First Steps | A Zombie Apocalypse Story (Completed)

Day 16

Charlie

Oh my God. It's a home. A real home. Not one we are taking from a stranger that is probably dead. We are being welcomed into a house with open arms. When we approach the door, I am welcomed by my brother's arms. Never did I think I'd be so happy to see him. A faint rotting smell hits my nose. We hurry inside, the heat of the day quickly rising. Virginia really knows how to welcome the summertime with a bang. 

"I've gotta tell you what we did. We got through a ton of those deadheads by rubbing their guts all over our clothing," Bobby says excitedly, but I only grimace.

"That must be why you smell so bad. Worse than usual," I mutter under my breath. He looks at me lousily. 

"For your information, Charlie, I saved Jerry and Clarissa. If I hadn't slipped in a pool of infected blood when escaping past the mall, I wouldn't have known. So you can thank me for my smell," he replies all matter-of-factly. I roll my eyes, crossing my arms over my growling stomach. The lovely individuals who are letting us stay here introduce themselves before taking us downstairs with the rest of the group. 

"Do we have food? I'm starving," I cry out, my stomach growling. Joy fills my chest when I see Clarissa. Ignoring my hunger pains, I rush over to her with a hug. After everything that's happened the past couple of days, seeing her brings me comfort, a maternal comfort. She backs away from the hug, looking at me with a smile. 

"I'm going to go ahead and ask about getting you some food and water," Clarissa replies, heading upstairs. Hannah makes her way over to me.

"Why do you have to be so needy? Aren't you grateful that we have a roof over our head?" Hannah says. This is probably the most I've heard her say since meeting her. My throat tightens. Why does she have such a problem with me?

"I'm surprised the infected haven't gotten to you with how whiney you are," she adds, her voice bitter.

"Why don't you just mind your own business? I don't understand why you've decided to make me the enemy. I'm supposed to be your friend. The bad guys are those creatures that killed my mom, Ms.Linda, and Mike. The ones that have killed most of the people I love," I reply hastily, my anger getting worse.

"You've done nothing but cry about what's happened. All you care about are your own feelings, and what you've lost. Have you even thought about what any of us have lost? Or are you unable to think about anything that has to do with anyone else?" I look around the creme-colored room, seeing if anyone was going to interfere. Nobody was in the room except for Aeoto and Bobby, but they don't seem to notice our bickering. Jerry is in here too, but he is asleep on the couch. 

"I-" I find myself at a loss for words. We've all lost people. Here I thought Hannah was being the jerk, but maybe I've just been too focused on myself to see her pain. But her pain is so clear right now. It looks almost like she's going to cry. 

"I don't let my feelings stop us from going forward. You're tantrums are going to get us all killed." I avoid eye contact with her shamefully. Maybe she's right. Aliana intrudes before I think of something to say.

"Hannah, is it?" My best friend is named Hannah. Anyway, we have some food upstairs if y'all are hungry," she says, clueless to the conversation at hand. Her sister comes into view with her shoulder-length locks of strawberry blonde hair. 

"Your best friend is probably dead," Hannah responds, her face growing serious. Aliana is taken aback, her face growing pale. Hannah leaves the room.

"Are you okay?" I ask, picking at my cuticles now that my pink nail polish is long gone. She nods.

"Let's tell the others to come upstairs," she says after a moment of silence, pushing her fingers through her long hair.

Clarissa