RU in? - 1st novel in the Ruinsaga series

Chapter 24 .

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We slept on the cabin floor all huddled together. I held Grace close to me as we slept. That was how I woke with sunlight streaming in through the cabin windows. The cabin was void of furnishings. It looked like it hadn't been occupied for quite awhile judging by all the dust and cobwebs.

"I'm hungry," Camila mumbled as she sat up on the other side of Grace.

Grace nuzzled her face more into my shirt, but didn't make any move to get up.

"Is there anything in your 24 hour kit to eat?" Connor asked. He grabbed the backpack by Grace. Grace sprang up and pulled it away from him.

"And something to drink?" Todd asked. Unlike Connor, his tone was polite and his eyes patient and hopeful as he blinked his brown eyes at Grace.

I sat up cross legged and Grace settled next to me. She unzipped her pack and began to rummage around. "I do have some water," she pulled out a large bottle, "but we need to share it so only start with a few swallows." She handed the bottle to Camila. The professors gathered around us waiting for their turn as the water was passed around.

"I do have a little bit of food, but not much. It's called a 24 hour kit not a kit to save your life in an apocalypse." Grace pulled out a bag of jerky, opened it and handed each of us one.

"We're going to need to get food and water," Dr. Higgins said.

Dr. Smith stretched her back and mumbled, "My arthritis is killing me."

Connor stood as he chewed the jerky and went to the door.

"Where are you going?" Dr. Higgins asked.

"To the bathroom, dad," Connor bit out. "I was trying to be discreet about it. Geez."

"From now on," Dr. Higgins said, "no one goes anywhere alone. There has to be at least 2 of you so one can watch out for the other. This is no longer a safe world."

"Was it ever a safe world?" Dr. Patel mumbled.

"Todd, come with me," Connor said.

Todd stood and went to the door. I went with them. I made sure I had my bat. Connor opened the door a crack and peeked outside before he opened it a little wider. I didn't think there were any zombies out there. There weren't any zombie groans.

"I saw an outhouse in the front," Dr. Patel offered.

"Oh," Grace said. "I have tissues if you need it." She tossed a small packet of tissues across the room to me. I caught it and nodded my thanks.

I followed Todd and Connor out and closed the door behind us. We scanned the area as we walked to the outside. It was quiet. It was colder than it had been the previous day, but maybe that was just because it was morning. There were a few clouds overhead, but none of them covered the sun at the moment.

Connor hesitated with his hand on the handle. He let go and turned back to me and Todd. "I'm just going to pee in the bushes," he said. We followed him as he walked into the woods enough he wouldn't be seen from a cabin window.

Todd and I scanned the woods as Connor relieved himself. All was quiet as he went, and then Todd and then myself.

We walked back to the cabin to see the women standing out front. Dr. Smith was huddled between Grace and Camila.

"Where is Dr. Higgins and Dr. Patel?" I asked because the cabin door was open behind them and I could see it was empty.

"They went into the woods to relieve themselves too," Dr. Smith said. "You boys didn't try the outhouse?"