ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅɪᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ

Chapter 29: Diffuse

"The station's not too far from here," announced Aasim, "just through these trees." 

"I know it's a long shot, but you never know what you'll find these days." You lowered the map you were intricately scrutinising, "Train stations used to have vending machines, right? Maybe we'll get lucky with one of those; grab a few of the water bottles, see if any of the food's edible."

"Hopefully." Agreed Aasim. Demeanour diverting, he added passive-aggressively, "We would've found out earlier if some people weren't so uptight."

Marlon studiously watched his feet: guilty.

"Aasim." You sternly told off, "I've already had to deal with Mitch, I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

Aasim looked over his shoulder to you. "Oh yeah, Ruby told me about that before we left," of course she did, "said he tried to punch you."

"He did," you clarified, "so I put him on his ass."

"Nice one." Chuckled Aasim, "I know Mitch doesn't have any morals but trying to punch women? That a new low." Settling into a natural silence filled with the birds' symphonic singing.

The sun delicately peeked through the canopy, leaf patterns blocking the afternoon's orange. The grass gleaned a vibrant green, healthy as your feet brushed through it. The trees embodied their usual heightened glory, guardians to your escapades. 

It wasn't long until the three of you emerged from the forest, a wide gravel track crunching under your feet as an old rickety wooden building was bestowed upon you. Averting your gaze between it and the map, you asked, "Is that the station?"

"It is." Aasim replied. 

"Anti-climactic," you folded the paper, tucking it securely in your back pocket, swapping it for your knife. Each of you had an old gym bag slung over your shoulder in hopes of the best. They reeked of dust, infected with time's toll. The vibrant red of Ericson's had faded to a flushed pink, drained with the absence of school pride. The previously black straps were a murky grey, the fabric fraying and tearing. 

Before you was a desolate building worn with time. Slabs of wood were scattered jaggedly against the windows, some having lost balance and collapsed. The roof of the building lacked the occasional tile: a result of decay. Adjacent to it was a rectangular shipping container tainted with copper rust, the white writing chipped off. Corrugated metal lined the perimeter (an everyday essential). A bell hung beside you. "Friendly? Ring the bell." Read Aasim.

"Should we ring it?" Questioned Marlon, nervousness laced in his voice, "By the looks of things, these guys are long gone."

"Best to check." You rang the bell, its chime alerting any inhabitants. "Hello?" You called out; not too loud, not too quiet. Silent, you waited, ears tuned in to any irregular sound or any sound of life. You waited... and waited... "No one's here." You concluded, marching towards the building, Aasim and Marlon trailing behind. 

The area was long abandoned, the defences rusted and the grass overgrown. "(Y/N)," Marlon called for your attention, "look." He pointed to a vegetable patch barricaded by a fence. Glancing at Aasim, you and Marlon went to investigate, soon discovering the crops were long overgrown and rotting, dingy shades of brown and yellow, lacking life.

"Shit." You huffed.

"Maybe there's more inside?" Marlon speculated positively.