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  83

  JOHN EDWARDS

  take on the food supply, and I’ve warned her not to sneak snacks between meals. Too many times to count Nika would always try the radios, the ones that were on batteries. So far, nothing important came up. It’s been quiet. And it worries me.

  “Yeah, I think we should. We’ve already stayed here longer than we should have”. Elise was chewing on a jerky stick.

  “What does the plan say”? Nika was stretching beside me, I could faintly hear the pops and cracks of her stressed out bones.

  She’s started this exercise up again, saying that she became lazy during our temporary stay.

  “Well, we were supposed to go into the city, or down town.

  But, I don’t think that’d be a good idea. The Bodies numbers might be more than we can handle in those parts”. I said. Messag-ing my knee caps.

  “We haven’t heard any news about the city, but I’d guess it might be the best place to look for answers or help”. Elise said.

  “Heck! We might even be able to jackpot an S.W.A.T truck”.

  Nika jumped up and down. All the excitement was started to affect her. It’s a possibility that the S.W.A.T stopped over in the city to evacuate people, any survivors left over from the evacuation; I doubt they’d take the time to rescue. That’s the kind of place this world is.

  “That’s very unlikely”. Elise crumpled the jerky bag and tossed it to the side.

  “Don’t be negative, I’m sure we’d find a few in the city. There are always S.W.A.T teams during apocalyptic situations...and or situations that need their involvement”. Nika settled down next to me and leaned her head on my shoulder.

  “More than the S.W.A.T, maybe they left some goodies lying around. If we’re gonna fight these things, we’re gonna need proper equipment”. She nudged my shoulder, her hair tickled my skin; it made me flinch but I did my best not to move. What’s more deadly than my fists are my brick like shoulder blades? Trust me they ain’t as comfortable as they look

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  STAYING ALIVE

  “Yes, knives aren’t gonna last long where we’re going. It would be nice to stumble upon a gun case. I’d like a sniper rifle”. Elise has this thing about sniper rifles. Ever since her exciting introduction to the first person shooter “Call of Duty” she’s been hooked on guns. Now, maybe it might have been a bad idea to allow her access to these kinds of things, but I couldn’t help it. I thought that she would like it, I didn’t think I’d turn her into a shooting beast. And okay, real life shooting doesn’t compare to video games but I know for sure that she’d be perfect for the sniper position. I mean, ever since I took her to that shooting range in C-You know what that’s not really important right now.

  “I’ve always wanted twin pistols, like double wielding. That’d be pretty awesome”. Her voice was in a whisper, and I felt her head grow heavy on my shoulder. I patted her head and told her to take a nap. She whined at first but, I managed to persuade her. She moved around behind me and plopped down on the make-shift bed, that we made from a king sized comforter and a couple pillows.

  I looked back and she was already snoring lightly. Out like a light

  “She’s sleeping more lately, should I be worried”? I turned back to Elise. She looked behind me at Nika then looked back at me.

  “No, she’s just exhausted. And she’s gonna need all the sleep she can get”. I remember Nika used to sleep constantly, even when I would come over their house to hang out she’d be asleep.

  And her reasons would be; either she’s had a long day, or she isn’t feeling well.

  “Okay, what about you”? To be honest Elise looked paler than usual, and the bags under her eyes have begun to turn a light shade of purple. I’m not gonna tell her that though, then she’d try to argue about how she doesn’t need sleep, that she’s perfectly fine and capable of staying alert. I just won’t say anything at all “I’m fine”. See?

  “Alright”. And we ended the conversation there. Afterwards, Elise got up and took her shift to patrol the store, Nika was still

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  JOHN EDWARDS

  sleeping, and I sharpened the blades on the katana’s. (Fortunate enough to find a lead block for sharpening) We continued this cycle for a good three days, then finally after our last meeting, we all decided to head for the city. Elise and Nika still wanted to get in touch with their folks, while I worried about mine. I didn’t like the topic when it came up but we had to think about worst case scenarios. If we managed to find their folks we could all escape out of state and search for a safe haven. I mentioned that the worst thing that could happen, was if my mom didn’t make it. She’s a strong woman yes but, this is reality and I know that it maybe already too late.

  Elise and Nika tried to cheer me up, I didn’t cry...no I’d never cry in front of them. For now, I need to clear my head and think about what’s happening for us.

  The next day, we rolled up a few blankets and packed it into the truck. Taking more snacks along for each of us, we hopped into the truck and crossed our fingers. When we had our opening, Elise stomped on the accelerator and the car lurched forward, my head pressed hard against the seat. It felt like my brain shook loose and tossed itself inside my head. I had to roll my window up, zombie brains and white tank top do not mix well you know?

  She took a sharp turn left towards the parking lots exit. And I gotta say, she kicks arse. There were so many of those things out here. The tires screeched to a halt, and I looked in the re-view mirror.

  “Holy heck, I’ve only ever seen this many bodies in zombie movies”. Nika screamed from behind me. She was up on the seat with her back against us, her feet extended out on top of the arm rest between me and Elise. Excited aren’t we?

