Viral Survival (A Youtuber Apocalypse Story) ✔

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

     As soon as the sun rises I'm awake, and very sore. Aurora is laying with her back to me, so I have no idea if she's asleep or not. After looking around I notice that Jake is gone. I stroll down the stairwell into the main store and start looking. He's nowhere. 'He wouldn't leave. No one that injured and ill-prepared would just walk out from a good shelter and people to be with. No one's that.... stupid." After looking around the two store halves, I go upstairs. On the way up, a dull thud sounds from the upper staircase. Quickening my pace, I look up and see Jake pop in from the balcony and head downstairs.

     "Hey!" I called. "What're you doing up so early?"

     "Couldn't sleep, so I went out to the balcony to watch the sun rise. I think all my turning was keeping your friend up. Every now and then something would get thrown at me, and you were too asleep to be the culprit." Jake smirked. "It's not safe anywhere, I guess."

     "That sounds like Aurora. She's done that to me more than once." I laughed. Silence ensued. "So... How are you feeling?"

     "Numb. There's no pain, neither internal or external, but the wound is still there. I don't know what to do about it, so hopefully ignoring it will pan out."

     "Well... uh... I'm sure Aurora will fix you up. Speaking of which..." I resume heading upstairs to see if she's awake. I want to get her help in putting up more boards. Jake waits for me to get up to where he's standing on the staircase, and we walk up to the spare room. When we get up, Aurora is putting clothes in her bag. She's now dressed in a pair of jeans she's had for a while, with a hole in the knee, her light brown hiking boots, and my yellow tank top.

     "Why are you wearing my shirt?"

     Aurora's boots squeak as she spins around. "Well, I didn't have one, and I know that you weren't going to wear it."

     "What makes you say that?" I counter.

     "Because you're... you!"

     "Yeah. Okay. Wait, why not just wear a T-shirt?" It isn't exactly warm out. Actually, it's still early March, with cold mornings.

     "I'm going to move the isles around for more space while you're putting up boards. Besides, having an inventory won't hurt anyone." While she talks, Aurora twists her hair into a bun near the top of her head, with small bits of hair framing each side of her face. "I'm hoping to find more bandages, anyways."

     Jake, who was leaning against a wall, spoke up. "I'll help whoever needs assistance."

     Aurora rolled her eyes. "No, you're not. Not until I've found a new bandage to put on your shoulder."

     I laughed at the look on his face. "I'd listen. Otherwise whatever is thrown at you tonight is going to hurt a lot more." With that, all of us trooped down the stairs. Turning off towards the back room, I pick up a hammer, some more nails, and a few boards. Walking back, I can hear Jake laughing. Once in the doorway, I see why. Aurora has her back to a shelving unit, pushing it with all her might. It wasn't moving.

     Strutting up, I tapped her shoulder. "I hope you know that those are bolted to the floor.

     "Actually," Jake cut in. "They're not. When she rammed into the unit the first time, it budged about a centimeter." He went over to the side of the shelf and, using his right arm, shoved the unit's side. Instantly, it unhinged and rolled to the back of the room. Aurora sighed. "You're welcome."

     I laughed so hard I dropped the boards on my toe. Once we were done laughing at my painful expense, I limped out to the store front's main windows and put down my armful of supplies. Ripping off the crooked ones I had nailed in the night before, I set to barring the windows, making a sort of prison cell appearance. Once it was done, we could look out, but nothing could get in. The sun was setting by the time I walked into the back room to check on Jake and Aurora. All the shelves had been rolled to the back, and heaps of various items were scattered in piles on the floor, seemingly sorted.