Forgetting the Apocalypse

41. Cherry Popped

Kailee's Pov*

I knew that I was a good shot. I won my brother and I more stuffed animals at the fair than we had room in the house. Eventually our parents had to beg us to donate the majority of them as even the basement was overflowing with them. Having said that, I know that Mara was right. Those air rifles from the fair don't even come close to shooting a real one. That dead thing I killed was a lucky shot.

However, she did also point out that I had potential. She took a chance on me and I was going to make sure she didn't regret it. I made sure to absorb everything she was teaching me. Whether we were out hunting for our first meal or already eating and discussing things that will come in handy in pinch.

Call me ignorant but I really didn't know all the different ways to build a fire. Each one serves a purpose and can vary on how long the flames last. Fire was fire, or so I thought. The coolest and trickiest one was the high towering one she made so she could make jerky out of the elk meat we had. I definitely need more practice making that one.

But now it was time to put into practice another thing I had to learn. How to effectively kill a zombie.

Ugh, yes I know, I know. I never thought I would see myself using that word but it beats all the other words that Riva has called them. Although in his defense, they are all what he has heard movies, tv and video games have called them. At least that's what everyone has said. I never got into those types of entertainment. I was more of sci-fi fan.

I would still be scared shitless and the human race might still be on the losing side but I'll take alien invasion over zombie apocalypse any freaking day.

"Kailee. Hey, Kailee. Did you hear anything I just said?" Mara waved her hands within my line of sight.

I sheepishly smiled at her, "Pretend that I didn't." She rolls her eyes but kindly repeats everything she was just telling me.

It wasn't hard to figure out that Mara was one tough cookie. She and her dog Jack were the serious ones, though that guy Roone came really close to taking the spot. But despite her cold exterior, she was freaking awesome when she wasn't scolding me. Now I know what Boaz has felt for the last seventeen years with the big sister voice. Sometimes, she didn't even have to say anything. One look, that's all she needed.

One look or one word and I knew that I messed up. Her method of teaching wasn't exactly tossing me in the deep end and leaving me to sink or swim. We were in the deep end for sure but she was there with me the whole time.

Time to start swimming.

I tapped the window in front of the store and waited. When nothing happened, I tapped a second time and a little louder. I looked at Mara when I heard and saw nothing. Her face remained neutral.

Breathing in and out slowly, I opened the front door. Noise draws them, so instead of drawing my rifle I held the knife that Mara gave me. I held it the way she taught me. Noticing her right behind me, I started walking until I thought maybe I should try another lure. So I whistled.

There it was. It was muffled but it was without a doubt a growl.

"I think it's just one. Must be trapped in something for it not to come out." I call out even though I know she won't reply or comment.

I head towards the sound and I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack. I keep telling myself what I said was true. I made lures three times and it never came out so it has to be trapped. It has to be trapped. And there's only one.

When I rounded the corner to another aisle, I finally came across the zombie. This was awful. They saw that when you encounter something so horrific your brain does one of two things. It either remembers every single detail to the extreme or it hides it away somewhere so you never have to remember it at all. I had been lucky before with my brain choosing the second.

But luck has to run out at some point. I was taking in everything in. His skin was so tight and lacked hydration it was pullign back from its hands and mouth. To sound cliche, the eyes were creepiest. They were sunken in and had this dull greenish grey color.

He thrashed harshly against the fallen shelf. The edge of it cut deeper into his open stomach. That's when I noticed the floor. It had so much old dried blood on it. Looking back at his skin and stomach, ignoring the grotesque state, I didn't see any indication that this guy had been bitten. I thought you had to be bitten to become one of them.

"Kailee?" her voice gently called out to me.

She pulled me out of my thoughts. Her hand was on my shoulder. Just settling there. I gently patted her hand before crouching down and stabbing it right at the top of its head. It stopped moving. Stopped growling. It stopped trying to bite.

I tried pulling the knife out but it was stuck. I pulled harder and harder without success. The next thing I knew I was sobbing. My legs gave out and I pushed myself backward so I wouldn't touch the stained floor. Pulling my knees up to my chest I continued to cry.

Mara didn't say anything. She knelt right beside me and pulled me into her arms. I knew she didn't like being touched but I didn't have the strength to pull away. I didn't even know why I was crying.

Even Jack was giving me space. The little guy was watching our sides while his owner was trying to comfort me during a moment. And just like that, it was over. The same way the tears had appeared and my panic, it all just went away. I was able to get deep calm breaths in.

When she felt me calming down, she pulled away and looked at my face. Tilting my chin higher with her finger, she smiled. "You ready to go?"

Wiping the last of my tears, I stood up and on the first try I pulled the knife from the head. After I wiped it clean on my pants I put it back in its holder.

"You know the drill right?" she asked.

I nodded. "Food, ammo, medical shiz. Never grab more than you can carry."

"Atta girl. Meet back in the front in ten minutes."

I don't look back at the kill. Instead I focused on the things that I needed to find. Seeing the way they had packed and loaded up on supplies, it was another task that I intended to complete. No more safe zone, no more hiding. It was time for me to gear up.