  I turned to Elise, she gave me one of those looks. I didn’t like where this was going, I shook my head and she gestured to the back. I looked again at the re-view mirror and a couple of Bodies limped towards the truck. They were perfectly positioned near the rear bumper. I heard Elise slap her hands together and jerked the truck into reverse. I braced my hands in front of me before my body slammed into the dashboard. I felt my left pinky bend

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  unnaturally, and the pain shot up my wrist. I squeezed my eyes shut telling myself to relax, that the pain will go away.

  The truck hopped up and down, and shook all around us.

  “What the heck Elise”! Nika screeched, I found her on the floor her neck was at an odd angle, her left leg on the seat and her right kicked upwards. I turned to Elise and gave her the stank eye.

  She peeked from under her lashed and gave a slight nod, putting the truck back in drive. It sprung up one last time making my head bump against the window, and it continued its course on the deserted street. When things calmed down, I took a look at my pinky and winced. It looked even worse than it felt. The tip bent backwards, I swear if I could it would have touch the knuckle. The nail was split and blood leaked from the broken skin.

  “Ugh, oh god...that is...that’s just-”. I felt Nika examining my pinky, just like me; couldn’t finish her sentence. The whole thing left me speechless.

  “Is it broken”? Elise asked her eyes never leaving the road.

  “Well, No Elise it’s not broken...it just likes to bend that way sometimes for good fun”! My voiced cracked. She smirked at me and told Nika to fetch the first-aid kit.

  “You don’t have to be an arse about it”. She said.

  “I can if I wanna be an arse about it, know why? Because of your little stunt my pinky is now bent beyond recognition, the bone would have torn through the skin! I’d look just like those things”. I pointed at the bloodied carcasses that roamed the streets around us. They looked even worse than before, the morning sun rose high in the sky, and baked the ground. For a minute I swore I could have sniffed barbecued rotted skin.

  “You can just line the bone back in place and wrap it, you’ll be fine”. She sighed. I eyed her again and snarle
d. She shot me a confused glance.

  “Want me to break all of your fingers? And I’ll tell ya to just wrap em’ and ignore the freakin pain...don’t test me Elise”. I cracked my knuckles (the available ones) and started for her hand.

  She flinched.

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  “God, Jade I’m driving”! She huffed. “I’m sorry alright”?! I clicked my tongue and plopped back down on my seat.

  “Here”. Nika gave me the first-aid kit. Elise glanced at me a couple times as I tried to put the bone back. I’ve never done this before, and I’ve only seen it on T.V.

  It took me a couple tries to put it back, the first; and I couldn’t even think it was possible...to bend it even more than it already is.

  And the second, I chickened out because of the pain. Then finally, I bit down on a folded cloth and jerked the bone forward.

  “Geez...” Nika winced behind me. I groaned and took the medical tape, wrapping it around the now bruising pinky.

  “You gonna be okay? I mean, you able to use the katana with...

  um”. Well, Elise stuttering. This is very shocking.

  “It’s not impossible, but I’m sure I’ll be able to manage using only four fingers”.

  “You’re very first broken bone”! Nika chirped.

  “Yeah, way to start the day off with a broken pinky”.

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  Chapter 12

  I t took about a half an hour to get down town. There wasn’t much to hear on the radio; more news feed about the epidemic.

  The military seems to be doing a fine job of holding back those things. And so far, no safe havens have popped up. We knew that it would only take a matter of months for them to actually pull it off. Meanwhile, the human race is going extinct.

  We passed by a couple of shops, and restaurants that looked like they were still doing business, aside from the constant bodies roaming head of the shops and sidewalks, the town looked decent.

  I’m not sure what I really expected from this part of the town, for some reason it looked like the apocalypse hadn’t even happened at all.

  “Kinda reminds me of a movie set”. I said to myself. Elise chuckled beside me and swerved the truck, turning a left corner.

  “The heck...” My blood ran cold and the shivers racked my body so heavily that I felt I was going to vomit right there.

  “Well, now we know where all the people went”. Nika mumbled from the back seat. The scene was too much for me to bare.

  I wanted to turn away from it all but, for some reason my eyes stayed glued to it. The space inside the truck fell silent; as we viewed upon the thousands of bodies lying on the heated cement.

  They laid unmoving and there was just so much blood that even I couldn’t handle it. Elise took a sharp intake of breath and pressed on through the sea of still Bodies. I counted at least hundreds of them scattered here and there. Some stacked up in a pile and I

  JOHN EDWARDS

  wondered who had the time to do all of that. Who could do all of this?

  “It’s creepy how you know their all dead...and the fact that they won’t move at all”. Nika was oddly quiet when she said this, my ears strained on her voice.

  “You think the military swept through here for Evac”? Elise gripped the steering wheel until the whites of her knuckles showed, it was strange against her already pale skin.

  “I guess, I noticed some recent tire marks going off into the East”. She pointed towards a cleared path a couple blocks away from us. We kept heading straight. I tried to ignore the piles of flesh stacked into neat piles along the sidewalks. So many have died in a matter of weeks, it was unbelievable. I looked at the gas meter for a distraction and noticed that it was nearly gone.

