"Resilience is a key factor in survival. Like in a boxing match, you're bound to take hits. Being able to take those hits and send them back twice as hard will keep you in the fight."

The winter had crept up fast and unseen. It hit the state hard and the temperature dropped greatly. Fresh snow always coated the ground, and blizzards could pop up at any given time. It had been about four or five weeks since I'd met Jason and Ashley. They'd changed more than I'd expected, with Jason learning the ropes of survival like his life depended on it. Exactly, because his life did depend on it….

Ashley on the other hand was taking more time to come around. The entire first week after Jason gunned down the old man; she went without talking much to either of us. I felt odd, but I couldn't blame her. I think time and time again, that a girl as beautiful as her should not be exposed to the raw nature of this place. I figured, however, that eventually everybody will learn to get used to it.

The snow shined bright throughout the day and night hours. The moonlight reflected the white blanket and illuminated our path. The snow was about 3 inches thick, and our boots would occasionally get stuck. We were surrounded by a forest of dead trees, and the path cut through it about 12 feet wide. We didn't know where it led, and as a traveler, you usually don't. A downed tree was lying suspended across our trail.

I stopped walking and Ashley bumped into me with her head down.

"Sorry," she whispered, her breath turning to mist in front of her. Her eyes were even more beautiful in the night; they seemed so dark, but full. She had her hands tucked under her arms and a snow cap pulled down to her eyebrows. She was lucky enough to scavenge a pair of snow-pants one size too small and a winter jacket with a fur-rimmed hood from an abandoned house a few days back.

I brushed some snow off her cap and grinned, "That's okay."

Jason walked up to me and rested his rifle in his arms. "Well? I think we need to find a place to settle down…" he let out a long breath. He was wearing a flannel jacket and hat as well, with a thin pair of gloves and jeans. While he didn't have any snow-pants, he had thermal under-liners.

I nodded and checked the surrounding forest. "Yeah, but I don't see any shelter anywhere." The wind blew, and a snowflake landed on my wrist, melting into a stinging liquid. I noticed I was way too underdressed. I had no gloves, a long sleeved thermal shirt, and jeans. Ashley kept offering me her gloves, but I always refused.

Jason squinted past me. "Is that a light?"

I turned and peered over the fallen log and down the path. Through the snowflakes I noticed a glinting yellow light.

"Raiders?" he asked.

I shook my head, "No, they're like birds, most of them migrate to the warmer areas. More populated."

I lifted my leg up over the tree and slid across to the other side. I turned back and Jason handed me his rifle as he helped Ashley get over next. A stick cracked behind me and I wheeled around. A deer was crossing the path in front of us, picking at the ground.

It was a doe from the looks of it, for it had no antlers or buttons. It was about 20 yards away and had no idea we were there. I slowly raised the rifle and set sights right below its shoulder. I was about to squeeze the trigger, but my survival instincts came to play. If I take this shot, whoever is the owner of that light on the hill will surely hear it. Food beats the element of surprise I suppose, and I began to gently squeeze off the shot. My heart was beating heavily in my chest. The rifle cracked the air, and echoed off into the darkness. The smoke cleared and revealed the deer, lying on its side in the snow. Its legs were twitching, but it only made little movement.

I looked to the hill, and the light showed no change. I turned back to Jason and Ashley who both had open smiles. I couldn't help but to smile along with them. Ashley hadn't moved since the deer walked out, and she slipped onto her feet and waited for Jason to cross. I handed the rifle back to him and walked over to my kill. I unsheathed my knife and immediately went to work cutting the belly open, cautious to not poke through the stomach lining.

Steam rolled to the sky once it was open, and I pushed my hands deep inside. The warmth made me shiver and shift around.

"Come on, it's so warm inside," I laughed. Jason knelt down still smiling, and plunged his hands in. He sighed in relief.

Ashley kneeled beside us, and slowly removed her gloves.

I looked at her, "Don't worry, it didn't feel anything. I got her in the heart," I pointed to the hole. "She was out cold on impact."

Not exactly true, but I knew it would make it less of a burden to her.

Ashley put a ginger hand up under the stomach, disgusted at first, but then happy. "Wow…" she said.

For a few minutes, we just sat there, letting the warmth refill our bodies. Eventually, it began to get colder, and I proceeded to field dress the animal and slung it around my shoulders. It wasn't that big, but it could feed us for a week easily.

We continued following the pathway towards the light. It grew as we neared, and slowly took the form of a window.

I turned my head back, face to face with the deer's chest, "That has to be a candle, I mean, there can't be electricity out here, right?"

Jason shook his head, "If they used to have electricity, they could now. If we follow the power lines, we'd eventually come across a town."

He impressed me in a way. He caught on fast, and seemed that he had already decided to accept his new lifestyle.

The house began coming into view now. It must've been blending in with the snow too well to see. It was painted a bright white shade around the outside, and the house was definitely well lit. That meant somebody had to be inside.

We clung close to the edge, just the same way we always did. I settled the deer corpse down on the side of the porch, and we crouch-walked towards a window along the side of the house. I peeked into the window and looked around. The inside walls were a beige color, matching the carpet, and a staircase came down the back wall. A sofa and some leather chairs sat on that same wall, facing a television on the front wall. A man wearing a clean, white shirt walked out of a bathroom, and turned right into another room with hardwood flooring. I was guessing that was the kitchen.

I crouched back down beside Ashley and Jason. Ashley had her chin tucked into her jacket. Her red nose had a little shine in the moonlight. The fur along her hood danced in the wind.

I leaned close to her, "Just a bit longer," I turned to Jason. "One guy inside, and the place looks nice. With electricity running, they must have heat."

Jason nodded and chambered a round in his rifle. I shook my head.

"I don't know Jason, maybe we shouldn't attack. There could be more," I said before turning back to the window. I peered back in, and almost immediately snapped my head back down. The man was now sitting with a woman and a child on the sofa. A movie was playing on the television before them.

I turned back, "It's a family, a dad, mom, and kid. They're watching a movie or something." I thought for a moment with my back to the house. "I say we knock on the door."

Jason tilted his head, "Really? We never just knock on the door I thought…"

I shifted lower and motioned with my hand to move closer towards the porch. "Yeah, but families tend to try and maintain their hospitality. They don't know what the outside world really is yet. They want their kids to be normal, and not bloodthirsty."

We crept slowly onto the porch. It had a large oriental rug stretched across it, and a swing on the right side.

"Alright, Ashley, you talk." I said.

She turned with worry in her eyes, "Me? Why me?"

I put my hand on her shoulder as we neared the white door. "Because, a woman like you is hard to turn down."

Jason poked my ribs with his elbow. I gave Ashley a light push forward to the door.

"Stash the guns…" I said to Jason.

He opened his mouth wide. "Are you fucking with me?"

"Oh, you're right. They probably love armed robbers," I replied.

Jason shook his head and put his rifle up underneath the swing. I removed a machete from my belt and he took out his knife. He handed it to me, but I pushed it back to him.

After I stashed the machete I said, "No, keep that hidden, I got the .357 just in case. You keep that."

He nodded and stuffed it back into its sheath.

I turned back to Ashley and nodded. She stood up, shook herself off, and gently tapped on the door. A few moments passed, and the night wind howled in the distance.

Then the door swung open, and light blinded our eyes.

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 7 coming soon!

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- Legkicker