Do You Want Me, Undead?
Chapter 18
~One week later~
Lucy's POV
After Matt and I had spoken, we took some time to bury Colussy, and then we were on our way. When everyone had gotten back on the bus after that, there was this edge about the group that hadn't been there before; a thicker, tougher exterior. We had all changed. We finally had to realize and accept that this sort of thing might happen again. But that doesn't mean that we'll just let it happen; we'll try our damned hardest to make sure that it doesn't.
After a week, you'd think we would've made it to the coast. But no; winter was definitely deciding to come early this year. It was only mid-November, yet it was already snowing like crazy. This had slowed us down a considerable amount; we didn't want to push the bus too hard, especially in this weather. We've stopped for gas a couple times, but it was definitely risky. Also, we've been having to avoid previously-populated areas. We didn't want a repeat of what happened at the gun store, so it was decided that we just avoid people as much as possible. This meant we had to recalculate our routes all the time, because others seemed to have the same idea as us. Plus, we thought it wise not to travel at night, seeing as we could easily get lost.
A few days ago we raided a sporting goods store for some appropriate -and necessary- winter gear.
What I was really noticing though as the days ticked by, was that the number of the dead was multiplying at a frightening rate, and the number of living we'd see on the road were steadily declining. This was yet another obstacle we've been having to overcome. The bus may be large, but pack enough zombies in front of it, and it slows down considerably. We couldn't take the chance, since the majority of the windows on the bus are either cracked or shattered from the hail of bullets it encountered before. This proved to make every night bitterly cold, causing us all to have to sleep in huddles to keep warm; we couldn't risk killing the bus' battery with leaving the heat on all night.
Alex and I never got more than a minute alone with each other, but that was to be expected with living in a bus full of eight other men. I honestly don't know how I had made it a week straight confined in a bus with them all. But Alex and I still stole chaste kisses here and there; holding each other close as we slept.
*****
Jack's shoulder isn't fairing too well. After he got shot, I didn't get the chance to stitch him up right away thanks to Sam putting a knife to my throat. However, I did take care of it and put his arm in a sling after we'd buried Colussy. But despite my best efforts, I'm pretty sure it's getting infected.
I have my hand pressed against Jack's flushed, clammy face. He fell asleep a few minutes ago, his chest slowly rising and falling. He's been sleeping a lot lately, and quite frankly I'm worried.
Alex is sat next to me, looking down at his best friend with concern in his eyes. "Is he going to pull through?" He asks solemnly.
I meet his eyes and smile a bit, touching his cheek. "Of course he is Lex, this is Jack we're talking about." I say, trying to give him some encouragement.
He leans into my touch and smiles up at me before looking back at Jack. "You're right. He just needs the right medicine that's all."
"Guys, Baltimore is officially 10 miles away." Jeff calls from his position in the driver's seat.
"I'll be right back." I tell Alex.
I stand and walk back into the bunk area, looking for Matt. Luckily he doesn't have his curtain drawn today like he normally does. I think he's trying to come to terms with everything and dealing with it in his own way. At least he hasn't been too sulky.
"Matt, I gotta talk to you." I say, trying to keep my voice somewhat lowered. He looks up and gives me a half-smile to tell me he's listening, but it disappears when he takes in my serious manner.
"Okay," I start. "I think we need to go to a pharmacy or a health clinic or something.. Jack's shoulder is getting infected I think. He's got a bit of a fever and the wound is pretty red. He needs antibiotics, we don't have any."
I see Matt gulp. "Yea, okay. Let's tell everyone." He slides out of his bunk and I can't control the little smile that escapes me when I see his Mickey Mouse blanket.
I stick my head in the back lounge and see Rian, Evan, and Zack quietly watching a movie. That's another thing that's changed; it's always so quiet now. No one really has much of their usual boisterous behavior, not even Vinny, who always finds a way to lighten up a situation with some stupid joke.
"Can you guys come out to the front for a minute?" I ask softly.
They nod and follow me back to the front of the bus.
"Alright guys, home is close, but we have to make one more stop." Matt announces, looking around at everyone. Several eyes flit back to where Jack is sprawled out on one of the couches; it's pretty obvious that there's something up with him.
"We need to go to the nearest pharmacy." I say. "Jack's shoulder is getting infected."
We start devising a plan. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances nowadays, even a quick trip to the pharmacy has it's complications. It's decided that we find a pharmacy with woods nearby and that the bus will have to be hidden to avoid people seeing it. And as to not draw more attention to ourselves, only three of us will go into the store; me, Alex, and Zack.
After some thought, Danny speaks up. "There's this Walgreens on the outskirts of Baltimore that's near the highway. I'm pretty sure there's a bunch of woods around it; we're actually pretty close, once we get closer to the city."
Matt's face lights up. "Oh yea I know which one you're talking about. Good thinking Danny." He says with a warm smile, making Danny blush slightly.
