Quarantine

Not invited

I trotted away from the fence, hoping to find cover before more rotters showed up to find its next meal. The ringing was starting to fade away, but my shoulder throbbed from the pounding of the gun.

I'll have to get a better grip next time.

I looked around, and walked into someone's back yard that was open to the world. I made sure the rifle was slung onto my back, and the pistol was hidden. The knife stayed in the open, and I don't bother to hide something like that. I wouldn't want to be fumbling for it when a rotter surprises me.

The back door was broke open, and I glanced around. I didn't see a rotter anywhere, so I entered the house a little alert. I wasn't sure about me being so safe now because of my sudden actions.

I'm still alive... every bullet I lost helped me.

I found it to be a one story house with an attic trap door in the living room. I walked to the front door, and looked through a curtain covering its small window. I saw nothing outside that threatened me, but I kept looking at what appeared to be an oversized vehicle a few blocks away.

Where are the rotters at? There was a lot yesterday....

My nerves were being strung on edge from the quietness of the world. No rotters roamed around, and the birds had even stopped chirping. It was deathly quiet, but I didn't dare break it.

I opened the door, and let it slowly swing open from a slight breeze that had started to develop since this morning. My stomach growled, and my bladder pleaded to be released.

I don't have time for this... but you win.
••••••

Hours later my stomach was full, and my body felt fine. Two more bottles of water were gone along with one can of ravioli. My backpack felt lighter now, and I went back to the doorway wanting to leave the house. I could still see the vehicle down the road, and I wanted to see what it was.

You never know unless you look.

The road was still deserted, and it seemed like everything had happened a long time ago. I wasn't sure about my safety. I was expecting to kill, or avoid some rotters, but there was none around.

I walked down the road to see an armored military vehicle stuck into the side of a post office. It seemed to be one that transported troops around, and I wanted to see what was inside if there was anything inside at all.

I pulled out the knife, and wrapped my fingers around the hilt as my other hand reached for the door handle. I tensed up as I yanked it open, and stepped back. I was quickly sliding the knife away as nothing had came out.

Peering inside I saw that any piece of equipment that would be helpful was gone. It seemed to have been checked a few times over, and was completely empty.

I looked to the left side of the vehicle in which I didn't check, and found a dead body. I scrambled backwards into the middle of the road, and then looked around. It was a rotter, but is seemed to have happened recently. I walked back to the empty vehicle, and glanced down the paved alleyway that opened up into a small park area.

Another one lay farther down the path, but was hidden from anywhere else by a row of small hedges. I placed my left hand on the knifes hilt as I looked around for a bit. I started walking down the path when I heard multiple sets of footsteps come from the direction I was facing.

A voice floated ahead that said, "The gunshots.... this way.... careful..."

I hit the wall as a body came into view, and then started to move hurriedly to find cover as the footsteps started to come closer. I crawled into the only hiding place available, the armored truck, and slowly closed the door.

Light flooded through the small windows that I hadn't noticed before. Grime was smeared on it, and camouflaged then from being seen from the outside. I tried to slow my breaths, and felt my heart beating rapidly. I pulled the pistol out slowly, and cocked it.

Can they hear my breathing? What if they notice something different?

Seconds became hours as I heard them getting closer, but they didn't stop. They kept on running towards the wall, and up the street. I let out a slow breath of relief as they disappeared from sight, and put the gun away.

I opened the door, and stepped out. Closing it I took off the way they had came from, and hoped that they didn't have another group coming. I didn't know where to go, but I just kept moving. I stayed to the alleyways when I could, and crossed the street rarely.

I wasn't going to be spotted by any living person, and knew that rotters weren't my problem at the moment. I kept on running, and watched as the houses gradually started to become fewer apart. I was reaching the end of the suburbs, and soon there would be highways, and country side.

I just have to make it to the country, and I'll be fine. I'll be alone. I'll be safe.

I had never been fascinated by anything other than my families hiking trips. I loved the wilderness, and had taken multiple survival courses a few years ago.

My chest heaved from the pace I was running, and my body cried to stop. It had been brutally ignored for the past three days seeing that I had been kept busy. I wanted to find a nice house where I could just barricade up, and get more than a couple hours worth of sleep.

The road gave way to gravel a few more miles down the road, and I entered the first house I saw. It was a nice two story house with what seemed to be unique columns lining the porch up front, and eye catching decorations etched into the circular frames. I pulled the knife from its sheath, and tried the door.

It swung open effortlessly, and I had the feeling of calling out to see if anyone was here. Shaking it from my head I proceeded to search the house. I closed the door behind me, and found it completely void of any furniture. It seemed as if it was recently built, but it could very well have been sold, and the buyer had never been able to move in.

I walked upstairs, and found multiple boxes stacked inside of rooms. One had a bed covered with boxes that were marked bedroom, and I quickly pulled them off. As soon as I had cleared the bed I had closed the door, and blocked it with the boxes.

My backpack fell off, and I practically ripped off the dirty clothes I was wearing. I placed my weapons nearby as I collapsed onto the bed. It was just a little after one by the suns position, but I was so tired I didn't want to get up.

I closed my eyes sleepily as an unsuppressed yawn escaped my lips. Soon I was fast asleep.

-----------------------

Looks like Ethan has managed to avoid a confrontation with another group of people, but will this peaceful time be interrupted?

Will he make it to the country side without another incident?

Find out in the next chapter.

Vote and comment please.