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

Chapter 34

I managed to get my sobbing under control. The streaks of my tears were drying on my face, making the skin feel dehydrated. Once I shed my last tear for myself, I decided that was enough. Using the house as leverage, I pushed myself back to my feet and wandered back inside. My little episode had made the pain in my elbow come back with a vengeance and the side I had landed on, screamed at me for my stupidity.

The kitchen was starting to fill up with shadows; later all we had to keep them at bay were the camping lanterns we found while searching the house. I wiped at my face, embarrassed by my behavior. Not only had I made a fool of myself, I got the infected all worked up right outside the fence. At least they seemed to have calmed down again for the time being.

I tip-toed back outside for my axe; it was now covered in blood and grass. Once back inside, I flipped the lock on the sliding doors and overturned the kitchen table up against them. If something or someone wanted inside, they would have to work for it. I made sure the front door was dead bolted and pushed the couch in front of it. My injured elbow made it difficult. The sound of the legs scraping across the hardwood floor echoed in the house; grooves appeared behind the trail. At least I didn't have to worry about repairing the damage.

Darkness was starting to set in and it made me nervous. This would be the first night without the others. I didn't have them to depend on, I had only myself. I found I missed them dearly. We were our own family, looking out for one another. Yet they had abandoned me. Or was I the abandoner? I didn't want to believe that anyone had left anyone behind. Maybe things would have been different if I had stayed behind, maybe they would have turned out exactly the same. There was no way to tell now.

All that mattered was surviving and finding our dysfunctional family.

Taylor smirked at me yet again, laughing to himself about my mishap. How was I to know you couldn't just smoke anything in the meat smoker? You could have smoked salmon, why not smoked trout? I hated the taste of fish and figured at least smoking it would make it edible.

We were all situated around the camp fire, the flames blazing like an inferno. Stars had started to peak out through the receding day light, now dotting the sky above us. The cabin was currently airing out the burnt fish smell. If you thought fish smelt bad before, just wait until it started on fire. Ethan had managed to put out the flames before any damage was done to the smoker, which reminded me of a tall safe without the lock on the front.

"Is it useable?" I asked timidly.

Ethan chuckled, "It'll live to smoke another day."

"Why would ya think puttin' trout in there on as high as it can go, would be a good idea?" Chloe cocked out her hip.

"You can smoke salmon can't you?"

"Alright, enough. Nothin' we can do about it now except let the place air out," Ethan interjected.

John and Ethan had went out earlier to catch the fish, apparently there was a small lake nearby that had lots to catch. Ethan said normally you would not have been able to take home so many, but there was no fish and wildlife police left to complain. There were poles and gear stashed in the cabin. We were damn lucky to have run into Ethan, he had pretty much everything we needed out here.

They had a grill set up on top of the fire pit, roasting the rest of the fish. I guess I won't be able to get myself out of eating this.

"Looks like you're not getting out of it this time," Zoe grinned, knowing full well how much I disliked fish.

"Well, I tried."

"I didn't know fish could catch on fire like that," Darren added his two sense in.