Javier peered through a pair of black binoculars, frowning. In the distance, moonlight outlined tall mountains, with lush, dark green grass across a field behind them. In the distance, a small fire burned, and a herd of muertos lumbered forward slowly, a chorus of groans being heard from where Javier stood behind his van. They trampled over the fire, putting the already dying flames out and leaving nothing but glowing embers.
"Dammit. I left my water bottle." He said, lowering the binoculars. "Herd just got there."
"Just under four hours. Come on, let's get moving." Kate said, going around to the passenger side of the van. Javier went around and got into his van, placing the binoculars on the dash quietly.
The seats were black, made with hard cushioning- however, over the years, the cushions had worn down and become limp. The steering wheel had worn down in the spot where Javier usually placed his hands, another telling factor of its age.
The van was light tan in color, with small headlights and brakelights. There were three rows of seats in the van, with the middle and front row seats divided into two. Mariana slept on her back in the back row, Gabriel slept upright in the middle row, his arms crossed and head lolling, and Kate and Javier sat in the front row seats.
"We need to find some gas soon." Kate said, a worried look on her face. She scribbled in her notepad, which contained paper wirh edges that were starting to turn yellow. "And more food, too."
"You're the boss." Javier said with a smile. "You're the one with the notes."
Kate snickered. "Really? I was just using this thing to draw." She said, flipping her notepad closed. "I'm gonna sneak a smoke." Kate said, pulling a tin can out of her back pocket. Javier giggled girlishly.
"I still can't believe you found weed."
"Are you kidding? People were probably growing this before they realized they needed food." Kate replied with a smirk.
"You want me to roll it? Last time you rolled a joint, it wasn't pretty."
"Hey, i've improved since last time." Kate shot back. "And besides, you're driving." She added, neatly rolling up the joint. She pulled a silver lighter out of her pocket, flicking the it open, and lit it.
Soon, the smell of smoke and weed began to fill the car. "You wanna smoke?" Kate asked, offering him the joint.
"Yeah, sure." Javier said, taking the joint and inhaling. He coughed when the smoke filled his lungs and he passed the weed back to Kate.
"We are setting an awesome example." He croaked.
"Don't judge me." Kate said. "When David told me he had kids, I told him I am not changing who I am around them. He told me not to worry about it, but I could tell he was worried about it." She said. "I love those kids, but Gabe's been so moody lately. It doesn't help that he keeps reminding me that i'm not his mother whenever he's upset... Sometimes I just want to leave him at the side of the road."
Javier turned his head, giving Kate a scowl.
"I'm kidding!" Kate said quickly. Javier huffed and turned his eyes back to the road.
Sure you are.
"Cut him some slack," Javier said. "I mean... The second you start getting boners, the world goes dark for him." Kate scoffed at that.
"That sounds delightful compared to dealing with bloody underwear." She shot back.
"Ugh. What's that smell?" Mariana's voice spoke up. Javier glanced over his shoulder, seeing her propped up on her elbows with a raised eyebrow.
"Uh, we are smoking weed." Javier said truthfully.
"Don't tell Gabe." Kate added, looking back at Mariana. Mariana sat up.
"I already know you two do drugs. He's the one who told me." Mariana said.
"Way to put it lightly..." Kate muttered. Gabriel's head stirred, and he looked up, frowning.
"Ugh... You're smoking in the car now?" He asked with disgust.
"Alright, everyone roll your windows down so you don't get a contact high." Javier said, rolling his own window down. Soon, cold air circulated into the van, carrying the scent of fall with it. Cold, crisp air filled Javier's lungs, and he couldn't help but to relish in it a bit. Hr closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply, and released it.
"You smell that? That's the smell of fall." Javier said with a smile. Kate quirked an eyebrow at him, smirking a bit, while Mariana smiled and copied Javier. Gabriel rolled his eyes and looked outside.
"Look," Kate said, nodding to something to their right. Javier followed her gaze and saw what appeared to be a junkyard.
"Huh. Think we'll find anything?" Javier asked.
"Maybe. People leave all kinds of shit in strange places these days." Kate said. Javier nodded and eased off the gas, slowly pulling into the junkyard. There was a single muerto standing in the middle of the path, shaking and groaning. It seemed unsteady, as if it would fall over with a single nudge.
