Chapter 3 The Journal

The gas of the bus is leaking and it needs to be repaired before it gets worse. Since Carlos has no skills in mechanical works, Alice took care of the job. Alice has been working on the bus for almost three hours that she already forgot that it's lunch time. Kmart brought Alice lunch and a bottled water.

"Hey Alice, it's lunch time." Alice peered up from under the bus and Kmart helped her clean her hands.

"Thanks."

"You done?"

"Almost." Alice smiled and drank the water to half.

"You must be tired."

"Not really. I was just lying underneath and did some things about the pipes." Kmart smirked at that.

The convoy is busy eating their lunch. Some are inside the trucks and some are gathered outside, talking while eating. Six months ago, there were sixty members of them excluding Claire's team; Carlos, Mikey, Otto, Chase, LJ and Betty. After three months, the convoy's number decreased to half of its original number because of the attack they encountered in their scavenging. And now, there were only twenty members of them because they don't want Alice's leadership. They were blaming Alice from what happened to Claire so they decided to leave.

Alice didn't notice that she was staring at them for minutes. She felt a little pity over them. She wanted to keep them safe but she doesn't know how. If only there's a place with no infection and has food, shelter and everything a man needs in his life.

"Alice, are you listening?" Kmart asked, frowning at Alice.

"Oh. Sorry what is it again?"

"I was asking if you think I can go with you in your next scavenging." Kmart grinned at Alice.

"Oh no, you can't. I'm not risking your life anyway."

"Right." Kmart's mood deflated as she walked away from Alice. Alice knew she upset Kmart because of that thing but she couldn't risk her life. She knew Kmart was just trying to help but there's no way she will lose a friend again. Not Kmart, Carlos, Mikey, Otto or any member of the convoy. She had enough of this fucking world. Alice sighed and started to eat her lunch.

Dr. Isaacs's laboratory is full of things and equipments for his researches and experiments. And his experiment is to clone Alice, that's why there are lots of 'Alices' in a watered globe in his laboratory. For what reason? He wants those clones to be his weapon because he can't control Alice anymore and she's not following his orders. And he thought Alice's blood is the cure for 'everything.' But that's not what he's looking up at right now. He's looking at someone he thought his best weapon against Alice. And yes, it's not one of Alice's clones. This is something different.

"How's her status?" Dr. Isaacs asked one of his subordinates.

"Vital signs are normal sir."

Dr. Isaacs walked closer to the woman's container and touched it, smiling. "You are my weapon against her. So you better get healed now." Dr. Isaacs said to the woman in the container with tubes connecting to her body. He turned his back and went to the other doctor's desk.

"Keep me posted whatever happened to her." Dr. Isaacs ordered.

"Yes doctor."

It's already dusk when Alice, Carlos, Mikey, Otto and Kmart gathered in front of the fire, talking about the convoy's status and planning about tomorrow's scavenging. Carlos is holding a map with Kmart beside him and Alice in front of him. Mikey couldn't seem to focus because of his throat. He coughs once in a while.

"So how's the update?" Alice asked the team.

"Food is down to thirty percent. We need more supplies now." Otto reported.

"Well, gas is down to fifty percent. We need to fill the tanker fully." Carlos said.

"Cameras are still working…" Mikey coughed. Everybody looked at him and Kmart went closer to him.

"You okay Mikey? You've been coughing all day." Alice was concerned.

"You okay bud?" Kmart asked and checked on Mikey.

"Yeah, it's just my sore throat." Then Mikey coughed again.

"I think you should rest now, Mikey." Alice suggested.

"Right." Mikey coughed again and stood up.

"I'll help Mikey." Kmart said to the three who nodded to her. The two walked away while the three went back to their topic again.

"So, what do we do now?" Alice asked.

"There is this small town in Reno, maybe we could try scavenge their tomorrow." Carlos suggested.

"Reno. Fine."

And that's all they have for the night. Alice went back to the Hummer and prepared her things for their tomorrow's scavenging. Kmart attended Mikey who is getting sicker. And Carlos took care of the tanker. Alice prayed tomorrow will be a fine day for them and the rest and that nothing bad will happen to them.

The weather is so hot that anyone can see a mirage of pool in the middle of the desert. Alice drives the Hummer while Kmart sleeps at the backseat. The road was a little bumpy that made Kmart jumped from her sleep.

"Hey." Alice smiled at her.

