Harem in a zombie apocalypse

[93] Spoils

Cody's wizened face broke into a grin as we returned, the weary lines of worry around his eyes smoothing out somewhat. "Well, well, well, ain't you three a sight for sore eyes," he chuckled, dusting off his trousers as he rose from the weathered chair he had been perched on. His eyes glinted with a mixture of relief and curiosity as he gestured towards our stuffed backpacks. "Come on then, let's see the haul."

As we unlatched our backpacks, a smorgasbord of items spilled out onto the weathered wooden table before us. The afternoon sunlight glinted off a collection of once precious, now practical, artifacts of the old world: cans of preserved food, packs of batteries, a heap of electronic devices, and various other sundry items.

Cody ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper beard, his weathered face splitting into a wide grin as he surveyed our loot. "Damn, you kids sure have a knack for this," he exclaimed, his rough fingers tracing over the objects before him.

Picking up a pristine-looking radio, he let out a low whistle. "Radios, eh?" he said, turning it over in his hands. "These little beauties are worth their weight in gold now." He gave a nod of approval, his stern gaze softening. "Good find, very good find."

Next, he grabbed a handful of batteries, their shiny exterior catching the light. "And batteries too? You lot are full of surprises." His voice carried a note of admiration, a hint of respect laced in his words. "You have no idea how valuable these are. Electricity is a luxury these days."

Our pile of canned food didn't escape his attention either. "Well, I'll be," he said, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "You even managed to score some grub. Not just any grub, but preserved food. Now that's impressive."

He then lifted a vintage AC/DC album from the pile, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes. "And good taste in music too," he said, chuckling to himself. Cassidy's face flushed with pride, her earlier mishap forgotten in the glow of approval.

He then proceeded to check all our items, commenting on the quality and potential value of each. From the simple lighters and matches to the intricate electronic gadgets, each object was examined and valued, Cody's experienced eyes missing nothing.

"Alright, alright," he said finally, leaning back in his chair. "I must say, I'm mighty impressed. You've got a good eye for what's valuable in this new world of ours, that's for sure."

He offered us a firm nod, his approval evident in his gaze. "Looks like hiring you lot was the best decision I've made in a while. You're worth every penny I'm gonna pay you. Well done, well done indeed."

As his words sank in, a wave of relief washed over us. We had done it. We had successfully completed our first scavenger job in this new, cruel world. Not only had we survived, but we had thrived.

"I think we can get used to this. What do you say girls?" I turned and asked the girls.

"Hell yeah boss! We're killing it!" Cassidy said with a wide grin.

"You're the boss. We trust your decision." Kaya said plainly, but there was faint smile tugging at her lips.

"I am glad we are all onboard. But for now, let's get the hell out of here and get back home, shall we?" I grinned.

Q: What would you prioritize in a scavenging hunt?