This Would Be Paradise (Book 1)-A Zombie Novel

Chapter 14

I rolled over for the millionth time tonight as the scene from earlier kept plaguing my mind. The problem wasn't that I missed, it was that I didn't. In fact my shot was dead on, which wiped the smirk off of Taylor's face. I remember the infected's head whipping back as a mass of discolored brain matter and blood sprayed out behind him. It was like someone had spit out a mouthful of Campbell's chunky soup. I was mixed up in what I should be feeling; I mean that guy was alive once, maybe he had a family who was still waiting for him to come home.

Was I technically a murderer? Were the infected even alive? I mean no living creature could survive with the amount of damage and decay that guy had.

"Stop rolling around so much," Zoe hissed from the other cot.

"Oh, I'm keeping you up? That's rich," I hissed back.

She mumbled something as she flipped away from me and I assumed it wasn't rated PG. Finally I gave up trying to sleep and decided to get some fresh air. I closed the front door quietly behind me and I was surprised to see Ethan sitting on the truck gate that was folded down. He glanced up at the sound of me approaching and relaxed when he saw it was me and not an infected.

"Can't sleep either?" He asked as I hopped up on to the gate.

"No, I keep thinking about that infected guy," I admitted.

"Me too," Ethan said back.

"You weren't there," I pointed out.

"No, I mean if one got here then how long before more show up?" He said back.

"Oh joy, now there's that to worry about," I sighed and I could see the corners of his mouth lift up.

"You upset 'bout shooting the thing?"

"Wouldn't you be?" I countered.

He seemed to think about it, "Probably."

"Very helpful," I muttered.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," He shrugged, "And it will happen to the rest of us too."

"It's depressing," I said.

"Yeah it is but it's 'bout survival now so we gotta do what we gotta do," He said with conviction.

"But we live in a society that punishes those who kill, even those who kill in self defense are persecuted in a way," I said back.

"Society changes. It never used to be that way, look at western times compared to now," Ethan brought up a good point.

"Touché country boy, touché," I smirked.

"I did learn a few things down here in the south," He said exaggerating his southern accent with a grin, " 'Sides learning to suck the heads off crawfish."

"That sounds....dirty," I scrunched up my face and Ethan laughed.

"So you gunna be ok on our supply run tomorrow?" Ethan eyed me as I yawned.

"I'll be fine thanks," I said back.

"You can stay here with Zoe if ya want," He pressed.

Zoe had opted to stay here with Chloe and even though he put up a fuss about it, Darren reluctantly agreed to stay behind in case something happened. So our scavenging group consisted of Ethan, Taylor, John and I.

"Geez, you trying to get rid of me?" I eyed him back.

"Naw, just with what happened earlier I thought maybe you would want to," He shrugged.

"The last thing I want to do it sit here and think about it," I sighed, "Plus the more hands the better. We can bring back more that way."

Ethan nodded, not entirely believing me. Hell, I don't think I believed myself but I knew that sitting around here wasn't going to help and we really did need supplies since it looked like a rescue wasn't coming after all. Where was the military anyways? We hadn't seen or heard so much as a helicopter since the beginning of all this two months ago. It was hard to believe we were that screwed; there had to be some sort of military operation somewhere. Maybe we just had to go to them instead of waiting to be rescued. Lazy government.