  “We need to refill the tank”. I mentioned to Elise who was, astonishingly very calm at the moment. How utterly disturbing Stanford

  “It’ll run for a few more hours, we’ll find a gas station and try to get some gas. If not, well siphon gas from other cars”. I looked at her oddly.

  “You know how to siphon gas from other cars”? I asked. She turned her head and gave me an impish grin; that occurred so rare that I scolded myself for not taking a picture of it.

  “Indeed I do”. She said matter of factly.

  “I do too”! Nika shouted. As did I...and of course this comes from watching movies that involves such an act, and some info from websites on “How to’s”. Oh mother would be so proud to know that her little girl knows how to steal gas from other cars.

  Among other things...

  We took a moment of stillness, all but our heavy breathing emitted from the silence. We took another left around the corner, and stopped at a small strip mall. Multiple shops lined the oval shaped space. Lots of cake shops and restaurants. I’ve come here a couple

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  of times in the past, I’d like to call this the sweets and salts circle, again the place is shaped like an oval. No idea why I called it a circle. I’m guessing my little 8 year old mind wasn’t able to process things as clearly as I could now. Heck, it still takes a century for me to figure out something

  Elise eased into a small parking lot. Lone cars sat idly, scattered on the pavement. They appeared to be in good use, nothing but some of the windows smashed in, some flat tires.

  “Let’s see if we can scavenge some things here”. Elise said, she placed the truck in park and popped the door open. Both me and Nika got out, and eased the doors shut quietly. Just because there weren’t any Bodies nearby, doesn’t mean they couldn’t hear us slamming the doors.

  “So, where would you like to start first?” Elise looked to us. I noticed that she was decked out in weaponry. If you could count a hand full of kitchen knives, two steal baseball bats, and an iron hammer acceptable weapons. I’d say I do, think they are...quite menacing actually.

  I noticed a lone knife handle sticking out of her boots. As long as you don’t accidentally cut yourself with that sucker. .

  “The cake shop obviously”. Nika drawls. I look at her and then at Elise. She gives me a pointed look, I’m guessing you’d like to check out the cake shop out too?

  “Sure why not?” I say finally. I can already hear the squeals from both of them. They needn’t express that openly, I’d fear for the worst. I highly doubt that there would be anything useful there, and I highly doubt there would be any sweets left. I mean c’mon, in any situation like this who wouldn’t grab all the sweets and run like heck away. I sighed, and followed the two idiots inside the store.

  The door was left slightly ajar, I thought oddly about it, then looked up. Ah, that might have made some noise. Two silver bells hang loosely above the doorway. Elise must have noticed too before entering. A rolled up magazine is wedged into the corner of the door, allowing it to close softly and partly.

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  As I suspected, nothing remains in the glass cases. Shards of glass scatter the flooring, nothing but the crunching of my boots upon them in the tiny shop. Nika and Elise are nowhere in sight, until I hear a bit of noise coming from the back. Shuffling, then muffled giggles. I try not to roll my eyes when I enter the kitchen.

  Layers of flour cover the floor, carts and baking utensils are everywhere. I found the two drawing on the metal table in the center of the room. Doodles here and there in the flour. “High life” is scrawled in cursive on one corner. Really Nika?

  I walk over to them, Elise is crouching, her hands wandering inside a large pantry. Nika is to the side nibbling on something that might have been drenched in chocolate. I elbow Nika, “What’s that ya got there?” I ask. Noting her chocolate covered hands and mouth. The scene looks somewhat unsettling. If that were blood, I think I’d vomit

  “Elise found some chocolate dipped donuts”. She said, I can already see the sugar taking effect in her too bright eyes.

  “When you mean some...” I looked around.

  “I ate them all”. She shrugged sti
cking her tongue out slightly.

  “Didn’t think to share the treasure, huh?” I could be mad, yeah I could be. But I choose not to be. Why? Well, I’m assuming that if I’d gotten here sooner I’d be walking myself into a war zone.

  I could survive without chocolate for a while. As for the two idiots...give or take 10 hours. Although, I do need some sustenance every few days, I could go into withdrawal. Seriously. Health wise, I have to eat some sort of food that will keep my body from collapsing in on itself. It’s a scary thing.

  “Nah, once I pulled them out of the pantry she swiped the donuts away from me. She was like, deadly fast”. Elise straightened up onto her feet, holding large white boxes in her arms. I eased a few from her and placed them on the counter top. I think I hit my head a while back because the scene in front of me might as well have been due to a concussion. A full spread of all kinds of pastries line the counter. It’s like a freakin gold mine!

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  “W-what...” Whoever came here before us to scavenge, they sure didn’t look hard enough.

  “What a spread!” Took the words right out of my mouth Nika.

  “Don’t eat all of it! Take a few, then save the rest for later”.

  Elise gave a pointed look to Nika. Nika peeked over the pile of sweets in her arms and scowled.

  “I should be the one yelling at you. Planning on eating all of those?” I turned my head back to Elise, she was stuffing packages of muffins and cookies in a black duffel bag.

  “This a robbery or something? What’s with the black duffel?” I leaned a hip against the counter.