The Rot: Book 2

Chapter 3

 As the day wore on, the girls and I got to know Carla a little bit better. Like I said, everyone has a story. Carla was enjoying her weekend, like all of us were when the dead showed up on her front porch, literally.

She told us about how the stenches came crashing through her living room windows and got her husband and teenage son. Carla made it through her story without breaking down once, which surprised the hell out of me. Since Cynthia was still out cold, I had the unfortunate task of telling Carla about how Cyn had to put down their very own mother. Which Angela didn't even know. I could have sworn that Cynthia told Ang all about having to take out their undead mom, but she hadn't.

Ang tried to get up and hobble away from us in the kitchen, but she just couldn't due to her ankle. Janice comforted Angie as she sobbed away. 

"Let it out, Angie. Just let it out," Janice said.

"Don't I feel like an asshole?" I murmured.

"It's okay," Angela replied. "I needed to know." With Janice's help, Angela went into the living room and laid down on her mattress to get some sleep.

I still couldn't decide if I wanted to escort Carla back to the warehouse or not either. I'd walk with her there and have to walk all the way back all by myself. If they didn't have their van ready, that is.

"So, what do you say, Reid? Are you coming back with me or not?" Carla asked me.

"I'm still thinking about it, Carla. The thought of wandering back here all by myself, having to avoid the biters while I do so, isn't all that appealing to me," I answered.

"I told you, they're working on the van. Probably right now, as we speak."

"Why are you so invested in getting Reid to the warehouse?" Janice asked Carla.

"Yeah, are you guys organ harvesters or cannibals or some shit?" I added.

Carla laughed at me. "No, of course not. Philip, another survivor in our group, is a vegetarian actually."

"I bet he must love seeing these eaters rip into people."

"I've been with him since the beginning, and it took him weeks to stop puking."

"Anyways, why do you want me to go back with you, Carla? You can tell us what it's like back at the warehouse right now."

"Because, we're trying to grow the community, and I want you guys to get a look at the place."

"Wait, you want us to join you?" Janice asked Carla.

"Yeah. What?"

"We've had a few, shall I say, 'unfriendly' encounters with some fellow survivors in the past. You can understand why we're a little skittish here," I answered.

"So have we. But we're not like that back at the warehouse. Another reason you should come and meet everyone, Reid. Come back with me, meet our group, and then come back and tell everyone here."

Janice and I looked at one another. "What do you think?" I asked Janice.

"Well, Reid, if you want to go with her and check things out, I don't see the harm in it," Janice responded.

"You haven't been out there in a while, have you?"

Janice pointed to Angela and Cynthia laying down, "No, Reid, I've been a bit busy." I could hear the irritation in her voice when she answered my question.

"And you've been doing a great job of it, too. I was just trying to tell you that with the exception of some snow here and there, it's still shitty outside. Stenches galore. And they're hungrier than ever."