Something Wild

Part I: Chapter Two

Okay, so, it seems like y'all are intrigued, so I'm gonna keep posting this. Time move super fast in this story, so keep an eye on that. 

I also want to note that even though this is a zombie apocalypse story, there isn't a super heavy emphasis on that. They're there, they do cause a lot of garbage in this world, BUT this story will be focusing more on the trauma these characters will be enduring and the way emotions are heightened in dangerous/risky situations. 

Also! I just really love these characters and this world, and I really hope you all will enjoy it as much as I do. 

Chapter Two:

We run into a few Rotters in the neighborhood as we clear a few surrounding houses. I had suggested to split up to make clearing them faster, but Valerie insisted we stick together. I know I'm a bit exhausted, but that doesn't mean she needs to treat me like a child.

"You're exhausted," she says. "You said so yourself. There's no way you can hold your own against more than a few Rotters. We're better off going together." I begrudgingly agree knowing damn well that she's right, even though my pride wants to tell her to fuck off.

The first house we clear is empty, there's a few cans of food and medicine that could be helpful. The next house has some clean clothes, and with the impending winter, I'm in desperate need of warmer clothes. Preferably clothes that aren't riddled with holes and covered in Rotter blood. The fourth house is where we run into some problems.

You see, I told Valerie not to go in the basement. The door was blocked shut and it seemed like whoever left this house wanted to keep whatever is behind that door, behind that door. But no. Valerie thinks she knows better. Tells me we're better off together, and then separates herself from me to go check it out. I didn't even realize she disappeared until I heard her yell.

"Peaches! I could use some back up!" I race down to the basement where she's cornered and doesn't have the room to pull out her katanas. All she has is her little butterfly knife. "Hey, Peaches, like you were, I'm in a bit of a jam." She chuckles nervously stabbing a Rotter in the temple.

"For Christ's sake," I say pull my machete out. "Is it really an appropriate time to make bad puns?" I kick a bucket over near me, gaining the attention of the Rotters. They start to rush toward me, giving Valerie the room to get her katanas out.

"It's always an appropriate time for puns," she says as she takes out the Rotters closet to her. "It's not my fault you're so uptight."

"If you haven't noticed, we live in a world where the undead want to eat us," I counter swinging my machete and killing the last Rotter. "I'm not going to get distracted making jokes and put my life at risk." Valerie slides her katanas back in place and eyes me cautiously.

"I don't see it like that, though," she says as we peek around the basement for supplies. "I think keeping yourself wound so tight is gonna put your life more at risk than letting loose sometimes, Madison. Sure, staying focused keeps you physically safe, but what about mentally? That's just as important." I close the box I'm digging through and turn to look at her.

"Look," I say firmly, "you have optimism and bad jokes. I have sarcasm and a very sharp machete. We survive in our own ways."

"But—" Valerie starts to speak but the glare I shoot her way makes her snap her mouth shut. We continue clearing the remaining houses before declaring it safe enough. I bring us back around to the house where the Rotters were hidden away in the basement. It's the cleanest and by far the safest house we cleared. The basement had plenty of camping equipment to make sure we could cook a few meals for the next couple days. There were two rooms, and the windows and doors were already boarded up. It just made the most sense.