Into The Darkness

Chapter Twelve

It's been a few months since I was infected, and sometimes I can still feel my bones ache like they did when It first happened. Some days I wake up weak, and just need to lay around all day. I'm hoping that goes away though, feeling like I can't even get up and walk to the bathroom makes me nervous. What if we get run out of here? I'd be dead.

Alex and I quietly made our way through the woods surrounding our house. Spring is finally here, but in Arkansas that means it's hot and muggy until summer. Then it's just really hot and muggy...

I put my finger on my lip, showing Alex to stop moving and be quiet. We have been hunting all day and I've finally spotted a deer. I pulled my gun up and got the deer in my sights. I held my breath and pulled the trigger, only to be disappointed. My gun jammed, and the deer noticed me seconds later and took off running.

"Well shit! That was the first damn deer I've seen all week!" I growled.

"Hey! Be quiet!" Alex snapped, and pointed towards a rotter mulling around nearby. I walked up to it, frustrated, and stabbed it in the head. "What the hell, June? Be careful!" I ignored him and started walking in the direction the deer ran. "June, home is that way." Alex said, pointing towards home.

"Yeah, but the deer ran this way."

"That damn deer is long gone by now and you know it. We are better off coming back tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes at him, he's right, but that doesn't mean I can't have an attitude about it. We haven't had any real protein in a while, and It is starting to wear on us all. I just stomped past Alex but only made it a few feet before he ran up from behind and grabbed me.

"You really need to cheer up." he spun me around quickly and pushed me against a tree. "Things aren't so bad." Then he leaned in and started kissing me. I couldn't help but grin, Alex makes me feel so much better about things. And he's right, things aren't so bad. We've got a house, and canned goods. And each other...

Alex pulled away, "That's what I like to see, that beautiful smile. Now let's head home."

Back at home, I handed Richard the gun to fix it, hopefully our last gun didn't just die on us. I'm pretty good at hunting, but I don't think I could kill anything with a spear. It didn't take him long to fix it.

"Good as new." He said, laying it next to the door. "Now, I'm going to go take a nap. Maybe you will get us a deer tomorrow."

Alex decided to take a nap as well, so I sat in the living room to keep watch. I've always liked keeping watch, to be honest I don't like it when anyone else keeps watch. I'm afraid they will miss something and we will get overrun. Maybe I'm just paranoid though.

After an hour or so, I could hear Alex snoring from our bedroom, I guess he really did need a nap. Another thirty minutes tick by, then I decide that I'll make myself useful and go hunt. I don't have to hunt around here, we have a truck so I'll drive a ways down the road and see if I can find a good spot. I scribbled a note and stuck it to the door saying I went to go hunt and that I'll be back. I grabbed the gun and truck keys and left.

I passed a few broken down vehicles as I drove, as well as a few rotter's. If I can find a pond, then I could sit and wait for something to come drink. I drove another mile, then slowed to a stop in the middle of the road. Right there next to me was a huge cow pasture and plenty of cows to choose from. I've never skinned out a cow, but I have plenty of deer, how hard could it really be? I pulled up to the gate and pulled in, leaving it open for the rest of the cows to escape if they wanted.

I parked and got out near the closest cow, "Sorry guys, I've gotta take one of you. But the door's open if you want to be free..." I held up my gun and shot the cow, making the rest bolt. The cow dropped like a rock and I got to work.