Desired

30. Getting Closer

The further we cycle, the more my stomach churns at the prospect of finding Zach tonight.

My biggest fear is he isn't there.

Klein could have been lying on the radio, he may not have Zach. Zach could be on his way to meet his mum.

The mean twisted side of me wants him to be at Klein's community. I want to see Zach one last time. I want to be the one to save Zach.

Maybe, I am pathetic.

Buildings come into view ahead of us and Roman pants. 'We'll be reaching the last town before we get to the eco-village. I suggest we stop, find some water before we continue on foot.'

'Why can't we use the bikes?' Cas asks.

'There's only one road leading to the village and they use it. The other route isn't suitable for bikes.' Roman looks at the sun. 'We better hurry or we'll get stuck in the dark. At least, we don't have to worry about getting eaten by bears.'

'No, we just have to worry about getting found and shot by Klein,' I mumble

'I have to get worried about getting shot, you and Cas have to worry about something else entirely.' Roman says gruffly.

'Thanks for the reminder, Roman,' Cas retorts.

'Anytime,' Roman says flatly

Entering the town, we're greeted by silence. The road is deserted; shops are covered in patches of moss, the walls cracked and crumbling. The occasional broken window allows me a peek into dark dingy spaces containing dusty items.

With Zach, I used to want to investigate every shop, look at everything even though after a while I could start to predict what we would find. However, occasionally we'd find something unexpected like a room full of snooker tables which we played for hours or a large building full of trampolines that we jumped on for almost a day.

Once we found a building which contained shelves and shelves of canned goods. We slept there for a night and stuffed ourselves. The next morning we filled our bags with as much as we could. We contemplated attaching a trailer to our bicycles and filling it, but Zach said it would slow us down. Now, I'm wondering if he meant it will slow us down if we were being chased or he said it so I got hungry and he would be able to persuade me to go back to the Techie settlement.

The problem is, deep down, I don't believe he ever thought I would agree to going back.

I don't truly believe he planned on taking me back.

Roman turns a corner onto another deserted street lined with houses. He jumps off his bicycle and walks up to a house. He tries the door but it doesn't open so he walks to the next house and tries another door.

How did him and Haiden survive if he only went into houses which were unlocked?

I dismount my bicycle, pick up a discarded scooter and smash it against the glass window of a door until it shatters. I use the scooter to wipe away the sharp shards, reach through and open the door with the inside handle.

Quickly falling into old habits, I search the house and collect anything useful. Heading back towards the entrance, Roman stands in the doorway.

'Find an open door yet?' I smirk.

'No,' Roman says.

'That's a surprise, I would have thought everyone would have left their houses unlocked before dying of Virulence in case a survivor wanted to raid their kitchen.'

'Cas is rubbing off on you,' Roman rolls his eyes.

'I'm not rubbing anything off apart from myself,' Cas says from behind Roman.