(Also, in which the author abandons the drabble format of Chapter 1)

Guess who's alive? (She says to her non-existent readers)

Well, if anyone *is* still reading, there's more to come for this, VSSE Miitopia and Temporal Fates, hopefully very soon.


The morning after settling into their new camp, Giorgio, Richard and Rachel begin to take stock of what needs to be done.

As expected, Richard easily slips into the role of leader, taking charge and dividing up the work amongst the three of them.

They begin by disposing of the remaining zombie corpses; while the destruction of Richard's car took care of most of the bodies, there are still a few that need to be cremated. After all, the last thing they want is for the smell of blood and rotting flesh to attract even more zombies to their base.

After that comes the next most important task: Putting together a list of the supplies they'll need to acquire for long–term survival (written on a few loose sheets of paper they'd scavenged from the guards' quarters, along with a pen that miraculously still had some ink).

It takes them nearly an hour of adding to and revising the list, with a good deal of squabbling involved, but eventually they cobble together a relatively comprehensive list of supplies.

Rachel skims it several times after they're done, fretting about the possibility of having forgotten something important. Eyeing the ridiculously long list they've made so far, Richard does his best to reassure her, noting that if they think of anything else they need, they can always make a note of it later on.


Shopping/Raiding List

Dried goods

Canned food

Can openers

Matches/lighters

Candles

Firewood/something to use as kindling

Pots for boiling water

Water supplies

Toolbox

Coffee (Crossed out)

Ammunition

Seeds for growing crops

Fertiliser

Shovels

Gardening tools

Knives

Batteries

Coffee (Crossed out more thoroughly)

Soap

Toilet paper

Bandages

First Aid Kit

Sanitary Pads (Crossed out neatly)

[– Disposal will be a problem afterwards, Rach. We're going to want to bury most of our garbage, which means non–biodegradable stuff like that isn't a good idea. ~ Richard]

Cloth/linen for creating makeshift reusable pads

[– I could probably tear strips out of the sheets lying around and sterilise them, but clean cloth would be safer. Not to mention, we can save the sheets and use them for other things instead. ~ Rachel]

Razors

Deodorant

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Sleeping bags

Coffee (Crossed out several times and scribbled over completely)

[– Giorgio, knock it off and be serious. This is supposed to be for essential supplies. ~ Richard]

[– Coffee IS an essential supply. ~ Giorgio]

[– Unless you're planning to chug coffee beans by the sack, we're not wasting our water supply on brewing coffee. ~ Richard]

[– I'd do it, trust me. ~ Giorgio]

[– This is a zombie apocalypse. You're not going to have the luxury of coffee anytime soon. Get used to going without it. ~ Richard]

[– If I die of caffeine withdrawal, I'll come back as a zombie and bite you. ~ Giorgio]


Naturally, the next problem arises almost as soon as the list is finalised.

"Are you crazy, Richard?! You're not going out scouting for supplies by yourself!" Rachel shouts, throwing her hands in the air.

"Look, I'm not thrilled about it either, but we have no choice," Richard retorts. "We need these supplies soon or else."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to go out scavenging for them by yourself! What if you run into trouble?" Sensing she's not getting through to Richard anytime soon, Rachel turns her attention to Giorgio instead. "Agent Bruno, back me up here."

"Uh…" Giorgio glances between Richard and Rachel, raising his hands defensively as he takes a small step back. "Leave me out of this, please."

Shooting a quick glare at Giorgio, Rachel turns back to her husband, hands on her hips. "If you're going out raiding for supplies, we're coming with you too."

"Definitely not," Richard immediately counters. "Don't get me wrong Rach; you've held your own remarkably well so far, but you're not a trained fighter. For the moment, it's too dangerous for you to go out zombie killing."

"Besides, if all three of us go scavenging together, we run the risk of having our camp overtaken by zombies again while we're away, and we'll be right back where we started."

"Fine, then at least take Agent Bruno with you," Rachel pleads. "Why do you always have to play the hero and go it alone?!"

"I'm not trying to 'play the hero', I'm just trying to keep us safe!" Richard snaps. "If Giorgio accompanies me on supply runs, what do you think will happen to you? This prison may be built like a fortress, but you're not going to be able to fight off a whole horde of zombies by yourself if they decide to attack."

"How is putting yourself in danger any better?!" Rachel shrieks, looking ready to bludgeon Richard with her new truncheon.

Wincing at the sheer volume and pitch of the rapidly worsening argument, Giorgio hurriedly interjects before Richard can shout back.

"Guys! Can we please calm down? This is getting us nowhere." Running a hand through his hair, Giorgio lets out a breath.

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing former VSSE agent Giorgio Bruno, now playing the role of post–apocalypse marriage counselor. Wonderful. What I wouldn't give for a cup of coffee right about now…

"Look, both of you have a point. Unless we all go scavenging together and risk the safety of our base every time, someone's going to be left on their own at some point no matter how we handle this."

"Unfortunately, like Agent Miller said, we have no other choice but to do this. However…" He raises a hand, forestalling Rachel's protest.

"This place has a radio tower, and I'm pretty sure the armoured trucks have built–in radios for communicating with the prison. If we can find a vehicle that works, Agent Miller will at least be able to keep in contact while he's hunting for supplies. It's not an ideal solution, but at least it's something."

"…I suppose that will have to do," Rachel reluctantly agrees, still looking displeased at the thought of Richard risking his life but knowing that both he and Giorgio have a point.

"But…" She turns her glare on Richard. "Make sure you're back before it gets dark, and DON'T go taking unnecessary risks. If you get yourself killed or zombified, I'll resurrect you just to kill you myself. Got that?"

"Sure thing, Rach." Richard lets out a sigh of relief.

"One more thing…" Giorgio fixes both of them with a glare, voice hardening. "If we're going to survive this, we have to work together. I'm not going to play therapist or mediator for the two of you the next time you get into a fight, understand?"

At this, both Rachel and Richard look somewhat sheepish.

"Sorry Agent Bruno, we shouldn't have put you in the middle like that," Rachel apologises. "And Richard… I'm sorry I shouted. I was worried, but I should have tried to understand where you were coming from."

His earlier anger forgotten, Richard pulls Rachel into a quick hug.

"Same here, Rach. You know I'm not… I don't do these things to show off, honestly. I just want you to be safe… But I'll do what I can to stay safe as well, I promise."

"Speaking of working together…" Richard turns his attention to Giorgio. "There's no need to address me so formally going forward. Just Richard is fine. Besides, we're not exactly agents anymore…"

Looking downcast at the reminder, Giorgio nonetheless nods. "Very well, Agent— I mean, Richard. You guys can just call me Giorgio then."

With a solid plan in place for the immediate future and an understanding between them, the trio begin their first day of trying to survive the new reality they've found themselves in.