Thanks for all the reviews as usual they put a smile on my face. Just want to say I don't normally update like this it's just this story is kinda in my head and if I don't get at least this next part out there I will totally forget and just stop for weeks. So hope you don't get fed up with it.
Alice climbed into the cab of the tanker taking the passenger seat in silence not giving Carlos a second glance. Looking round Carlos acknowledged the brunette with a slight nod but she didn't react seeming to be ignoring him. This was fine with him as he would rather the silent treatment than a verbal bashing or worse a physical bashing from the woman. Waiting patiently he watched the hummer until it began to move when it past the front of the truck he slipped it into gear and pulled out after it other vehicles behind them following suit. Picking up the radio Carlos broke the silence in the cab.
"OK lets get this show on the road people," Carlos said before silence fell over them once again.
"I'm going to sleep wake me in an hour or two and we can switch," Alice said Carlos glancing round at her with a smile happy she didn't sound angry then again Alice never really sounded how she felt.
"Right you are. And Alice I am sorry for…" He drifted off not wanting to mention it again.
"Don't mention it. It was just a misunderstanding," Alice said her eyes already shut and head tipped back onto the head rest. Carlos thought it looked rather uncomfortable but Alice quickly drifted to sleep and he knew that this would have been the first time she had slept since the hour she got travelling the day before. Feeling that she needed the sleep more than him Carlos didn't bother waking her up leaving her too sleep through the day until they arrived at there destination. Even then it wasn't him that woke her but Claire's voice coming through the radio that jerked her awake.
"Right here's what we're going to do. I want everyone to stay in the vehicles until it's been checked out make sure your weapons aren't far just in case. Alice, Carlos your with me," With that the radio went silent and looking out the window Alice could see Claire climbing out the hummer.
"Duty calls," Alice yawned wiping the last remnants of sleep form her eyes as she and Carlos both excited the truck heading to where Claire was stood with K-mart.
"Look once we've checked the place out then we'll come get you I don't want to be worrying about you if there in there," Claire told the young blonde.
"So instead am left out here to worry about you?" She countered.
"You don't ha-" Claire was cut off mid sentence.
"I'll take care of her don't worry, lets go," Alice said knowing it was best that K-mart stay here she didn't want to be worrying about the blonde and the redhead while they gave the motel a once over.
Clear that she wasn't going to win K-mart huffed getting back in the hummer not looking very happy at being left behind. Claire quickly took the lead much to Alice's annoyance as she watched the redhead closely as she entered the motel. Following her in Alice done a quick scan of the room taking in all the door that led off from the room and pulling a pistol out which she held securely in her hands just in case. She saw Claire doing the same and heard Carlos entering behind her. Looking round she saw Carlos point to the door furthest from them and giving him a nod she watched as he passed her and disappeared into the depths of the building. Looking round she saw Claire heading for another door. Watching closely at how the redhead moved cautiously towards the door she could help but laugh as she watched Claire jump back when she opened the door. A mop had fallen out the storage cupboard she had opened and Alice found it hilarious.
"Oh shut up it could have been a zombie," Claire huffed glaring at Alice.
"An extremely skinny, stick like zombie," Alice nodded still smirking humour glimmering in her eyes and Claire couldn't deny she liked it.
"Come on Carlos will have looked through the whole place before we even get through the reception," Claire mumbled aiming for the door beside the cupboard.
Alice followed her through the door and they began making there way up the corridor that it took them out in to. Claire took the nearest room which was on the right and Alice continued till the next which was on the left. They continued to the end of the corridor like this 5 rooms on each side and everyone was empty. With no sign of being disturbed by any undead. Though Alice found this strange she was glad that they didn't have to put up with the stench of rotting flesh.
"Wonder if Carlos found anything," Claire commented as they made there way back to the end of the corridor.
"Hope not it's nice to stop somewhere with no zombies trying to eat you," Alice commented dryly as they got back to the reception where Carlos was already waiting on them.
"Anything?" He asked as they shook there heads "Me neither, well that was easy lets get the others." He said making his way outside.
Alice went to follow but she was stopped by the light touch of Claire's hand on her wrist. Turning she moved her hand out of Claire's reach by folding her arms because she knew if Claire was touching her she couldn't be trusted to say the right thing.
"Shall we talk?" She asked though Alice knew she didn't really have a choice in the matter and that the convoy leader was just trying to be polite.
"I suppose but it's really not that interesting you've head it all before," Alice said as she hopped up onto the reception desk Claire mirroring her actions only she lifted her knees up resting her chin on top as she wrapped her arms round her legs.
"Once more can't hurt then can it," Claire replied just as people started entering the motel mostly ignoring the pair sitting on the desk apart from K-mart who gave them a wave as she passed by before disappearing into one of the corridors to the rooms.
