Zocopalypse (Death Fields 1)
“Never separate,” he says, eyes steady with mine. “One day I think you’ll regret making that rule.”
I turn, red faced and look out the window. He’s probably right.
***
As expected the short trip takes longer than I’d have liked. We’re forced to make time to stop for gas, siphoning it from a couple of cars stranded in the middle of a parking lot. The shops in this abandoned plaza were long gone before the epidemic, hit hard by small town economics. No reason to scavenge or look around. Chloe and I keep watch while the guys take turns figuring out how to get the gas out of one car and into the rusted metal can we found at the cabin.
“Where did Cole get that tubing?” I ask wiping sweat off my forehead. It’s hot and the parking lot feels like I’m standing in the middle of an oven. Chloe has damp spots soaking through her shirt. We’re looking for Eaters, military or just anything that moves.
“Lucky for you my brother ha
s a survivalist streak. He has spent way too many hours watching those adventure shows on TV and YouTube videos on how to make a purse out of a squirrel. He’s got all kinds of things in his backpack that he has plans to MacGyver into something useful.”
“I guess that hobby has come in handy,” I say. “Better than spending all your free time on the internet playing war games. Or at least that’s what my m…” I choke and can’t finish the word.
“That may come in handy now too, you never know. Maybe you’ve developed some shooting skills or something,” Chloe says, oblivious to my pain.
I try to determine if she’s serious or taking a jab. She’s hard to read.
“True. You’re not bad with that bow. Guess you picked up on some of it.”
She flicks her eyes to the sky. “Our dad taught us.”
“That’s cool. My dad is a scientist.”
She cuts her eyes at me. “Is?”
“As far as I know.”
She nods, understanding. “Our dad was stationed at Fort Benning.”
“Where’s that?” I’m not exactly up on my Army bases.
“South Georgia.”
“Near Florida?” I ask, because wow talk about going straight for the hot-zone. Florida had been under quarantine the longest of all the states since the earliest outbreaks of the virus started there.
“Close enough.”
“Is that where you’re going?” I ask recalling they said they were just roaming around. I’m trying to catch her in a lie—or maybe the truth. Something to gauge their honesty.
“It’s a general landing point, but we’ve been a little aimless for a couple of weeks now.”
It’s not like I can say much. I’m headed straight to the city in a quarantined state to find my sister. It’s a dumb move. But sometimes it’s the only move we have left. The boys cheer and we look over to see the tube filled with an amber liquid. Once started the process is fast and we’re climbing back to our seats in the truck, Wyatt at the wheel.
“He’s some sort of survival genius,” I say once we start moving.
Wyatt’s jaw tenses. “Oh yeah?”
“That’s what she said.”
We pass a convenience store, glass broken on all the windows. Shelves bare through the window. A couple of miles down the road the next shop looks a little better and I ask, “What about that one?”
Wyatt grunts, shaking his head.
Okay then.
We go to one across the street. A half diner-half store. The windows are broken but at this point we’re about out of the small town. As we exit the truck, weapons loaded and ready, I realize this will be our test. Do we trust Cole and Chloe or not? I jut out my chin and stand taller and follow Wyatt around the building. It’s a brave new world. I’ve just got to fake the brave part.