State of Decay✔️

Chapter 15: The Wilkersons

Marcus woke up the second morning feeling good.

The final hours of the previous night had been filled with sweeping and mopping up the basement. It wasn't exactly the great cleaning crusade that Maya had envisioned, mainly because Marcus was really reaching his limits of exhaustion, and Pastor Will was, well, getting old and had a bum leg. On top of that, they had to set up the other bunk beds. They realized that there was no way it'd fit in anywhere but the main room so, for now, they put it there. Jacob and Lily opted to sleep there, presumably to relive long lost days when they were very young. Something made Marcus want to sleep indoors that night, he wasn't sure what, but he acted on it and did so.

It turned out that Alan snored and Sam muttered in her sleep, but except for a few instances of waking up, Marcus slept soundly. As he rolled out of bed, he found himself thinking about a short conversation he and Maya had had last night.

"How you doing?" she'd asked.

"Exhausted," he had said.

"Yeah, but you're satisfied."

"...how can you tell?"

"I know that look. That old saying about a hard day's labor is it's own reward? It isn't bullshit, you know. You can now look at that basement and say, 'I did that'. People are infinitely more satisfied when they can see a direct, immediate result of their work. Just you watch. Morale is going to shoot up around here."

"Now that we've all got you to whip us into shape?" he'd teased.

Maya had rolled her eyes. "Hey, it could be Alan in charge. I'm not so bad at my job, am I?"

"No, not at all."

Except for some soreness, Marcus felt good and ready to attack the day head on. His first order of business was to go to the bathroom and use some mouthwash, which he did quickly. Next, he headed into the kitchen. By the position of the sun, he'd guess that it was around seven in the morning. Maya and Sam were already awake, and Will was just coming in.

"How's Ed?" Marcus asked.

"Well, his fever broke in the night. He seems better but...he's been getting a little warmer again. I think the medication just needs a little bit more time to work."

"I just hope we find that doctor soon," Marcus replied after a moment's thought. "But thanks for watching him."

"You're quite welcome. Now..." Will yawned. "I need some sleep."

Marcus wished him a good sleep and scavenged some breakfast. He found a can of corned beef hash and a bottle of water.

"God, I'd kill for some crispy bacon and milk," he said as he started eating.

"I hear you on that one," Maya said.

"Marcus! You up!?" Lily called from the main room.

"Yeah!" Marcus replied, leaving the kitchen and stepping into the next room. He saw that Jacob was still sleeping, or trying to, and Lily was at her radio station. "What is it?"

"Great news! I've tracked down Doc," she said.

Marcus felt his pulse begin to rise as relief flooded through him. "Oh, thank god. Where is he?"

"Well, that's the problem. He's out at the Wilkerson's Farm. He says he's helping one of their guys, took a fall, head trauma or something. He says he needs to finish the job out there, but that we need to come get him," Lily replied.

"Great. These guys are assholes, right?" Marcus asked.

"Well, I'm not saying they ever actually killed anyone or anything but...well, I wouldn't go alone, if I were you," she replied.