Jeff navigates us through the packed highway lanes, crowded with empty and abandoned cars. There are zombies scattered across the area, some wondering aimlessly, others finding a small group of unfortunate living stragglers. A few of us see the gory feast initiate, but we merely turn a blind eye; they aren't our problem. That's just how things are now, we have our own to worry about.
After another 45 minutes of slow, careful driving, we finally pass a large sign that says 'Welcome to Baltimore'.
"Take that exit on the right, it'll take us to the part of town we need to go." Matt instructs Jeff. After about 5 minutes I start to see the stark outline of the city itself; tall buildings that looked untouched by disaster. This view was quickly blocked as we entered a heavily wooded area, the leaves on many of the trees brown from winter's premature chill.
"Slow down, pull in there." Matt points to an unpaved driveway that leads into the woods, probably leading to some rundown farmhouse.
Jeff carefully backs into the space, making sure we're well past the treeline before shutting the bus off.
"Alright guys, the store is about a mile and a half up the road." Matt addresses Zack, Alex, and I, handing me a walkie-talkie. "Take this and if anything goes wrong we'll come after you. Okay?"
The three of us nod, but my eyes catch movement and see Jack stirring on the couch. He opens his eyes and looks confused. "Where are you guys going?" His voice is groggy and quiet.
He tries to sit up, but I place a hand on his chest and gently push him back down. "You need medicine Jack; stuff we don't have." I inform him.
"No! You guys will get hurt!" He musters up as much gusto into his words as he can manage.
"We'll be fine Jack, I promise." Alex says from beside me.
Jack's face becomes defeated. "Don't make promises you're not positive you can keep."
Alex puts a hand on his friends uninjured shoulder. "I am positive Jack. We'll be back in an hour or so, dude."
Jack puts his hand over Alex's, managing a half smile. "You better."
I locate my hiking boots and lace them up tight. Alex hands me the ski jacket that we stole from the sports store a couple days ago. He and Zack are already wearing their stolen jackets, as well as their own pairs of hiking boots.
After grabbing a bag to put supplies in, I look around and find my katana and my gun, slinging both around my shoulders. Matt hands us all pistols for good measure.
"Please be careful." He says, his hazel eyes riddled with worry. "And try not to use the guns if you absolutely don't have to."
"Okay Mom." Zack teases, trying to diffuse some of the tension.
"You guys ready?" Alex asks, glancing from me to Zack; we nod in affirmation.
"Alright, let's go."
Lucy's POV
After Matt and I had spoken, we took some time to bury Colussy, and then we were on our way. When everyone had gotten back on the bus after that, there was this edge about the group that hadn't been there before; a thicker, tougher exterior. We had all changed. We finally had to realize and accept that this sort of thing might happen again. But that doesn't mean that we'll just let it happen; we'll try our damned hardest to make sure that it doesn't.
After a week, you'd think we would've made it to the coast. But no; winter was definitely deciding to come early this year. It was only mid-November, yet it was already snowing like crazy. This had slowed us down a considerable amount; we didn't want to push the bus too hard, especially in this weather. We've stopped for gas a couple times, but it was definitely risky. Also, we've been having to avoid previously-populated areas. We didn't want a repeat of what happened at the gun store, so it was decided that we just avoid people as much as possible. This meant we had to recalculate our routes all the time, because others seemed to have the same idea as us. Plus, we thought it wise not to travel at night, seeing as we could easily get lost.
A few days ago we raided a sporting goods store for some appropriate -and necessary- winter gear.
What I was really noticing though as the days ticked by, was that the number of the dead was multiplying at a frightening rate, and the number of living we'd see on the road were steadily declining. This was yet another obstacle we've been having to overcome. The bus may be large, but pack enough zombies in front of it, and it slows down considerably. We couldn't take the chance, since the majority of the windows on the bus are either cracked or shattered from the hail of bullets it encountered before. This proved to make every night bitterly cold, causing us all to have to sleep in huddles to keep warm; we couldn't risk killing the bus' battery with leaving the heat on all night.
Alex and I never got more than a minute alone with each other, but that was to be expected with living in a bus full of eight other men. I honestly don't know how I had made it a week straight confined in a bus with them all. But Alex and I still stole chaste kisses here and there; holding each other close as we slept.
*****
Jack's shoulder isn't fairing too well. After he got shot, I didn't get the chance to stitch him up right away thanks to Sam putting a knife to my throat. However, I did take care of it and put his arm in a sling after we'd buried Colussy. But despite my best efforts, I'm pretty sure it's getting infected.
I have my hand pressed against Jack's flushed, clammy face. He fell asleep a few minutes ago, his chest slowly rising and falling. He's been sleeping a lot lately, and quite frankly I'm worried.
Alex is sat next to me, looking down at his best friend with concern in his eyes. "Is he going to pull through?" He asks solemnly.
