The Waste

Chapter 1

2017

Chase rose her gun as she heard Lee growl very loudly. She looked around not seeing what Lee had growled at. Her eyes wondered to the golden dog curiously.She followed her line of vision seeing nothing. 

Slowly  lowering her gun Chase placed a hand on  Lee's head sighing, Lee instantly relaxed.  Both Lee and Chase jumped when hearing a pan loudly fall on the ground behind them. Lee jumped around barking viciously. Chase rose her gun  within seconds turning around. Chase laughed slightly once she realized she had been followed.

Not by anyone threatening. Unless you think a black cat is threatening. Chase looked at her cat and smiled slightly. "Decided to follow me huh?"She walked up  petting the cat on the head. The cat leaned into her soft touch. Lee walked up nudging her, begging for some attention.

Chase laughed and stopped petting her cat, Mo. Then shook her head at Lee. She walked further into  the  kitchen opening the fridge. A putrid smell filled her nose causing her to throw the door shut and a burning sensation to find it's way up her throat. Chase pushed the vomit down and grabbed  her bandanna off her belt and wrapped it around her face. 

Taking a deep breath of fresh air she yanked  the door open quickly examining it seeing a few water bottles she grabbed them. She slammed the door once again coughing. Oh  how she  adored the smell of years old milk and rotten eggs.

Chase threw the bottles into her bag and walked to the cabinets. She opened one allowing a large mouse to  run out. She watched as Mo jumped onto it biting it and not releasing his bite until it stopped moving. Chase smiled happy he found some dinner. She looked back to the cabinets pulling put some old Ritz crackers and a few things of canned soup. She smiled when she saw an old bag of Cheetos

She remembered how much  Drake loved them. She shoved them into her bag making sure not to pop the bag. Chase walked to the bathroom quickly wanting to get back to her family. She opened the door only to come face to face with another. 

Chases hand instinctively went to her gun raising it and pulling the trigger just as it lunged at her. She heard Lee run down the hall quickly as she looked at the dead other in front of her. It's pale skin glistened in the light. It's red eyes still visible as the color s lowly left them until they were just a plain white with a black circle in the middle. She look up from the monster to the reason he was here. 

The young woman looked to be about 20. Her neck ripped open and torn apart. She looked at her for a solid minute before sighing and stepping over the other and opening a medicine cabinet. She removed the half full bottle of Tylenol and a tube of tooth paste. Chase stood and walked to a little dresser like thing. She opened the bottom drawer to find a half full box of tampons and a full bag of pads. She threw everything into her bag and continued looking through drawers.

She opened the second one and found it full of toilet paper rolls. She grabbed a few and put them in  the bag along with her other things. Chase jumped when Mo jumped on top of the dresser. She mentally cursed herself for being so afraid and jumpy. She opened another cabinet to find only towels. She sighed, She hadn't found any clothes here for Drake or Katie.

Chase walked into the bedroom of the house and opened the dresser. She pulled out a few tee shirts and sweat pants. She shoved them into her bag sighing. She was looking around the room playing with the golden ring on her finger.

It had been her mothers. Her mom gave it to her the day the others had come. She looked down admiring the beauty of the simple ring. The gold still shined like it was brand new and the diamond still glistened in any light.

As she studied the diamond she noticed something in the corner. An brand new looking stuffed animal. She smiled when she saw it. Drake might be upset about clothes. But this will defiantly cheer her up.

Chase  walked up to the corner of the room and picked up the small panda bear. It was extremely soft and instantly brought a smile to her face.  She shoved the small toy into her bag and zipped it up. It was beginning to get late.

Chase whistled once and Lee came running. She saw Mo following her and began to head out. She walked down the long drive way to the road. She stopped before crossing it debating. She could either walk down the road and risk getting caught, but have an easy straight shot home. Or she could take the woods and stay somewhat hidden, but have many obstacles.

Chase finally decided she needed to be smart. She turned and entered the wood line quickly. Chases mind slowly wondered. Thats the 5th other she has seen on just this trip. They're migrating. She had to find somewhere to take her family where they were safe.

Usually it was quite rare to even see one on a trip so short. She had only been gone 3 days. She never got to far from her camp though. She just walked a circle around the town.

Chase couldn't wait to to get home, once she could see the cans lined around their perimeter she picked up her speed. She was happy to be back. She couldn't wait to see Drake.

Chase walked up to the old run down home and walked inside. She watched her step, careful to not go through the molded floor. She entered the old rundown, nasty kitchen. She walked to the door that was falling off it's hinges. She pulled it open carefully not to rip it off. She heard Lee trot in beside her.

Chase walked down the stair well only to be startled as a dog jumped from the shadows barking viciously. Chase sighed when she realized it was only Luke. She laughed at herself. "Hello Luke," Chase patted his head and he growled softly. "Calm down boy." 

Chase walked through the room until she reached a rug. She pulled it up along with a hatch that went into a small hallway. She crawled down the ladder and threw her bag down and let out a low whistle. Luke came first standing tall. Chase climbed up two rungs and lifted him. She turned to set him down as her biceps burned slightly. Only to be startled by Conner standing ready to take him from her arms. 

He smiled up at her, She smiled back softly. She looked at her younger brother. He had grown up so much. He was in much need of a hair cut. And a shave.

She placed Luke in his arms before enjoying the slight relief. Chase turned and faced Lee. Lee tried to run but she grabbed her collar and pulled her close to the hole before placing her arms around her and lifting her up. Then lowering her into Conner's arms. 

Once on the ground the two canines ran off jumping and playing. Chase sighed and heard a small Meow. She turned to be greeted by Mo standing by the hole. She laughed and grabbed him by the scruff and sat him on the ground before climbing the ladder a small bit and shutting the hatch. She locked the 5 locks that Ron and Conner had put there. 

Chase jumped down and looked to her not so little brother. She was about up to his nose. Since the end he had grown up quite a bit. "How did it go?" He asked her in a quiet tone.

Chase wondered when he had gotten back he had traveled up to another town about 28 miles north. He had probably ran into about 7 others with the amount they were coming in.

"How many did you see?" Chase asked him in a slick voice.

Conner looked down at his feet sighing. "14, They're moving. Getting closer. Migrating." He looked at her with the need to be comforted by his older sisters words.

"We need to figure this out," Chase told him running her hands over her face.

"What are we going to do?" Conner asked her.

"I'll figure it out bub." She told him.

"Alright," He sighed as chase walked past him towards the main room. She entered and Drake jumped up and ran to her. Attacking her in a giant hug. Chase squatted to her level embracing her. Chase smiled brightly as Drake told her "I missed you so so much." Chase had missed her.

"Did you get us clothes?" Katie came in yelling.

"Yeah did you?" Drake cried.

Chase hung her head in defeat. "I'm sorry girls." She felt bad about not bringing new nice clothes home. Chase released her embrace with Drake and sighed grabbing the shirts and pants out from the bag she had brought she grabbed the animal out and hid it behind her back and walked to her room. Chase slipped inside her room shutting her door quietly and stuck the animal under her bed. She sighed softly and grabbed her scissors and needle and thread from her dresser and began working on the clothes. Cutting them then sewing the so they would fit each of the kids nicely.