White Noise

We decided to stay at the furniture mart for a few days. We needed to scavenge the other shops for supplies. Though they looked like they had been abandoned a bit before the apocalypse, they were sure to have some things of use. Maybe medicine, Sasha hoped. Lila and Logan had stepped out, stating they were going on a walk to stretch Lila’s legs. But not before Logan pressed a soft kiss to my lips, leaving my skin warm as everyone smiled at us. Sawyer was grinning.

I would have preferred to go with them, to keep an eye on Lila. As I knew Holland would have told me to do if he’d bothered to say a single word to me before he bailed. Knowing Lila though, she’d snap at me for being a helicopter of a friend. And I trusted Logan to protect her if need be. I let them leave, trying not to give it another thought.

Apparently in the night Sasha had become our resident hairdresser. She was currently trimming away at Darren’s beard, having finally convinced him that cutting it way down would be more practical. The floor below his chair was covered in long curly red strands. I burst into laughter at the ridiculous grimace on Darren’s face. His eyes flashed over to me before rolling so far back in his head I thought he’d pass out.

“Shut up.” He muttered.

“Darren, Darren, Darren. I didn’t think you’d ever let anyone touch that nest!” I grinned as I climbed up on the bed, crossing my legs and watching as his beard fell to the ground.

“She made me.” He glared up at Sasha. She smiled and pat his head. He huffed but didn’t stop her as she clipped away at his tangle of red hair.

“Well, if you’re almost done, I was going to see if you wanted to head out to one of the other buildings with me.” I braided my hair as I spoke, tying it off and then clipping at the ends with the extra pair of scissors Sasha had sitting on the bed beside her.

“Yes!” He practically shouted. I laughed as Sasha leaned around into his point of view and glared at him. “Sorry, Sash.” He scratched as his remaining beard. “I’m just going a bit stir crazy sitting here.” She rolled her eyes but set down the scissors.

“Scarlett, why don’t you just let me cut it some?” Sasha flicked the end of my braid.

“Meh. It doesn’t really bother me.” I replied, handing her the scissors and jumping off the bed.

“But it’d be more practi-” She stopped talking when she realized I was walking away from her. “Scarlett!”

“Not touching my hair, Sash!” I called behind me. Darren followed me as I headed towards the back office where Natalie and Sawyer had been taking inventory of all we had. Their heads were angled towards each other as they counted granola bars and pine nut packages. Nat giggled when their hands touched. Darren cleared his throat and I elbowed him hard in the side.

The lovebird’s heads smacked together as they stood up straight. “Scarlett!” Natalie exclaimed, sweeping her hand at Sawyer’s to push him away.

“Was just coming to see if y’all wanted to come scavenge with Darren and I.”

Sawyer jumped at the chance. “I’m in!”

“I’m going to stay here and finish this.” Natalie motioned at the supplies spread across the two desks they’d pushed together.

“Thanks, Nat.” I smiled at her knowingly and her face went bright red. I laughed and went to grab my pack from the bed Logan and I had passed out in last night. The kiss had lead to us talking for a bit before we’d fallen asleep facing each other, hands twirled together between us.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cosmic say something to Seven, before leaving him with James to follow me. Reaching the divider to our space, I swung my pack onto my shoulders before attaching weapons to my legs, hips, and back.

“Can I come with you?” I turned to see Cosmic standing by the divider, spinning a knife in her hands.

“We’re just going to scavenge a building or two for supplies, it won’t be fun.” I replied, strapping a knife holster to my thigh. I’d taken so much cool shit from the factory. It had been stocked as if it were prop housing for a post-apocalyptic movie and I took full advantage of that. Dressing like we belonged in a movie was the only enjoyable thing about this fucking place anymore.

“I’m useful.” One side of her mouth twitched as she fought a smile. “I can fight, shoot, climb, and fit in small spaces. I kept Seven and I alive for a year without any help.”

I nodded, downing part of a water bottle. “Alright, come on then, Orphan Annie.” If she thought I was dumb for the joke, she didn’t say a word.

Cosmic stood beside me as we waited for Sawyer and Darren. She flipped her head over and secured her hair tightly in a bun on her head. The colors of her hair gave me the impression that she had had a bright colored pixie cut before the end. Her hair was about a foot and a half long, and the bottom few inches held remnants of blue. I made a note to keep an eye out from now on for bleach and color. I’m sure she’d appreciate getting her hair back. I bet to myself that it would make her feel normal.

Yep, old Scarlett was gone. This Scarlett cared about that kind of shit.

Sawyer and Darren appeared, laughing about something as they approached us.

“Okay.” I spoke, drawing out the word for a few extra syllables. “Let’s go, then?” The three of them nodded and off we went. We headed for the building directly to the left of the furniture mart. By the P-P-E left dangling off the sign, it looked like it used to be a candy store.

We made our way inside, swiveling as we entered. But there was no one to be found. Darren and I left Sawyer and Cosmic downstairs in the shop to search for supplies and we headed upstairs. The upstairs used to be the living quarters and was one giant room separated by curtains.

“Sure,” I finally spoke. “because every good apocalypse show needs a fight separated by fucking shower curtains.”

A laugh caught in Darren’s throat and he tried to play it off as clearing his throat. I rolled my eyes and started poking around the curtains with the barrel of my shotgun. The first curtain clattered against the metal rod suspending it from the ceiling. A low groan echoed through the room.

“Shit.” Darren and I chorused.

With no further notice, the undead barreled through the curtain I was about to push aside. I didn’t know where Darren was, so I was hesitant to fire the gun in my hands. I held it up and brought it down with as much force as I could into the first zomb body part that was available – an arm. “Shit!” I cursed loudly. My exclamation was followed by the sound of Sawyer and Cosmic charging up the stairs. Darren appeared to my left, so I immediately fired off the shotgun, causing one of the curtain clad zombies to fall backwards. Darren pounced on it, knife plunging into its skull. Cosmic charged through the room, and jump tackled the second Z, bringing it down by wrapping her legs around its head, and stabbing her spinning knife into the back of its neck, up into its brain.

We were all breathing heavy, but I saw Sawyer and Darren giving Cosmic the same look I was.

Girl was a badass.