Forgetting the Apocalypse

2. Heading home

The journey home, at least that's what I think it is, or what I'm calling it for the time being, is taking longer than I had originally planned. One because I honestly don't know how to get there, even with the map. I'm pretty sure I'm going in the right direction, I am following the street signs as best as I can. But also, I'm making pit stops in houses that are clear of those things. So far each of them is empty of anything useful. However, it does offer me a chance to catch my breath and steady myself because my head is throbbing.

My leg isn't as bad as it was yesterday but I still have a slight limp and the occasional ache. As I leave one house and turn the corner, my heart skips a beat when I see the building. All I can do is pray that it's not looted. Before my eyes, lies a weapons shop. Yes, the knives I have now are good, but I don't want to get too close to those things if I can avoid them. I really hope I know how to use whatever I find in there, if I find anything in there.

I throw a rock at the window while hiding on top of a fire escape. Nothing, both outside and inside. However, I give it a few more minutes and two more rock tosses before I seem the coast to be clear. There's an opening through a window which I use to get inside instead of struggling with the door or having to break it.

Once inside I do another clearing check. After officially making sure it's empty, I look to see what I can find. This makes me a little more nervous than just looking for my house on the map. How do I know if I know how to use any of these weapons? The last thing I need to worry about is shooting my own foot off. Still, I pick up the first gun I see. It feels heavy in my hand but not uncomfortable. I hold it gently and look over every inch of it. It feels kinda good in my hands, like it belongs there.

I continue to move along in the store seeing what feels comfortable in my hands. So far, I've managed to get my hands on three guns. I also found a few small boxes of ammunition for them. Moving to the back and behind the counter, I see a bow lying on the floor. When I hold it in my hands, it feels good as well. Very familiar, even more so than the guns. I really hope I'm not just kidding myself I mutter as I look around and I see a bag and a package of arrows.

Perfect.

By the time I'm done with the entire store I've added three guns, two 9mm and a revolver, a bow with thirty arrows and a machete to my belongings. I would've loved to have found some small knives just so I wouldn't have to be using the kitchen ones. Overall though, I call this store a success in scavenging supplies. I can't or rather don't want to dwell on how well and comfortable I was with weapons.

I only need two more miles to go and I would reach my destination. I decided to stop at two more houses just in case my own had been sacked or I didn't have anything there. The first one had two bottles of water and some bags of dried fruit. Everything else was cleaned out. The second one was difficult. Maybe it was time I had to truly deal with it instead of the peeks I got from looking out the window. Or running away from it.

Only this time, it was way different. This one was a little boy. I don't think he could've been more than five. At first, I couldn't decide if I was heartbroken, terrified or heartless. I didn't want to use the guns right away, so I pulled out and used the machete instead.

Without meaning to, I ended up cutting off his little arm off.

In that moment I recalled the policeman again. The way he wouldn't stop even when he fell on the pipes. He only stopped when the man shot him in the head. Then there was that couple who were torn apart. How the woman had risen but I saw no sign of the man.

With a deep breath, I swung the machete once more but this time I aimed it to the boy's head. Immediately after contact, he went still and dropped.

So that's it.