Harem in a zombie apocalypse

[87] Luxury list

As our convoy made its steady journey through the rough terrains, the ruined silhouette of Calgary loomed in the distance. The skeletal remains of what once was a thriving city now lay barren and lifeless. Its sky-piercing structures stood like fractured sentinels, bearing the scars of a fierce and destructive onslaught.

"The place looks like it has been bombed," I couldn't help but murmur, my voice echoing in the tight confines of the truck. The sight was grim, a harsh reminder of the world we now inhabited. A world ravaged by disaster and painted in shades of desolation.

Cody, who was intently focused on navigating through the rocky path, turned his gaze towards me. His normally jovial eyes were serious, reflecting the grim reality that surrounded us. "You would be correct, son," he affirmed, the corners of his mouth dipping in a grim curve. His confirmation sent a chill running down my spine, hardening the pit in my stomach.

His gaze returned to the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel tighter. "The place was carpet bombed by the military a few days ago," he revealed, his voice barely above a whisper. The truck's engine hummed in the background, creating an eerie score to Cody's chilling words.

Cassidy and Kaya, who were till now silently observing the ruins, exchanged anxious glances. Cassidy's fingers traced the edge of her weapon, her usual bravado replaced with a somber calm. Kaya, on the other hand, kept her focus on the ruined city, her face a mask of hardened resolve.

The gravity of Cody's words hung heavy in the air, swallowing our usual chatter. The destruction before us was a testament to the lengths humanity would go to combat the terror we were now living. A terror that had torn apart our world, one city at a time.

***

The scenery around us shifted as we ventured deeper into the city. The desolation of the outskirts was gradually replaced by the disarray and chaos that had swallowed downtown Calgary. As we inched closer, the gravity of the destruction became more evident. The city was a shattered shell of its former self; its vibrant streets replaced with the silence of the grave.

Cody drove with a grim determination, maneuvering the vehicle through the obstacle-ridden streets. Buildings stood half-eroded, their windows blown out and their contents spilled into the streets. Vehicles lay abandoned, their burnt-out husks a testament to the intense warfare that had taken place.

The grim atmosphere inside the vehicle thickened as we approached what was once a sturdy bridge. Now, it was a fallen monument of concrete and metal, its remnants scattered across the river like a cruel mockery of its former glory. I swallowed hard, trying to push away the lump that had formed in my throat. The sight was an all too real reminder of the world we had lost.

Cody, seeing the bridge, let out a low curse under his breath. "All the downtown bridges have been destroyed," he muttered, his voice filled with frustration and a tinge of disappointment. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles whitening under the strain. "We have to go further south," he concluded, his voice echoing through the quiet cabin of the vehicle.

His words served to break the silent tension that had taken hold. Cassidy, sitting beside me, looked towards Cody, her face a mask of concern. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Cody?" she asked, her voice hesitant. "Going south means heading deeper into the city. It'll be more dangerous."

Cody let out a sigh, his gaze focused on the road ahead. "It's the only choice we got, Cass. Unless we sprout wings and fly over," he responded, a hint of his usual humor seeping back into his voice.

There was a series of small laughs, but it died down quickly, the remainder of the trip was a long and quiet one. Dodging the debris that littered the roads and avoiding the numerous wreckages strewn across the streets made the trip a lengthy ordeal. But as the minutes turned into half an hour, a sigh of relief swept across the truck as an intact bridge came into view. We all leaned towards the windows, gazing at the welcome sight that broke the otherwise desolate landscape.

Crossing the bridge, the car hummed softly as the tires rolled over the concrete surface. The eerie stillness of the ghost town was only broken by the occasional creaking of the structure beneath us. The sight of the deserted cityscape from the bridge was haunting, a poignant reminder of the lives that once filled these streets.

"Remember guys," Cody began, breaking the silence that had settled in the car. His voice held a tinge of seriousness that commanded our attention. "The valuables you wanna go for are smokes, booze, batteries, and electronics. These are the things that sell like hotcakes back in Banff." He glanced back at us briefly before returning his gaze to the road.

"Booze, huh?" Cassidy mused, folding her arms. "I'd have thought food and medicine would be a priority."

Cody chuckled, shaking his head. "You'd be surprised, Cassidy. Those things, sure, they are valuable. But booze and smokes? They help people forget. And in times like these, that's a luxury folks are willing to pay for."

"That and batteries and electronics," Kaya added, her eyes focused on the sights outside the window. "With the power grid down, portable sources of power and any gadgets that still work are worth their weight in gold."

I nodded, understanding the reasoning behind Cody's list. In a world turned upside down, people clung to anything that brought a semblance of normalcy, a taste of the life they once knew. And the items Cody mentioned, they offered that, a way to escape, to connect, to survive.

"So, we're essentially after a survivalist's luxury list," I concluded, sharing a brief smile with my companions.

"Couldn't have put it better, Chang," Cody responded, matching my smile with his own. With our mission outlined clearly, we steeled ourselves for the task ahead. Little did we know, this was just the beginning.

Q: What's your zombie apocalypse luxury list?