Chapter 4
Insert standard disclaimer here.
Also I have no beta, so all mistakes belong to me
Enjoy!
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In the morning I wake up on my back feeling very overheated and a thin pair of arms wrapped around me. Peaking open my eyes; I confirm its Duane snuggled up to me and smile. It's only been a day but I'm becoming very attached to this adorable little boy.
A glance around the living room reveals Rhodey standing guard at the window. I don't see Rick or Morgan, but I do hear faint murmuring coming from the kitchen. I check my watch and see that it's still pretty early, so I take a few moments to snuggle Duane before gently wiggling out of his surprisingly strong grip.
I give Rhodey a pat on the head as I move into the kitchen. Morgan and Rick are looking over a map of the area and I see that they have several routes mapped out.
They both turn to me as I enter. "Good morning!" We all chime in unison, and I grin at our synchronicity. "Are you two hungry? I see you have somethings mapped out, but we should eat if we're going to be moving out soon. While I cook, you two can fill me in on the plan."
I move over to my pack and summon another box of oatmeal and the rest of the milk from the night before, while Morgan starts talking.
"Rick showed me that the sheriff's department is about three miles from here. Walking could get us there in about an hour, maybe more depending on Biter activity. From there I was thinking we could head to the hospital Rick woke up in and raid it for supplies; medicine, bandages and the like. There's also a few small corner shops, gas stations and a supermarket I was thinking we could get to before nightfall, or possibly tomorrow depending on how long the hospital takes us."
I nod my head and look to Rick who seems satisfied. I serve some food to the two men then throw my arm over Morgan's shoulder in a half hug.
"Alright then, after breakfast, we'll have a small ceremony for Jenny and then move out." He tenses under my arm but reaches to pat my hand in thanks. When he's finished eating, he wipes his mouth and stands.
"I'm going to wake Duane so he can get some food. Boy loves his sleep, but we need to get going soon."
I turn my attention to Rick as Morgan exits the room. He looks a hell of a lot better today than he did yesterday. The potion, a full belly and a good night's rest have done wonders for him, and I let him know.
"Rick, you look much better today. How are you feeling?"
He sends me a grateful smile. "I feel great. The pain in my side is more of just a small twinge if I move wrong, but other than that, I'm good. Thank you again for that Indy."
I smile and wave away his thanks. "It was my pleasure Rick. Anyways you need to be in top form if we're going to find your family."
Duane comes in and sits in the chair next to mine. I hook my foot under his chair and drag it closer to me so I can wrap my arm around him. Duane sleepily burrows into my side.
"G'morning Miss Indy, Mister Rick." His voice is little more than a whisper, but in the quiet of the morning, we're able to hear him just fine.
Rick tips his head in greeting, while I press a kiss to the boy's brow. "Good morning sweetheart. Would you like some breakfast?" He nods into my shoulder and I wave my hand towards the stove top. A repeat of last night has the food dishing itself out and being served to the boy without me having to get up.
I catch the look on Rick's face and quirk my eyebrow at him in question. "I have only really seen magic done in person, only just last night and I'm pretty sure I'll never get used to it. Don't get me wrong, I've never been one of those prejudiced idiots, but I knew plenty of 'em. None of the hate they've ever spewed came close to what I keep witnessing you do, but its still an adjustment for me."
I nod because that's reasonable. "Its alright. I know how much this all can be for people who've never experienced it before, especially with how everything was before all this." I motion to the covered window to emphasize my point. "Not everyone will be as accepting as you. Even after the world's gone to hell, people like to do what they know, cling to old prejudices and hate, even when that's the last thing we need in this new world. You take all the time you need to adjust- I won't be offended." I end with a wink and it surprises a chuckle out of Rick and lightens the mood a little.
As soon as Duane is finished eating, we pack everything up and get ready to head out.
We all head into the back yard and I motion for Rhodey to walk the perimeter, keeping watch as we have a small service for Jenny.
Morgan pulls out a dark brown wand with rounded edges and a raised hand grip that has a braided design to it. It looks to be about 9in long, and very rigid. He makes a few motions with the wand, and I can see his lips moving as he silently mouths the words of a spell. The ground before us splits into a 3ft wide, 6 ft long and 6 ft deep grave. While Morgan is holding up the chunk of earth, I use my wand to levitate Jenny's body into the ground, then Morgan lowers the dirt back onto the body.
Morgan then transfigures a rock into a small gravestone plaque that reads:
Here lies Jenny Jones. The best mother, the kindest wife, and the greatest woman to ever Bless the Jones' name. May her soul rest in peace and love, and she know that she will never be forgotten.
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It takes us about an hour and a half to make it to the Sheriff's station. Since it was very early, the walkers hadn't really had a chance to thin out too much, but we were able to make it there with no major issues.
Rick leads us inside and it's very eerie. The place is completely deserted but looks as if everyone has just gone home for the evening. Only the layer of dust gives away how long it's actually been since anyone was here.
We each take point with Duane and Rhodey in the middle to clear the entire building, and once that's done, Rick leads us to the gun locker in the basement. We leave the large rifles and each grab two handguns, which Morgan and I promptly supply with silencing charms.
