75 Days of a Zombie Apocalypse (Complete )

Chapter 4 - Lost Then Found

We ended up driving into town to see any stores still has supplies and food that we needed. My mother went inside a convince store to get some food that way while I guarded outside. Dave came up to me, lighting a cigarette, taking a breath in and letting the smoke out.

"I thought you didn't smoke," I said, looking the other way.

"I don't," he said as held the cigarette out so I could grab it.

"My mom will smell it," I said

"Do you think your mom is worried about you smoking?" he asked.

I looked at him, god he was actually right, I took it and put it to my lips, breathing the drug in. I gave it back to him, letting out the smoke. 

"Plus, I saw her smoking one," he said

"No you fucking didn't," I said

He smiled, "Trying to make you feel better." 

"Get actually be good at it," I said

His smile disappeared as he took another breath of his cigarette. 

"I am really sorry though," he said as I looked at him, "I've been such a jerk lately, I just don't know how to react to all of this, you know? At least you have your mom, I have no one." 

I took the cigarette and breathed in it, "It wasn't your grandfather's collection, was it?" 

He looked at me as I looked back at him, him shaking his head. "I robbed a gun store before I came over." 

" 'Old Man's Guns'? The place by your house?" I asked as he nodded, "Why?" 

He took a moment, "I wanted to protect you against the walkers...You mean a lot to me, you know." 

I didn't say anything and just looked down. I knew he was telling the truth, after all the years I've known him, I basically know everything about him. I just didn't like how he rubbed a place for me, but I figured he did because the bullshit excuse of him saying it was his grandfather's collection. 

"I'll start showing you two respect, I'm...I'm just scared and I'm sorry that I haven't been showing you two any."

My mother then walked out with a few bags and looked at us for a moment, "Everything alright?" 

"Yea," I said as Dave started to smoke again, "Just talking. What did you find?" 

She smiled and held up her hands, showing at least three on each side, "A lot," 

Dave put his cigarette out as my mother watched him. 

"There's still a lot of them in there if you want a few more packs," she said as Dave looked at her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Anderson," he said and nodded. 

She looked at me and smiled for a minute, then started to walk towards the car. I placed my hand on his shoulder for a minute, him looking at me. I just gave him a small smile before I let go and followed my mother to the car. I helped her place the bags in the car and closed the trunk.

"How much gas do we have?" I asked her. 

"The car with the key has half a tank, the one Dave started as a little less than that," she said 

I nodded as I watched Dave come out with a bag of cigarette packs and walked to the parking lot where we were. He caught me staring and gave a small smile. 

"Everything good?" my mother asked, looking at him as well.

"Yea, everything's good," I said. 

**********

We started to lose daylight as we searched the stores, making us stay overnight in the parking lot in the car that has a shit ton of food now as well as supplies. My mother took the backseat again as Dave and I took the front seats, she was already asleep by the time she has laid down. Dave and I sat there wide awake and looked around, enjoying the night's view, I guess since there wasn't anything else to look at. The window on Dave's side was a little bit open for air to come in and his smoke to go out. The night was dark as the clouds covered the moon, letting the breeze take the cool wet air with it. It wasn't raining, but the air carried water like it was raining somewhere else. I sat there in the passenger seat, my left knee to my chest as I looked around. 

"What was your dad's name?" he asked

"John," I said.

There was a moment of silence before he has said anything. 

"It was nice meeting him," he said, opening his lips and letting out his cigarette smoke. 

I nodded and looked into one of the stores that sold music. The doors were a little ajar as the wind swiftly opened and closed them a bit. I saw a thin figure move inside, but it wasn't like any movement of a walker. I sat my hand on Dave's shoulder. He then looked at me.

"There's something inside," I said, not moving my eyes off the store. 

Dave looked at the store, then back at me, he didn't say anything, not even hesitated before he put out his cigarette and laid it on the dashboard. He grabbed his gun and opened the door before I stopped him. 

"It's walking out," I said as the figure open the door a little bit and looked around, seeing that no one was there and moved out. The figure was wearing a brown jacket and work pants as a bag was over his shoulder. 

"Stay here, Jess," Dave said as he slowly stood up. 

The figure saw Dave stood up and stopped walking for a second. The figure then raised up his hands as Dave walked towards it.

"I don't mean no warm," the figure said

"Are you hurt?" Dave asked

"No, please, I'm looking for my wife and my daughter," the figure said, holding up his right hand and putting in his jean pocket and taking it back out, empty-handed.

"What are you looking for?" Dave asked

"A picture of them, I missed placed it." the man said.

"What's their names?" Dave said

"My wife's name is Jenny and my kid is Jess," it said

"Anderson?" Dave asked

I saw the figure's head nodded as Dave put his gun in between his pants and his back. He turned around and waved his hand, telling me to get out of the car. The figure put his hand down and stood there confused. I opened the door and got out, hesitating for a moment. I quietly closed the door and walked to Dave, standing by him, looking at the figure. 

"Jess?" he asked. 

"Dad?" I asked back, trying to get a better look at his face in the no light night. 

The man walked forward to me as he gave me a hug, "God, I missed you so much, are you alright?" 

Tears came to my eyes, me realizing that it was actually my dad, "I missed you too, and yea, I'm alright." 

"That's good," he said and gave me a kiss on my forehead, "Where's your mother?" 

"In the car, sleeping in the back seat," I said

"I missed you so much," he said hugging me again and then letting me go, looking at Dave. "Thank you,"

"For what, sir?" Dave asked

"For protecting the only two things that I need."