"She really is something isn't she?" Alice commented eyes following the blonde as she lifted her legs to cross them in front of her.
"Yeah and she's a pretty good driver but don't tell her that," Claire smiled.
"I wonder where she gets that cause it wasn't from you unlike everything else like the stubbornness."
"Hoy am a great driver," Claire said "And stop trying to change the subject we're talking about you here."
"It was worth a try," Alice shrugged before starting her excuse "I just remembered the danger that follows me around like the plague so just being with the convoy puts them in danger from not only the undead but umbrella."
"And what brought on this sudden memory?" Claire asked.
"What makes you think something did?" Alice countered not particularly wanting to delve any further into the matter.
"Cause I convinced not long before the sudden packing frenzy that the danger was minimal compared to the danger of being ambushed by zombies without you there."
"I saw sense I still don't think I should be here if it were up to me I would leave," Alice said coldly picking up on the hurt that flashed across her face for a split second.
"Don't lie to me Alice it doesn't suit you," Claire said in a quiet voice.
"I saw you kissing Carlos," She blurted out before she could stop herself Claire was about to speak but Alice kept going "I saw you kiss and realised that you didn't need me, none of you need me or the destruction I cause."
"It's not your fault Alice none of it is," Claire told her reaching out placing a comforting hand on her knee which she just moved away from.
"No that's my point Claire it is ALL my fault every last zombie, every last death it was me that could have stopped it," Alice ranted while Claire sat shaking her head at every word hating how she blamed herself.
"But I need you Alice I can't do this without you not anymore if I let you leave K-mart would kill me," Claire tried to lighten there conversation but her attempt was ruined when as if on cue to the word kill a scream came from somewhere in the motel.
"CLAIRE!" Hearing her name being shouted as she jumped from the desk only made her run faster as she registered who the voice belonged to. Alice was right on her heels as they both burst through the door the scream had came from guns drawn to see the blonde standing with her back to them staring into the bathroom. Claire ran up spinning her round to make sure she wasn't hurt then turned her attention to the room the girl had been focusing on looking for the source of her distress but just saw am empty bathroom.
"K-mart what's wrong?" Alice asked the girl as she placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Alice it's amazing," The blonde replied pointing to the bathroom confusing both of the women in the room all the more. "The shower works with real hot water, like running, clean, maybe not fresh, hot water."
"That's it?" Claire sighed lowering her gun for the first time and slipping it back where it rested at her side.
"Of course that's it, it's a bloody miracle," K-mart uttered sounding shocked at the discovery she had made.
Claire took two short steps towards the girl surprising her ad Alice as she flung her arms round her pulling her into a tight hug which she returned without hesitation. Alice couldn't help feel she was intruding on a private moment but loved watching the pair interact seeing the clear feelings between the two. Claire showing the relief from the fact K-mart was safe and the girl just smiling into the hug she was getting.
"It's just water Claire," K-mart said.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again, you hear me?" Claire said pulling out of the hug and looking her directly in the eye.
"Sorry I was just excited," K-mart said feeling guilty dipping her head slightly but Claire just smiled at her.
"Almost gave us a heart attack kiddo and it's just water," Alice winked ruffling K-marts hair laughing a the blonde tried to bat her hand away.
2 hours later…
Half the convoy had showered by this point and the other half were showering leaving the whole camp feeling happier than they had in a few weeks at least loving the feeling of being clean. Alice, Claire and K-mart had long since had there showers and were now spread out K-mart handing out the food with Carlos, Claire was setting up a perimeter round the motel and trucks and Alice was sitting cleaning her guns. Though she knew they wouldn't need it having done it the night before it set her mind at ease to have them checked over when they stopped. Also it was giving her something to focus on other than the splitting headache that had suddenly started about half an hour earlier and only seemed to be getting worse. She only packed them away when Claire drew up on the quad having completed her circle of the area.
"How's it looking?" Alice asked watching the red head who turned so she was facing the brunette still on the quad.
"Alls quiet for now," Claire replied before continuing "So can we finish our conversation from earlier?" She asked awkwardly.
"I was pretty much done." Alice answered.
"We need to talk about Alice keeping stuff like that to yourself can drive you insane," Claire stated seriously.
"Look I just don't feel like it the now I have a headache I promise we'll talk once it's gone," Alice said and Claire would have doubted her if she didn't see the flash of pain in her eyes.
"Maybe you should eat something, come on we'll go get something," Claire said gesturing Alice on to the quad as she started the engine.
Alice gave her a small smile and stood the pain in her head increasing dramatically with the movement and before she knew what was happening everything went black. Claire jumped from the quad when she saw Alice begin to fall and only just reached to catch her before she hit the ground.
"Alice, Alice wake up."
Ok let me know what you think.