Chicago took a moment to figure out why she was pressed against Columbus the next morning then slowly she remembered the night before. He was asleep snoring softly with the pistol still in his hand. She shifted looking at the ground below and smiled a little, happy that nothing had come along and eaten them during the night.
"Columbus," she said moving him gently. The boy woke up with a start, but realized it was only her and closed his eyes again. "We need to get back inside," she whispered trying not to desecrate the morning silence. He groaned trying to wake the rest of his body up.
"Dumb idea to sleep in the cold," he sighed.
"Yeah," she replied with a smile. Together they tried to get out of the hammock in a graceful fashion, but failed. Chicago felt their balance go and made a flailing grab grasping a tree branch. Columbus toppled to the ground and landed with a muffled thump.
"Ow," he grumbled getting up. She let go of the branch and dropped into a crouching position.
"You okay?" she asked. He nodded and they both clamored back in through the kitchen window. Little Rock and Wichita were sitting at the table as they came in. Both the girls looked sleepy and didn't say a thing as they came through the window. "Morning," Chicago sighed.
"Morning," Little Rock replied resting her elbow on the table.
"What's breakfast look like?" Chicago asked hopefully. Wichita shrugged.
"Biohazard in the fridge and slim pickings everywhere else," she sighed. Tallahassee joined them still yawning from his sleep.
"Morning," he grumbled. Chicago smiled as he shuffled around looking for something to eat. His muttering curses got louder as every cabinet come up empty until he slammed one and turned around. "Is there anything in the fucking place to eat?" he snapped.
"Wichita says no," Chicago replied. A box of saltines hit the table and all eyes turned to Summer who had tossed them there. She was dressed in new black skinny jeans and a tight fitting t-shirt covered by a leather jacket. A bag hung loosely from her shoulder and in her hand the last of a lit cigarette was giving off a trail of smoke. "Can you not do that in the house," Chicago sighed detesting the smell of smoke.
Summer took the last drag of it before tossing it to the floor and rubbing it out with her foot. "Why? Not like we're going to be here that long," she sighed limping over to the counter where she propped herself up. "Eat up," she said digging through the bag. Chicago sighed. Tallahassee gave the girl a dirty look, but slowly started to move towards the crackers on the table.
"Where did you get this stuff?" Wichita asked.
"I went out last night," Summer replied as she pulled out a bottle of wine. Chicago had to fight to keep from letting her jaw drop as the girl opened the bottle and started to drink.
"Sweet tooth?" she asked as the girl gave her a 'what?' glance.
"Forgive me," Summer chuckled. Tallahassee tried to open the box of crackers without making a crinkling noise. "So we leave in a little bit yeah?"
"Chicago I'm tired… we should rest here for a little while," Columbus said folding his arms.
"That's not a good idea," Summer said coldly. Everyone looked at her as she chugged a little more from the bottle, making the normally elegant wine bottle look cheap.
"When did you become leader of this little group?" Tallahassee growled still not liking the girl.
"I'm not saying I am, but I'm trying to help you keep in one piece. Should you think about it for two seconds you'd realize you are in state to fight right now," she said sweetly then pointed at him. "You and I are torn up. Chicago and Wichita can fight. Little Rock is pretty badass for a kid, but if everyone would look at the sorry excuse for father and son over there," she looked coolly at Dad who had just entered the kitchen. "There one big happy family," she said with a smirk before looking back at Tallahassee. "You have to pick your battles," she said as if she was superior. "Fight when you can, but don't be afraid to run."
"Listen you!" he started but Chicago intervened.
"Cut it out!" she snapped. "You," she pointed at Summer, "stop instigating and you," she pointed at Tallahassee, "stop instigating her instigating." He looked like a puppy that had been beaten. "Now… we do need to get our shit together," Chicago sighed trying to smooth things over.
"We have to keep moving," Summer insisted. Chicago bit her lip.
"I know," she sighed.
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Tallahassee objected raising a hand. "Why are we trusting this little bitch?" he asked. Summer smiled slyly.
"I think Chicago has a little incentive to trust me," she said.
"Chicago?" Tallahassee asked trying to verify what was happening.
"She could have let me die. She saved my life," Chicago said.
"How do we know it's not a ploy?" Wichita asked.
"Oh right, you're the player of this group. I knew that from the first time I saw you," Summer smiled pointing at Wichita. Chicago watched the strange messed up girl. She seemed so sly and slick, really like she trusted nothing and knew everything. "But you know what? Despite the way you may think we've been playing the same game, you and I, we haven't," she said seriously. Wichita narrowed her eyes. "You always kept it above the belt because," she pointed at Little Rock, " you had her to look out for. You ran a cleaner game than I have. I never had any rules, and as far as I'm concerned I was always living in zombieland. Dog eat dog, kill or be killed," she said.
