Forgetting the Apocalypse

44. What's Your Type pt. 1

Riva's Pov*

Mara had woken me up just as her shift was ending. It was about to be 12pm and it still hadn't reached the hottest part of the day.

Slowly getting up, I tap Duke on his hind to wake him as well. I opened a protein bar to help further get me out of my sleep. Once Duke rolled over with a loud yawn, I gave him a bite too. As I got my things in order, Mara caught me up on everything from her own shift to Boaz's shift.

I knew that he could do it. He was just as a nervous nelly as his sister but both have surprised all of us with just how quickly they can adapt.

Saying good day to Mara as she got some more sleep, I went to the chair and set up my guns. I placed my shotgun leaning against the door frame and had my Lebedev PL 15 on hand and in my lap. Duke kept all his attention on the hall while I kept my eyes on the streets below.

I know that Boaz said he saw the z's chase after the bird but if the gave a food signal then more could come in the area even if it takes them a while.

An hour passes and all is still quiet save for a few critters that are taking advantage of the clear streets. I noticed there were a lot of more deer here than the other states we've been in. We've had deer meat for last week but when food on the shelves is running low and there's no new restaurants to try out, you can't complain much when at least you're not going hungry. Plus, with the way Gramps cooks with all them seasonings and methods, it's almost like something new every time.

Just thinking about food is making me hungry. I pull out the last couple of my cracker packets to munch on in the mean time. Those and a notebook and pen.

The newest entries were filled with questions that I had been wanting to ask Boaz and Kaliee. It's been over a week already since they've joined up with us but I learned my lesson with my sister in law in the slow approach with asking. They told us a little of their journey. Where they were, how they got to their safe zone and up to when they had to run up to the roof.

I slowly chewed on my crackers as I scribbled away. I kept trying to think of a way to ask the certain questions that I wanted to ask without it being too painful for them to talk about. With Boaz's condition, last thing I wanted was to set him off and him go into cardiac arrest or something. Like I said, I learned that the hard way with Mara.

That was something that I really wanted to know though. In the beginning, all four of us had dealt with freshies since it was our first encounter with them. Well Mara actually dealt with a middle when she first woke up but from what she described they seemed to have been mid transition from freshie to middle given how fast they were able to move. My point is though that though each of us had dealt with freshies, going over each of our experiences, each freshie showed different levels of aggression.

It was very subtle but there were different characteristics in their behavior too. It wasn't just the aggression that was varying. In my brother's case, the freshie that was once his neighbor was acting similar to the way we've seen the crawlers acting. It was much more predatory and tactical if you will.

However in Fredi's ordeal, his first freshie once friend was more impulsive. By his account, it sounded like it was just a rabid animal trying to get to its food. That coincides with why it simply ignored the defensive attacks that Fredi. It didn't matter what was happening to it, just as long as it got to the food as supposed to actually fighting with living people and disabling them.

As I review theirs, I keep trying to think of my own. The first time I technically saw one, was the one on the news. But that wasn't enough to really get a basis on, so it shouldn't be counted. Therefore my first was when I ran from my car and one tackled me after busting through a window. I managed to kill it quickly after it knocked my glasses off but even then it seemed different.

The more I go over them, the more I can safely or confidently categorize the freshies. Yes, they all had aggression but all three are distinct in the way they attacked. Fredi, he had the most disorganized one. It showed more traits with a rabid animal or one that hasn't mastered the kill. Roone, he had the most predatory one. One that is much harder to stop and obviously held the most aggression. I had something in between the two.

It wasn't quite rabid but not apex predator either.

Taking another bite of crackers, I set my notebook down and check outside. It was around two o'clock now. Another hour and I'll be waking Fredi for the last shift. After that, Mara and Kailee will be heading out to hunt.

Shifting in my chair, I could feel the heat coming in and it was starting to make me itch a little. Being this close to the coast it's not just heat, it's humidity. If this is this strong and it's only May then we are really going to need to make sure that our water supply never runs out. It also means that we can't afford to take even a sip of alcohol so that we could avoid dehydration.

I was about take my last bite when my little Duke started to lowly growl. His hairs began to rise and his posture turned defensive. Holstering my pistol, I reach for the shotgun and check the hall. I check every corner and the barricade.

Standing up, I stalked towards the doorway and tried to listen in on whatever alerted Dukino. I couldn't hear anything nor was anything coming into view so I kept on walking a couple of feet. Glancing back at him, I see that his demeanor hasn't changed. In fact, he's gotten more aggressive. And he's looking up.

Quickly shifting my gaze up to the ceiling, I still see nothing. No bugs or insects, nothing. But I heard it. Something coming from the vent above the door across from ours. Walking back to our door I gave Duke a silent command to go wake my brother. I kept my gun and eye on the vent.

Whatever was up there was getting closer and louder.