As I drive down the barren street in my cherry red Ford, sweating, I think about what life would have been if I were a regular teen. If I still went to school, if I could have gotten a job, if I could see my parents more, if the "zombie apocalypse" hadn't started. And also if this damned Ford had air conditioning.
They aren't really zombies. We call them that though, because it's easier than "zombious killerous" or whatever the hell its named. Its a virus that attacks humans, gets into their skull, and makes them want to kill others or bite and infect them. They stay in groups and live off of rats and other small rodents. But for some reason they LOOK LIKE ZOMBIES. The cliches are too much.
I was heading back to the mall, food cans rattling in the truck bed. Right before I turn off the highway, I see a straggler. He's tall, muscular, and looks about 28-30. I stop. No one should be out here in these conditions. Even if he's that ripped. I pull over and open the passenger door.
"Yo. Get in. Seriously. You're in their territory."
"Shit, really? But why should I take advice from a 14 year old stanger?"
"Almost 15. Now get in if you want to live."
"Fine. I'm hungry anyway."
"Name?" I say.
"Ed."
"Vivienne. Nice to meet you. I guess."
"Thanks?"
"You don't look like an Ed. You look like, someone else... I know. Knew."
"Really?"Ed says. He sounds confused, and sort of worried.
"Yeah. Whatever. Come on."
He gets in and we drive to the mall. As I unlock the front entrance, I scream "BOMBARDMENT" (not my choice of passcode, mind you) and the guns and knives in our face come down. The others hold open the doors as I drive the truck in.
"Who's this?" says Sophie. She still keeps her knife up.
"Let him be. Says his name is Ed."
"Fineeee."
We get out of the truck and Sophie and I start unloading the food.
"Ed, this is Sophie," I say, gesturing to her. I then introduce him to Thea, Dylan, and Jesse.
"Everyone here has some sort of job. Thea is our brute, Dylan is our strategizer, Jesse is our brains, and Sophie is our gal for inventory. I am the 'leader'." I do air quotes around "leader". They wanted me to lead. I don't get why, though.
"All of us can shoot a gun and have some other skill," I continue. "If you can't do one or the other, we'll give you a can of dog food and tell ya to take a hike. We have limited food and already have 5 mouths to feed."
Ed tell us he's good with baseball bats. That's somewhat helpful. We have him make a list of multiple weapons, ordering them from the things he's best out to the things he's worst at.
*WEAPONS*
1. Bat
2. Knives (Up close)
3. Bow and Arrow/Throwing Knives/Gun (Long Distance)
"So you're equally good at all in #3? We got a couple good sets of bow and arrows in our supply. Viv is the only one that uses them anyway. Says it makes her feel like Katniss Everdeen."
"SOPHIE."
"She doesn't like anyone knowing she's a nerd. Whatever. Come with me. I'll show you the weapons room."
"I'm coming too," I say.
"Well obviously!" Says Sophie.
"Thea, Jesse, can you put the food in our other storage room? Just leave a can of peas."
I hear them grunt a yes, so we follow Sophie to the weapons room.