The Days Are Tired (Book #1 of the Dark Skies series) - A Zombie story

Chapter 25: Hollow

The big day came.

We were going on the supply run and my hands wouldn't stop shaking. It felt like small motors had taken over my nerves and muscles. The rumbles of my fears transmitted into every cell of my body. My mind and emotions were off-kilter.

Standing in the office with the picture of the happy couple I felt my legs wobble. 

The room held both peaceful and bad memories but I still went there every chance I got. The glimpse of regularity the room offered was too good and rare to give up.

Everything in the room was as it should be.

The desk was perfectly organized. A smooth computer in the middle with pen holders and picture frames on either side of it. They were perfectly placed and neat. If I stared long enough it wasn't too hard to imagine the employee sitting there, doing employee things.

I could easily picture fingers softly tapping the keyboard as they answered emails. And hear the rustle of papers as they looked through portfolios. The clear image made me think of my father and his clean-cut suit as he left in the morning. 

He worked in an office like this... This room oddly made me feel close to my father. The closest that I've ever felt to him in the years of my life.

Bending down I tied one shoestring and that's when I noticed that my bat was missing. I'd left it downstairs. A rookie mistake. I stood up and promptly fell on my face. The situation felt really familiar.

I had forgotten to tie the other shoelace before trying to walk.

As I push myself up tall dark boots fill my vision, looking up the path of the long muscular legs I find a smug-looking face.

"So, how are you," Will asked in a conversational tone. His brown hair was nearly shoulder-length now. 

I bit the inside of my jaw. If blood wasn't rushing to my face right then I would've rolled my eyes at him. Instead, I raised my hand for him to help me up.

"Bri, Bri, Bri," he muttered with a grin, an actual grin, on his lips. "You really need to be more careful." The good-natured tone of his voice threw me for a loop.

His hands lingered on my own for a second. As if suddenly realizing his actions he quickly pulled back.

"Hurry down... I just came to get you because Cain's about ready to leave." He moved to go but suddenly turned around. "And Bri?"

I gave him an expectant look.

"Don't mess this up."

I slightly laugh at his leaving figure. He was telling me to be careful in his own messed-up way.

It was at that moment I realized how important it was to me that I didn't mess this up. I didn't want to let my group down. I was determined to go on the supply run and bring back things that would help my ragtag group of survivors - actually survive.

I soon followed in Will's footsteps and made my way to the cafeteria where everyone else was waiting.

"Finally, leave it to women - in the apocalypse, they still manage to take forever to get ready." Frank's snide comment is one I chose to ignore.

I gave him a wide berth as I glided past him with a cool expression on my face. I walk up to Leo who's sitting on top of a table. He was letting his slightly injured foot rest on the solid surface.

"Is it feeling any better," I asked him in an attempt to fill in the silence.

"Yeah, but Will won't let me go still." He pouted. "You guys get to go out and have all the fun."