This Is Not A Joke

Chapter Eight

"El, is this a good place?" Q snapped me out of my thoughts and I made my way to the front of the bus. We were in a parking lot next to a big football field.

"Perfect." I smiled down at him and he smiled back. I turned back to everyone in the bus. "Come on guys, lets go!"

I picked up the bag of weapons and slung them over my shoulder. Sal and Murr groaned and reluctantly put down their Xbox remotes. Bailey pushed Shadow off of her lap and into the floor. The cat grumbled and padded away. Joe stood up with donuts in hand.

"Leave the donuts Joe." I gave him a look and he pouted back but put the snack down.

I exited the bus and everyone spilled out after me. I sat the bag of weapons on the ground and looked at them. "Alright guys were gonna warm up with a run. 3 laps around the soccer field."

Bailey and Murr smiled but everyone else's eyes bugged out of their head. "I can barely run from the couch to the fridge nevermind around a football field." Joe was clutching his chest already.

"Just do what you can." I looked at each of them and they nodded. "If you see or hear a zombie you run straight back here and grab something." They all nodded again. "Alright let's go."

I walked to the edge of the field and immediately started jogging. I never really exercised but we needed to stay fit if we were going to survive.

The first lap went fine but as I turned the corner to start the second lap my breathing was labored. My legs were burning and my lungs felt like they were about to explode. I glanced to the middle of the field and Joe was laying face down on the ground. I shook my head and continued pushing myself.

Once I had finished my laps I met up with the rest of them by the bag of weapons. I bent over and breathed, desperately trying to catch my breath. Bailey pat my back and I stood up. "I'm fine. I'm good." I stretched out my sore limbs and cracked my neck. I pulled my hair into a messy bun and reached for the bag of weapons.

The first thing I pulled out was my favorite; my axe. I handed it to Bailey and she yelped as she dropped it. I rolled my eyes and picked it up again. I handed it back to her and she grabbed it with two hands. She held it awkwardly in front of her. I shook my head and turned to Murr.

"Shouldn't we have guns or something?" He looked confused.

I shook my head at him. "No. Too much noise, don't ya think?"

He shrugged and pulled a knife out of the bag. "So shiny."

"Yeah ferrets are attracted to shiny things." He glared at me and I laughed.

I looked around the field, trying to find a target. I squinted, remembering watching my old high school football practices. There was a shed close to the football field and I knew there had to be something in there.

I turned and noticed Joe had picked up a meat cleaver. Sal didn't have anything. He stared blankly into the field.

Q picked his colorful mallet off the ground. I shook my head at him. "No you don't have to. You already know how to fight, obviously."

He dropped the mallet. "Why'd I have to run then?!"

"Cause we're outta shape." I smirked at him and he ruffled his hands through is hair and huffed like a child. "Hey do you think you can come check out that shed with me? I want to see if they have anything we can use in there."

He nodded and picked the mallet back up. I grabbed a hammer from the bag on the ground and we started slowly and quickly making our way to the shed. We got to the door quickly and I glanced at Q. He nodded and I wrenched the wooden door open. I stepped back quickly to make sure no undead creatures would spill out at me but, thankfully, they didn't.