Nia and Will, got a bottle of water between them, one for Amelia and Adam to share and I got my own.
It hit me like a sledge hammer to the gut that I no longer had anyone to share my water with. I tried to smile through the pain but I could feel it bubbling up from my chest to my throat, threatening to burst free from my mouth. Spewing the hurt and rage like hot molten lava over my friends.
“I uh, I’m going to check the perimeter. See you in a bit” Nia gave me the look that she knew what I was thinking but she didn’t say anything. They just let me leave. I walked slowly around the perimeter, the fence didn’t have any gaps in it like the ones back at camp. Not even the gates at either end of the site had gaps. They had big white boards attached to them and barbed wire on the top. Everywhere I checked seemed secure, but as this was only day one I didn’t want to get my hopes up.
Chapter 14
I came across an area at the back of the compound, just behind the set that was kind of like a shelter. It had a back, top and sides, with slats that you could open and close, but no front. I wandered in curious as to what it had been used for, only to find some comfy looking leather bean bags, next to which were tall silver ashtrays. This was a smoking shed. There were outdoor electric heaters bolted to the ceiling which was painted a dark blue and had white and silver stars painted all over it; Mimicking the night sky. I lay back in one of the bean bags and looked at the fake sky. It was beautiful.
It was quite a warm evening and the bag I sat on was so comfortable that I could feel my eyes getting heavier. I let them drop, trying to block out the calls from the dead friends and family that kept trying to enter my thoughts. There was no room for the dead here, neither walking or otherwise. I needed some rest.
The next thing that I was aware of was Will’s voice calling my name. “George? G man are you out here?” I could hear his footsteps getting closer, until he was just outside the glorified shed in which I sat.
“In here Will” I called out. Sitting up from where I was slouched, I stretched and yawned, it was a lot darker outside than it had been when I had first come in here. There were low beams of lights outside from solar lights dotted around the site.
Will poked his head in and handed me a beer.
“Holy shit, where did you find a beer?” I asked, having fully believed that I would never see another beer ever again. I grinned so widely that my cheeks hurt.
“There were two six packs of bottles in the Snow’s fridge and they brought them to us in case the girls found them first. I left the rest back at our trailer” he grinned. I never thought that I would see a bottle of beer ever again, not a full one anyway.
“Cheers” I held out the bottle and savoured the clink of the glass as Will knocked his against mine.
He had sat next to me on a multi coloured zig zag bean bag. “it’s amazing in here” he gestured towards the ceiling. “I could kill for a cigarette right now”
“Me too and I’ve never smoked” I laughed, taking a long pull of my drink. It was warm but oh so good.
We sat there in comfortable silence, drinking our beer and looking up at the starry ceiling. I took small sips, trying to make it last.
“So, two six packs?” I questioned, holding up my bottle in awe.
“Yep, just stored in the fridge behind all the rotten food. We pulled out the beer and put the food back. The fridge is now sealed up.”
“Then why the hell are we only having two” I joked.
Will laughed a deep belly chuckle. “Because my friend, Adam and Lewis also had one and because we should ration them. There are eight left.”
“Not Mr snow? Or anyone else?” I questioned, knowing that Nia enjoyed a beer.
“Nope we asked everyone and they left them to us”
The sudden blaring of horns and men yelling caused us both to jump up and out of our seats.
“What the fuck is that? it’ll bring every zombie for miles around this way.” Will cursed.
We ran towards the main gate, my first thought was that somebody was in trouble and my second was that I should have brought my gun.
The Snows, Adam, Nia and Amelia were outside of our trailers. Brian was just coming out to see what was going on.
“What the hell is that?” Adam called out, jumping down the steps that led into our trailer.
“Everyone stay in doors for now.” Will called as he kept running.
“Adam stay here and keep a watch over everyone, just in case get their weapons ready. Put all the kids and the Snow’s into our trailer. Just for now ok?” I called out, not slowing down either.
Will got to the gate first and opened the peephole as quietly as possible.
“Come on Mick, you said you’d help us man, we even have an offering for you.” Came a voice from the darkness.
I tapped Will lightly on the shoulder “What’s up?”
“I see two trucks in front of the gate and what looks to be a car further back. They seem to be full but I can’t really tell in this light.” He whispered, not wanting to give away that we were watching them.
“Friendlies?” I asked, hoping that it
