Peace Town

Beginning of a Friendship

Chapter 5

DAY 7

Today Atlas has woken up to watch the sunrise. Just like he used to, except today was different. Today was the seventh day since the world stopped. It had officially been a week since the dead started roaming with the living, only to terrorize and kill them. Atlas watches the sun slowly rise through the hospital window, glad that the sun still rose and set just like normal. He could still have his sunrise workouts before starting the day. The days now had no order to them. There was no more laws to follow or jobs to go to, no more classes to complain about. The only thing left was yourself and pieces of the old world around you.

It was around 9:00 when Atlas finished his workout and went over to check on Rick. Once making sure his heart was still beating and the gunshot wound wasn't infected, he turned saying, "Any day now Rick. Your son needs you to wake up." and left the room.

When Atlas got back to his and Paxton's room he found Shadow waiting to be took out. Ten minutes later Shadow was leading Atlas into the room again only this time Atlas went to fix breakfast. He had found some instant oatmeal and put on a pot of water to boil. "Shadow can you get Paxton up." The dog turned his head sideways and went over to paw at his owner's arms.  Atlas watched amused that the dog knew what he wanted and actually did it, but Paxton simply turned over. Atlas spoke up while going to shake his shoulder, "Pax, buddy i'm fixing breakfast. You need to get up, while its still warm." After a few more attempts he finally sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

Paxton looked up to see Atlas already up and ready for the day, "Why do I have to get up early?"

"If I remeber correctly and I do, yesterday you said I should've woken you up before going out, so I did today. I was thinking after breakfast we could start clearing this part of the building and making it safer, if we're going to be staying here." Atlas looked up while mixing the boiling water into two bowls that had the instant oatmeal in them already.

The two men eat their breakfast while joking around. After their late night talk yesterday they're much closer. If some one saw how they acted around one another, they would think that they've been friends for years. Paxton was glad the tenseness in the air around them had broke.

"Today makes a week since this started, doesn't it?" Paxton questions with a small smile.

   "Yeah it does, What's that smile for?" Atlas is slightly confused until he remembers what Paxton told him a few days before, "It's your birthday?"

"Yeah, 19 years old and the world is gone. What a great present?" Paxton sarcasam makes Atlas laugh.

    "Well Happy Birthday Pax. Sorry I don't have a gift but I do have good news." When he sees the birthday-boy perk up he reveals, "I checked on Rick this morning and he's doing amazingly well. There is no infection and his heartbeat is still going strong." 

"Thank you so much, that's honestly one of the best gifts you could have for me. Do you think he's going to wake up? Be honest please." Paxton doesn't mean to bring the mood down but wants to hear the truth no matter how heartbreaking it may be.

    "I tell you this with everything I have in me, I believe he will wake up." Atlas reassures the boy, "I don't know when but I believe he will wake up."

Since it's Paxton's birthday, Atlas decides to make it an easy day and to leave the work for the next day. Paxton goes to sit with his dad when Atlas says he has a surprise for him in a little while.