Rise of the Undead Part Five: Five Stories

CHAPTER THREE-SAFETY IN NUMBERS

    "Hey..." I said as I walked outside on the porch of the store. "Oh, hey..." Austin said. "I'm sorry about...today. I shouldn't of been like that..." I said as I looked out at the sun setting across the desert. "No, don't apologize. I don't blame you at all. Everyone goes through shit, and that shit changes them...changes how they act. I get it." Austin said. "You do?" I asked. "Yeah...It's been six months into...whatever this is...but I found myself doing stuff to protect my family and group that I would never even dream about..." Austin said. "Have you ever...killed anyone?" I asked him. "Yeah...I was in the Navy...I'm sure you heard about the attack right before this hell broke loose." He said. "Yeah..I did..." I said. "That was my ship...those were my friends who died." Austin said. I nodded. "...I'm sorry..." I said.

    Luke walked down the halls of the store and opened one of the storage doors. "Hey what are you getting from there?" Kaitlynn said as she stood in the doorway. "Oh...nothing." Luke said as he shoved the candy into his pocket before the little girl could notice. "We keep these doors shut, that helps us save the food." Kaitlynn said as she shut the door behind Luke. "Oh ok, sorry, I didn't know." Luke said smiling a little as he thought about the candy in his pocket. "No, it's ok. We've all taken things without permission...just like that candy you took back there." Kaitlynn said. "...Oh..." Luke said quietly. "I'm not gonna tell my mom, don't worry." Kaitlynn said. Something suddenly dropped from Kaitlynn's pocket. It made a sound like a small piece of metal hitting the ground but it appeared to be just a blue bandana.

    "Oops!" Kaitlynn said as she quickly picked it up off the ground and stuff it in her pocket again. "What's your name? I'm Kaitlynn, oh and this is Jack." Kaitlynn said as she sat on the floor next to the chair that Jack was sitting in with his head down. "I'm Luke..." Luke said. "Jack, stop being so...sad...depressed...there's new people here." Kaitlynn said looking up at Jack. "I know there's new people here..." Jack said. "Kaitylnn come on, you gotta go to bed!" Lauren said as she hollered from across the basement of the store. "Ugh! But mom!" Kaitlynn said as she got up and ran downstairs. "Uh...you ok?" Luke said to Jack. "Oh yeah, me, I'm fine..." Jack said as he looked up from the ground and tried to look normal. "Is she your little sister? I had a little sister." Luke said. "No...she's not my little sister, but I view her as one. I had a little sister once too." Jack said. "Wait, do you know anyone here?" Luke said. "Uh kinda. We were all in same hospital...Kaitlynn's family was there because she was sick, and I was there because my friend got run over by some drunk asshole. My parents were there with me but, they were getting a divorce. My whole family was eaten, and I didn't know what to do. So Austin and Lauren took me with them." Jack said. "...Really? That's terrible. I'm sorry all that happened..." Luke said. "Yeah...um so, did you lose anyone?" Jack said. "Yeah...My mom and my sister. My sister died early on...my mom, she died just a week ago..." Luke said looking down.

    "This world sucks! I'm tired of losing people, y'know?!" Luke said. "Yeah, I know. My friend was the only 'family' I truly had, and they died. But I just like to think that they're all in a better place. That they're in heaven." Jack said. "...Yeah." Luke said. "You got a big group, I've always wanted a big group for some reason. There's lots of people to get to know and become friends with...I kinda miss having a true friend...I have Kaitlynn but she's only eight...and I guess talking to an eight year old can get kinda boring." Jack said. "Yeah, I get it." Luke said. "Oh I took some candy from you guys' stockpile, you want some?" Luke asked. "Oh sure, thanks." Jack said.

    "I never thought we'd be taking shelter in a store." Becky said to John. "It has vending machines too." John said laughing. "With candy, chips in it?" Becky asked. "Yep!" John said. "Well I say we crack that sucker open tomorrow!" Becky said laughing. "Sounds good to me." John said. "I like it here." Becky said. "I do too." John said. "No, I mean I really like it here. I don't feel like we're being forced to stay up at night and protect the place from risers. Or as these people would call them, starvers." Becky said. "Yeah. I just like it cus' it has a good supply of food." John said laughing a little. "Food is everything nowadays, isn't it?" Becky said laughing.