Morgan finds the smallest gun possible for Duane. It's a revolver that only holds five bullets but, with virtually no kick back, will be easy for the boy to handle. After attaching a holster to Duane's belt, we head off, with Rick in the lead, to the holding cells.
"We can leave majority of our stuff here while we move onto clearing the hospital and those shops. We can keep the keys with us so that even if anyone else came in after us, our stuff would be protected." Rick proposes, and Morgan nods his head in agreement.
Duane, Rhodey and Rick head inside the large cells, but I grab Morgan to stop him from following.
"So, I just wanted to run something by you before we head out. This place is pretty secure, and I can set up a few quick wards to keep people out, and with Rick's idea of locking up our stuff, I was wondering if you'd like Duane to stay here as well?"
He looks at me like I'm an idiot and opens his mouth to no doubt tell me so, but I finish my thought before he can get the chance.
"Wait! Here me out! My backpack turns into a trunk as you know but it also has a few nifty features; like for one, it can't be moved if someone is inside, two, its impossible to open unless you're keyed into the wards and three I can apparate directly into it.
"There's a ward to let me know if anyone not keyed in tries to open it, and if anyone tries to steal it, they'll be in for a nasty shock- literally. It would be much safer for Duane to stay here inside the trunk where it's safe, and we don't have to worry about him while we're out there. You know as well as anyone how situations can go from good to fucked in 2.5 seconds.
"Duane, along with Rhodey will be very safe here. There's a bedroom and he could have a lie down and I've got some books and toys that should keep him entertained until we come . It's just a suggestion but I'm leaving Rhodey here regardless."
Morgan's lips press into a firm line and he stares into my eyes intently. "Key me into the wards. I trust you Indy, I really do but Duane is my number 1 priority. I won't put him in any unnecessary danger and this trip will be just that. So key me in so I have a better idea if what wards are going to be protecting my boy and together, we can set up some extra ones. I may not have my mastery, but I'm damn good at warding."
"You've got yourself a deal partner." I drawl and tip my imaginary hat to him, and his lips quirk into the tiniest of smiles.
Once inside the cell, I pull off my backpack and transform it back into the trunk. I direct Morgan to place his hand on the lid with his palm on the Torrez family crest. It's a crystal ball on a table with an ornate dagger, a set of cards and two wands crossed above it. Below that reads Visus Claritatem Habet et Summam Fortitudinem per : Clarity and Strength through Sight.
Morgan doesn't even wince as the trunk pricks his palm and takes three drops of blood. I place my hand on top of his and chant the activation code: licentiam concedere potest Morgan Jones.
A small red flash of light confirms the spell worked and Morgan is now keyed into the wards. I head over to Rick while Morgan explains the new plan to Duane.
"You ready to head out soon?" he asks me as I take a seat next to him. "Yeah I'm good. Morgan is letting Duane know that he's gonna be staying here with Rhodey and once he has Duane settled, we'll be on our way."
Ricks eyebrows reach his hair line in surprise. "Y'all sure about that? This place is secure, but anything could happen while we're not here…?"
I quickly reassure him about my trunk. "He'll be fine. Morgan I'll be immediately alerted if anything happens to Duane or the trunk and we'll be able to apparate back here in less than a second." At his confused look I explain that apparition is basically teleportation.
"So, if Y'all can teleport, how come we've been walking on foot. Teleporting would be much easier, right?"
I shake my head and explain the best way I can. "No actually, apparition has its limits; all magic does really. You have to have been to a place before you can apparate there. You have to picture it clearly in your mind or else you could end up splinching yourself. That's where you leave a bit of yourself behind. There were dozens of cases each year of folks who died from splinching. This one guy got drunk and left his whole leg behind at the pub he was leaving. His wife found him in the morning dead in a puddle of his own blood.
"There's limits on how many people you can bring with you- the more people the more power you use and the more likely you are to leave a chunk of you or them behind. And its physically and magically draining. After a few jumps your magical core can become depleted and too many jumps in a row can cause the body to go into shock. Apparition feels like your body is being compressed through a garden hose. Most people vomit or black out after their first few tries. It's why you have to wait until your magical majority to get a license. It's pretty impossible to do successfully before then."
Rick looks absolutely horrified and I can't help but laugh a bit at his expression. "Remind me to never ask you to teleport me anywhere, okay?"
"Sir yes sir!" I salute, feeling a bit cheeky.
Just then Morgan exits the trunk and locks it back down.
"Duane and Rhodey are all settled, so grab your packs and let's get moving. The sooner we head out, the sooner I can get back to my boy." Morgan gruffs out so we jump into gear.
Morgan and I cast ever expansion charms on all our packs to hold all the supplies we'll hopefully be bringing back, and after double checking our guns and ammo, we head out.
As we exit, I find two flat rocks and hand one to Morgan so we can draw some trip wards to let us know if anything, living or otherwise enters the building. We set them on either side of the door and head to the back lot of the station where the vehicles are kept.
As I look around, I notice that most of the vehicles are standard police cars, but there are a few SUVs and one massive SWAT SUV.
