Zombie survivor

[64] Passing by

The RV rattled down the highway, its engine humming steadily as the group stared out at the barren, quiet landscape. Hours of driving had stretched into a dull monotony, broken only by the occasional grumble of hunger or a muttered complaint. The world outside seemed endless, punctuated by stretches of dry grass and the occasional skeletal remains of abandoned vehicles.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, the RV slowed to a stop beside a faded sign. The rusted metal welcomed them in chipped paint: Welcome to Idaho.

"Well, great," Tyler muttered, leaning back in his seat with a sarcastic grin. "Idaho. Land of potatoes and... what else? Literally just potatoes, right?"

"Could be worse," Jordan said with a shrug. "We could still be in Nevada."

"Not helping," Chloe snapped, crossing her arms as she leaned against the window. "I'm starving. Can we just eat already?"

Ms. Heather pulled the RV into the shoulder of the road, killing the engine. "Alright, everyone," she said, her voice bright but strained. "Let's take a break and eat something before we keep going."

"Food!" Brittney exclaimed, hopping to her feet. "Finally, something to live for."

Morgan parked her bike nearby and walked over to the RV, her face as stoic as ever. She tapped on the door, and Jean opened it for her. "Let's make this quick," she said, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. "We need to talk."

The group began rummaging through their supplies, pulling out cans and the last of the bread they'd managed to grab back at the gas station. It wasn't much, but no one complained as they settled around a small fire that Morgan lit outside.

As the food was passed around, Morgan stood with her arms crossed, surveying the group. "Alright," she began, her voice cutting through the quiet. "We've got a problem. Canada's the goal, but it's a big fucking country. We need to decide where we're actually heading."

"Uh, north?" Evan offered, cracking a weak smile. "That's where Canada is, right?"

"Genius," Tyler muttered. "Thanks for the geography lesson, Evan."

"Enough," Morgan said sharply. "We're not wandering aimlessly. We need a specific destination."

"Why not, like, Toronto or something?" Chloe suggested, poking at her food with a fork. "It's, like, the only city in Canada that actually matters."

"Hard pass," Luca said, shaking his head. "Big cities are a death trap. Too many people, too many zombies."

"Well, we can't go somewhere completely isolated," Brittney chimed in. "We'll starve if there's no one left alive to help us."

Jean frowned, leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees. "What about somewhere in between? Not a huge city, but not the middle of nowhere either."

Morgan nodded slightly, her expression unreadable. "That's a start. Keep going."

Akira tilted her head, her voice soft but thoughtful. "There are smaller cities with resources. Somewhere with farms, maybe? They'd be easier to defend."

"Yeah, but we don't even know what's still standing," Brad said, crossing his arms. "For all we know, Canada's just as fucked as we are down here."

"That's the point," Jean said firmly. "We can't know for sure. But we can pick somewhere that makes sense."

Ms. Heather raised her hand hesitantly, her cheeks flushed. "I, um, I remember reading about a place called Kelowna. It's in British Columbia, I think? A smaller city, lots of orchards and vineyards."

"Orchards and vineyards," Jordan repeated with a grin. "Fancy. We're gonna live like kings, huh?"

"It's not a bad idea," Akira said, her gaze thoughtful. "Smaller population, and if the farms are still intact, we'll have food."

"Assuming no one else got there first," Tyler pointed out. "And if they did, what if they're not friendly? You know how people are now."

"We've got guns," Brad said simply, patting the pistol on his belt. "Let 'em try."

"Violence isn't always the answer," Blake said, frowning at Brad. "We should aim to rebuild, not destroy."

"Spoken like a true beta," Tyler muttered under his breath, earning a glare from Blake.

"Can you not?" Brittney snapped. "We're trying to have a real discussion, and you're just being an asshole."

"Alright, enough!" Morgan barked, her voice cutting through the bickering. "Focus."

The group fell silent, their attention turning back to her.

"Kelowna makes sense," Morgan continued. "Smaller population, plenty of resources if we can secure them. It's far enough from major cities to avoid the worst of it, but not so remote we can't find help if we need it."

Jean nodded, his expression serious. "It's as good a plan as any."

"Well, I'm not walking all the way to Kelowna," Chloe said with a dramatic sigh. "We better find gas on the way."

"Chloe, you'd bitch about walking across a parking lot," Tyler said, smirking.

"Shut up, Tyler!" Chloe snapped, throwing a piece of bread at him.

Morgan rolled her eyes but let the argument die on its own. "Then it's settled. We're heading for Kelowna."

The group exchanged glances, a mix of relief and apprehension on their faces. It wasn't much, but having a specific goal brought a sense of direction they'd been sorely missing.

Jean stood, brushing sand off his pants. "We better get moving soon. The longer we stay in one spot, the more vulnerable we are."

"Agreed," Morgan said, already turning back toward her bike. "Finish eating and get packed. We leave in ten."

The group moved quickly, gathering their supplies and dousing the fire. The RV rumbled to life once more, its engine groaning as Ms. Heather took the wheel.

As they pulled back onto the road, the sign welcoming them to Idaho faded into the distance. The group sat in silence, their thoughts occupied by the uncertain road ahead. But for the first time in days, they had a destination—and a sliver of hope to cling to.

Q: Have you ever been to Idaho before?