Age of zombies

[51] Banff

Banff wasn't what I expected. As we walked through the gates, the first thing that hit me was how busy the place was. Even with the world falling apart, the town bustled with life. Kids ran down the streets, bundled in oversized jackets, kicking a soccer ball around while older folks sat on benches, watching them with tired but watchful eyes. Despite the freezing temperatures, the place felt alive. But one thing stood out—nearly everyone, from teenagers to grandmothers, carried a gun. It was a strange sight, but I guess it made sense. No one was safe anymore, and even here, survival meant being prepared to defend yourself.

We walked through the streets, taking it all in. The buildings were old, rustic, with wooden facades that looked like something out of a tourist postcard, but the atmosphere was anything but quaint. You could feel the tension in the air, the way people eyed each other warily, like they were all waiting for something to go wrong.

"Place looks nice enough," Ethan muttered, eyeing a group of men who were hauling wood into a building. "But everyone's armed to the teeth."

Daisy shrugged, adjusting the strap on her rifle. "Good. Means they're ready if shit goes down."

Yabe stayed close to me, her eyes wide as she looked around. "It's strange, isn't it? How everything seems so... normal. But it's not."

I nodded, understanding exactly what she meant. The town had a strange sense of normalcy, but under the surface, you could feel it—a constant, simmering tension, like everyone was just waiting for the next disaster.

We made our way toward a motel at the edge of town, a two-story building with a faded sign that read "Banff Springs Inn." It looked worn but sturdy, with snow piled up along the sides of the road leading up to it. The parking lot was empty, save for a few rusted-out cars covered in snow. As we approached the entrance, I noticed the curtains in some of the windows were drawn tight, and a few had makeshift boards nailed over them.

Daisy pushed open the front door, and a little bell jingled overhead. Inside, the place was warmer than I expected. The lobby had a fire going in a small stone hearth, casting a soft orange glow over the room. A few chairs were set around it, with a couple of travelers sitting there, warming their hands and chatting quietly. At the reception desk, a middle-aged man with a grizzled beard sat behind the counter, flipping through a well-worn book.

"Afternoon," he greeted us, his eyes flicking up from the book. "You folks need a room?"

I stepped up to the counter, glancing around at the others. "Yeah. How much for the night?"

The man chuckled, shaking his head. "Money doesn't mean shit anymore, friend. We run on a barter system these days."

I frowned, feeling a knot of tension form in my gut. "Barter system? What exactly are you looking for?"

"Depends on what you got," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Food, supplies, medicine. We don't take freeloaders here. You pay your way, one way or another."

I looked back at the others. Our supplies were running low, but we still had some deer jerky left from the last time Daisy brought down a buck. It wasn't much, but it might be enough to get us through a couple of nights.

Daisy reached into her pack and pulled out a small bundle of the jerky, holding it up. "Will this work?"

The man's eyes lit up as he caught sight of the jerky. "Now that's something worth trading. Good protein, hard to come by these days." He eyed the amount, then nodded. "Yeah, that'll get you two rooms for the night. I can stretch it to three days if you throw in a little more."

Daisy raised an eyebrow. "We'll take the two rooms for now. If we need more, we'll see what we can do."

"Fair enough," he said, taking the jerky and tucking it under the counter. "Rooms are upstairs, second floor. Keys are hanging by the door."

As we grabbed the keys and turned to head upstairs, I couldn't help but feel a little relieved. For the first time in weeks, we had a roof over our heads, even if it was just for a night. The constant cold, the threat of zombies, the exhaustion from walking—it all felt a little easier to bear knowing we'd have a place to sleep that wasn't in the open wilderness.

The stairs creaked as we made our way up to the second floor. The hallway was dimly lit, with old wooden floors that groaned under our weight. The rooms weren't fancy—just small, simple spaces with a bed, a table, and a chair. But it was more than we'd had in a long time.

Ethan flopped onto one of the beds, groaning. "I swear to God, this feels like heaven compared to what we've been dealing with."

Daisy chuckled, setting her rifle against the wall. "Don't get too comfortable. We don't know how long we'll be here."

Yabe looked out the window, her breath fogging the glass as she stared down at the snowy streets below. "I wonder what happens to people who can't pay."

I glanced over at her, feeling the weight of her question. "I'm guessing they don't stick around for long."

Liza, leaning against the doorframe, crossed her arms. "They probably get kicked out, if they're lucky. If not... well, people have gotten desperate."

We all fell silent at that, the reality of the world we lived in hanging over us like a dark cloud. Banff might look like a safe haven, but it was clear that safety came at a price. And we'd just paid with the only currency that mattered now—what we could scavenge, what we could kill, what we could trade.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. We were safe for now, but the truth was, nothing felt safe anymore. Not really. And in a town where everyone carried a gun and food was worth more than money, it was hard to imagine we'd find peace here.

The snow kept falling outside, soft and relentless, covering the town in a blanket of white that made everything look quiet, peaceful. But under the surface, we all knew the truth. Peace was just an illusion.

Q: Would you want to visit Banff one day?