Chapter 3
Three days later, we had a pretty good routine. We'd wake up, eat some sort of breakfast, then I would go out to a cabin or two and look for supplies. When I got back I'd spend time with Penny working on letters and counting. In one of the cabins there was a dusty algebra book, so Jackson would do problems out of that or play with Anneliese.
I was starting to get worried though, there was only one cabin left for me to check and there had been an increase in biters over the past day. I'm not sure what we are going to do if - when - we run out of food. We have no car and limited supplies as is.
My thoughts are interrupted by Jackson knocking on the bathroom door. "Are you done yet Gen? I need to pee." He calls "Yes, yes I'm done" I say pulling the door open and stepping out of the bathroom. "Thank god" he says rushing in and shutting the door firmly.
"Whatcha coloring Miss. Penny" I ask taking a seat behind her on the couch. "A kitty" "Hm yes that's uh a very bright kitty" I say admiring the pink and purple colored cat. "Her name Lilly" "That's a very pretty name" she nods before turning her attention back to coloring, so I turn to the tiniest lady in the room, Anneliese.
She's lying awake in her mosses basket, waving her hands around and gurgling softly. "Hello baby girl" I say softly offering her my finger, before picking her up. Once settled in my arms she sighs before beginning to cry. "Right on time as always Anneliese" I say while shaking a premade bottle.
Once Anneliese is settled and feeding, I try to get Penny to do numbers with me "Come on Pen just count with me" "I don't wanna Genny" she whines "please" I whine back "No I wanna color" she huffs before moving to the other side of the coffee table causing me to roll my eyes, 3 years old with the attitude of a 13-year-old.
Jackson joins us just as I finish feeding Anneliese. "Did you take a shower while you were in there?" I ask "Yea" I nod at his response "How about you get that algebra book and try a few problems" "But Gen- ""Nope if we have to leave we won't be bringing it with us so we might as fill your brain as much as we can right now" I say causing him to huff but get the book. He settles opposite of Penny and begins working. Every now and again he'll ask me a question but other than that he's able to do most of the work himself.
After about half an hour, I change Anneliese's diaper then lay her back down in her mosses basket. "Are you going out today Gen?" Jackson asks, "Yes I think so, it about half an hour" I respond, and he nods in affirmation.
A little over a half hour later he's shutting the bedroom door behind me and securing a chair under the door. And for what will probably be the last time I head out of the cabin.
It's a short 5-minute walk to the remaining cabin. I cautiously push open the door and prepare my knife to stab anything. This living room is empty like all the others but before I get too happy I check the 2 bedrooms and the bathroom and upon all being empty I return to the main room to look for supplies. To my surprise there's a whole case of bottle water. Along with 3 cans of fruit and a coloring book and crayons. I stuff the fruit and coloring supplies in my bag before hefting the case of water onto my shoulder and once again readying my knife to stab anything.
The walk back takes a little longer with the added weight of the water bottles but within 15 minutes I'm entering our cabin and setting the water bottles on the floor before letting Jackson know I'm back.
That night after Jackson and Penny have gone to bed and I've laid a sleeping Anneliese down in her mosses basket, I go through everything we have. We have enough water to last a week, and enough food to last 5 to 6 days if we rationed it right. There's 4.5 cans of formula left which will last us a little more than a week. And there's enough diapers to last a week. Looking at the supplies we have left, we'll have to leave within 3 or 4 days.
Deciding since I was already up and would need to feed Anneliese in another hour anyway, I start to look over and study the map. The highway is just over 6 miles away and anything else is more than 10 miles away.
By the time Anneliese is awake and being fed again I had worked out a plan.
2 days later I start explaining my plan to Jackson. "In 2 days we'll have to leave the cabin and start walking" "Walking where" he asks, "I don't know, I don't want to be on the highway there's a lot of biters there, so I think well just stick to the woods but maybe walk along the" I say unsurely.
"So, were just going to be walking?" he asks, "Essentially yes, we can't walk much distance with Penny" I try to explain but he just sighs "Why can't we just stay here?" he asks and suddenly I'm reminded that Jackson is only 11 years old.
"Because we're going to run out of food and there's none left in the cabins around here Jack. And I can't just leave you guys and walk 10 miles north of here to get food" "but we're safe here" he mumbles "Oh jack, honey we're safe for right now but tomorrow we might not be" I say pulling him into a hug. "We'll be ok right Gen?" he whispers "Yes. I will always do my best to keep you safe" I whisper back.