It's The End of the World... And I Feel Fine (The Adventures of Max Harvey)

Chapter 9

The camp settled into an uneasy quiet as the afternoon heat came. Exhausted from the morning's work and events. I lay down on my makeshift bed, trying to let the events of the past few days wash away. My eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted into a restless sleep.

The next morning, the camp was buzzing with activity. I noticed a commotion near the edge of the camp and wandered over to see what was happening. Ruby was already there, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Who's that?" Ruby asked, pointing to a girl standing in the center of a small crowd.

She looked about our age, with shoulder-length brown hair tied back in a ponytail and striking blue eyes that scanned the camp with a mix of wariness and determination. She wore practical clothing—cargo pants, a T-shirt, and hiking boots—similar to what we had adopted for survival. Despite a few visible scars, she stood tall and confident.

The old woman, our camp leader, approached her with a cautious but welcoming smile. "Welcome, young one. What's your name?"

"Delilah Thompson," she replied, her voice steady. "But everyone calls me Dee."

I pushed through the crowd to get a better look, feeling a strange mix of curiosity and apprehension. A new person in the camp could mean new skills, new dynamics, and potentially new conflicts.

"What brings you here, Dee?" the old woman asked.

Dee took a deep breath before answering. "I got separated from my mother when everything started falling apart. I've been surviving on my own for a while, but I heard about this camp and thought it might be safer here."

The old woman nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "You're welcome here. We could use someone with your spirit."

Ruby stepped forward, extending a hand. "Hi, I'm Ruby. This is Max," she said, gesturing to me.

Dee shook Ruby's hand with a firm grip. "Nice to meet you. I hope I can help out around here."

I smiled, trying to shake off the heaviness in my heart from Marco's loss. "We can definitely use the help. What skills do you have?"

Dee's expression brightened a bit. "My mom's a nurse. She taught me a lot about first aid and medical care. I also know a bit about plants and their uses."

My interest piqued at her mention of medical skills. "We could definitely use someone with medical knowledge," I said, stepping forward. "I'm Max, by the way."

Dee nodded, giving me a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Max."

The old woman looked around at us. "Alright, everyone, let's get back to work. Dee, you can help out with the medical supplies and get to know the camp."

As the crowd dispersed, I found myself lingering near Dee. There was something about her that intrigued me—her resilience, her confidence. I couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and curiosity.

Ruby caught my eye and raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on her lips. I shrugged, trying to play it cool.

Throughout the day, I watched as Dee quickly integrated into our routines. She worked efficiently, helping with medical tasks and proving her worth. Her presence was a breath of fresh air, bringing a new dynamic to our group.

Later that evening, as we gathered around the campfire, Dee shared more about her journey. "I've been on my own for a while, but I always hoped to find a group like this. It's good to have people to rely on again."

Ruby nodded, her eyes reflecting the firelight. "We're glad you're here, Dee."

I couldn't help but agree. Despite the challenges we faced, having Dee with us felt like a step in the right direction. But as I glanced over at Ruby, I knew that our trials were far from over. The world outside our camp was still filled with danger, and we had to stay vigilant.

As the fire crackled and the stars began to emerge in the darkening sky, a sense of uneasy peace settled over us. Little did we know, the real test of our resilience and unity was yet to come. And by that I mean... It came from outer space. BAMMM!

I wobbled over, so did the others, and looked at a meteor shower falling into the ground near us. The Earth cracked a bit underneath us as we then ran for shelter in the abandoned Church we knew was closer to the camp than the city. "Damn... More!?" Luke cried out.

"Look at Luke! who's the hero now crybaby? Get to helping people get in the Church!" I shouted at him, It felt good until Ruby passed by me and shook her head disapprovingly. That girl... I can hardly understand her. As we sat in the abandoned Church I saw Luke and Ruby talking by the fire we had made... Well I had made. I was jealous and alone until Delilah-AHEM-Dee came by and sat next to me.

"Hey Max. You good?" Dee asked me. I shrugged, "My best friend in the world died this morning." Dee gasped and patted me on the shoulder. "Yeah... My dad died last week due to terminal cancer." Dee sympathized with me which made me feel more comfortable... Ya know, more comfortable with sitting on a dirty rock next to people I had only spent three days with!

"Oh... That's sad." I replied. I knew it wasn't the best thing to say but I hadn't thought of anything else. "It was. Anyways I'll get going." Dee got up but I stopped her. "No, Delilah. Please. Make yourself at home on the dirty rock beside me." I grinned. She laughed and sat back down. And I could almost see Ruby glance at us and frown... Wonder what's up her butt?