"Hey."

"Rise and shine kid."

"Where are we now?" Kmart asked, getting in the front seat.

"Dunno. But I think we're not that far from Reno now."

Kmart looked outside and saw cars and trucks parked. Some are turned upside down. Then there are houses, abandoned and ruined. This place was used to be a happy town with people talking, working and laughing. There was life in here until now. It's lifeless and looks so lonely. No people, animals running around, it's just them passing through the town. Then Kmart saw something moved from the second floor of one of the houses. She knows it's not a survivor because if it is a survivor, they will hear him shout for help. What she is something different. It looks like there's a tentacle in it's mouth.

"Kmart, you feel okay?" Alice asked looking at Kmart.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

The Hummer parked in the middle of the tanker and the bus for Kmart's protection while the team goes on for scavenging. This was Claire usually do when she was still alive. Everybody got of their trucks but Mikey looks so sick. He coughs so hard once in a while.

"Mikey, I suggest you stay in the van. You look so sick." Alice said while Kmart checked on Mikey.

"Gosh, your hot Mikey, you need to rest." Kmart said.

"Kmart stay with Mikey." Alice ordered and Kmart just nodded. But before Alice left, she handed Kmart a shotgun and a walkie talkie. "In case something happened, you know what to do."

"A shotgun? Seriously?" Kmart asked. Alice nodded. "Okay." And then Alice and the team went to search the grocery store and houses nearby.

Kmart and Mikey are both inside the Hummer with Mikey at the backseat and Kmart in front with the shotgun and walkie talkie beside her. Mikey fell asleep easily while Kmart felt a little nervous and watched out if ever there's an infected roaming. Then she heard a loud thud on the roof of the Hummer that made her jump from her seat. Then another one. Her hand searched for the shotgun but found it instantly. Though afraid that it might be an infected, Kmart decided to go out of the Hummer to check what it was. As Kmart jumped off the Hummer a tentacle mouth zombie jumped on her that made her dropped to the ground and dropped her shotgun. Kmart struggled but the zombie was so strong that she couldn't keep on anymore. Once the zombie opened its mouth and ready to swallow her, Kmart closed her eyes and thought that it is now the end of her. She never struggled more, she decided to let the zombie eat her. But…

"Fight it Kmart. Fight it!" a familiar voice echoed in her mind.

Kmart opened her eyes and didn't know where she got her strength but she kicked the head of zombie, grabbed the shotgun and fired at its head just like what Claire taught her before. She did it. She killed the infected that wanted to swallow her. Her first kill. Kmart stood up and searched for where the that voice came from. But when she turned her head, she's face to face with another infected.

"Aaaahhh!" Kmart screamed then backed away and fired at the infected in front her. It's a headshot again but its blood splattered on her.

Alice and Carlos stopped from walking and looked at each other when they heard the gunshot. They knew what that meant. Kmart is in trouble. Alice was about to go back to Kmart's spot when a mass of undead attacked them. Alice's way was blocked by them that she has to use her blades and strip them. Each member of her team is now firing at the more approaching undead. But Alice's eyes caught something from the second floor of the house. She decided to go and check what it was. Once Alice got to the second floor, she searched from room to room but found nothing. Then there's this one room she hasn't searched yet. Alice kicked the door and it opened. What Alice saw was really shocking. There arre three tentacle mouth zombie swallowing their victims. The three sensed another victim who happened to be Alice. The three undead ran to Alice ready to eat her but one of them dropped when someone fired at it. Alice saw Carlos firing at them. Alice grabbed her pistol from her holster and fired at them one by one. After a moment, the three undead were dead.

"What the fuck was that?" Carlos asked looking at the three infected.

"I don't know. Hey how are the others?"

"We already got rid of the bitches."

"Any casualties?"

"Nothing. No one got hurt and no one got bitten." Carlos smiled.

"Kmart. Can you checked her out for me?"

"Sure." Then Carlos walked away.

Alice went inside the room and searched for anything useful. What her eyes caught was a journal with scriptures in it. Alice took it and scanned it. A smile formed on her lips while she read the journal. This is the thing she's looking for. Their safe haven. The journal says that there's no infection there and they offer food and shelter just like what Alice wanted. Finally, one of her wishes came true.

AN: I know it's a tad boring but hope you enjoy folks. And yes, they will head to Alaska in my own way. R&R!