Don't Talk To Strangers | BOOK 1

thirty one

Elle McBriar
August 2nd, 4 months and 21 days after the first zombie report

As Paxton and Gage worked on the shed, digging and re-constructing, Alex worked on the roof. Installing solar panels and connecting the wiring through the roof. It was a busy day, and will continue to be busy.

I don't even know what day it is. I lost track of counting after everyday felt like the same day.

I'm pretty sure it's Thursday, but I'm not entirely sure. Maybe I should find a calendar and figure it out. But nonetheless, it was hot today. The sun beating on the back of our necks.

I told the boys to put sunscreen on and they said they did, but I don't think they listened because the back of Gage's legs are extremely red. I smirked, they're gonna feel that tomorrow.

I woke up today with slight discomfort in my body. My head ached and I think it's from being it one too many times in the back of. I've lost a lot of blood over the past few weeks and I think this is my bodies way of telling me to give up now.

I was staring at the yard, noticing how plain it was. It was just grass with a tiny ass shed in the back of it. I looked next to the shed, at the small patch of lad. That hatched an idea. Maybe I could make a garden? 

Plant seeds for tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, that way when supplies run out, we'll just go vegetarian. I'd have to run it past the boys first but I'm pretty sure they'd go for it!

I step out into the yard. I still have a turnkey like cloth wrapped around my leg since it's healing, but it's not quite healed yet. It's swinging against my leg, brushing past me. Every time it does, it feels like a bee. I hate bees.

"I have something to ask you guys." I called out, Gage and Paxton heard me and turned to look over. I turned around to looked at Alex but he was coming down the roof. I watched him carefully as he walked down the tiles. He was doing fine until his foot slipped and he slid the whole way down the roof.

The boys started laughing as Alex fell and landed on his ass, even Alex was laughing.

"ALEX!" I screamed, running over to him. He chuckled, coughing a little as he lay his head on the grass, "I'm fine. Just winded myself." He said, breathless, "You have to be more careful. You can't go dying and then me having to tell your brother you fell off a goddamn roof." I slapped the back of his head and helped him up. "Anyway, what is it you wanted to ask us?"

Gage was wiping his hands on some cloth as he walked over with Paxton, "Well I was just thinking, there's a patch of grass over the shed that looks all sad and depressed. And I was thinking, what if I planted a garden? You know, grew like, potatoes and broccoli, tomatoes all that kind of stuff?"

"Yeah, that way if our supply runs low, we'll still have food and stuff." I nodded, agreeing with Gage's statement, "Exactly."

"So, where do we get these garden seeds from?" Alex asked me, "A hardware store? Or a garden shop in town." "Okay, lets go then." Alex said, "Not so fast." 

I stopped him, he looked confused, "You just fell off a roof and probably winded the shit out of yourself. You may not feel it today, but you will tomorrow. So take it easy, alright. I'll go by myself."

"Now hold a minute, do you remember what happened the last time you left the house by yourself?" Paxton said firmly, glaring at me, I rolled my eyes, "Come on then Princess, we don't have all day." I smirked, it was Paxton's turn to roll his eyes.

I grabbed the keys and walked to the van, but he stole the keys out of my hand and pointed to the passenger seat. I protested, but got in anyway. I guess it's a good thing I don't drive. I almost crashed the other day.

Even after not having to kill zombies for a few days, I was still on the lookout. I still had a gun tucked into my pants and rifles in the back of the van. 

We were driving in silence, the only sound coming from the engine. The low humming and quiet rumbling as we powered along the empty road. It's so weird even now, after living with this for almost 5 months. I expect to see someone coming across the road, or a car drive down but it never happens.

We were driving around New York looking for hardware stores or places that sold garden supplies and tools but so far we had no luck. 

"Do you think we'll be okay?" I asked Paxton. He looked at me for a second and then back at the road, "What do you mean?" I sighed, "I mean, do you think we'll survive this? Eventually we'll run out of food. We won't have factories or animals to produce more." 

Paxton rubbed his face and pushed his hair back, "I see where you're coming from, and I know why you're worried, but that's not gonna happen for a very long time, okay? We still have grocery stores filled with food. Even if its stuff we've never eaten before. We have years until our supply runs out completely."

He's not wrong on that account. "I know. I just scared for the future, that's all." 

Paxton pulled over on the side of the road, parking outside a random broken down building in the city. We're still in New York. He didn't think it'd be a good idea to go to Brickwood right now considering there's a new target on our backs. 

"Where are we going?" I ask, closing the door and looking around, "We're walking. There's a shop in between these building that sells things for indoor gardens. We can have a look around if you'd like." Paxton smiled. I nodded excitedly.

I walked close to Paxton as we got deeper into the buildings. It go darker too, until there was a clearing and I followed the trail of broken glass into the store. Paxton helped me pick out random packets of seeds.

"I don't like cauliflower." He huffed, "Too bad. Get it anyway. We need to get everything, if worse comes to worse." 

We got everything. Cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumber, celery the whole works. It'll get boring after a while but you can make so many different dishes with veges.

A crackle came over the radio as we were walking back, "Paxton, Elle?" Alex said, he sounded out of breath, "Yeah, we're here." Paxton radioed back, "Well I got good news and bad news." 
I gave Paxton a look, "Good news first." "Well uh, I got the power working."

I clapped my hands excitedly, "And the bad news?" There was a stilled silence, "Uh, there are about 30 zombies coming from the bushes and surrounding the house. We need you here, now!"

The radio was cut silent and we froze, before running to the van. I jumped in and Paxton drove away. Shit. 

"I thought the zombie waves had stopped coming now that Tyler and Jared are dead." Paxton said as he drove manically, "Well obviously not. Shit!" I screamed, raging in frustration.

What the hell is happening?

* * * 

heyy

i know this chapter was super boring but i promise it gets soo much more interesting soooon. i just had to introduce the next scene before the crazy shit started happening.

anyway, happy reading!