The Town of Last Haven: A Zombie Novel

Part 27

It didn't take much more than an hour for the pickup of people to get to the next town over that hadn't been overthrown by the wanderers.

Natalie and Jake talked on and off, Natalie using her faked voice even though she and Jake both knew it was fake--had been faked so she wouldn't be noticed by the others with them--a safety precaution.

Natalie hadn't expected to meet this Jake Hayden on the trip outside the walls, but some of the best things in life were unexpected, weren't they? Natalie watched as Jake took out several more of the wanderers, and his skill made her want to try her hand at shooting the wanderers dead.

"Take your time," Jake said to Natalie as he helped her aim properly. She missed shooting her dead targets the first two times but blasted off a piece of the midsection of one of the wanderers on her third try. Not a bullseye, but quite impressive--that's what Jake told her. "Try again," he said, glancing to another moving target.

Natalie took in a quick inhale as the pickup hit a bump in the road, but with her finger off the trigger she didn't fire. She leaned against the top of the truck, then used the movement to her advantage. On her first try for the new target, she got it in the head. Jake seemed impressed, which meant a lot to Natalie, because it wasn't every day she got to impress a gunman like Jake.

"Alright, we're here." The driver of the pickup pulled into an abandoned lot with too-tall grass sticking up from the cracks in the pavement. Natalie jumped out of the back of the truck with Jake, guns in hand and ready to fire at a moment's notice. The group didn't dissipate yet, and when Natalie was about to leave for the group for the desolate pharmacy down the way, Jake grabbed her arm.

"If you leave now, guns blazing, they'll know you're, well, you--don't go just yet, okay?" Jake whispered, and Natalie nodded as she stumbled to regain her footing from under her. She felt so out of place here, but she was doing this all for Julia. Julia, Julia, Julia, she thought to herself.

The driver of the pickup Natalie recognized because he was wearing an old Military jacket with pins still in the fraying fabric. She didn't know his name, but he wasn't the type of person you'd want to go up against in a bar fight--that's what Natalie first thought of when she saw how intimidating he could be to others around him. She swallowed hard, listened to him give a reminding speech on the regulations for the hunting parties, then after he was finished she went with Jake to the pharmacy.

"Careful, the glass can still cut you." Jake helped Natalie over the shattered window frame, glass decorating the floor like dust on an unused bookshelf. There was little left to scavenge, but Jake pulled Natalie aside and reminded her that there was always a storage room at the back of the store—every pharmacy had them.

"You're sure?" Natalie asked.

"I know I'm sure," Jake whispered to her as two others of the hunting party passed them by outside with three dead squirrels in hand. With food as scarce as it was, getting squirrels to eat was better than nothing. "Come on." Jake guided Natalie to the back of the store. It was dark, so Jake took out one of those energy-efficient solar flashlights and turned it on. The light wasn't all that bright, but like the squirrels it was better than nothing as well.

Jake led Natalie towards the bathrooms--Natalie quickly telling him she did not want to go in them--and he laughed quietly, saying there was no need. "I heard from someone a few weeks back that they had a stash of supplies here; they hid it about a month ago."

"Then why isn't he here and you are?" Natalie asked out of curiosity.

"The guy died--bitten by a wanderer."

"Oh," Natalie said, her face going pale.

"Didn't know him well, but I figured I'd get his stuff to bring back to the town. He was into... hookup apps on My-Tech back in the day, so he stashed a ton of condoms and stuff, but I don't think you know much about that."

"My sister could use a lifetime supply of condoms," Natalie said, Jake letting out a chortle of laughter. "Please don't tell my sister I told you that."

"Wouldn't think to," said Jake, prying up a panel from the floor. "Ah, here we go." He pulled up a bag of God knows what--Natalie saw a dozen boxes of condoms, a case of beer, batteries, and two pregnancy tests. "I'm not sure how the batteries will work, but we can try them out later. The beer's probably bad, but--" He then noticed the pregnancy tests. "I think the guy had a girlfriend or someone who may have needed those." He was referring to the tests. "You take them."

"Thank you," said Natalie, "but I have to ask you, Jake, why are you helping me?" she cocked her head to the side, her messy hair falling over her shoulders.

"I'm helping you because I want to." Jake smiled up at Natalie, handing her the clear bag to stuff in her duffel bag. Natalie took the bag from him slowly--these days, who helped someone unless they expected something in return? When Natalie looked worried, Jake opened the door for her to leave. "I know all those old zombie movies have you thinking I'm a bad guy, but it isn't like that. I promise you, Natalie, I only want to help you. I swear."

Natalie let out a breath as they came into the light again, now heading back to the truck. "Thank you, Jake. Really." She smiled, and Jake helped her into the back of the pickup. "Maybe when we get back, I can... Can I cook you some dinner sometime? I'm getting really good at cooking squirrels."

Jake howled with laughter, accepting Natalie's offer. "I'll take it!" He hopped into the free space next to her, the party soon returning, heads counted, and they were off towards their town again. "You know, Natalie, this is going to sound weird, but--"

"I don't think you're weird." Natalie smiled shyly, her cheeks turning a slight pink color.

"You just might," said Jake. "I've been on border patrol for a while now, and I see you watching over your brother and sister. You're pretty motherly to them, and no one should expect you to play mom at your age."

"You make it sound like I'm still a kid. I'm a few years older than I really look." Natalie corrected him with her mature arched-eyebrow look.

"I'll be sure to get you a present and sing happy birthday to you." Jake ran a hand through his hair. "What I'm trying to say--I've seen you around town, and I didn't know the best way to introduce myself. I wasn't stalking you or anything, if that's what you're thinking. I just thought helping you now would be a good way to meet you."

"I think that's very sweet, Jake." Natalie cursed herself mentally for not knowing how to thank Jake for all he did to help her today. "How do I thank you for this?" she asked, her voice a normal whisper.

"Just let me keep helping you... That'll be your thanks to me." Jake was Natalie's personal good Samaritan.