Chapter 24

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Carl pointed at each of us in turn, "Beth, Ellie, and I are going to go. Matt has been adamant about someone staying behind as watch so he and Emily can stay back with the kids."

Everyone nodded in understanding, agreeing. 

Carl went back to the map, studying the path to the building, "From the town, I am going to assume that it is a rather small apartment building, maybe three or four floors, and a handful of apartments on each floor. We will start on the bottom floor and make our way around and up. If we find anything we could use or keep, we will pile it outside the doors and come back for them. Got it?" 

Beth and I nodded. The three of us split up and started getting our things together. I had taken all of my new 'belongings' out of my backpack and piled them on a shelf that was missing a few books so my bag would be ready for an expedition like this. I made sure my jacket and gun were in my bag before throwing it on my back. 

I grabbed my ax and met the others by the doors. Everyone was there, wanting to send off the runners. I got a quick side hug from Matt and a big one from his daughter who seems to be liking me more and more each day. Once we were ready, we set off. 

We slowly yet surely made our way through the mostly empty streets and around the cars, being cautious about getting the attention of the roamers. We managed to only get the attention of a few who we managed to kill before we got to the building. 

The building was made of reddish-brown bricks with the stairs on the outside and between two apartments, making the four-story building split in half because of the hallways and stairs. There were windows here and there, the building looking mostly untouched. Something I figured out at the beginning of the apocalypse was that not many people think to loot apartment buildings. I did it because I was living in one. 

We headed to the first door on the right and Carl managed to break it down. We all slowly made our way in, closing the door behind ourselves so no lurkers could roam in. I went to the kitchen while Beth and Carl went into the hallway that had doors that I assumed led into a bedroom and a bathroom. 

I started looking in the cupboards, looking for any cans or boxes of food and putting any finds on the island that split the kitchen and living room and made a little eating area. After going through them and getting a good pile of foods and snacks on the counter behind me was when I realized that there were no waters in the cabinets. I gave the fridge a dirty look. After the power went out months ago, the food in the refrigerator would have gone long bad. 

I slowly inched my way to the fridge and pulled the collar of my shirt over my mouth and nose before opening it. The horrid smell coming from all the spoiled food could rival the smell of the lurkers that were left locked up since the beginning. 

I quickly grabbed as many as I could and depositing them on the counter before going to get seconds. It was only seconds before Beth came out of the bathroom and made a gagging sound, "What is that smell? You find an infected?" 

I slammed the fridge shut, "No. Just looking for food." 

"That was the fridge? Holy shit! That was disgusting!" 

"I know! That was why I don't want to open any more fridges!" 

Carl came out at this point, "What are you talking about?" 

I pointed at the refrigerator, "Either get me a gas mask or I'm not opening any more fridges." 

He gave me a look I couldn't decipher before holding up a couple of bandanas, "I don't have a gas mask, but I found these." 

I threw my hand in the air, "I want the purple one!"

He handed me a random one before tossing another to Beth and tying one around his face. He headed back to the door, "I think we're good here, bring the stuff outside and put it by the door. One door down, many more to go..." 

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