I meet his eyes and smile a bit, touching his cheek. "Of course he is Lex, this is Jack we're talking about." I say, trying to give him some encouragement.
He leans into my touch and smiles up at me before looking back at Jack. "You're right. He just needs the right medicine that's all."
"Guys, Baltimore is officially 10 miles away." Jeff calls from his position in the driver's seat.
"I'll be right back." I tell Alex.
I stand and walk back into the bunk area, looking for Matt. Luckily he doesn't have his curtain drawn today like he normally does. I think he's trying to come to terms with everything and dealing with it in his own way. At least he hasn't been too sulky.
"Matt, I gotta talk to you." I say, trying to keep my voice somewhat lowered. He looks up and gives me a half-smile to tell me he's listening, but it disappears when he takes in my serious manner.
"Okay," I start. "I think we need to go to a pharmacy or a health clinic or something.. Jack's shoulder is getting infected I think. He's got a bit of a fever and the wound is pretty red. He needs antibiotics, we don't have any."
I see Matt gulp. "Yea, okay. Let's tell everyone." He slides out of his bunk and I can't control the little smile that escapes me when I see his Mickey Mouse blanket.
I stick my head in the back lounge and see Rian, Evan, and Zack quietly watching a movie. That's another thing that's changed; it's always so quiet now. No one really has much of their usual boisterous behavior, not even Vinny, who always finds a way to lighten up a situation with some stupid joke.
"Can you guys come out to the front for a minute?" I ask softly.
They nod and follow me back to the front of the bus.
"Alright guys, home is close, but we have to make one more stop." Matt announces, looking around at everyone. Several eyes flit back to where Jack is sprawled out on one of the couches; it's pretty obvious that there's something up with him.
"We need to go to the nearest pharmacy." I say. "Jack's shoulder is getting infected."
We start devising a plan. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances nowadays, even a quick trip to the pharmacy has it's complications. It's decided that we find a pharmacy with woods nearby and that the bus will have to be hidden to avoid people seeing it. And as to not draw more attention to ourselves, only three of us will go into the store; me, Alex, and Zack.
After some thought, Danny speaks up. "There's this Walgreens on the outskirts of Baltimore that's near the highway. I'm pretty sure there's a bunch of woods around it; we're actually pretty close, once we get closer to the city."
Matt's face lights up. "Oh yea I know which one you're talking about. Good thinking Danny." He says with a warm smile, making Danny blush slightly.
Jeff navigates us through the packed highway lanes, crowded with empty and abandoned cars. There are zombies scattered across the area, some wondering aimlessly, others finding a small group of unfortunate living stragglers. A few of us see the gory feast initiate, but we merely turn a blind eye; they aren't our problem. That's just how things are now, we have our own to worry about.
After another 45 minutes of slow, careful driving, we finally pass a large sign that says 'Welcome to Baltimore'.
"Take that exit on the right, it'll take us to the part of town we need to go." Matt instructs Jeff. After about 5 minutes I start to see the stark outline of the city itself; tall buildings that looked untouched by disaster. This view was quickly blocked as we entered a heavily wooded area, the leaves on many of the trees brown from winter's premature chill.
"Slow down, pull in there." Matt points to an unpaved driveway that leads into the woods, probably leading to some rundown farmhouse.
Jeff carefully backs into the space, making sure we're well past the treeline before shutting the bus off.
"Alright guys, the store is about a mile and a half up the road." Matt addresses Zack, Alex, and I, handing me a walkie-talkie. "Take this and if anything goes wrong we'll come after you. Okay?"
The three of us nod, but my eyes catch movement and see Jack stirring on the couch. He opens his eyes and looks confused. "Where are you guys going?" His voice is groggy and quiet.
He tries to sit up, but I place a hand on his chest and gently push him back down. "You need medicine Jack; stuff we don't have." I inform him.
"No! You guys will get hurt!" He musters up as much gusto into his words as he can manage.
"We'll be fine Jack, I promise." Alex says from beside me.
Jack's face becomes defeated. "Don't make promises you're not positive you can keep."
Alex puts a hand on his friends uninjured shoulder. "I am positive Jack. We'll be back in an hour or so, dude."
Jack puts his hand over Alex's, managing a half smile. "You better."
I locate my hiking boots and lace them up tight. Alex hands me the ski jacket that we stole from the sports store a couple days ago. He and Zack are already wearing their stolen jackets, as well as their own pairs of hiking boots.
After grabbing a bag to put supplies in, I look around and find my katana and my gun, slinging both around my shoulders. Matt hands us all pistols for good measure.
"Please be careful." He says, his hazel eyes riddled with worry. "And try not to use the guns if you absolutely don't have to."
"Okay Mom." Zack teases, trying to diffuse some of the tension.
"You guys ready?" Alex asks, glancing from me to Zack; we nod in affirmation.
"Alright, let's go."
omg vic and mike and
they would have reconized them
3/23/14