Orthodontics in the Zombie Apocalypse

7. Family Reunion (2/2)

We don't have too long to chat before the remaining zombies begin clambering towards us, dopey-eyed and hobbling on deformed legs. Several more crawl out of alleyways and other abandoned buildings to pursue us as well, all of them licking their purple lips in anticipation.

Mikah begins panting horribly after we run for about half a mile. "We ne...we need to stop...soon."

"Dude, I'm, like, a third of your age, and I'm still okay at this pace. And I'm barefoot!" Angel antagonizes him through heavy breaths.

Mikah doesn't waste his strained breath replying. I don't say anything either--normally I would join the fun, but tag-teaming with a toddler to make fun of someone so cute is not going to win me any points in his eyes--so the provoking comment settles over us awkwardly.

I scan the surrounding buildings as we approach them until I see one that suits my standards. "There!" I grab Mikah by the sleeve and tug a sharp right. I hear Angel mutter something under her breath but don't care enough to have her repeat it.

It's an old city house with several broken windows--the kind that has little front-yard and another building in the backyard. Grass is scarce over the dry, cracked dirt; we've been having a bit of a drought lately with only one day of light rain in the past month and crippling heat every other day. It's still a bad part of town where buildings and houses are painted with either bright, gaudy colors or graffiti, and this one's electric blue paint has begun to peel along the siding. Half of the roof's charcoal gray shingles are missing or hanging haphazardly by a corner. The white screen door is browned by a layer of dirt that accumulated after weeks of neglect, and the wooden door behind is partially ajar--handle broken off. I push the door open the rest of the way and push Mikah in ahead of me.

"Hey!" I hear along with a bit of resistance as I try to close the door. Angel shoves against it and steps inside, looking disgruntled and indignant. She glares at me and slams the door closed. Mikah stares at me with a disappointed frown.

Guess she made it. Next time...

I clear away the satisfying thought and look at Mikah. "We need a better plan than this."

"Okay. Suggestions?"

"Well, a car would be nice. And directions to your uncle's house. And some food and water," I add when my stomach growls. The sun has begun to sink down the horizon, casting longer shadows and reminding me of how my last meal was early this morning.

"And where do you suppose we'll find these things?" Mikah asks. "Aside from my uncle's house, of course. He lives in an apartment complex in a ritzier part of the city."

Angel decides to pipe up and attempt to finally be useful. "I can get us food. And new clothes, for that matter. A car shouldn't be a problem, either."

"Why didn't you mention that before?"

She looks up at the ceiling, as if asking herself a question, and shakes her head. "Good grief," she grumbles.

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A/N

I hope you enjoyed! Keep smiling and remember that braces aren't the end of the world unless the world is ending!