To Be A Runner

Chapter 10: Supply Run

I exhale softly as the blaring of the gates being opened sounds and I take off running. My mind is spinning with questions, mostly why I haven't actually gotten briefed on this mission even though it was planned beforehand. I attempt to calm myself down by taking in deep breaths and keeping a casual pace.

You'll be fine. A voice
echoes in my head. I'm not even sure if it's mine since I can't remember what I used to sound like besides the Southern accent...

Sam wouldn't put you in too much danger.

My shoulders tense, making the blunt of axe I have strapped to my backpack dig into my lower back. Sam is the last person I need on my mind, which is unfortunate seeing how he is my operator. I reach up and adjust headset to keep it from pulling my hair. I'm surprised I have any hair left since Caleb's been trying to drive me insane.

It's just slight teasing-nothing serious. But still, I can't let or even think of Sam becoming my actual friend, much less... anything else.

"Hello, Runner Five? Runner Five?" Janine's voice flows into my ear clearly before it becomes small and annoyed. "Is this thing on, Mr. Yao?"

"...And ya have to... ugh. J-just give it to me a sec." His voice becomes louder once he addresses me. "Hey, Runner Five! We're changing things up a bit? Isn't that exciting?"

There's something more exciting than running from zombies? I wonder. This... should be interesting.

"Look," Sam sighs. His voice is lower and less clear so I can only guess he's talking to Janine, "you just keep this button pressed when you're talking and make sure you lean... this way so your body, you know, extends the area a bit and uh..."

"Good grief. Is this how you've been managing all this time?"

"Pretty much. Yeah," He replies. "I make it work."

"But if you plug this in here," There's a sound of a cord being plugged into something, "then you can sit back and the signal's better."

"I uh, yeah. I knew that... I-I didn't. I didn't know that at all."

I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face and the little voiceless laugh that escapes my lips, mixing in with my slight pant.

"So, Runner Five, Janine here will be your controller," He explains. "We're sending you off on a very special assignment. Aren't we, Janine?"

"Don't patronize me, Mr. Yao," She deadpans.

I hear stuttering through my headset. "I wasn't. I-I didn't mean... I-"

"Runner Five," Janine sighs in exasperation. "Just run."

A bit of music follows after that, but I don't focus on it. My mind is wondering to what mission I have today. There's only been a few missions where people other than Sam direct me. And those were all supply missions besides the one in Brunswick.

Then I notice something. It isn't shiny, or overly out there to be seen, but I seem to have an eye for things. I slow down my pace to a brisk walk as I make my way to it, grinning when I see a perfectly good coil of rope. I pick it up to examine it, and I smile when I see that it's clean. It seems pretty sturdy as well, judging by the multiple sharp tugs I give it.

"Runner Five," Janine's voice rings a bit too loudly in my ear. "Runner Five, why are you stopping? This is a very simple exposition for you today. It's nothing too taxing, but it is important that it's done swiftly."

Her voice is cold and hard, and I almost flinch. I just might have if I could see the sharp stare I know she's sending the scanners.