuse to take her out whenever life got difficult. Even something as simple as ice cream or a new jacket always made the world feel a little lighter.

"I figured we could get her a cute outfit," Claire said, already browsing the racks. "Besides, we could all use some presentable clothes."

Leon glanced down at his bloodstained jacket and laughed.

"Yeah... that's probably a good idea."

—

When Sherry woke up, Claire was already brushing her hair. "Where are we going?" she asked sleepily.

Claire couldn't hide her grin. "There's a zoo nearby."

Sherry's eyes widened. "Really?"

She looked around the room. "Where's Leon?"

As if on cue, the motel door swung open.Leon stepped inside, holding up a neatly folded outfit Claire had picked out. "I think this belongs to you."

—

They wandered through the zoo, stopping at every exhibit Sherry wanted to see. She laughed at the monkeys, stared in amazement at the elephants, and insisted on reading every information sign she could find.

Claire watched her with a soft smile.

"It's all uphill from here," Claire said hopefully as she watched Sherry standing in front of the giraffe enclosure, completely captivated.

Leon glanced at her. "You really believe that?"

Claire's gaze lingered on Sherry before drifting to the clear blue sky. She thought of Chris. Of scraped knees, reassuring hands, and the unwavering belief that no matter how hard things became, he would always be there to catch her. Chris had always been her rock.

Watching Sherry laugh, Claire made a quiet promise to herself. She would be that same steady presence for Sherry just as Chris had always been for her.

"I know it," she answered quietly.

Leon watched he for a moment.

He didn't know what memories were running through her mind, but he could see the certainty in her eyes.

If Claire was determined to become Sherry's rock, then he would become their wings. Not his own wings, but Claire's—to help them reach the future Claire believed in so fiercely. To push against the wind when they couldn't, and to remind them that freedom was always somewhere beyond the horizon.