Tight Spot [√]

Steps 4 and 5

The Essential Guide to Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse

Step 4 - Find others survivors and protect each.

 

I woke with a gentle breeze touching my hair.  I didn’t want to be awake yet.  I pushed my face into the warm hard pillow.  The lulling drum beat increased in tempo and my blankets tightened their hold on me.  My bed smelt so good. 

What?  That didn’t make sense.  I pushed my hands against the hard mattress and with some reluctance the blankets released me.  My eyes cracked open and blinked against the glow of the morning sun.  I looked in to Tank’s eyes.

I jumped backwards and he reached out to grasp me.  The carriage swayed and creaked as I wobbled near the edge.  Tank’s hands were quick and sure as he pulled me back.  I glanced downwards as I remembered where I was.  It was a long way down.

As soon as I was on the seat and calm he unwound his fingers and with very slow deliberate movements he removed his hands from me.  Then he sat with his shoulders slumped forward looking at the floor.

“I wish I could take everything back Miss Kate.  I wish I wasn’t who I am.  But I can’t.” He shuffled his feet, “We should be at the farm by midday.  Then I won’t bother you anymore.”

My chest tightened as I watched him deflate.  I didn’t know what to say.

He didn’t look at me he just swung himself from the Ferris wheel carriage using his upper body strength to lower himself down to the pod beneath us.  I watched him balance precariously as he climbed downwards.  He landed on solid ground with a thud and glanced up to me.  His face was creased with a deep pain and he turned away and went to start the generator. 

We left the amusement park without any more words passing between us.  He was silent.  He was broody and sullen but he didn’t say a word.  His whole body seemed to have shrunk.  I stayed on my side of the car.  My insides were churning.   I still hurt but now I felt confused.  My lungs were tight with this cocktail of emotions and I didn’t know how to fix everything.  I didn’t know if I wanted to fix anything.

I watched the countryside slide past my window.  It was beautiful here.  The rolling hills were grass and small stands of trees.  Fences still cut through the landscape and I saw the occasional group of sheep and cattle.  It was unchanged.  It showed no evidence of the mad world I knew. 

We were heading towards a range of high mountains.  They had no snow on them but were clearly wooded and made a stunning backdrop to the farms on the foothills.  For some reason even the air seemed clearer out here.  I breathed deeply and felt a layer of pain peel from me.

The Truck rumbled as Tank turned off the asphalt onto a dirt road.  The sound of the gravel under the tyres as we bounced around on the rutted road, made me smile.  It felt good and wholesome.  I wanted to run in the grassed paddocks and swing from the trees and believe that the world was all good. 

I looked towards the large farmhouse approaching and smiled.  There was something right about this place.  It felt like a home.

The truck slowed to a stop outside the house.

Tank turned it off but didn’t move.  His eyes were down cast and his body slumped.

“If you need anything Miss Kate, just ask.  I will do anything for you.”

His hand turned the door handle.  Without thinking about it I reached for him.  My hand touched his arm and he stilled turning his face to mine.  I have never seen a man in so much pain before.  Tank’s eyes were brimming with raw pain.