The Price of Humanity

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

I see the tyres, completely flat with multiple slashes in them. The tarp has been completely pulled off and lies on the ground, but that's not the interesting part. Or worrying however you look at it.

Our stuff is still there. I jump up into the back of the truck and look around the crates. Not much seems to be missing, maybe a few cans here and there, maybe a blanket. But I honestly expected it all to be gone.

I expected them to be more terrifying or dangerous.

I pick up the tarp and haphazardly place it back over the truck, not that it will do any good. They already know where we are and where all our supplies are.

I run my fingers through my hair, trying to make sense of the entire situation before considering my options.

I definitely won't be able to carry all the crates back to the pharmacy, I'm barely able to carry one crate of food. I could always return with nothing but then that might give the opportunity for the city folk to take the rest of our stuff.

However, I have a gut feeling that the left it on purpose. Slashing our tyres would stop us from moving anywhere quickly, but we could always just leave the city. Leaving our stuff meant we had a reason to stay, they know we just wouldn't abandon all our things if we still had them.

I look up and around the alleyway, seeing nothing but shadows, no signs of people. Apart from one thing.

I move around to the front of the truck and look at the hood, it's perfectly intact, but someone got a little creative with spray paint.

On the hood, in bright red paint is a skull. Not a very subtle message. I look around once again but see no other signs of anyone nearby.

I decide that being out in the open, exposed, is not the best use of my time, so I make my way quickly and quietly back to the pharmacy.

"Well?" Zane asks, as soon as I open the door an inch. Somebody's worried. I sigh and step into the pharmacy, closing the door behind me.

"All our stuffs still there." I comment with a defeated undertone to my voice, Zane looks at me expectantly so I continue. "But our tyres have been slashed." Zane looks puzzled for a minute before he comes to the same conclusion I did when I saw the truck.

"They're trying to keep us here." He says, looking up at me with a worried expression. I nod, biting my lip, and running my hands through my hair.

"Yeh." A groaning noise comes from behind us and immediately Adam has three weapons pointed at him. He raises his hands up in surrender, eyes slightly wide.

"Not undead." He says, a flicker of a smirk on his lips. I lower my katana immediately, but I have to elbow both of my brother's in the side to get them to lower their weapons.

I head over to Adam and gently push him to sit back down.

"You, need to rest." I say, pushing him back into a lying position.

"No." He says, pushing against me and getting back into a sitting position. "I need to go find my sister." He hops off the counter, but instantly regrets it when pain shoot through his shoulder.

He brings his hand up to his shoulder and holds it, bending over slightly.

"You..." I say, poking him in the chest so he leans back against the counter. "...are going to stay right here and I will go and get your sister." He frowns at me, weary to tell me where Mia is.

"Why would you do that?" He asks, questioning me for an ulterior motive.

"Because I don't like the idea of a little girl hiding in some corner somewhere in the city. Surely, you've heard the stories and would rather have her here. Plus, if I go, you stay here and rest your shoulder."

He studies me intently. His eyes gliding around my face. I feel myself start to flush and heat up wherever he looks. He smirks at my reaction and gives in.

"She's in the central library. Top floor in one of the cupboards. I told her to only come out if it was me outside." I nod and turn to my brothers.

"Looks like I'm going out again boys." Zane starts to protest but I stop him before he can speak.

"Who do you think she's more likely to open the door for? Two big ass men, one who raised a spear at her. Or the girl who was kind to her and gave her food." Adam scoffs from behind me and speaks up.

"You still held a katana up in front of her. She won't open the door for anyone but me, I taught her well." I turn to him, a demanding tone to my voice.

"You are staying here and you didn't teach her well." He's about to defend himself but I continue. "If we weren't good people back at the supermarket, Mia would've been taken or killed, she can't defend herself as well as you think. She's too young to be alone and so I am going to go find her because you sure as hell cannot at the moment."

He shuts up and nods silently.

"Good." I conclude, grabbing my bag off the floor and pulling it over my shoulder's. I tie the straps around my waist, also doing my jacket up. I didn't have to be careful when running to the truck since there were no dead in the streets.

We don't know what's between us and the library so I'm taking all the nessacary precautions that my brothers have taught me. I pull my hair up into a tight bun and shorten the straps on my bag.

After getting myself ready and straightening up, I look up to see my two brothers looking at me with a weird look on both their faces.

"What is it? What did I forget?" I say, checking myself over for the missing step. Gale looks at me with...admiration?

"Nothing." He beams.