I found a boy my age trying to run away from the undead, but he smacked headfirst into a tree. I couldn't help it, I laughed. Of course, I saved him too.
He's been stuck to my hip ever since, which isn't so bad when most of the human race is made u...
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We finished the tree house and it took about two weeks of non-stop climbing, heavy-lifting, and innovative thinking, but we did it. We built the world's ugliest tree house but hey, at least it'll keep the zs away.
We were lounging in our new house and I was reading a book I pilfered from the jeep—a How to for Dummies guide on hunting, while Tommy took a well deserved nap. I made sure to put him through the wringer with that awful stunt he pulled last week.
I was in desperate need of a bath because I felt my skin caked in layers of dirt and dust, but Tommy hovered around me like a shadow and he wouldn't let me go off on my own. It was so bad that when I had to go to the bathroom, he was there with his back turned—he was there while I peed. It was so embarrassing that I didn't speak to him for an hour. It would have lasted longer if he didn't look like a kicked puppy.
The very next day, I built a shed and a latrine. I had to for the sake of my sanity. Privacy was a nonexistent concept until Tommy learned to trust me and I understood that it took time, but dammit! My patience was waning.
I took a peek at his sleeping figure and decided it was time, I needed that bath.
Not wanting to waste such a good opportunity, I grabbed some of Tommy's clothes from the supply boxes and headed for the river.
I took off all of my clothes, leaving them on one of the rocks, then I went deep into the river until it reached my waist and I swam under the cold water. It felt amazing. I stayed under for a while, then I brought my head up, took a deep breath and went back under again.
I missed swimming—the feeling of the water encompassing my entire being and washing away every grime, filth, fatigue and worry from my body, I felt like a new person every time I resurfaced. I sighed because as much as I wanted this to last, I had to go back before Tommy panics and goes on a frantic search for me. He tests my patience with his constant worrying, but I wasn't mean enough to give the kid an early heart attack.
I swam back to the riverbank and dried myself with the clothes I wore before. I heard a twig snap. I whipped my head around and saw Tommy, frozen and with his entire face as red as a baboon's butt. His bugged-out eyes went up and down my body before he looked down and stuttered out incoherent apologies.
"I was there and you weren't—I'm sorry I didn't mean. I swear I didn't—I'm so sorry. I didn't know where you were and uh, really I'm so sorry."
Fuck, well this was mortifying. As embarassed as I was about the entire situation, I was feeling more vindictive, so I grabbed one of the pots that was lying near our makeshift stove, filled it up with some ice-cold river water and threw it at him. He let out a startled yelp and I laughed. He looked like a drowned cat.
He wiped some of the water that got in his eyes and slowly shook his head, then he gave me the look. It was all the warning I needed before I grabbed my bra and underwear, running back to the river.