"That's no incentive for us to trust you. All we know is that you're a smoking drinking little druggie," Dad sighed sitting down. She gave a sly smile.
"Ha! Right I'm the one with all the problems. Take a good look in the mirror bub, you all aren't so hot right now. You," she pointed back at Tallahassee who had a mouth full of crackers, "were smoking weed last night, you," she pointed at Wichita and Little Rock, "were crying like babes." She brushed her hair out of her face and took another drink. "You two were cuddling out in a swing," she said looking at Columbus and Chicago. "My personal favorite though was you," she said pointing at Dad.
"Hey," Chicago said stepping in.
"No, I don't care that he just lost his wife. Why don't you show them the lovely little gun you have in your pocket? Tell me if I'm wrong, but Russian roulette is a little dangerous don't you think?" she asked limping over and pulling out a revolving barrel pistol. She put it out on the table as everyone stared. "Damn that survivors guilt," she almost chuckled as she perched on the counter again.
"You're point?" Chicago asked trying to move the conversation forward.
"My point," Summer said pulling out a box of smokes. "Is that you all have your weaknesses too," she smiled putting one in-between her lips. "So don't look down on me too much."
"I really don't care right now. Please don't smoke around us," Chicago said. Summer lit the thing and blew smoke in her face.
"Can't kill every demon can we?" she smiled. Chicago rolled her eyes.
"Okay so we all got problems, is this new news to anyone?" Columbus sighed. No one replied. "Good. Next step is to figure out where we're going," he said still sounding miserable, but considerably stronger.
"Colorado," Tallahassee said.
"Why Colorado?" Summer asked.
"Because I know a place that is nice and secluded. We can lick our wounds and rest for a bit," he said. She nodded.
"Okay," she said.
"Okay? Okay? We still haven't gotten a decent reason to trust you," he said slamming the box of crackers down.
"Because Chicago was right," Summer said easily. "I have a lot better shot with you than I do with Anarchy," she said raising the bottle again. Everyone seemed puzzled so she kept talking. " Colorado is pretty safe. New York is a hotspot. They have a camp somewhere in the Deep South too, but I don't know where exactly, and I know there is one out west on the coast," she said.
Wichita nodded slightly. "Answer why you want to survive and I'll trust you," she said. Summer smiled and took a long drag.
"I'm gonna come out on top. I spent my life so far just surviving, now I'm gonna run the show," she smiled.
"How do you plan on swinging that?" Tallahassee chuckled.
"You leave that to me," she replied. "But I'll tell you this much, I like you all, but if we get in a jam I'm grabbing a truck and running. I'm not gonna bail your asses out, so anyone who wants to live better keep up," she smiled slyly. Chicago looked her over.
"Then as long as it is of benefit you'll hang with us?" she asked. Summer took another absurdly long drag.
"That's the plan," she nodded releasing the smoke again.
"Anyone have a problem with it?" Chicago asked realizing they needed a real and honest weigh in. No one spoke. "Okay then. Lets clean up and hit the road," she said feeling like she needed to lead everyone through the morning. Everyone filed out and Tallahassee took the cracker box with him.
"Do they trust me?" Summer asked rubbing out the cigarette.
"Trust is something you'll just have to earn," Chicago replied. Summer took another hit from the wine bottle. "It's pretty early, you should probably ease up on that." Summer smiled.
"When you've measured your life in joints, syringes, and shot glasses, a little wine isn't going to do much damage," Summer replied. Chicago reached out and put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder.
"I like you Summer, I really do, but let me tell you," she began but Summer held up a hand.
"I was just testing the waters. Believe me I have no interest in being leader of your little gang. Just listen to me when I know what I'm talking about and I'll help you as much as I can," she said as if reading Chicago's mind. "You guys aren't stupid or you wouldn't have made it this far, and I respect that," she added before limping out of the room.
Chicago let out a breath she felt like she'd been holding the whole time. Summer was a liability and an asset, that much was clear. The girl had disassembled a horde on her own while injured. Clearly she was capable. Chicago chewed her lip for a moment. She'd run with her gut before and it had worked out. Now it was telling her to trust Summer. "Okay," she sighed.
Yeah for posting again!!!!
Songs:
'Ignorance' by Paramore
'Leave Out All the Rest' by Linkin Park
I own nothing
Please Review!!!!
Also I have a couple new fics up now :) I would really like some reviews on my other Z-land oneshot :) Pretty please
