3 Months Into The Apocalypse
Not to brag, but I'm somewhat of what you call a "badass". Don't ask questions, I just am. Who knew that my axe-throwing hobby would come in handy someday? I sure didn't.
I guess having intense anxiety when it comes to my dreams and then letting out that frustration into throwing axes at targets was just preparing me for the future. So now here I am, at the old place I used to go to for axe-throwing, just sitting there and practicing my day away with the axes that laid in that building. I felt I had a good setup, had a good plan. Yeah, I was alone, but I didn't mind it. No one to worry about, no one to lose. Everyone else was gone so the only person I had to worry about was myself and nobody was going to change that.
I was good at traveling around myself, searching for food, supplies, whatever I needed to keep myself safe and going. It felt too good to be true and I knew after a while something would have had to go wrong. I had survived this long but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep surviving. The best thing about going alone though?
Nobody was watching. I could sing, I could dance, and I could do whatever I wanted freely. Without being judged, without being laughed at, without fear of messing up. Maybe I was forgetting some lyrics to songs but that didn't stop me from making my own.
From being someone so quiet and afraid from before the apocalypse to becoming brave and outgoing after everyone I know has died is a weird type of character development. But it's my character development. I guess I'm weirdly proud of myself. I know, maybe it's strange to think these things during a situation like this, but what's the point of being pessimistic? Pessimism isn't going to help you make it.
I had gathered my bag together, humming to whatever song was stuck in my head at the moment which at the point had become a jumble of everything, and I got ready to explore to find any more supplies I needed. Mostly food and something warm as it was getting very cold in the place I stayed in. As always, I kept 4 axes with me. 2 kept on my sides and 2 on my back. I could use them as a blunt force but I never know if I'd lose one from throwing. Usually, I go to retrieve, but occasionally it's too dangerous to do so.
Once I got it all together I did the last thing I needed to do before I left for good luck.
I put on Eugene's cap.
With my good luck charm on I got prepared to leave my little self-made camp. First things first, I would grab an empty can that was most likely last night's dinner and open my door slowly. I would then throw the can to an area away from my entrance to make some noise. And if there are any zombies they would go towards the noise. It wasn't too hard to put together that they were more attracted to sound than they were with their sight. Due to being pretty quiet, I was very good at observing, so it wasn't something hard for me to catch on to.
After creating that diversion and distracting 2 zombies, I quickly snuck my way out of my humble abode and swiftly left the area before the zombies could turn around and catch on to me. It was my usual routine and I had come very accustomed to it. Of course, I was afraid. I was scared shitless. I just felt like I could successfully take on whatever came after me.
Well, somewhat.
I walked out a bit further than my usual route as I had visited almost every area around that place and there was nothing new for me to find. It was a little out of my comfort zone but it was something I had to get done if I wanted to live another day. I wasn't going to die from some groaning and moaning zombies.
But a human? Oh my.
As soon as I entered a small convenience store I saw there was still a good amount left in there. I was honestly surprised but it was very pleasant for me since it had exactly what I needed. Food. Grinning like a damn child I quickly grabbed what I needed and threw them into my bag. Until I started hearing movement.
I immediately zipped up my bag, threw it back onto my back, and grabbed an axe from my right side, my go-to since I was right-handed and had the easiest access. My first guess was going to be a zombie but zombies don't sound that heavy.
"Who's there?" I asked, trying to mask the fear in my voice with confidence. Though it wasn't my strong suit as I had no reason to speak for a very long time. There was no response to my question but the footsteps and the heavy movement just go closer, so I prepared my axe in swing position in case it needed to be used. "Hello?" I questioned, turning a corner to try and find the source of the noise.
Before I knew it there was a man with a pipe coming right after me, screaming things that made no sense. He confused me as a zombie, shouting about how I took everything from him and he was going to kill all of us. And he thought I was a part of that.
"No!" I attempted to reason, but he didn't seem to care. He swung the pipe right at my head but I was able to successfully duck in time. "Hey, hey, hey," I tried to raise my hands in surrender. "I'm not here to hurt-"
Before I could finish my sentence I took a hard blow to my stomach. I collapsed over to my side, but before he could hit me once again I heard the doors of the place open again. He heard it too. He chose to use that to kick me while I was down then went to slowly investigate the noise.
I laid there in pain for a small bit, holding back the tears from how strong that man was and how every swing and kick was with complete full force. When I was finally able to drag myself up, coughing while trying to catch my breath, I heard him shouting the same words he told me to whoever else entered. I was trying to use that as an opportunity to leave until I heard them speaking too.
They weren't zombies either.
I heard the pleading, I heard the groan of someone being hit and someone trying to save them and I couldn't just try to escape anymore. I couldn't let that man just kill other people. So instead of running out the back door, I ran back to the entrance.
I flipped my axe over to the opposite side so my hand was gripped near the blade and I was ready to attack with the wooden handle. I couldn't kill him even if he intended to kill. I wasn't a murderer.
