Night Disease

Chapter 33

Things are finally back to normal, well zombie life normal. The snow has finally stopped. All the forager and raider groups have headed out. The excitement in the air is prominent in all the groups. The cooks have been missing the fresh plants the past week.

Kevin walks over to my table with a map. "I wanted to double-check to make sure all the patches are marked on my map for today."

I swallow my last bite pulling out my map. Moving my plate out of the way I spread my ma out beside his. I mark down my latest finds on Kevin's map before folding my map back up. "Excited to be leaving the base again?" I ask.

He sighs dropping into the seat across from mine. "I never knew how stuffy the base could be. How do people stay here constantly?"

"I have no idea. Hey, Kevin, have you heard anything about the trader groups? I haven't seen them in a while."

"Yes actually, most weren't able to come back due to the storm. One group went quite far so they won't be back for another week."

"Thanks just wondering if they were okay," I say as we give our goodbyes before departing.

"Hey, Kaindra wait" I turn around looking for the one who called me.
I spot Nichole jogging down the hall waving at me.

I wave back waiting for her to reach me. "You got me at a good time I was just leaving. What do you need?"

She pants leaning over her knees. After she catches her breath she stands straight again. "The nurses need more plants for healing. If you a lot any, please bring it back with you."

"Who got hurt?"

Nichole thinks for a second "a livestock caretaker dropped something on his foot. Hurt it pretty badly."

I nod thinking for a second "would aloe vera be good?"

Her face lights up "yes it would be perfect. But aloe vera doesn't grow in the cold or Canada, how would you get it?"

I girn secretively "I know some people that should have some we can keep. They grow well inside we could have a whole inner garden of them."

She waves me off "okay whatever you say just bring some plants back." She shoves me to the door.

Grinning I jog backwards giving her a salute. Looks like I will be stopping by my house. Scouting was good, not many patches but the ones I did find had a good amount.

I quickly shadow my house. It's crazy to look at the lifeless place. I grew up here now the once glowing windows are dark and cold. My light grey purple-ish house lays in front of fields surrounded by trees.

The medium-sized house has a friendly and welcoming feel. Yet looks lifeless with its inhabitants gone. Walking to the front door I open it. Inside is cold and dark. Ignoring the feeling I am getting I walk into the familiar kitchen into the sunroom.

The house may be cold but the aloe vera is not dead. I made sure that they would be alive if the power went off. The plants are useful why let them die? Picking up the big pot I carry it into the kitchen. Leaving it on the counter I bring in the two small ones leaving them beside the big one.

Going to the garage I pull out the small trailer. Unfolding it I leave it at the front door. Placing the plants in the trailer I almost leave. These plants won't survive outside that we'll if I didn't keep them alive. But the people at the base don't know I can. "Where are those plant covers?"

Going back into the garage I search in every box till I find the plant covers. Pulling the covers over the aloe vera I gently tie it off securely. "Now I can go." closing the door behind me I shadow half a mile away from the bass.

Pulling the trailer through the snow I wave to the guards at the gate. They wave back giving me strange looks at the trailer. "For the nurses" I call as I pass.

Once inside the base, I head straight to the nurses. Spotting Nichole I wave to catch her attention. "I got the aloe vera" I point to the trailer behind me.

She gaps coming to me, and her mouth opens and closes like a fish. "I thought you were going to bring a small one, not a small trailer full."

Chuckling at her wide eyes I push her mouth shut gently. "They have more, now where are these lovely plants going?"

Snapping out of her shock she leads me to the back room. A warm sunny spot has been cleared for the pots. Unwrapping the plants I place the pots on the tables. "There, water them every few days. Once they get too big find a bigger pot. Oh and the big one is starting to make another one so that one will need to be transferred to a smaller pot soon. If you need any help call me."

Nichol smiles at me leasing me out of the back room. "Thank you Kaindra these should be helpful."

"Any time Nichole any time." Waving to her I leave for the loading dock. My group should be returning soon. I wait for them at the doors. once they come I push off the door going to one of the trailers. They all wave spotting me. We work quickly unloading their hall catching up.

Two beeps come from my walkie-talkie. Pulling it off my backpack I call in. "Everything okay over" Kevin doesn't respond instantly probably talking to someone.

"We have around five hundred new people. We need you to go back to the base to assist. The base commander called me to inform you over."

Five hundred new people, where did they come from? After finishing my last patch I mark the tree before responding. "On my way over" Kevin gives me a beep as a response.

Turning in the direction of the base I begin my journey back. Five hundred people a month into winter show up at the base. Strange, well more survivors are always good.

Slowing into a light jog as the base comes into view I spot ten big trucks on the field. Hundreds of people are bringing bins and bags of stuff off of the trucks into the base. A group leader spots me entering the gate and waves me over.

"We need you to show a group around. We know you are only sixteen but you do a lot for the base. This is a small rest day for you. Tomorrow you get the day off to show them around and help them settle in." She says, at my nod she leads me over to a group of teens around my age.

"This is Kaindra she will be leading you around and helping you settle in today and tomorrow. If you have any questions ask her."  The group leader leaves me to my group giving me a small nod.

Turning to the group I plaster on a smile. "Welcome to Shilo, let's get you guys registered into the base. Grab any bags you might need and follow me." I motion for them to follow me leading them into the base. "Shilo is a survival base all help around is needed to keep it running any of you sixteen or over will be put into training in any profession of your skillset."

I turn around making sure they are following. Turning on my sight I stagger in my steps. All around me it is red and black. With five new purple glows. This is the group I found. Regaining my step I continue to talk about the base keeping on my smile.

If they passed the shield that means they mean no harm. No witches or angels came to me telling me about a disturbance so they are fine. Stopping at the receptionist's desk I stand to the side letting them get registered.

Once all the people or whatever they are have been registered I lead them to the nurses. Going through the motions of what I did when I got here I lead them all over the base. From the nurses to the showers then the mess hall, and finally to their rooms.

"These are your rooms they are a little cramped but better than nothing. Remember you have to sleep with a rope around your ankle for the first week, safety procedures. I will leave you guys for the rest of the day if you have no questions ask around or find me."

Waving to them I leave, needing some space I head for the gate. Nodding to the guards I jog into the trees. One last look for a patch that won't hurt anyone. Plus they should be okay without me for twenty minutes.