On top of the mason jars I had left, I had also left a decent size plastic tub to catch the rain water that I was going to use to take a bath. I would’ve loved to have a nice hot bath but the water was rather cold. It was better than nothing and the cold would help the pain somewhat.
I took the tub into the apartment shutting the door behind me. The tub was kind of heavy and uncomfortable to carry due to the pain in my side. I spilt a little bit of water on the floor taking it into the bathroom.
When I got into the bathroom I plugged up the tub and then poured the water in. I took my clothes off again and got in. The cold water was a shock to my body but felt rather good after a few minutes.
I didn’t want to spend too long in the tub as I really wanted to get some sleep and rest my body. I used the bar of soap that I had to quickly wash.
I grabbed a towel and dried off. I didn’t let the water out as it had to last a few turns since water was hard to come by. I admit it grossed me out at first to basically bathe in my own filth over and over but it beat smelling all the time. The thing I never thought about the apocalypse was how much it would stink, literally. Between the smell of the decaying zombies and the people that hadn’t had a chance to bathe in a long time, the world wasn’t the best place to breathe in. The smell is something you never get used to either. Bad smells are usually a sign something is wrong and your nose just doesn’t cut off its indicators because the world is coming to end. In fact I think the world coming to an end makes it more heightened.
I got dressed to take Milo out for a quick walk. It was dark out by then so I went out with my flashlight.
Natalie was standing on the front landing; I could make her out pretty good in the moonlight. She was smoking a cigarette when I walked out my front door, I could see the cherry burning at the end.
I cleared my throat. She quickly put out the cigarette and tried to act like she wasn’t smoking.
“Cate,” she said. “I was just getting some fresh air.”
I nodded, “That’s not very fresh air.”
“I found a couple packs in the apartment. I know what you’re going to say “it’s bad for me, I shouldn’t smoke.”
“Natalie, I’m not your mother. It’s not great for you but I certainly can’t stop you. I was only going to say it’s not the greatest habit to have with all the running one may need to do from zombies.”
She gave out a chuckle, “I know. I just like to smoke when I’m stressed.”
“I get that but the state the world is in; you’re going to smoking a carton a day.”
She nodded, “Maybe.”
“Get some sleep kid. Try to cut back.”
I could see her give me a faint smile.
Milo and I walked downstairs. Milo did his business and we headed back up the stairs. Milo could hold it for a long time so I didn’t usually have to take him out after I had gone to bed. Just in case though I had got some puppy pads and kept them on the little porch. Walking out in the middle of the night even with how guarded we were was not something I desired to ever do. I’d never had to take him out to use them though.
I locked the front door behind me. I hung up my wind chimes in the hall. Milo and I went into the bedroom and locked up.
I went out onto the porch to get the water and laid out one of the puppy pads.
I changed into comfortable clothes and got in the bed. I usually slept on my left side but knew that wasn’t going to happen for a while. I didn’t even try.
It took me a while to fall asleep since I was on a different side than I was used too. It’s amazing the habits our body gets into. The slightest change doesn’t go over too well and is very difficult to get accustomed to something new.
Milo jumped on the foot of the bed and fell asleep immediately. I was very jealous as I was exhausted.
When I finally was able to sleep, it wasn’t very restful. The dreams I had didn’t make sleeping very welcoming at all anymore. I used to have melatonin that would help me have dreamless restful sleep but I had run out about two months prior. I wasn’t able to find anymore, no matter where we went, it was gone. I guess other people had discovered the same secret I had. In fact, it was easier to find other medications, valuable medications, than to find any sleep aids. I guess that said a lot about the state our collective minds were in. Sleep was important but it wasn’t easy to come by.
Though, I wouldn’t take very strong sleep aids even if I could. It was too dangerous. One was always vulnerable and putting yourself in a state where you wouldn’t or couldn’t wake up was the equivalent of serving yourself up on a platter for the dead. If I was going to become their food, I wasn’t going to make it easy for them.
I woke up when Emma knocked on my door the next morning. Natalie was with her and offered to walk Milo. I was hesitant to let her but agreed. She stopped by several times during the day to walk him after the first time. She said
