"I was terrified about entering any enclosed space. I can't imagine what it was like to actually go fully into a building."
"Same here. But my grandmother lived in the building. I had to really psyche myself up before I could dash in. I was just about to push open the doors into the apartment when I notice a large crowd of walkers in the ground floor foyer. I was trying to think of a way to lure them out when I saw my grandmother."
"Fuck."
"I had no idea why she was in the foyer, but she was clearly one of them. I can't remember how long I stood there. Some of them noticed me and just stared at me through the glass doors. I'm guessing that the doors were locked and they were trapped inside or else I wouldn't be here."
"You clearly loved her. You don't have to explain yourself."
"Maybe I sort of have to. Afterwards I found a liquor store. I locked myself inside and drank myself unconscious. I don't know how many days I drank like that. But I was a fucking train wreck when I sobered up after a bit. I had puked on myself and I even pissed myself."
Dave avoided making any of the obvious jokes, as he could clearly see the real topic that was being discussed. "Makes sense to me. Sometimes you got to do something like that to help the brain cope."
"At the back of the liquor store was a staff room. There was a toilet and sink that I used to clean myself."
"You had water?" asked Dave surprised.
"It spluttered a bit and it was stupidly cold."
"I noticed the water failed almost right after the power failed."
"I noticed that the power was out, so I guess that it was odd that the water was flowing. Not like there was any power to run the pumps or whatever is needed to push the water around. Anyway, it was while cleaning myself that I thought of you. I quickly decided that I'd try and find you and join up with you."
"That was a chancy option. I was surprised to see you."
"You told me that you wanted to head west, and the only real way was by the highway. I just had to get across the river again and get to the highway that I believed that you were on and then head west."
"The chance of being on the road at the same time was a fluke. I could have been easily not been on the highway and I often wasn't."
"I borrowed some clothes from a locker in the staff room but they were an uncomfortable staff uniform. There was a clothing store nearby where I went to grab some better clothes. On the street I found a bicycle. I thought that would be a lot quieter than a motorbike, and it seemed to be the case. I then pedalled as fast as I could to the highway before turning west."
"I'm still surprised that you found me."
"Actually I found some people at a shopping centre. They had meet you and told me where you had gone. I was right on your tail."
"Incredible. I had worked really hard yesterday and was exhausted. Had I slept in just a few more minutes you would have went right by."
"Well. I'm here."
"That you are," said Dave putting down his now empty can of soup on the half-height wall. He licked the spoon clean and placed it next to the empty soup can. Dave picked up his bottle of water, opened it and took a big drink. "And I really appreciate it. I've got plans and I doubt that I could do it all myself."
"Sounds like a lot of work."
"Maybe it is, but it will be dangerous. Are you still up to it?"
"Is it important?"
"All through my life I've done pointless things and believed that I was doing shit that matters. I was just deluded. This time it feels right. I don't know how exactly this is going to go. But it's the only path I have."
Josh nodded. "Okay then. Let's make this happen. It's not like we've got anything else to do."
"But before we do any of that we need to set you up. There's a small camping store nearby and we should grab some bedding for you."
* * *
Josh looked about the clothing store. "This place really is small."
"It looks like it covers the basics nicely. Most importantly are these."
Dave picked up some collapsable aluminium framed stretcher beds and gave two to Josh.
"Why two?" asked Josh.
"One is for you to sleep on. The third will be for some sort of seat or maybe a place to store things up off the floor."
"In that case why not just take some of those foldable chairs," said Josh pointing at some canvas chairs.
"Good idea," said Dave picking up two and giving them to Josh.
"I feel like my role here is to be a pack horse."
"Only for now. Once we get everything we'll split the load up a bit more fairly and carry it back."
Dave walked about the aisle looking for something.
"What's next?" asked Josh.
"The weather's not bad at the moment, so you could get away with sleeping out in the open. However, I still don't want to risk getting a cold."
"So a sleeping bag."
"Exactly," said Dave picking up two items off a shelf, "and a sleeping mat."
"You certainly know your stuff."
"I've been reading a lot lately."
"Reading?"
"Working in an office didn't prepare me for this at all. I'm trying to read as much as I can to fill in the holes in my ability to function as a human being. I've been shocked just how unprepared I am for times like this."
"I've always been the sort to use his hands so I don't mind this sort of thing."
Dave looked at Josh. "You're
