Life After Z

Chapter 14 - Cooper

Ivy left after finishing the one drink. None of us were happy about it. Sebbie was practically in tears. We didn't meet many people that we allowed him to interact with, meaning that all of the people that he knew lived in the back of the truck with him. He didn't understand why Ivy was leaving.

Even though I understood it, I didn't like it. I especially didn't like that she wouldn't let any of us escort her home. I had even offered to drive her somewhere in the truck but she once again refused to get anywhere near our personal space. I felt restless, my body wanting to take action to ensure her safety. She had done so much for us and I let her walk away from us without a lick of backup.

What if she ran into a pack of Zs? Yes, they were slow but they could overwhelm and corner a person in no time.

"We should go after her," Everett growled and I gripped the truck's keys so hard that the metal bit into my palm. We really should.

"Reign in your macho man bullshit," Jen said while sipping on yet another vodka cranberry. "Anyone that has survived this long in this hell on earth can take care of themselves. You guys go off on your own all the damn time. Hell, Everett spent all night out there solo and you didn't even blink an eye. The only reason you are all concerned is that you want in her pants."

"You have survived this long and you haven't downed a single Z," Everett hissed, grabbing the bottle from Jen and draining what was left.

"Yeah well, that's what I have you lot for. Why else would I put up living in a smelly, packed shipping container? It definitely isn't for the company."

I blew out a breath and tried to not let Jen's words get to me. She was right, living the way we did wasn't easy but it was the safest thing we had been able to figure out. I turned to Lucas and asked, "You serious about trying to stay here?"

He looked at me with determination. "Sebbie needs better than the truck. He needs stability. A chance to run around in fresh air and learn how to read. He needs room to grow. I want to give him more than just survival. I want to provide him with a real life. You have kept us safe, Coop and I can never repay you for that. But things have stabilized since the last time we tried to stay in one place. I am not saying this is the right place but I am saying I am ready to try again."

I think deep down I knew this was coming but it was easier to stick with the status quo.

"And do you think that it would be better to try to join a preexisting group, like Ivy's or do you think we would be better off starting something from the ground up?" I asked, posing the question mostly to Lucas and Everett but it was Jen that answered me first.

"Of course, we should try to join another group. The world is bigger than just the four of us. I need to be around some other people. Plus, an existing group will have done all of the hard work of setting everything up. We can just add to what they already have," Jen said, not bothering to look at any of us and instead focusing on her drink.

"Five," Lucas stated with a hard edge to his voice. "There are five of us. Stop ignoring Sebbie. He is just as much of this family as everyone else."

"Yeah, okay. Five. Who would want to spend the rest of their days with only five people?" Jen rebutted but I didn't feel the same way. Did I wish that my brother was still with us? Every single day. Did I like the idea of existing within a small community of people? I was more on the fence with that one. The more people involved meant the more mistakes that could be made. More weak spots. More mouths to feed. More drama to sift through.

More people to care about and eventually have to grieve when things go bad. Because one thing I have learned is that things will go bad sooner or later.

"Joining another group means playing by their rules. We know better than most that there are some really fucked up people out there. I don't think we could integrate into just any group," Everett said, taking the question seriously.

"Ivy is great though. Sweet and helpful. Didn't hesitate to help us and even show us to this farm. I bet her group is good, like her," Lucas added but I had my doubts.

"Then why the fuck didn't they come with her today?" Everett asked, bringing up the same point as he had multiple times today.

"Maybe we could exist beside them. If they are really okay with sharing resources. We could find our own place around here to fortify and work with Ivy's group when the situation called for it," I suggested, spotting what looked like an old-fashioned well pump.

"That has a recipe for disaster written all over it," Everett drawled as he pulled the binoculars out and scanned the direction in which Ivy had disappeared. "Remember that skirmish we walked into the middle of out in Nebraska? Who would have thought two groups with numbers under a dozen could wreak that amount of havoc? It was fucking brutal."

Yes, it had been. And we barely made it out of there alive.

I pumped the well handle several times, not expecting much. So when a gush of clear water plopped down near my boots I actually jumped in surprise. I repeated the process and more water flowed out of the faucet. Sebbie skipped over and stuck his hands under the moving water.

"Wow! Is it clean?" Lucas asked, filling a cup up and smelling the water. I took it from him and took a sip, allowing the water to sit on my tongue before swallowing.

"This whole farm looks to be set up for ease of working the fields. It is why there is a diesel tank out here so far away from the house. It was for the trackers. It would make sense for there to be a well out here too. Have to water the fields with something. It tastes good. I think we are good to use it without boiling," I said and Lucas' eyes lit up.

"I am so figuring out a way to bathe. Ivy smells so good. I can only imagine what she must think of us. I can't even remember the last time I washed properly and we are all cooped up in the truck for all hours of the day without good air ventilation," Lucas rambled and I discreetly tried to get a whiff of my own BO. I had long since stopped worrying about how I smelled. It was too far down the list of things that needed to take up space in my head.

Personal hygiene was a significantly lower priority than safety, food, and other resources.

"Oh, so now you are worried about your stench?" Jen asked, actually sounding offended. "You care for her but not for me?"

And therein lies the question. Did I care about what Ivy thought of me more than Jen did because she was new and seeing us from outside of our bubble or was it because I liked Ivy more than Jen?

The honest answer was that I was intrigued by Ivy but I didn't actually know her. I would have to change that before answering that question.