Fragile Hearts [DANGEROUS FELLOWS]

⚠️SIXTY-FIVE: OVER AND OUT⚠️

The sun was just beginning to rise when the strange sound woke you up.

At first you tried to go back to sleep, thinking you'd just dreamed it. But then it came again, faint and staticky.

Almost like a voice.

You sat up, looking across the bed at Eugene. He was still sleeping peacefully. Not wanting to wake him up, you slowly eased yourself off of the bed, going to where Ethan was supposed to be sitting and keeping watch but was now sitting and sleeping.

"Ethan," you whispered, shaking him.

"Huh? What's wrong?" He sat up quickly, hands searching for his bat.

"I hear something," you told him. "Can you come with me? Just in case."

Ethan rubbed his eyes, nodding. You were grateful he agreed since you always felt safer when he was around.

You took one last look at Eugene to make sure he was okay before stepping out into the hall. You could hear the sound slightly clearer now, and you were sure it was a voice.

"It sounds like a radio," Ethan thought aloud.

It did sound a lot like a radio. If you had something like that, maybe you could use it to contact other people.

You followed the sound down the hall, and realized it was coming from the room in front of the stairs going down to the foyer.

You slowly pushed open the door, cringing when it hit the dresser. The two people sleeping stirred.

"Hey, you got some nerve bargin' in on two dudes trying to sleep," Zion muttered, sitting up and tousling his messy hair.

Lawrence slammed his hand down on the dresser, feeling for his glasses.

"Sorry to interrupt your cuddling," you teased. The sound was coming from beside the bed, inside a backpack. You quickly walked over, kneeling down and unzipping the bag.

It would be easier to just show him. Your hand brushed against something boxy and rectangular at the very bottom of the bag and you pulled it out, surprised to see it was a walkie-talkie. The voice was loud and clear now.

"-off the northwest edge of the city. Uninfected only. Over and out."

Saddle stuck his head out from under the bed, ears wiggling at the unfamiliar voice.

"Hello?" you called.

"The button," Lawrence murmured groggily. "You have to push the button."

You pressed the orange button on the front of the device, and immediately the person on the other side cut off.

"Hello, can anyone hear me?" you asked, releasing the button.

There was no response. Your heart sank.

"Lemme try," Zion said, snatching the walkie from your grasp. "Hello? Anyone there?"

He yelled it so loud that Saddle startled, his fur raising, but there was still no answer.

"Maybe we just missed them," Ethan said.

"They said something about the... northwest edge of the city," you recalled. "Uninfected only. Do you think it's a rescue spot?"

"You mean another death trap?" Zion retorted.

"I don't know. Maybe it's different." You shrugged, unable to shake the feeling that whoever the person was and whatever they'd been saying, it was important.

"There's no use worrying about it," Lawrence spoke. "I'm not in any rush to go through a Safe Zone situation again."

Maybe they were right. Maybe this was just another selfish trick of an organization to use survivors for their own personal gain. But still, that same feeling nagged at you...

"But on a side note, what are we gonna do from now?" Zion pointed out. "Stake it out here for a while?"

"Unless anyone has anything better in mind," Lawrence replied, standing up to stretch. Saddle disappeared under the bed to go over and greet him.

It did seem pretty safe here. And it was comforting to be staying inside of a home. Maybe you could all pretend that everything was fine until the apocalypse blew over.

You wished Jay were here to see it. And Sue.

And Judy.

"What will we do about food? And water?" Ethan asked. "We're pretty far from any markets up here."

"Ah, that's right!" Zion broke in suddenly with a snap. "I didn't really think of it since I never went down there, but there should be all sorts of emergency shit down in the basement."

"Basement?" you repeated. "This place has another floor?"

"Never mind that," Lawrence interrupted. "We should go right now. It should be helpful to see what we have to work with."

"I guess so," Zion relented, looking disappointed that he had to get out of bed. "I'll show you. Follow me."

Zion and Lawrence filed out of the room, leaving you and Ethan.

"We should go, too," Ethan told you.

You nodded in agreement. "I'll catch up," you told him.

He hesitated, giving you a look but deciding not to question it. He left as well, leaving you alone. Quickly you grabbed the walkie-talkie from the bed, shoving it down in your back pocket. If someone tried to contact again, you wanted to know.

You rushed out into the hall, quietly padding back to your room and opening the door a crack, peeking in. Eugene was still sleeping. Then you checked on Harry and Hailey before hurrying down the steps the the foyer, where you saw the three guys standing in front of one of the doors no one had gone into yet.

"Sheesh, taking your time as usual," Zion grumbled. He flicked open the lock on the door, pushing it open, revealing a staircase leading down into shadow.

"Isn't there a light?" you asked nervously.

"It's at the bottom," Zion said. "I'm gonna go turn it on."

He started to descend before anyone could object, quickly swallowed up in the darkness. It was quiet except for his fading footsteps, and after a couple seconds your heart began to pound.

"You think he's okay?" you asked Ethan, who just shrugged in reply.

"Oh no! Zombie!" Zion cried melodramatically, and the light switched on, revealing him standing at the bottom of the steps with a flat expression. "Just kidding. Nothing spooky down here."

You sighed, shaking your head as you began to climb down the stairs.

And when you got to the bottom, you couldn't help but freeze in shock.

Because there were weapons. Everywhere.