Journal 29

Day 143

Bright beams of light seep through the crack in  my wooden wall, I reach my hand out to feel the warmth of the sun. My bruised skin jolts at the sensation of the heat and I curl back into a ball. My sleeping bag was riddled with grime and the faded coloured fabric was torn to the point that it was no longer a bag but a cloth. I strained to sit up and seeked assistance from a nearby shelf. The eroded iron platform creaked as I pulled on it. Just as soon as I thought I was up, the loose hinges gave way and sent me down hard on the cold floor. A shot of pain raced down my thigh at the impact and I plumped back on to my sleeping bag.

After I had recovered I collected my things and walked out the shed, carefully shutting the door behind me. Norman was up as usual, on lookout. He's been on edge ever since the last raid, something told me that they took more than just items. I hesitated for a minute before speaking to him. 'Morning, see anything?' I asked. He continued to stare into the distance with a blank look on his face, he was a man of about fourty years, though no one keeps count anymore. He wore a leather trench coat, it was smeared in blood stains and dry mud. His face half covered by an un-shaven beard, his hair was dark brown and unwashed. There was no point talking to him in the mornings, everything I said went right through him. Its almost impossible to remember how he used to be, when we had a group of about thirty. Some even used to call him lively, well, as lively as you can be in a world like this.

The sun was slowly rising over the wildly untrimmed meadow, giving life to the sickly weeds. A few stray walkers stumbled around in the distance, nothing dangerous. I climbed on the roof of the shed to join my companion, he grumbled as I sat next to him. There was a cool breeze flowing through the morning air as I admired the sunset, one of the few beauties left.

Norman and I both knew we were running low on supplies, at this rate we'll starve in a few weeks. Every meal had to be savoured. He often gave me some of his meal but I always turned it down, I dont understand why he feels the need to protect me.

Hours pass as we sit in silence on the roof, I contemplate my how to start a conversation but before I can say anything, 'We leave tonight' ordered Norman abruptly.