The Journal

Three • Eliza • April 30

The odd plant and Pepto-Bismol combination seemed to work on Madsen. Her coughing fits quit, and she's been able to hold down most liquids and some crackers. Not much, but it's a start, and that is all I was asking for.

It was Paige's thirteenth birthday three days ago. I gave her a high-five and an expired chocolate bar I'd been saving for myself. I think she liked the chocolate bar better. At least she allowed the rest of us to have a small nibble—albeit mouse sized, but it was something.

Nothing else eventful really happened until today. I barely got a break between the man in the woods and this afternoon, which is starting to worry me. I mean, it could be a good thing that more people than I had expected to live made it, but the consequence to that is more competition for our dwindling resources.

The whole day just started off odd.

It began with a good thing, though—Madsen was sitting up and asking me for food—which was why I had left our home feeling lucky. I don't know how (maybe I was too excited?) but I let my guard slip for just a bit, and paid the price (which is currently sitting in the receptionist's desk in the office). The well-used but now empty gas station wasn't my destination; I had planned to scope out a new place, which would definitely require backup, so I dragged Paige along with me. Although Jack was older and therefore had more experience, that was exactly why I wanted to bring Paige, in order to show her the ropes.

We trudged up the soggy hill a ways away from the man's body I was sure was not there anymore, and took a left at the large intersection, sprinting across the road and ducking behind the empty shells of cars for cover. As I bent next to a particularly grimy one, something smashed against the inside of the window. I jumped away, startled, landing hard on my butt and right wrist. From what I could see, inside the car was a mangled hand leaving smudges of who-knew-what on the window, which was attached to a matching arm, and body, and head.

I shuddered and unanimously Paige and I crossed the road even faster, making it to the cover of the trees on the other side in no time. My wrist pulsed painfully in time with my heart. Houses that stood once stoically on the hill to our left were now crumbling ruins, Nature reclaiming what was hers originally. The road we ran beside led down a steep hill, which eventually (when you crossed the road again and made a left turn after the turnoff and walked for another fifteen minutes) opened up to a small shopping centre.

Gesturing for Paige to follow me, we stayed low as we ran through an alleyway and arrived at the row of backdoors. My legs and lungs were already burning from exertion, and I was thoroughly impressed that Paige hadn't complained yet.

Paige picked up a large brick—probably used at one point to hold open a door—and brought it down on a metal door handle with such force that the sound echoed off the buildings around us.

"Something might have heard that," I said, which was unnecessary. We exchanged a panicked look and she tried again, this time successfully breaking the handle and allowing for us to enter. The smell of rotten food was overwhelming, and I saw Paige gag a little as I pulled up my bandana.

"Told you the bandana wasn't a stupid accessory," my bitter tone was muffled through it. Paige had made fun of me for a long time about wearing it, but now she knew why. "So ha."

She gave me a nasty sneer and pulled her red hoodie up so it covered her nose and we walked deeper into the murky, rank, and probably dangerous grocery store. We didn't bother with the left side of the store, which had a sign hanging by one corner that was grimily labelled "Dairy and Meat Products". Instead, we split up and went down the nearly-empty shelves, trying to pick anything canned an not expired.

I was going through some old canned string green beans when I heard something drop a few isles down. I froze, my hand slowly going to my waist where my knife was kept, and glided silently to the end of my section. I looked to either side, saw nothing, and straightened.

"El—!" The shout was cut off by a muted thud somewhere to my left and I dashed over to where Paige was supposed to have been searching. A man wearing a black hoodie (with the hood up so I couldn't see his face) and dirty jeans with scuffed up cowboy boots stood behind my sister, who had an arm pinned behind her back.

"Let her go," I put as much venom into my voice as I could, hoping he would let us leave in peace.

"She took something of mine," his voice had a very slight drawl to it, which surprised me. I'd only ever heard one other kind of accent, and that was an old neighbour of ours who lived on the farm next to us years ago, and my parents told me it was a "British accent", whatever that was. I didn't remember it very well, because the farmer and his wife were old and they both died when I was very young, but I could tell this guys' was different.

"I didn't see your name on it," Paige grumbled, loud enough for all of us to hear.

Then, surprisingly, the man let out a laugh. And, even more unexpected, it was a pleasant one at that.

"That is true," he admitted, "but I was here first."

I could see Paige ground her teeth together in frustration. I was a little irritated myself, at the fact that I got momentarily distracted by the stranger's deep laugh. I raised my knife.

"Just let us be and we won't cause you anymore trouble," my voice nearly started to shake, but I let out a cough to disguise it.

Judging by how his grip on my sister hadn't changed, I didn't think it was a good enough cover. I tried again.

"Please," I went for the pleading route, "we're starving. We haven't eaten in so long," that part was more or less true, "she'll give you back what you wanted if you just let us go."

He seemed to think over my proposal. "Or, you two could come with me."

My insides felt like they hit rock bottom. "No."

"Alright, have it your way, then," he bent over to pick up a can of pineapple, letting Paige's arm go.

His mistake.

Paige reeled around and kicked him full-on in the face as I sprinted towards her. He cursed, both hands flying to staunch the flow of blood already dripping from his nose, and Paige snatched the pineapple out from under him and I grabbed her arm and we rushed out of there.

Out through the back door, into the afternoon sunlight, and down the middle of the road, not concerned about trying to be discreet anymore, just wanting a quick getaway. Paige stopped running halfway up the giant hill, and we both slowed down to a jog. I nervously looked behind us to see if we were being followed—neither man nor beast seemed to be doing so—and we cut through some backyards just in case. Arriving at the chiropractor's office completely out of breath and feeling like I might be sick, Paige and I unlocked the door and stumbled in. Jackson gaped up at us all sweaty and gross, startled from his book that he was still reading, and scurried to get us some water. I threw off my pack and leaned over on my knees, trying to keep moving but it was almost too painful to do so. Mom had always told me that you had to keep the blood flowing after a hard workout or run. I never really knew why, only that your body hurt more while trying to regain lost oxygen if you didn't.

When Jack returned with the water I wanted to gulp it all down in one go, but I made Paige and I take small sips so we could keep it all down. After five minutes of swinging my arms over my head and doing some really lazy jumping-jacks, I sat down, although I knew it hadn't been a long enough recovery period. I finished the water, then laid down on the scratchy carpet and went right to sleep.

I thought I was dreaming when I heard low voices and then strong arms pick me up and carry me to my bed, setting me down and taking off my socks and boots. Then the darkness resettled, and I was left in a blissful, dreamless state, empty of monsters and strange men with comforting laughs.

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A/N

Huh. So the price is....DUNDUNDUUUNNNN!!!!! You'll have to wait until next week to find out if you don't already know >:D MWAHAHA!

*cough* sorry, I can get a bit carried away.

Paige is a sassy little thing, even in the midst of danger, eh?

Thanks for reading! ♡