"None of these are are very discreet, and I'm not sure it's the best idea to drive around in a car with police in great big letters on the side. It might draw unwanted attention y'know?"
Rick was rummaging through the cupboard with all they keys to the cars, but Morgan turned towards me.
"Do you know the color changing charm?"
"Yeah, Colovaria, right? No wand movement either I don't think."
"No, but let's throw a notice-me-not in with it as well."
Rick grabs our attention and we head over to the row of SUVs. I change one of the cars to solid black as Morgan chants the notice-me-not charm: ne animadverto.
"Hey Rick, are there any spare 5-gallon jugs? We might be able to get some gas to keep the tanks filled."
Rick pulls out three 5 gallon jugs and tosses one to me and another to Morgan. Two of them are red and one is blue. The blue one is marked Diesel, and at my confused look, Rick explains that the monster SWAT car takes diesel and if we find any, we can load up and take that into Atlanta, instead of a regular SUV.
Morgan hops in the drivers seat, with Rick in the passenger and myself in the back. Rick scans through a CD book and when he pops one in the player, Sam Cooke's Bring It on Home to Me starts playing softly in the background, and I can't help but sing along.
"If you ever change your mind
About leaving, leaving me behind
Oh, oh, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me…"
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By the time we get to the hospital, the Georgia sun is high in the sky and in full effect. I take a few minutes, while Morgan parks, to braid my hair in two plats down either side of my head. Then I tuck my jeans into my boots, double check my gun and knife holsters and tie a bandana around my mouth.
Rick and Morgan do the same thing, once they're out of the car, and together we make our way into the building.
By the time we make it to the front door, were all dripping with sweat, so I cast a cooling charm on the three of us, so we can make it through the day without dying. It's been months since the Hospital was fully functional and Im 100% sure it's going to be revoltingly hot and smelly inside.
(Just for the record, I was right.)
As soon as we pry the doors open, we simultaneously gag at the smell that punches us in the face; but we keep it moving.
"Okay, so how are we doing this? Level by level? I know we could get this done quicker if we split up, but I am vehemently against that idea."
"Yeah, no. Were not splitting up." Morgan reassures me. "Were going to raid the ER, OR, cafeteria, waiting rooms and pediatric unit. We're looking for non-perishable foods, bandages, antiseptics, sutures, antibiotics, pain meds, inhalers, epi pens and anything else you see that could be helpful. Our bags should be enough to hold everything, but if its not, we can always enchant another few bags. Let's be quick and methodical about this alright?"
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We do exactly as Morgan says and methodically clear the hospital. We start at the top of the building in the OR and work our way down.
OR. Waiting room. Supply room. ER. Waiting room. Recovery room. Lounge.
By the time we get to the cafeteria, I call for a break. Mostly for Rick though. That potion may have healed him up a bit, but the exertion and heat from the day was making him look a bit green around the gills. We each pop a squat in some comfy looking chairs and chug down some water.
After scarfing down some vending machine food, I get up and take a little look around.
"There ain't much unspoiled stuff here but I see a crap ton of jello and pudding cups and a few large cans of fruit. If the deep freezer door has been kept shut, it should still be pretty cold in there, even though the power has been out for a while. Some of that might still be good."
Morgan hauls himself out of his chair with a small grunt. "Let's check it out. You stay here, catch your breath." He says to Rick who was making moves to haul himself up as well. "You can play look out for a bit."
We get to the deep freezer and I brace myself for all sorts of rotting food smells to punch me in the face. Morgan counts to three, undoes the latch and swings the door open and I head inside, gun drawn just in case.
The freezer is empty of biters but is still surprisingly very cold. Nothing looks thawed out, so I guess the seal and latch on the door was enough to keep the cold in.
Morgan props the door open with a chair and steps in, looking around as a low whistle escapes his lips.
"You know we just hit a literal jackpot, right? Everything in here is still frozen and useable. I've seen the fridge and freezer room in your trunk. Most of this could fit in there. I see sandwich meat, hot dogs, hamburger patties, and cheese. Plus, all the box pasta, cans of sauce, condiment packets and spices on the shelves outside… were gonna be set for a while. I mean look at this, this is butter. I didn't think I was going to eat butter ever again."
I snort out a laugh, but lord knows I'm just as grateful. "Yeah were some lucky sons of bitches ain't we?"
We smile at each other and I hold my fist up for Morgan to reluctantly bump and we get to work. I pop out to get Rick's bag so we can distribute the food easily between us.
Just as we finish packing up all the food, Rick appears in the freezer doorway looking spooked.
"I heard a baby's cry."
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Hey so it's been an incredibly long time since I've updated this, but I lost my muse for a while there. Thankfully she's back! But I'm not gonna lie, this chapter did a full U-turn from what I had planned out. Sorry to leave on a bit of a cliffhanger, but *shrug* that's just how it ended up being. I definitely don't plan on the next chap taking so long either! (But honestly no promises from this unreliable author). Drop a review and tell me what you liked and didn't like. And please bear with me. I don't think this fic is gonna be like anything you've ever read, hopefully in a good way!