Sam walked down the street, then drove the truck to park in the driveway. They loaded the booty from the house they’d just ransacked in with their previous haul.
The trio walked to the next house to search it. It was locked, so Sam kicked the door open while JR provided backup. Thinking ahead, JR addressed Mona, “Until we make other arrangements, you’ll be sleeping on the floor. Look for heavy, thick comforters and blankets to make a thick pallet to sleep on. And you’ll need a pillow too.”
They finished foraging that block and half the next one before quitting for the day. Mona stopped them at the truck. “I brough some things with me. Could we go get them out of my car? I think I know about where it is. I have three suitcases of clothing and bags of medicine and medical supplies. I was one of the last to leave the hospital before it closed after the others left. On the last day, the hospital administrator told us to take whatever we wanted that we could use. By then it was obvious we’d be overrun by the undead. I have a backpack of equipment and bandages and another full of prescription medications.”
Sam observed, “You’re the one thing we don’t have, a doctor in the house.”
Mona smiled. “Yes, I’m sure my skills will be in some degree of demand.”
When their new items were stowed at the cabin or the shed, JR gave Mona the grand tour of her new home. “As you can see the space is small and rather cramped, but we’ll learn to live with each other. In these trying times people have to depend on each other and make concessions.”
Sam butted in, “We’ll need to find pajamas to run around in before bedtime instead of running naked like we have been.”
Mona snickered, “Either that or warn me so I can close my eyes or turn my head. Speaking of bed, that’s a lovely, old antique. I especially like the brass trim.”
“I guess I don’t appreciate the old things as much as some people do. My mom never wanted old stuff to decorate with,” JR said.
“Me neither,” Sam said, “When something got too old or damaged my mom threw it out and bought a new piece. In fact, I believe she threw things out only to justify buying something new to replace them”
Mona slumped as she replied, “My house was furnished in antiques of all sorts; furniture, glassware, pottery and many nicknacks. I miss them. Each one had a story relating to where Gordon and I found it, the haggling to reach a price, and its origin if the seller knew it . . . now those thing and my husband are all gone and I’m left with just memories of a very good life. All because of these zombie monsters.”
JR added, “That’s what all of us have, nothing but memories of a great past. Now it’s time to focus on our future and how we’re going to survive.”
Smokey ambled over to Mona and nuzzled her hand until she stroked his fur.
Mona sat in a rocker, and JR knelt beside her. “Mona, we understand fully. I hope I didn’t sound harsh; but everyone lost the people and things that were important to them because of the zombies. Survival now depends on forging ahead and making a life for ourselves under the circumstances we are left with.
“We don’t see nearly as many zombies in this area as when we first arrived. We, and others, have thinned them out to where we seldom see them. The biggest danger now is other humans who steal and murder. Recently four men tried to rape me; they’re all dead. That type of danger is why you need to learn to shoot a gun and prepare yourself to carry one at all times. And most importantly be prepared to use it to defend yourself even if the situation evolves to killing another person.”
“That will be a large hurdle for me. I was the head Emergency Room nurse and saw firsthand what gunshots do to human flesh. Now I’m expected to reverse deep convictions in hopes of living safely.”
“You’ll have to if you want to survive.” JR stood, pointed, and changed the topic. “Over there is where Sam’s going to install cabinets to build a proper kitchen.” She moved her arm. “And there is where your bed will be. We’ll rig blankets or sheets around it to give you some privacy. You’ll need a chest of drawers to store your clothing too. We can pilfer another one from the same house we took ours from. It had good quality furnishings and matching sets in the other bedrooms.
“We rise early, work all day, and go to bed early. Sam has talked about cutting trees and splitting firewood to last through the winter. That’s going to be a big job, and I plan to help carry and stack the wood. Next spring if we still plan to stay here, we’ll put in a garden, then can the produce in late summer and early fall when it’s ripe. Soon the canned foods we’ve gathered will be used and there won’t be any to replace it. What there is in other’s homes will freeze this winter and be ruined. So it’s up to us to provide those foods we used to buy at the grocery stores. Sam built that closet in the corner to hold miscellaneous extras, but I think he’s going to need to build another just to store the canned goods we’ve collected. They’ll have to be kept inside where there’s heat through the winter months or we’ll lose them. And we can’t afford that. In fact, I’m in favor of gathering even more food while it’s available.”
Sam spoke. “Instead of another closet with a door, how about we
