Zero

Chapter 37

Quick note! @LeighAnn_Demon asked me to tell y'all about a contest you should go check out on @contests-galore009 page. If you have a story you want to enter, she has spots that she'd love to fill. 

Hope you all like this chapter! 

Chapter 37

"Maybe he was alone," Bryan says hopefully. "Maybe he wasn't from Safe Haven."

He's only voicing what we're all wondering. It's been a full day since Bambi killed the man who entered our home and murdered Zoe. Weapons are sharp. Ammo is counted. Everyone is taking their turn with watch. I don't think anyone is sleeping though, the adrenaline is still running high and everyone is wary.

"Or maybe they're starving us out," Atlas says.

They can't know that we're already out of food and dangerously low on water. But they can assume that we don't have much, no one in this world has much of anything.

"He's right. We have the upper hand if we're in the house, but not outside. And we can't stay here forever. There's a good chance they're trying to wait us out," I say. I glance out the window to the seemingly empty street. Well, almost empty, a creep wanders aimlessly around, but there is no sign of other living. My eyes narrow on each house suspiciously. They could be hiding in any one of them, watching out the windows for us in the same way we are. "We need to draw them out. Figure out which house they're in or where they're waiting and get them to reveal themselves."

"And how, oh wise one, do you suggest we do that?" Squirrel asks dripping with sarcasm. I don't take it too personally. I'm not Squirrel's favorite person at the moment. Or Atlas's, if I'm being honest. They feel betrayed. They're pissed I didn't trust them. I don't really blame them for being so hurt but I wouldn't complain if they went ahead and forgave me. The comments they've both made since I told them the truth have been less than helpful. Atlas has remained barely civil, at best while Squirrel is openly hostile and unable to resist adding a bitchy comment anytime I speak. It's wearing.

"Bait." I shrug.

"You want one of us to run out there in hopes that we can bait them out?" Atlas asks, the disbelief evident in his tone. "Do you know how stupid that is?"

"It's not the best scenario."

"I think she should do it," Squirrel says to no one in particular. "Yeah, Z, why don't you just go for a stroll outside." The venom in her words is enough to make even Atlas do a double take. "See if you can draw some gunfire."

"Back off," Bryan steps up to my defense. A kind act, but not his best idea. There is a distinct division in the house, despite the fact that everyone agreed to put our differenced aside until were in a less dire situation. Atlas has been particularly chilly toward Bryan and Claire, and that's putting it lightly. Squirrel, who is too pissed at me and hormonal to think rationally, has fallen in ranks with Atlas openly against Claire and Bryan's presence.

"Oh, go fu—"

"Squirrel," I snap, cutting her off. The snarky comments from her aren't helping at all and while I understand her anger with me, this is getting ridiculous. She scoffs loudly, huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf. Suddenly having reached my breaking point, I whirl on her. "Stop. Just, stop! I get that I hurt your feelings and I'm sorry but you're going to have to get the hell over it. You too, Atlas." I say pointing at him. "You're pissed because I didn't let you in on a secret? Guess what, my whole goddamned life is a secret to me. I didn't owe either of you a single explanation. Whether I wanted to talk about my past was my decision and I did, when I was ready to share that. So I could do without the damn snide remarks." Squirrel's lips are pursed and eyes are narrowed as she crosses her arms over her chest, probably ready to claw my eyes out. I step closer to her. "If you haven't noticed, we got bigger problems going on here, so it's time to pull up your big girl panties and quit with the drama queen act. But don't worry, you can go back to annoying us all with your melodramatics just as soon as we make sure we're not going to die."