Last Shelter

017

WEEDS grew taller on the abandoned farm, in its fallow ground, brown sparrows are busy foraging for their food. Unlike other birds that learned to forage a zombie flesh, these farm birds can't seem to find one.

A long and quick step parted the sparrows that flew away from the land. In muddy shoes, black drawstring trousers, and a light gray jacket was a man walking straight to the farm warehouse.

"Lian."

A familiar voice seeped Lian's consciousness back into the world. She felt a peculiar heaviness on her eyelids. Her squinted vision was blurry. Despite that, she completely remember what happened and that jolted her upright. A dull ache pulsating in her skull caused her to heave a sigh. She continued to force her eyes open, then she was greeted by the rays of sunlight pierced through the cracks of wooden walls, suspended particles of dust hovered along with it. The earthy aroma of weathered timbers was everything she smelled. She was confused-not until a man stood in front of her.

"Jacxo?" Her voice was barely audible.

He bent forward to check on her closely. "Are you okay, Lian?"

Relief flashed all over Lian's face and it came along with tears. He might not be the person she hoped to see but he was someone she'd miss for a long time.

James.

"Are you hungry? We have food, I'll heat it for you." He beamed placing a hand over her head, tousling her hair.

Many years ago James left the neighborhood without saying goodbye, he just vanished out of the blue. She promised to herself that she will berate him if ever she saw him again but now she didn't even know where to start.

"Will I guess you forget who I am," he sighed, then move to the nearby crate where a soup container was placed. He then transferred it to a pot on a stone stove outside.

Lian gazed at him completely lost, she had too many questions about him and also about how he found her.

"Where's Ana? That-that little kid, little girl?!" Panic flared her, she immediately hoisted herself out of the bed. "She's... with me!"

James almost burn his finger, startled over her outburst. "Calm down will you... she's with the others, they'll come back soon." He answered crouching near the fire.

She relaxed a bit despite not seeing him for years, she knew she could trust him.

While sitting over the bed she looked around and scrutinized the place. Vast space, high ceiling, and wooden structures, along the walls were scattered containers and crates. Besides the gap between wall planks, she also noticed the cobwebs draped from rafters. Then her eyes fell on the farm equipment around.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Farm warehouse." He replied without looking her way.

"You always answer the obvious," Lian frowned.

"Shit, you still know who I am," James smirked eyes still at the pot.

"I still hate you though," Lian ignored her tired feeling and walked over to him, barefoot.

"That's another story to tell, but first... How did you end up in Breezewood?"

Lian squatted down beside him. "Shelter 3 was about to send us on this...island-I don't remember what it's called." She spread her hands around the fire. "And-"

"You jumped off the truck mindlessly." He interrupted. "I know you did that for that kid but-" He paused. His brows furrowed because of a sudden thought. "Is she..."

She noticed his hesitation, "It's boiling," but she was too hungry to mind.

James quickly took the pot off the fire and pour the soup back into the container. "Follow me."