Zompocalypse Diaries (QUICK edit finished)

December 18, 2012

Dec. 18, 2012

It's been three days. Three days since we left Eugene. Three days full of rain. Three days since I had a dry enough place to write. We continued up the interstate on to Albany, passing a few smaller towns on the way. We wanted to get off the more populated and densely forested path so decided to take US 20 to the coast.

We never ventured far from 20, stopping only once every night as soon as the sun set to pitch our tents and take turns keeping watch until the sun broke over the treetops. We encountered many an undead animal, they seemed to be what populated the area most. They never traveled in hordes though, so better them than a group of human death.

I stood and stretched as the sun finally rose and I realized it had stopped drizzling. I took Carrie's watch last night so she could get extra rest, her ribs were finally feeling better. She still got occasional pains but overall they seemed almost as good as new.

I walked to her tent first and called out softly to wake her up. After hearing her rustling around and grumbling to herself, I smiled and walked the short distance to the boy's tent. I slowly unzipped the front flap and peered inside, almost laughing aloud at the sight laid out in front of me.

Bruce lay on his back, snoring. A line of drool trickled from the corner of his wide open mouth down his neck, ending at his shoulder. He had one arm tucked under his head and the other wrapped around Jordan who lay snuggled into his side. With their legs entwined, you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. If only I thought to grab a camera during all of this.

I stifled another laugh as I heard Carrie gasp from beside me. Bruce must have heard too because he started to shift and his eyes fluttered open. He shot us a smile then looked to his left as Jordan cuddled a bit closer.

His eyes widened and he sucked in a breath, bolting upright and sending Jordan rolling into his back. Jordan awoke with the sudden movement and looked around, bleary eyed and confused.

"What?" He asked.

"Out of the tent." A red faced Bruce pointed to the open flap and Jordan quickly scurried out, passing a grinning Carrie and a chuckling me.

"What?" He asked again.

"Just....just go get something to eat and pack up." Carrie said with a shake of the head.

He took one last glance at us and took off toward the packs.

"Should we tell him?" Bruce asked from behind, startling the both of us.

"No." Carrie answered. "No need to knock him down any more pegs."

Bruce nodded in agreement and walked to the packs for a quick snack, sitting as far from Jordan as he could. Carrie and I made to follow but stopped in our tracks when we heard the faint sounds of snapping twigs from outside our small clearing.

"Oh come on." I whined. "The rain finally let up too. I was hoping for a calm day."

"It could just be an animal." Carrie offered.

"That's what I'm worried about."

"A STILL LIVE animal, Bre."

"And when was the last time we saw one of those?"

She thought only a moment before agreeing. "Well, let's get moving then. Try not to draw attention, pack quietly."

I nodded and follow closely behind her, glancing back a few times to be sure the lurker hadn't come into the clearing. We ate a quick and very light breakfast. Our rations were dwindling after these three days of not stopping in any towns. We need to take the time to get our supplies back up before getting to Tillamook.