The Aftermath

“So, what exactly did you hear them say?”

We approached Lion in a backroom of the warehouse type building that everyone was housed in. The second floor held the showers where everyone resided in and the third floor and roof was where everyone slept. The first floor was clouded with all sorts of traps.

Lion was currently folding clothes. He’d said it was one of his assigned chores. I was personally disgusted at the prospect of him bending so easily to Riley and her tyrant ways. The backroom was made of flaking wood and smelled of mold for some reason.

“We heard them talking about those zombies getting past the perimeter, but this morning in the shower I saw some people driving out there on bikes and stuff.” I stated.

“But, what connection does that have with the infected individuals that they were talking about?”

“I don’t know! It’s just weird.”

Ryant stepped forward. “Look Dad, we’re just trying to figure out how we can get out of here. I’m starting to get a bad feeling and these people want to use us.”

Lion’s hands froze over the white shirt that he was folding in half.

“Use you how?”

“Because we can fight.” Ashley answered. “They say they don’t have enough protection and with us, they say they have a better chance.”

Cece shook her head. “I say we ditch this whole joint today. Jasmine, Alex, and I can all vouch how secretly crazy people can be when they take you under their wing and have secret intentions. It never ends well.”

“But, these people have food, doesn’t that matter?” Everyone rolled their eyes at Kyle, but he was serious. “I mean, how do you seriously expect us to survive without any more help? Stop in grocery stores all the time? That won’t always be an option.”

“But, you’re thinking too far ahead.” Alex argued. “We have to think about now. We don’t want to stay in a place where people may be plotting to take advantage of us.”

Kyle opened his mouth to speak, but Lion raised his hand.

“Okay, wait all of you. I think we need to talk this over with Jasmine’s father and Trevor and Rodney before we-“

“Why do we need to talk it over with Rodney?” Ryant cut in and I face palmed myself.

“Haven’t you and I had this talk already?! The boy saved us! The least we owe him is our respect!” Lion seemed strained with Ryant’s attitude as well. “Does anyone else have a problem with this plan or would you rather leave our own friends in the dark?”

No one spoke, but Ryant clenched his jaw.

“Good. Now wait until I’m done folding.”

We all filed out of the room and Cece found me.

“Jasmine, do you think we’re doing the right thing here?”

I just stared back at her, thinking of how little I’d been able to really talk to her lately and how fast things seemed to be moving.

“What part?”

We stood in the long hallway by ourselves. The wooden walls were chipping and musty paintings barely hung on their hooks and nails.

She shook her head. “The whole follow Rodney full way to D.C. and try to find the cure? Do you think it’s worth it?”

The question didn’t seem right to be asked flat out like that, but I saw in her eyes that she was panicking. We were like sisters now and sisters stuck together.

“I think it is. What other option is there? We can’t just try and survive. We have to try and fight it.”

She nodded, taking in my words full heartedly. “Good. Whenever I try to talk to Kyle about this stuff, he gets all quiet, probably thinking about his sister and all.”

“How are you and Kyle anyway?” I asked. “Everything fine with you guys? No stress?”

“No. I swear we’re the weirdest pair, but he cares about me, ya know? And I care about him. I always think of it as if we were in battle, who would we fight for? I know Alex would fight for you and Kyle would fight for me.”

For some reason, she caught sight of the glimmer in my eye and paused.

“Why? Do you know something?”

“No! No. I was just seeing if you were okay. We haven’t had the time to talk that much and I just wanted to know…” My hand went to my arm and I exhaled. Her eyes still stayed on me, observant.

“Are… you okay?”

I bit my lower lip and decided to trust her. “What would you do if you saw another girl flirting with your boyfriend?”

Her eyes went wide. “Someone was flirting with Kyle?! WHO!”

I nearly jumped back.

“Not Kyle! Alex! Damn Cece, nearly made me pee my pants!”

A split second of relief crossed her face and then anxiety again.

“Someone was flirting with Alex?”

I nodded. “Some girl named Alexis, probably one of those home wreckers. Should I be worried?”

“Did he respond in anyway?”

“He told her he had a girlfriend and when I asked him about it. He kissed me and told I was the only one he ever wanted.”

She smiled and we started walking out the warehouse. “Then, everything’s fine and I’ll keep an eye out for you okay?”

Cece threw her arm around me in a sideways hug and we decided to go and find Rodney. We searched for a good ten minutes, then found him on the warehouse’s roof with a map drawn out on a table with his scientist and guards discussing things with him as well.

“If we cut this way, we can avoid at least three days travel.” he muttered.

“ZOMBIE!” Cece screamed and Rodney’s guards flew around with guns at the ready. We both broke down laughing until our knees and fists were hitting the floor.

“Oh shit, you guys looked scared shitless! That was too funny!” Cece helped me up to my feet and wiped the tears from her face. “Now, forget that. We’ve got news to tell you.”

Rodney’s guards lowered their guns and we walked over to the table.

“What are you guys discussing anyway? A way to get us out of here?” I asked, squeezing in next to Rodney and Cece.

The lanky scientist stood across from us. He still wore that white science robe and had those thick glasses on his nose. He seemed young enough, but past the red hair and blue eyes, I didn’t know much about him.

He cleared his throat. “Well, we were trying to find the most disease free routes.”

“And how exactly were you planning on doing that?” Cece leaned in closer to the map.
“Well, we were trying to chart out the least time consuming ways, but we discovered that we’d have to travel through very populated areas.”

“And populated areas mean more infection.” Rodney continued.

The scientist pushed his glasses further up his nose. “Exactly. So, then we tried to route the least populated areas, but those would be impossible to travel through in due time.”

“How about…” Cece twirled around the map to her view and examined. “we take highways then, cut through city’s outer edges? That way we have efficient travel time and avoid the most of the carnage.”

One of the more beefy guards shook his head. He was African American with dark skin and wide arms. His name was Greg.

“Nah, that won’t work. Most of the highways have cars overturned. The city’s outer edges could work, but…”

“But, there’s no absolutely safe path is there.” I said, staring to the scientist. “Is there?”

The scientist shook his head and in the light I saw his name tag glint. It said Dr. Neil. His last name was Neil.

“There isn’t a definite safe path no. This virus just might end things for us.”

It almost brought tears to my eyes how morbid this man was being. After all, he was supposed to be the one giving us hope right or was science just built on logic and rationality?

“Why’d you leave the meeting?” Cece asked Rodney.

Rodney drew a line in pencil across the map, smirking. “I have more important things to listen to then, some insolent and unprepared girl talk about her own motives.”

Cece smiled. “Then, you’ll be happy to hear the news we have then.”

That peaked everyone’s interest.

“News? What kind of news?”

“We think there’s a group of zombies approaching the town. We don’t know how fast or how soon, but it’s going to happen. That Riley girl is trying to lie to everyone about it.”

“And how’d you hear this?” He asked.

“We overheard it all.” She answered. “We talked to Lion about it, but he wants to wait and vote. He wanted us to tell you first. Ryant was being a butthole about it, but that’s why we’re here.”

Rodney exhaled for a moment, and then looked to his guards as he leaned against the table. “What do you guys recommend we do?”

“We leave tonight.” Greg uttered.

A smile crept onto Cece’s face, but one couldn’t even fathom its way onto mine. There was nothing to smile about.