The Zombie Apocalypse with MCR (Complete)

Curious Adventures

Spring, 2008.

The next month is quiet for everyone except me.

For the first three weeks of being in the house, I have to leave every single day to scavenge. There's so much to collect. We need to be ready for any sort of disaster.

The good thing about all this preparation; if we don't have to move in too much of a hurry, all these supplies can be transferred onto the bus. I won't have such a long haul of it when we move on to the next house.

Another plus; we won't have to move any time soon. We're far enough out into the country, and I've put so many systems in place to protect us, I'm not much worried about the potency of our scent. If the corpses do track us down, I'll be ready for them.

On the fourth week, I have breakfast with everyone for the first time since moving in.

My presence is unexpected, and everyone seems a little uneasy. Mostly because I'm wearing my tactical gear, complete with a rifle strapped to my back, knives strapped to my thighs and my utility belt. I eat a plate of toast quietly, and they maintain the silence.

I wait patiently for everyone to finish.

"I'll take one of you out today." I announce, and the room stiffens with tension. "Whoever is coming first, get ready now."

They all look at each other. Mikey goes pale. Gerard swallows loudly. Finally, with a sigh, Natalie stands.

"I'm first." She says, and disappears.

She's not any trouble. She watches my back and keeps up, and when I tell her to move she does. Her wants are practical. She picks new bedding and some wall hangings. She chooses her own snacks (the ones that are still surviving on the shelves and in storage) and I take note so I can pick them up for her next time.

It's nice to spend time with her alone. I've missed her, and I've been too busy to take much notice of her missing me.

We're on our way back to the house when she asks. "Do you think we made the right choice, Nevaeh?"

"Joining the men?" She nods, "Yeah, I do."

She chews on her lip. "I like them as well."

The news surprises me.

"Don't look at me like that," She scolds, "They took some getting used to, sure. But Ray is great. Mikey and Gerard are nice. Frank..." Her stark blue eyes become guarded. "Okay, so I don't much like him. He's moody and his sense of humour is... Hard to handle."

"He's honest." I amend.

"He can be mean," She counters. "Of course, I'm sure he thinks we deserve his scorn." Her lips twitch, and she picks at a red spot on her jaw. "Nevaeh..."

"It's fine." I say firmly. "You don't have to make excuses."

"But Alissa and I feel awful." She insists, and reaches over to squeeze my arm. I keep my eyes trained on the road. "I know we didn't do as much as we should have. We didn't help, we didn't take care of ourselves, we let you do everything. Frank, well he-"

"I know how Frank feels about it." I sigh. He's snapped at them enough that it can't be considered hinting anymore.

"Gerard has made comments too, and Ray's asked some scathing questions." She shakes her head, "Only Mikey is nice enough not to judge us, but his face says it all whenever the topic comes up. You just... Never seemed to struggle like we did."

These words make rage surge in my chest so fiercely, so absolutely, that the car swerves and I almost send us straight into a lamppost. I get the car straight again, and hush Pandora's barking in the backseat. Natalie is watching me out of the corner of her eye, wary.