First Steps | A Zombie Apocalypse Story (Completed)

Day 20.1

Clarissa

It's been almost two hours since Paxton and Zachariah have left. Poor Aliana has been looking out the peaks in the windows since they left. Hannah, on the other hand, has still been treating everyone with the silent treatment. At this point, I don't know if she'll ever be the same as before. She isn't the same sweet, timid girl she was back when she was in my class. Although regular life seems like months ago now.

I think the apocalypse makes or breaks people.

And unfortunately, I think she is the type it breaks.

I figured we'd wait until they got back to go to the church and get the supplies since they're both strong people capable of a fight, but Chris worries we can't wait anymore or else someone else will take the supplies. Our fighters are limited to Chris, Jerry, Matthew, Gloriana, and me. We don't want Aeoto to get involved because he's a doctor, and he hasn't proven thus far that he is a capable fighter. I feel almost protective over Bobby, and think he should stay behind as well. I think he has the potential to be capable, but I don't think he's there yet. And it's a no-brainer for the teenage girls.

I don't want to do this right now, but as a guest, I really don't have much of a say in the matter.

"We're leaving in ten," Chris says, his voice echoing through the whole house. I pull up the infected blood-stained cargo pants, the size slightly too big.

"I'm coming," Charlie says, approaching me and tucking a strand of her medium-length, light-brown hair behind her ear.

"I don't know if-" I begin to say until Hannah interrupts me. She's been staying outside in the treehouse despite our attempts of persuading her to stay with the rest of us. At the end of the day, she's in charge of her own decisions.

"I'm not staying here either." Hannah crosses her arms, her blonde hair swaying back when she straightens her back.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you two to go. It's dangerous what we're going to do," I reply, putting my hands on both the girls' shoulders, Hannah shrugging it off instantly.

"I'm not staying when everyone that can keep me safe is leaving," Hannah adds. She does make a point; I'm not sure how well Aliana and Shauna are able to fend off threats.

"I know I can't tell you two what to do. I'm not your mom, but please stay in the truck when we're there. I don't want anything to happen to the two of you. I care about you guys." The two girls nod their heads in agreement.

We approach the church, a medium-sized graveyard coming into view. Something about seeing a graveyard with the state of the world just makes me hate graveyards even more. I've always felt a sense of eerieness whenever I'd see a graveyard. The church stood fairly tall at two stories over the surrounding one-story homes with its red-brick facade. The stain-glass windows starkly contrasted, the Biblical imagery uncanny and sorrowful.

We pull up to the front entrance, a small banner labeled, "food drive," flapping in the wind. I can't help but feel a sense of nervousness ache in my core. Gloriana, Matthew, and Chris hop out of the truck bed and truck, but Jerry stays in the bed with me after realizing I wasn't exiting it.

"Hey, look. I've got your back. If at any time you need to back out, do what you've gotta do," Jerry says, staring at me with reassuring eyes. All I do is nod.

"Let me go with you guys," Bobby interceeds.

"No, you need to stay in the truck to protect Charlie and Hannah, kid," Jerry says, giving him a little nudge with his knuckles on his shoulder.

"I call bullshit," he replies, adding, "You don't think I can handle myself in there." Bobby expresses himself with sharp eyes, stabbing into him.

"Bobby, it isn't like that," I chime in, grabbing his arm delicately. He shrugs off my grasp.