I ran over there as fast as I could, knowing he was too distracted trying to attack whoever was there, and got close enough to his swing with full force at his head with the axe handle and was able to hit him hard enough to knock him unconscious the minute I hit him. He collapsed on his side with a loud thump following as he landed.
"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to catch my breath as I stared at the man and women who stood in front of me. "Did he hit you too?" I added.
They both just nodded in response, most likely in shock from both the man and a random stranger saving them. "Thank you." The boy with the white hair spoke, a bit taller than me. The brown-haired girl next to him who was my height just nodded again in agreement with his words.
"Yeah," I breathed. "Anytime."
I put my axe back to its place on my right hip and stuck out my hand. "I'm Lilithana. What can I do ya for?"
First, the boy took my hand introducing himself as Harry and the girl followed introducing herself as Emily. "It's nice to meet you, besides the unfortunate circumstance." I chuckled.
I usually wouldn't go up to random strangers and introduce myself, I never did before the apocalypse started, but I guess being starved of social interactions for 3 months has got me excited that actual real people were standing in front of me that didn't moan or groan or try to take a massive bite out of me.
"I haven't seen you around here before," Harry spoke curiously. "Have you come around this area before?"
"No," I responded to the unusual question. "I camp out a bit away from here but there weren't any new supplies there anymore so I ventured out a bit. Do you come here often?" I said before closing my eyes in embarrassment. "Not meant as a pick-up line."
The two laughed slightly and smiled. "Yeah, we go around here a lot, me and some other friends of mine." He responded with a bright white smile.
"Oh," I faked a smile. "Friends."
Couldn't be me.
He seemed to see through me because his smile turned into concern. "Are you alone?"
"Yeah," I sighed. "I haven't talked to real people in quite a long time." I awkwardly admitted unsure of what their reactions would be. They both seemed to look guilty or bad for me. I didn't like them looking at me like that or feeling that way. I felt like I didn't deserve it. "It's okay," I smiled at them. "I'm kind of used to it. It's nothing incredibly new for me. You refueled the social interaction that I needed so I'll probably be good for another couple of months." I forced a laugh.
Harry went to open up his mouth as if to say something when another man entered the store. "Is everything okay?" A taller boy asked with brown hair and round glasses spoke. As soon as he finished the question he had seen my face and smiled. I just waved and muttered a small hi to him.
"Lawrence," Harry spoke up to the taller boy. "This is Lilithana. She saved us from that man who mistook us as zombies." He explained, pointing down to the unconscious man that was laying in the middle of us.
Lawrence made direct eye contact with me, honestly making me feel frozen and like he was staring deeply into my soul and giving me the feeling that I was not allowed to look away. He was like medusa, my ass turned to stone because I could not move. I awkwardly chuckled. Why did he scare me? He looked sweet as fuck. Oh wait, it's because he's hot, isn't it.
"Bonjour," I attempted to greet. French? Really? I took French for one quarter why do I suddenly think I'm fluent.
"Well," Lawrence looked away from me and then at the others. "we should get going, it's getting dark." He smiled at the two of them, but his smile lingered at Emily.
"What about Lilithana?" Emily asked him with concern.
"Oh, it's okay." I chuckled awkwardly. "I'll be fine," I added, a little disappointed with myself. This could be my chance to finally find people and I'm throwing it away because I'm afraid. It was easy to be confident and brave when nobody was looking but if I was with a group? I'd become a recluse again, wouldn't I?
"We can't just leave you out here alone." She spoke to me. "Is she able to at least stop by for the night? She said she ventured out here and the place she's staying at is a bit away. We can at least keep her safe for a night since she saved me and Harry." She turned back to Lawrence to propose the idea.
Lawrence's smile turned into a small frown. He looked at Emily for a while and then he finally sighed and gave in then put back on his warm smile. "She can come with us for the night."
...
The walk wasn't as long as it would have been if I would have gone back to my own camp. I was really greatful for that as it did get pretty dark by the time we arrived at where they stayed which was a school. It wasn't just the 3 of them either, when they had brought me outside for us to make their way back I was introduced to a taller man named Ethan. He didn't really speak to me but I didn't mind either. I was already too much of an awkward mess and I didn't feel like embarrassing myself any more.
I didn't speak much to the others on the walk there but Harry and Emily were very kind and tried to keep me comfortable as much as they could which I appreciated more than anything. Most people wouldn't have done that with me. I was usually ignored at school which I suppose I didn't mind since it was better than possibly making a fool of myself.
We had entered this school and made our way up some stairs. I felt more anxious each step we took. My heart was beating, I felt butterflies all over my body, I hadn't been in a school for a long time and I haven't been around a group of people for forever. I didn't know what to expect, I didn't know what to do. I was scared.
We finally stopped at a classroom that seemed to be the destination. Harry opened the door and held it open for us all, giving me a reassuring grin as I entered.
I took a deep breath expecting the worse.
"What took you guys so long-"
Then the voice took a complete halt. And I looked at him. And he looked at me. And we both froze.
"Eugene?"
