Final Hours

Chapter Twelve

"Jennifer!" I heard Chris hell as he vaulted over the fence, he spooked the horse who ran back to the barn and looked down at me laying next to the dead walker. "Oh my god!" He said as he dropped beside me, "Are you ok...did it bite you, did it scratch you?" He said pushing my sleeve up and moving my arms up and down. "I'm fine Chris." I responded sitting up and wiping my knife off on my jeans. "What- what are you doing you're gonna ruin your jeans." Chris said as I slid the knife back into its sheath. "It's a hunting knife, it's multipurpose...I don't want to cut into food and destroy it with walker blood." I added as he helped me up. "You said it yourself, you don't wanna digest this stuff." I finished as I bent down to pick up the bucket and looked at the horse that was pacing to calm itself down. "I should go tend to that, we need to clean this land up. And check out the fencing that goes into the woods." I started. "If we can get that cleared up and guarded, we can live sustainably on the animals in this barn and have horses for transportation." I finished walking back to the barn. "I'm sorry but who are you and what have you done with my sister?" Chris said sarcastically as he watched me walk away. "I'm simply adapting Chris, using simple knowledge." I said turning around to face him. "You want me to stop going on supply runs, then go fix the fence." I finished as I calmly grabbed the horse's reins and rubbed the bridge between her muzzle and forehead. I walked her slowly back to her stable as I talked to her calmly and closed the door behind me. I walked out of the barn rubbing my forehead and walking back to the house. Chris caught up with me and walked back with me. "You got lucky I saw you from the window you could've been hurt." He said walking behind me. "Am I really, I recall the walker being dead by the time you arrived and you scared the horse off." I joked as I opened the door. "Sure." He mumbled, closing the door behind us. Georgia was in the kitchen side eyeing me as she cooked with Lana. Richard sat with Henry cleaning and inspecting guns we had brought. "You should go help them cook, it would be good to meet some people other than...Eric." He said as he walked over to Richard and Henry. "I'm not one to cook, I'll just go introduce myself to Lana my stance on Georgia is set in stone." I responded rolling my eyes. I walked into the kitchen quietly, they were cutting vegetables and boiling potatoes in stock. "Anything I can do to help?" I said quietly as I walked in. "A little help with these carrots would be great." Lana said looking up at me with a smile. She had auburn brown hair and golden brown eyes. "Sure thing, lemme wash my hands first." I smiled walking over to the sink. My hands were dirty, and who knows what came off that walker so it's best I washed them thoroughly before touching food. I washed my hands and wiped them off on a kitchen towel hung beside the sink. I turned and was handed a knife by Lana while she moved into the Celery. "Wow where did these fresh vegetables come from?" I said as I cut into the carrot. "There's a little garden near the barn." Lana responded, she had a sweet voice. She felt like somebody I could actually talk to compared to Georgia. "Wow, I didn't see one?" I responded while grabbing the next carrot. "It's easy to miss, it's not big we're thinking of putting seeds on the next supply run list." Lana said, sliding the celery into the pot and stirring it. "Oh! I'd gladly grab some for you, tomato's, cucumbers? Anything I'd gladly grab some." I said smiling as I handed her the bowl of carrots to pour into the pot. "That would be very nice, but we don't go down there much and it isn't safe. And the animals make too much noise to attract those dead things." Lana said. "Oh...I'll have to talk with Eric, I have ideas to secure that area. Cut down supply runs and rely on our own resources." I stated. "And I can go back with my brother into the woods, we can secure the fences, make sure it's tall enough the walkers can't get through." I added with a smile. "Walkers is that what you call those things?" Georgia asked with a scrunched nose. "I quite like it." Lana said quietly. I could feel the tension growing in the room and I didn't want to be part of it, so I said my goodbyes to Lana and looked for Eric. I needed to get this plan solidified with him so we could start working as soon as possible. I walked back to the foyer, I could see Chris wasn't cleaning guns anymore. "Hi...um have you seen my brother?" I said cautiously walking into the sitting room, the gun bag was open and the guns covered the table in front. "He's down the hall in the study with Eric." Henry said looking up at me. I smiled and walked out of the room scanning my surroundings for a study . A large wooden door with floral carvings was the only closed door. I could hear voices inside, male voices. "They're dead." One of them said. Through the thick door I couldn't discern who it was between Eric or Chris. "I can't do this alone." Another voice came still indiscernible. I pushed the door open quietly and saw both of them turn to look at me. "Anyways...are we understood." Chris said looking back at Eric. Eric just nodded while Chris pushed passed me. I walked into the room closing the door behind me.
"What's that about." I asked as I walked over to the desk. "Uh, nothing just planning stuff." He responded looking up at me. "Great, speaking of planning...how much would it trouble you to secure the land?" I asked pulling the lace curtains back from the window to see the stables and barn. "What do you mean?" He said, raising an eyebrow. "I was over at the stables today and a walker wandered in, and apparently they've been showing up at the barn. The other women are scared to plant more vegetables." I started, "and, I was thinking...me and Chris can go down to the woods perimeter of the fence." I added pointing at the dark woods, barely visible at night. "We can clear it out, maybe even raise up the fence so it's not passable, and we can start growing our own food to cut back on supply runs." I finished. He stopped and looked at me for a moment before speaking. "You thought of all of this alone?" He asked. I nodded with a smile. "Wow you're just like your brother...planning out everything." He smiled as I walked back over to the desk. "I think it's a solid plan...but we'd have to have somebody monitor the woods. There's no telling what a walker would do to grab a stray chicken." He said as I contemplated. "I'd gladly clear the woods and sit watch, and I promised Lana I'd get some seeds on a supply run." I responded walking around the desk and over to him. "Well...when we get back I'll take you to the town and we can get some wood and seeds." He smiled limping over to the door. "Wait...get back? Get back from what, and whose we?" I questioned taking hold of his arm. "Nothing, just a little thing your brother needs help with." He responded shaking off my grasp and leaving. "Wait!" I yelled after him. He spun around to face me. "I'm coming too."