Life After Death

Chapter 14

Third Person Pov

It had been two days since they'd taken in the girl. Still yet to say much to them too.

After they had returned to the house, they spent the night remaining where they were, and packed everything up the next morning ready to leave. Not one of them had much idea where they were going next, but it seemed like an unworthy risk to stay there much longer. If the Reapers were to spread out, it would just be a matter of time before they stumbled across the place.

Trying to do anything to try and cheer this girls mood, Vivian gave her the closest thing they had to a toy.

Amalie's bear.

In the end, Vivian accepted that she couldn't hold onto it forever whilst it just gathered dust in her bag or the backseat of the car.  Besides, at least now someone could enjoy it. It wasn't like this child was going to rip it into pieces - hopefully anyway.

With a few hours built up in the car this morning, the group finally pulled into somewhere that was hopefully worth looking around. A few more days' worth of food and water was likely, and maybe even somewhere to squat in for the next few days until the time comes where everyone was forced out again.

It was a town that still looked well built up. Abandoned cars on the side of the roads, some crashed into walls or left stranded among the sidewalks. Spray painting was littered among the sides of buildings - but it wasn't really graffiti. More like directions on how to safely evacuate that had no doubt been ignored as things got to this deep, dark stage.

"You guys hop out and start looking around for resources or places we can stay," Jace started as he pulled to a stop, "I'll do a drive round and try to make sure it's not infested with anything that's gonna end up trying to kill us."

Spending the next while looking carefully through each window, they were deciding whether going in was worth it. Some buildings were a waste of time, looking like the only thing to be found in them was a Lurker and an early grave, but some places like pharmacies or food shops were generally worth investigating, stuff like antibiotics and pain killers a necessity they wouldn't be able to forgo if it came to it. They were lucky enough they hadn't needed any antibiotics for Jade's eye.

It was cold out, rain seemingly imminent looking at the clouds that banished any sunlight from the sky, and none of them wanted to be stuck in a car again like the night previous. Particularly Vivian and Nathaniel now that they lacked the middle seat to spread out over. That cab also got incredibly cold, and so a nice four walls that weren't made of metal would be nice.

"Hey, there's a clothes shop over here, why don't we go look for some different clothes?" Vivian offered, mainly for the girl, but also insinuating Jades own presence would be very appreciated.

"You two go do that, I'll try find somewhere to stay and keep an eye out for Jace."

All that was needed was a few changes, and maybe something warmer for the girls, given that tank tops and t-shirts weren't the best this time of year.

As for the condition of the place, it was poor. The floors covered in dirt, and leaves as the tiles cracked and came out and apart from their space on the floor. Ceiling tiles also draped from above, wires following suit that must have disconnected from whatever they had once been used for. Really though, none of that mattered. With the clothes hung up on hangers and folded up on half decayed shelves, no one had to worry about the condition of them. So long as they didn't have gaping holes in the middle of the chest, anything would suffice.

"Do you have a favourite colour?" Jade asked the girl who seemed to be gazing around in wonderment.

"Yeah, maybe we can find you some clothes in that colour."