I am very very very very very sorry guys. I know I promised to put up a couple of chapters the last fortnight but I fell really sick and was stuck in bed for the entire time. I still am sick but not as badly so hopefully it won't take me as long to get the next one up. Anyway enough apologies! This chapter, you may notice, is nearing the end and although I cannot tell you exactly how many more chapters there will be but it won't be a lot! So y'know, enjoy it while it lasts guys. Also sorry this chapter isn't too long
"Well" Feliciano grimaced "It's better than nothing". The it he was referring to was the first vehicle they'd come across; It was a small beaten up Ute and one of them would have to ride in the back but they had no idea when they would find an alternative so they piled in anyway. Lili volunteered to sit in the back because as the best shot she would be the most help there if they got into trouble. They were hoping to finish the drive that day, it was unlikely but the car had an almost full tank of gas so they could at least try. It didn't take too long to reach the highway which was littered with cars but none seemed to be in better condition than the Ute so they didn't bother with them.
The further they travelled the more anticipation built up, to levels that matched when they were nearing Berlin; Feliciano prayed silently that it would not end the same way. The drive was uneventful, even more so the closer they got though they didn't know if it was a good sign. The plan was to not stop but when they passed by an empty-looking mall strip they changed their minds. Feliciano and Lovino searched the chemist while Lili checked the grocery store. At first the store looked bare but they managed to find what they needed: a packet of bandages under the counter, two half-spilled bottles of aspirin behind the tissues, an unopened tube of toothpaste and best of all...soap. The aisles were sprinkled with blood and rotting corpses but since none were moving it was strangely easy to ignore.
For the first time in a long time their luck seemed to be looking up and they decided to eat lunch for once, in the strip mall. Peanut butter on crackers, it wasn't exactly fresh or nutritious but it wasn't canned and the group hadn't tasted either in a long time. After eating and changing Lovino's bandages the returned to the car, this time with Feliciano riding out the back; he loved to drive but it was so much fun to feel the wind around him.
Almost six hours later they found themselves on their final lap towards the airport, the highway had melded around the suburbia's and they hadn't seen anything dead move for a while. The roads were clean, so clean that it could have been mistaken for an ordinary non-apocalyptic day, that is if blinding, flashing lights didn't appear from around a corner. It was so surprising that Feliciano swerved and almost drove into a streetlight but he slammed the brakes on just in time. The truck, which loomed like a behemoth behind the light drove closer and a sudden voice barked at them to exit their vehicle.
Feliciano was much more exposed sitting out the back so he complied immediately but it took longer for Lili and Lovino to join him. "Are any of you infected?" the voice boomed. All three quickly shook their heads though they couldn't actually see who it was they were talking to. "Okay but if any of you show symptoms you will all be shot on spot. Please return to your vehicle and follow us."
The lights dimmed and their eyes adjusted as they, somewhat warily, climbed back into the Ute and tailed the truck. They were led from the suburbia out into a more industrial area and closer towards the airport however they were stopped before they reached it. It was an old back road beside a golf course, or at least what was once a golf course. The grass was still a rich green but the fields were now covered in barbed wire, trenches, large tents, metal cages and a variety of other menacing structures. Unfortunately they were led into the field and down to the tents, where they were once again called out of their Ute. A lady, dressed in police riot gear approached them and shepherded them into one of the nearby sheds "strip your clothing please."
"What?" Lili asked, visibly confronted by the question.
"Just do as we say."
"You can't just drag people off the streets, into a compound and tell them to take of their clothes without any explanation." Lovino retorted angrily.
"I assume you know where you are or at least where you were heading so you can do as we say or we can shoot you right now; it makes no difference to us either way."
After exchanging distressed glances they hesitantly and begrudgingly began to strip down from their clothes. If taking them off was uncomfortable, standing naked in a room full of unknown faces was torture. Feliciano squirmed awkwardly as the woman examined them all head to toe. Sequentially she gestured to a group who ran behind the trio but he didn't dare look. One two three and…Whoosh. Heavy water pelted their backs suddenly and Lili let out a squeal in surprise. They struggled out of the relentless stream but it followed them as they moved.
"The soap is on the small tables beside you, wash up quickly" The ladies voice spoke from somewhere and he heard footsteps leaving but the water did not stop.
Accepting the situation faster than the others he began to scrub ruthlessly at his body, which desperately needed the clean. Eventually, after Lovi and Lili had stopped playing tag with the hose and they had all finished they were led to another room where they were handed clean clothing. It was all a bit too baggy, a bit too tight or a bit to itchy but they hadn't worn properly cleaned clothes in a long time so they were grateful. Unfortunately though, they were moved again and Feliciano came to the conclusion that it would not end soon.
Finally, once they had been sufficiently scrutinized, examined, exposed, worn out and tested, they were taken away from the buildings to a small group of people who were in the same situation as them. They were told to wait and left there for several minutes before the people returned led by a figure covered completely. They began to move through the group studying everyone closely before stopping at Lili, staring intently at her face before looking at the two brothers. "These three, the rest are okay" they stated, turning to a small shed off the side and gesturing for the trio to follow. With all the armed guards around that compound they had no choice but to gingerly submit.