The Living Nightmare

Chapter 2: The New Visitor

Tom, Terrance, and I tilted our heads around really fast to our right to face the dusted road to see a girl with blond hair, tan-peach skin like a model, freckles across her nose, dirty and tattered clothes, and a Yankees baseball-cap on. She had a red shirt on that showed off her stomach and arms with regular blue-jeans that had red blotches on them and she looked about 17. When everyone was in shock, Terence leaned in close to my ear very slowly and whispered, "Dibs... " She then pulled out a rifle, one that represents an AK-47 that was held together with duct tape and screws, and pointed it at Terrance and said in a harsh, hostile southern voice, "That's my food and car you got there." Tom dropped his bat and held his hands up, responding with, "We don't mean any harm, we didn't know anyone was here." Everyone stayed in silence for what seemed like years then Dad asked, "Is there... Is there anyone with you?" You could tell that the words hurt her as she dropped the gun and fell to her knees, her hands covered her face and she started crying.

    We all looked at eachother and I walked over to her to see if she was okay. "Everyone died.." She said with a shaky breath. "We've all been there...  " I said in as much of a soothing voice as I could. She looked up at me as if to tell me to 'Shut Up' and she started to study me, then Terance, then my dad. " Who are y'all anyways?" She asked us in a stern and demanding breath. Oh yeah, Introductions are needed when they are needed, aren't they? "I'm Jerry, that's Tom, and this is my friend Terence." I replied with the introductions.
"I'm Claire..." The girl replied to me as I held out a hand to her to lift her up. She swatted my hand away and got up by herself then dusted her jeans off, as if she were embarrassed. Dad looked a little worried that they would lose the humvee and food but his face lit up with an idea, Terence standing in the swivel area were a large gun would be but only a stand sit there now.

    "How about you come with us?" Dad said hoping to get a 'Yes, why not.' " It will be a win, win: You get new friends and people to be social with, and we all get a source of food and transportation." Dad said then gave her a friendly smile. She looked around at us and the surroundings, uneasy and rubbing her arm then the back her her neck, and then said, "I'll have to think about it overnight." She said in a take-charge way. She then sighed as she saw the sun setting and, let me tell you, the sun set is not as pretty these days 'cause death usually follows shortly afterwards."Follow me it's getting dark." She began to walk to  the Bunk House and we followed her there and looked around. Most the bunks were destroyed, falling apart, or in no shape to sleep but there were a couple of ones that seemed study enough. She walked back to the door and pulled on a large piece of wood and pulled it against the door along with a dresser. "No one leaves tonight, understood?" She didn't get any argument as we were already in the beds getting ready to sleep. "I think we'll make a great team." She said with a laugh.

    I took my bag , before I knew it I was already asleep.
    The nights aren't as calm as they used to be. You usually hear people hollering, er.. well, gurgling, and there is usually a banging or clawing sound on a door or wall that leads inside the place you stay. A little camping trip these days aren't really what you would want to have these days, maybe if your indoors with a sky light, then maybe it would be alright.

    I woke up the next morning to see Dad and Terence eating some warm soup in cans then Terence shoved a can in my face with a sly grin. "You want some? Clair gave us a couple cans of the ol' Chicken mixed with Noodles in water!" I raised an eyebrow, holding in a small laugh. "Yeah. I'll take some 'Chicken mixed with Noodles in water'." I grabbed the can and opened the slightly warmed up can and I started eating when Claire came in with some more cans. She sat down a couple of feet away from us and stuffed the cans in a large bag, like a hiker would use. "I guess I can go with y'all, but if anything happens that I don't like, I will take my car and food back and go as far from you three as possible." Dad nodded his head in agreement and smile then Terence grinned and looked like some thoughts were running through his head. Keep in mind: Clair is as old as me and Terence, very fit, a pretty blonde head, freckles pecked across her nose, tan skinned, wears torn up skinny jeans, a cropped short sleeved shirt showing most of her stomach, and tennis shoes which were a faded sky blue.

    We got up once we were done with our soupy breakfast then went to the truck, Claire took the keys out of her pocket and gave them to Tom. "I can't drive this but hopefully you remember how to. If you have ever driven a humvee that is." She said to dad and he caught the keys with one hand. "Yeah, I remember it's not that hard." Dad replied with a chuckle then Terence called out, "I call shotgun!" I smiled and laughed then climbed in the back bed of the large truck. "Alright, we'll call out if things get outta hand." I called to the two in the front of the truck then Claire smirked, the first thing close to a real smile that I've seen her make, then hopped in the back with me. They have loaded up the trunk with all the Chicken Soup cans and water. I closed my eyes a little and then felt Clair sit beside me as the engine roared to life and started to move. We were on our way and I realized that our Journey begins.