The Apocalypse: The First Year

The Scavenge

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"Rick is becoming a problem." Carmen says as we continue our trek through the woods. Tim and Carmen are about ten or so steps in front of Glen and I, but we can pretty much hear their whole conversation.

"I know." Tim nods in agreement.

"What do we do?" Carmen asks.

"I'll handle it if I need to." Tim says.

"Walker." I yell out as quietly as possible. "Ten o'clock." I add. Both Tim and Carmen split in to two paths headed towards the walker from different angles. Carmen tosses Tim a machete and Tim quickly drives it through the walkers head.

I can never get used to the sound they make when we kill them. It's almost as piercing as nails on chalkboard.

"Nice." Tim says with a smile, patting me on my shoulder. "Let's move quicker, we wanna be able to make it back before nightfall." He adds and turns to run towards the town we'd be scavenging today.

Glen, Carmen and I all follow suit.

–

"Why do we have to do this dad?" I ask as he kicks in the door to another house and Glen quickly makes his way inside, followed by my mother; both their weapons drawn.

"To survive." He says simply and follows in behind them. "Stay close." He tells me. I'm the only one of us without a weapon. My dad says that it's too dangerous.

The world we live in now is too dangerous. Me holding a gun to protect myself...that's not dangerous.

We've learned two things since we left the comforts of the army quarantine. The virus isn't airborne and to get it, you either have to be bitten or scratched.

"Clear." Glen yells from upstairs.

"Clear." My mom says from the kitchen.

"Wait here." My dad turns and says to me. "I'm gonna check these back rooms." He adds then runs to the back of the house. Both Glen and my mom come stand beside me to wait for him. "All clear." He says coming back a few moments later.

"Are we sleeping here tonight?" Glen asks.

"First lets see if there's food." My dad tells my brother as him and my mom head into the kitchen.

"I'm tired of this, Glen." I tell my brother as I take a seat on the couch.

"Me too." He sighs and sits down next to me.

"I miss her." I tell him and I know I don't have to say her name for him to know who I'm talking about.

"I know you do, baby sis."

"We're setting up here tonight." My dad says coming out of the kitchen. "Help me fix this door Glen." Glen jumps up from my side and kisses me on the forehead before going to help out dad.

–

"This way." Tim says once we reach a row of houses. He breaks down the door and we clear each room before heading into the kitchen and raiding all their cabinets. We found about 14 cans of food and some bags of rice. We move on to the next house. Clearing it, room by room. When I reached the upstairs bathroom, I decided to check the medicine for some supplies, without clearing the bathroom first.

Wrong move.

"Argh, ugggh." The walker attacks me from behind, knocking me to the floor before a scream could even leave my throat.

"Shit!" I mutter out as I try to keep it from biting or scratching me. It continues to chomp at my face as I struggle to get it off of me.

I use one hand to try to reach down to my pocket and grab the Swiss army knife my father gave to me, but the zombie is too strong. I need both my hands to keep it from biting me.

"Help!" I try to scream out. But I'm not sure how loud I was. Loud noises attract more of them and if there are more on this floor I'm a goner for sure.

"Ugngh arrh." The zombie continues to try to bite me. I muster of every bit of strength I have in me and punch it in the face once, which only disoriented it for a half a second before he goes back to trying to make me an evening snack.

"Glen!" I shout. "Get the fuck off of me!" I tell the walker like it can actually understand me. Even if it could, I doubt it would listen. Considering I'm food and all.

"Baby sis!" I hear Glen yell from somewhere out in the hall. I'm assuming the walker was behind the door because it's now shut and I didn't shut it.

There has to be at least five doors on this hall. Glen has no way of knowing which one I'm in.

"Glen!" I say again, while trying to keep the walker from biting my face off. A few seconds later Glen burst through the door and stabs the walker in the head. He tosses it's body off me and helps me to my feet.

"Are you okay, are you bitten?" He asks, scanning over my arms and legs with his eyes.

"No. It didn't get me." I shake my head.

"What about a scratch? Did it scratch you?" He asks panicking.

"No Glen, I'm fine I swear." I tell him and force a smile. I'm not fine. Far from it.

A momentary lapse in judgment just almost cost me my life.

Rule # 1

Always clear a room before entering it.

"What happened?" He asks, finally accepting that I'm okay.

"I didn't..." I shake my head and roll my eyes at my stupidity. "I wanted to check the medicine cabinet for supplies and I forgot to clear the room first." I tell him and he sighs.

"You gotta be more careful, Spence." He says pulling me into a hug. "I can't do this without you." He says pulling back, looking me straight in my eyes. His eyes are telling me that he means every word of what he's saying. And I feel the same about him.

I wouldn't want to live in this world anymore if I lost him. Glen's the only family I have left.

"I'm sorry." I tell him as he kisses my forehead and then bends down to pick up the gun I guess I dropped in the struggle.

"Get your supplies." He says handing me the gun and nodding towards the medicine cabinet. "The rest of this floor is clear so we'll be waiting downstairs." He tells me and hugs me tightly again before leaving.

I turn and face the mirror of the medicine cabinet, realizing some of the zombie blood had spattered on my neck and shirt. I turn the faucet on the sink and remember that there's no water. I take off my shirt and scrub my neck with it before tossing it into the tub and taking another one from my back pack.

I open the medicine cabinet and find a few useful supplies. Some antibiotics, rubbing alcohol and pain pills. I stuff them into my bag and head downstairs.

"Close call." Carmen says looking at me as I descend the stairs.

"I'm fine though." I assure her and Tim.

"Good." She nods and smiles a bit. "I've grown quite fond of you, little one." She says and ruffles my hair a bit.

"I'm sixteen." I say with a smile, slapping her hand away.

"So." She shrugs and wraps her arm around my shoulder.

"Let's finish up this row of houses and head back." Tim says to us and turns to exit the house. Carmen takes her arm from around my neck and follows him out.

"You're not leaving my side from now on." Glen tells me putting one arm around me.

"Don't I know it." I look up to him and smile. He kisses my hair and we follow Carmen and Tim out.