Zuflucht

11

"It's bleeding through the bandage." Mumbled Ash as she examined her arm in the seat next to me. I glanced over quickly to see the bright red liquid oozing through the last of the bandage we had.

"How bad does it hurt." I asked while taking an exit. We were right outside of Hays Kansas and thick dark clouds started arranging themselves around us.

"Pretty bad." She whined as she looked away and tried to occupy herself with the items passing by outside.

"Keep your eyes out for a pharmacy, that'll be our best bet at finding you something to repatch your wound with. " She nodded and leaned her head back into a more comfortable position.

"So...what made you choose the dog?" I asked to make conversation. I could tell she's uncomfortable and hurting so I tried to take her mind off of it. She looked down at the plush between her arms and gave it a light squeeze before looking ahead at the road.

"She makes me feel safe..." She trailed. A part of me felt like a slap in the face from her plush doing a better job at giving her safety than I do.

"She's like my best friend." I smiled lightly although it didn't reach my eyes.

"Everyone could use a best friend during times like these." I mumbled. "Just a matter of making it out together alive."

I noticed Ash was deep into thought until she finally found the correct words to use to speak.

"What-, uh-what happened to my dad?" The question itself caught me off guard and I had to make sure I didn't swerve off the road. I couldn't help but notice that she never asked anything about him until now.

"What makes you so curious?" She shrugged her shoulders and looked over at me.

"Well uh..." I glanced in the rearview mirror to pass time as my lips tried to find the words to speak.

"The day the infected started going rampage I called him to make sure he was okay. He found this place for us, then he was never seen around here again. You can probably fill in the blanks with as smart as you are." I didn't hold back the truth any despite the fact that he didn't want a child with me. Hell, he didn't even wanna be with me and I felt that maybe some things can wait to be told.

"Why didn't he stay with us? " The topic had suddenly peaked her interest.
I breathed out heavily before answering.

"He went to go warn more people and tell them about the shelter. I never saw him again after that and I was pregnant with you so I didn't dare go outside to try and look for him. Once you were born that's all I prioritized was making sure nothing could hurt you." She muttered a small "oh"  before dropping the subject altogether.

For the next few minutes the car ride was silent except for the small gunshots that could be heard in the distance. I kept my eyes out, but they sounded far enough away for us to get by safely.

"It's busy here..." Ash trailed.

"Yeah, busy with bandits." I corrected as I drove through the small community the exit had taken me to.
More shots sounded off but one gun sounded bigger than the other. A small 'pop' would go off once or twice before a louder 'boom' would ring throughout the air.

"Maybe we ought to wait until the next exit..." I know Ash needs bandaged and supplies, but I don't wanna risk either or both of us getting killed.
She whined in protest which didn't help my split decision as we continued down the saburban area.

"Hey, is that a pharmacy?" She asked while pointing out her window. Indeed, a green lined tan building with the words 'Drugs Saburban' written in red cursive for all too see.

"Please mom?" She asked once she noticed my hesitancy. I chewed on the inside of my lip anxiously before I sighed and pulled into the parking lot.

"Stay here, I'll be just a second." I stated as I grabbed my all too familiar spray bottle. I sprayed myself down before getting out the car, telling Ash to lock all the doors in the process. She did as told while I myself made my way towards the heavy looking glass door.

Boom!

I couldn't help but flinch as another heavy gunshot rang through the air. My worries were at a maximum and I would never forgive myself if something happened to her while I was gone.
Once I made it to the door, I pushed the heavy glass and made my way inside the cooler building. The air felt amazing in contrast with the hot weather outside and I couldn't help but wonder how a pharmacy in the middle of Kansas had cooler air to enjoy.

Pow!

Pow!

The shots now sounded even closer, reminding me to stay on task and hurry up and get to Ashanti.

I don't trust her being outside alone...