In case no one realizes it, I've never been to San Francisco, or anywhere in California, or anywhere up the West Coast. So my descriptions aren't going to be exact.
I walked down the hallway with everyone else. "So, where exactly are we going?" Warren asked.
"We cleared out a full floor of zombies. It's pretty much the only safe place in the apartment building." Roger said from ahead.
I peeked into one of the rooms. There were zombie bits and pieces everywhere. I closed the door and tried not to throw up. "I think I'm gonna be sick." I muttered under my breath.
"The rooms on the next floor are completely empty of zombies, but the floor after that is more secure." Roger continued. "So, if you want to look in the rooms for anything that may seem interesting, you're welcome too." Roger said.
We reached the end of the hallway. Roger opened the door to the fire escape, and we started climbing the next set of stairs.
"So, you guys thought it would be safest to stay on the third floor?" Vasquez asked.
"Yeah. It's not very far to walk, and there's a fire escape we can use in case of an emergency." Lucy said. We reached the second floor.
"You guys can go ahead and check out this floor for as long as you want. We'll be up on the next floor." Roger said. They all went upstairs, while our group stayed down here.
When they were out of earshot, Warren turned and looked at us. "Okay, what should we do?" She asked us.
"I don't know if we can trust them." I said. "I mean, Roger said that only the second and third floors were clear of zombies, so why did we casually walk through the first floor?"
"Maybe they cleared the first floor too, but just forgot to mention it." Addy said.
"I think we should stay here for a while. Get supplies, rest up, give the Scavengers a chance to get further away from us." Vasquez said.
"I think that's a good idea." Warren said. "Does anyone want to check out this floor before they go up?" She asked.
"I want to see if there's anything we can use. Maybe some radio equipment." Addy said.
"I just want to check it out." I said.
"Okay then. Anyone else?" Warren asked. No one else said anything. "Okay. We'll go up to the third floor. Trin and Addy, be careful." Warren told us.
Addy and I walked inside the third floor.
"I'll check out the rooms on the left. You check the rooms on the right." Addy said.
I nodded, and entered the first room to my right.
The blinds were open, so there was plenty of light inside. I peeked out the window. The sun was starting to set, which meant my light wouldn't last very long. I quickly checked the room. Nothing.
There was nothing in the second and third rooms either. The fourth room had more zombie guts inside.
I walked into the fifth room. This room was definitely different from the others. First, the window had a giant hole in it. Second, there was a crib in the middle of the room.
I walked around the room. There were all sorts of family pictures all over. Pictures of kids, babies, adults, and families were decorated everywhere, on every wall and counter top.
I picked up one of the pictures. It had a woman holding a baby in the picture. The picture frame read Mother and daughter forever.
"This room is the saddest room in the building." Someone said behind me.
I spun around, dropping the picture to the floor in the process. Lucy stood next to the window.
I sighed. "Oh, it's you." I said.
"When I first got here, I was assigned this room to clear out for food and other stuff. I almost broke down in tears that day." Lucy continued.
"That doesn't surprise me. I have to try and not pay attention to the details to keep from crying." I admitted.
Lucy turned and faced me. "I recognize you." She said.
My blood turned cold. "What?" I asked, not sure if I had heard her correctly.
"I recognize you. You came through here last year, with a man. John, wasn't he?" Lucy asked.
I looked at the floor. "Yeah. John and I passed through here last year." I said.
"You're a lot different now than you were then. Back then, you didn't wear long sleeves." Lucy pointed out.
"Yeah, well a lot changes in one year." I snapped.
Lucy quieted down. "You don't remember me, do you?" She asked.
I shook my head.
Lucy sighed. "That doesn't surprise me. I've changed a lot too. A year ago, I didn't go by the name Lucy. I went by Elaine." Lucy said.
Something clicked inside my mind, like a two puzzle pieces coming together.
"Elaine. I remember you now." I said. "We were friends. I saved your life."
"Yeah. And as one friend to another, I have to tell you something." Elaine said. "It's not safe here."
My blood froze again.
"What do you mean, it's not safe here?" I asked.
"Roger's not who he says he is. And he knows that I know, so he's keeping a close eye on me. That's why I had to talk to you while you're down here." Elaine said.
"But-" I started to say.
"I can't leave. Not without everyone else. But you need to convince your group to leave, before it's too late." Elaine said.
"How am I supposed to do that?" I asked.
Elaine shrugged. "I don't know. Just don't mention me, or this conversation. And make sure you keep calling me Lucy, not Elaine." Lucy said. "I have to go. Roger will be wondering where I am." She quickly left the room, leaving me to figure things out by myself.
Addy stood outside the door, having heard the whole conversation Trin had just had with Lucy. Who's John? Where did he go? When did Trin start wearing long sleeves? Why? Why was Trin here last year? What did she safe Lucy from? And why is she keeping all of these secrets?
All of these thoughts flew around Addy's head as she tried to figure out what to do about Trin.
"Yeah. Be out in a minute." I said. I grabbed a deck of cards and tucked it into my pocket, then ran out of the room.
Addy was waiting for me in the hallway. "Did you find anything good?" Addy asked.
"A deck of cards, but that's it." I said. I didn't mention the conversation with Lucy.
"Well, Doc and Murphy should be happy. They love playing poker, or whatever card game they like to play." Addy said. "I didn't find any radio equipment either."
"Maybe they have it all upstairs." I said, trying to sound hopeful.
"Speaking of upstairs, come on. Warren and the others might get worried." Addy said.
I nodded, and we walked down the hallway and up towards the third floor.