"Stay back," Javier warned. He grabbed a crowbar off the dashboard and opened his door, approaching the muerto. It reached for him with bony fingers, snarling and revealing rotting teeth. Javier swung the crowbar at it, hitting its head. It fell, a notoceable dent in its head now.
"Alright, everybody out." Javier commanded, turning to the van. the doors opened, and Kate and Gabe stepped out.
"Keep your eyes peeled for anything useful." Kate said. "Food, water, gas..."
Javier nodded and turned to the van. Mariana was praying. Javier smiled at his niece. "You praying for our safety?" He asked. Mariana looked up at him, smiling.
"I'm praying I find a candy bar." She said. Kate crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Shouldn't we be worried about more important things?" She asked.
"You heard the crowd," Javier said with a grin. "Please, god let there be candy bars!"
Kate smiled and rolled her eyes. "Hey, where are you going?" She asked Gabriel, who'd begun walking away. In response, he glared at Kate before continuing on his way. "Have fun..." Kate said. She rolled her eyes and walked away, grumbling under her breath.
"They're always fighting. I hate it." Mariana said with a frown. Javier sighed, looking down at Mariana.
"Things have been hard lately. We just need to find other people. And Mariana," Javier added as she started to walk away. "If you run into trouble, you find one of these cars and hide and you don't come out until me or Kate comes to get you. You understand?"
Mariana nodded once in understanding, a serious look on her face, and turned, walking away. Javier went into the van, collecting their siphoning pump, as well as a can for gas.
Javier scanned the junkyard, his eyes narrowed. Gave was sitting atop a rusting storage unit covering chipped blue paint; Mariana was inside of what looked like a phone booth; Kate was inspecting some dirty old mattresses.
To the left of the phone booth was a rusting car without windows and wheels.
It's worth a try.
Javier turned, treading over to the car, and pried open the gas door on the car with his crowbar. He carefully slid a hose into the tank and his can, and then began pumping.
There was some gas that came out, but not a lot. Javier frowned and sighed, pocketing the pump and picking the can up. Further into the junkyard, there was a wall of rusted metal, and at the front was another rusted car. Javier glanced at Mariana and headed over to his niece.
"I need a pen. Or a crayon. Something I can write with." She said, standing up before Javier could even say anything. "I- I know i'm supposed to be looking for supplies, but I just remembered a story my mother used to tell me." She said. "I want to write it down... Because i'm afraid that if I forget, i'll forget myself, too."
Javier smiled warmly at her. "Kate has a pencil, if you need it," He said. Mariana smiled at him.
"Alright, thank you Javi!" She said, quickly slipping by Javier and heading over to Kate. Javier watched her go, shaking his head a little, and headed further into the junkyard. He approached the storage unit that Gabriel sat on, peering up at his nephew.
"You alright, buddy?" Javier asked. Gabriel looked away, a sad look on his face.
"I'm... In a bad mood, okay? I want it to go away, but it won't. I'm just... Sick of that damn car. I wanna meet other people." He said. Javier sighed.
"I know, bud." He said. "I'm here if you need me, alright?"
In response, Gabriel looked away, frowning. Javier turned away, approached a car that was in even worse condition than the last.
Not much luck there.
A few feet away to the left was a white car that was in pristine condition compared to the rest of the contents in the junkyard. However, based on the way it was parked, and the accumulation of rusted materials around it, it became clear that, like many other cars, this one hadn't been used in quite some time.
Javier pried open the gas door with his crowbar and began siphoning gas. To his astonishment, there was a considerable amount flowing from the car to his gas can. Javier smirked victoriously and stepped back, admiring the white car.
Taking a closer look at it, it appeared to be a large white van of some sort with a blue stripe on the side.
Most likely used for business at one point. Not much of that happening anymore, though.
"Nice job," Kate praised, walking over. Gabriel hopped down from the storage unit, going further into the junkyard. The dirt path became more narrow, but that didn't stop him.
"Gabe, wait," Javier called out to him. Gabriel paused and looked at Javier.
"You and Mari stay here," Javier said to Kate. "Gabe and I will see if we can find anything ahead."
Kate frowned at that, but didn't protest.
"Be careful." She said as Javier turned, following Gabriel into the junkyard.