- Chapter 2 -

Something about first encounters seemed to stick with me. Particularly the one with David, I kept thinking about it.

No, not in any sappy romantic way, he could've been anyone really. The fact that he was really the only person I had a conversation with since I left Michigan, that's what hit me.

I was always wary of most people at that time, and I just assumed most people were.

The fact that the people were trying to stick together at that place stuck with me, and hearing different people's points of views with things also interested me.

There was a news board in the heart of the city, where people often stuck up news they knew, passers from other states told what was happening there, and places to avoid because of spores and infected.

I found myself there, observing the maps, the news, reading up and figuring out what I should do for my trip. Some states in the south seemed to have a good amount of resources, but it seemed like there were more reports of infected zones in the south.

Maybe David had been right? I never really found out actually, whether or not spores survived better in the warmth or not. I just assumed.

"I think I'll stick around the middle somewhere." His voice would say from behind me, which made me jump. I turned around to see David there, looking up at the board with consideration. He only looked at me when I turned around, and smiled a bit.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He apologized, shaking his head.

"Just saw a familiar face and was passing by, is all." He added in.

I just smiled and shook my head. "It's completely fine. It's good to see a familiar face too." I replied with a smile. "Shouldn't you be at your post?"

"Of course, I was just heading there now, but we're sort a man so I was trying to see if I could find someone else to take over his spot on the line." He replied.

I didn't know if he was saying it as if he was telling me, or if he was hinting that he wanted me to help out. Either way, I decided it was my place to help out.

"Well I probably won't be leaving until sometime tomorrow. I can help out, if you'd like?" I would offer him, and he would smile back at me.

"You don't have to do that, but to be completely honest, I'm having a hard time finding someone. I wouldn't mind you coming along."

And that's that. I came along with him, worked in a line next to his. He showed me what to pack in each bag, and even showed me the best place to put some things.

We worked for hours out there, chatting to each other about things. I learned he was born in Indiana, and that he grew up with his parents and older brother.

Unfortunately, he was the only one of those four who had made it even that far in the game, it seemed like they were gone.

By the time we finished our jobs, we decided to share a nice bottle of alcohol. I can't recall what it was, whether it were rum, scotch, vodka... Either way, I drank too much to remember.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do." He would mumble to me in his own drunken state sometime that night.

"Things are getting rough a lot faster than we imagined. These lines, we thought they would last for another few months at least, but supplies aren't coming in as much, we're running low, and I'm gonna be out of a job."

David looked sincerely distraught. You see, he was attached to his home, not wanting to leave no matter wha. It was his home, those were his people, and he wanted to stay for as long as possible.

"David. It's not gonna be safe here soon. You need to get out of here as soon as possible, really. Maybe even before the lines run out, get yourself a head start." I replied, taking another long swig of the drink.

He shook his head at me. "I don't got anywhere to go. As far as I know, this place is safe. It's safe because I know it,

I know the area, I know what's happening, I know what to expect. Wondering into new territory, you don't know who, or what you'll find out there. I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet."

So he was afraid. It was completely understandable, I didn't blame him. I was scared too. But I also knew staying in one place, especially like this, wouldn't do him any good.

"So what? You can't stay here forever, something will drive you out eventually. People, clickers, no supplies... It's best you get out while you can, drive away, cross borders, try to find a decent place to stay for awhile. This isn't it."

"I know I know, it's just a generally difficult choice I suppose." He took a swig of his drink as well.

"How about we just go? Me and you, tomorrow, we drive off and try to make it?" I suggested.

Now obviously that might've not been the best choice. I hardly knew him, even if we had been talking all day, getting to know each other. In my mind at that moment though, I had a few different thoughts.

• I would probably die alone, especially if I ran into big groups of people, or clickers.

• Even if he wasn't trustworthy and would end up killing me later on, it didn't really matter to me at that point because without him I would die soon anyways.

Besides, he seemed decent enough to me, and was the only person I actually knew enough to talk to. If I went off, who knew if I'd have the opportunity to make a new ally. And I suppose the same went for him, he seemed to be pretty aimless with his plans.

"That'll never work. What, go south? I don't know..." He seemed reluctant.

"Come on, it'll be fun! Even if we go down, at least we go down while exploring and fighting. We can go around, south first. If it doesn't work out, we'll go somewhere else. If we stay here, I can promise we will die soon." I was persistent, a smile played on my lips as my lazy eyes watched him carefully.

He remained silent for awhile, as if thinking it over. I knew it had been a hard choice leaving my home, but I also knew it had been a good choice. North was the last to get his with infection, and the army was making their way up to kill off anyone they seemed infected. I wasn't about to stick around for a massacre.

I wondered if that thought passed his mind too, because right after that came to my mind, he looked up and nodded at me. "Alright, I'll take your offer. Lets go south, and see what we can find."

We smiled at each other warmly, both of us looking rather tired and out of it. This was most likely because there was now an empty bottle on the ground.

The rest of that night we didn't speak, we stayed away on the ground and looked at the sky. Sometimes I wonder what he was thinking about, maybe how his life would change after tomorrow, what he would do with his life,

Or perhaps the alcohol left the thoughts inside of his head silent.

I don't know what he was thinking about. All I knew was that after that, I remained awake for an hour longer gazing at the sky, before I blacked out entirely.