Around midday, I begin to get thirsty. Knowing the soda isn't going to keep me hydrated, I pass on it, and instead stop to rest. Walking through the woods is harder than I anticipated. With the uneven terrain and thorns, I already had a few dozen more bruises and scratches. My pace was slowed even more, as every sound had me pausing to check for danger. I let my eyes slowly close, stretching my legs and massaging my sore heels.
My eyes snap open at the sound of a twig snapping. Whipping my head around, I search for the cause of the noise. To my left, closer than I would like, stumbles a large man. He is clearly not living. An ax protrudes from his right shoulder, and his ankle was turned one-hundred and eighty degrees, slowing his shuffle greatly. It is a huge and unsettling surprise that I hadn't heard him earlier. Slowly, I sit up, as to not alert him to my presence. He continues ambling past. Just as I begin to feel safe, a gust of wind hits my back, heading in his direction. Eyes widening, his neck snaps in my direction. He turns, quickening his pace. His nose sniffs, almost bloodhound like, searching for my scent. Turning to run, my foot catches on a branch, causing me to fall face first. Scrambling to get up, I feel the mans foot run into my leg. He quickly falls to his knees, reaching toward me, mouth agape and bloody. Cocking my leg back, I kick him hard in the jaw, hearing a sickening crunch. He falls backward, giving me enough time to turn and run in the opposite direction. About five minutes later, I slow my pace to a jog. My thirst has dramatically increased, and I feel weary. "Way out of shape." I mumble, grabbing a hold of my muffin top and continuing on.
I reach the next overpass one city over, and decide to head inland to check for water.
The first house I come upon is locked up tight, and I decide not to break in. Further down the road, I can see a party store and head that way. There's a wreck further along, and I can see a person pinned underneath one of the vehicles. Jogging over, I see they're not 'alive' and turn back to the party store. All the lights are shut off, but the front is lined with large windows, and the front doors are wide open. I glance inside, and don't see anyone.
Heading inside, I quickly search the isles for any sign of life. My search completed, I return to the wall housing the coolers. The power couldn't have been off for very long, because when I opened the door containing the water and juices, a blast of cold air hit me. Pausing, I enjoy what could be my last experience with anything resembling air conditioning. Deciding that I've wasted enough time, I pull my bag off my back. I open it quickly, loading it with water, protein bars, and some medicine. Turning to leave, I see a figure in the doorway. The smell of putrid flesh tells me to keep clear, and I throw a glass bottle across the room, hoping to distract it. Luckily, it works and the thing heads in the other direction. I hightail it the way I came, continuing on my way.