Keera [1]

5. Africa

4th April

Tanner and Sandra stood in front of Chuck's grave, located on the lawn inside the yard of the EMK motel. The grave was situated under a big oak tree, which the team had grown to adore. Tanner's face was etched with worry as he spoke fiercely to Sandra, "Only 2 more days."

It had been more than 3 months since Vera had arrived at the motel and Chuck was bitten. In February, Molly gave birth to a healthy baby girl. However, despite everything going according to plan, Tanner couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. The loss of Chuck, the most dexterous person in their team, was a huge blow.

Andrew had managed to secure a ship for the Africa trip, and Tanner had been appointed as the leader. But the absence of Chuck left a void that couldn't be filled. Tanner couldn't help but wonder if things would ever be the same again.

~

6th April - A seaport in North Carolina

Tanner gazed out at the sea, taking a moment to relish the sight before him. It had been so long since he had seen it, but as he looked upon it now, he felt a sense of sadness. The water was much darker than he remembered and the atmosphere felt different, as if something bad had happened, like 15 years of apocalypse.

He reminisced about the time when he and his wife had swam in the same sea the months before the apocalypse. Back then, the sun shone bright and warm, but now everything was dark, without a living soul in sight.

As Tanner and five other individuals walked along the wooden planks of the seaport, he couldn't help but feel a sense of despair.

The once bustling port that used to house a hundred or so ships was now filled with grass, mold, spores, and all kinds of things. He knew that this was the end of America, and the thought made him shudder.

Saying goodbye to Molly and Stella was one of the hardest things Tanner had ever done. He knew that they were probably never coming back, and it broke his heart. But he also knew that he had to do what was best for him and his crew, and that meant leaving America behind.

Andrew took the rope that was tied to a metal board by the shore. Then he untied the rope and stood up, held it in his hand, and said, "Ladies first!" He looked at Vera and then at Sandra as they nodded.

Shawn was walking around to check if the place was clear of hulks.

The creaking of the wooden planks was made by Sandra under her feet while she held Andrew's hand as he helped her into the boat.

It was then Vera's turn to grab Andrew's hand and jump into that boat. She gripped his hand tightly, letting out a brief burst of nervousness or tiredness.

As she was about to board the ship, a sudden sound made her stop in her tracks. It was Shawn's voice, and he sounded alarmed. "Someone is here!" he shouted. In an instant, everyone on the ship turned around and pulled out their guns, ready to defend themselves.

The team captain, Tanner, wasted no time in giving orders. "On your positions," he commanded, his voice calm but firm.

As the group prepared to face whatever danger lay ahead, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a young woman, and the sight of her caused everyone to raise their weapons even higher. But then Tanner saw her face, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Stella?" he gasped, hardly daring to believe what he was seeing. Vera, another member of the team, was equally shocked. "Stella!" she exclaimed, her voice full of emotion.

Despite the tense situation, Tanner managed to keep his wits about him. He realized that the girl was his daughter, whom he had not seen in months. "Put the guns down, everyone," he said firmly, his gaze fixed on Stella.

The others hesitated for a moment, but then they reluctantly obeyed. As the tension slowly dissipated, Tanner walked over to his daughter and hugged her tightly. It was a moment of pure joy and relief, amidst the chaos and danger of their mission.

"You changed your mind?" Tanner asked his younger daughter.

"I can't lose both of you." Her voice sounded broken, full of dissatisfaction. "I asked my mom for a ride. We knew you would be here on April 6th, we followed your cars."

"You made the right choice." Tanner carefully placed the rifle behind his back and knelt in front of Stella, who looked up at him with a mix of fear and admiration.

Despite the height difference, he managed to offer her his hand to help her up. Vera, who was standing nearby, had a huge smile on her face as she watched the scene unfold.

As they boarded the ship, Andrew, one of the crew members, turned to Captain Tanner and asked if they had enough supplies for the journey.

Tanner, who was already on edge, looked at him suspiciously before reaching into his jacket pocket to check for that damn pack of cigarettes. Satisfied that he had them, he nodded and told Andrew that everything was ready.

As they waited for the others to board, Tanner felt a sense of sadness and regret. He knew that they were leaving behind everything they knew and loved, but he also knew that they had no other choice.

Africa was calling, and they had to answer.

Finally, everyone was on board, and Andrew untied the rope to set sail. The ship wasn't huge, but it was big enough to accommodate everyone comfortably.

As they set off, Sandra and Troy couldn't contain their excitement, shouting, "Africa, here we come, baby!" while the others looked on, a mix of emotions on their faces.

As they left the seaport behind, Tanner turned to face the ship with a heavy heart. He knew that they had a long and difficult journey ahead, but he was determined to see it through. "Goodbye, America," he whispered, before turning to join the others on the boat.

That's how the group of 7 people headed towards the safest continent. The smallest amount of hulks. They are hoping to return to America next year, hopefully untouched.

It took them 26 days.