continuing to drip with cynicism.
“Well, what choices do we have, Gaia? It’s not exactly normal circumstances. The cats are used to hunting to survive and it is natural for them to eat carcasses,” he added emphatically, lending credence in Gaia’s eyes to his previous concept. “If you want to give them the rabbit carcasses, or meat, or the manufactured stuff, they’re in the meat locker. But, this seems like a win-win. And who knows? They might just even the odds against the fuckin’ zombies.”
“That’s a pretty crazy plan,” Gaia admitted.
“But it just might work, right?” Nick added, retrieving his rifle. “I don’t mind helping you while I can,” Nick said with a sigh. He was handling his imminent fate considerably well, Gaia thought, considering that he was basically terminal at this point. The infection would ravage his body soon enough and with this latest offer; he wanted to go out on a good note.
Admirable .
“Sure thing, Nick. Any help you can give with getting the cats loose and securing the house would be…well, great.”
“What about the boy?”
“Well, we can’t leave him here!” Gaia whispered. “He has to come with us.”
“Why can’t he stay—never mind. Sorry.”
“It’s okay, Nick. There’s nothing I can do about it now.”
Tears formed again as Gaia tried to battle the sorrow as she thought of what lay in the bus right beside her. Nick was kind enough to have made sure that Adam would never come back as a member of the living dead, and for that, she was grateful. She had tried to go and see him on multiple occasions, but could never muster the courage again.
Maye was once again right outside the window. She was probably hungry, as was Gaia now.
“Justin, c’mon up here,” Nick called to the boy. He looked up, rolled the comic book up, shoved it into his back pocket. He stood before her and Nick, looking up at them innocently with a pair of big brown eyes.
“Are you ready for an adventure?” Gaia asked him. He stared back up at her and nodded.
“What kind of adventure?”
“Well, we are going to visit that big house near the center of the zoo. Did you see it before?” Gaia asked. Justin nodded again. “We want to make sure the house is safe for us to stay there for the time being, right?”
“Sure, but….”
“But what?” Nick asked, kneeling in front of him.
“Am I ever gonna see my mom and dad again?” Gaia almost burst into tears as those innocent words tugged at her heartstrings with tremendous effect. His words hit her like a punch in the face as Gaia too thought of her own family and friends—people she might never see ever again!—and placed a hand over her mouth to stifle any forthcoming sounds of sorrow that might result from the devastating sentiments she felt in that moment.
“Maybe someday, son,” Nick interjected quickly, seeing Gaia’s reaction. “Right now, we need to get you and Gaia here safe inside the house.”
“Okay,” agreed the boy with a nod. “But I need a weapon. I wanna be able to protect myself.”
This time, it was Nick’s turn to agree. “Yes. Yes you do. Let’s see what we can find for you.”
“What about a gun?” he asked.
“Right now, guns are out of the question,” Gaia said immediately.
“She’s right. You need to learn how to use them first.”
“Will you teach me?”
“Let’s get to the house first and then we can discuss it. Sound good?” Nick asked, looking up at Gaia and shrugging.
“Yep. I’m ready.” Justin moved to stand by the door of the bus. Nick grabbed a grocery bag in one hand and held his rifle in the other and stood behind him. Gaia carefully removed her machete and looked to Maye in the window.
“Are you coming?” Maye hopped around and then vanished, resurfacing at the front of the bus as if she were answering Gaia, waiting for her to exit the vehicle.
Nick and Justin carefully exited the bus and peered around the parking lot, seeing nothing and no one
“Well, what choices do we have, Gaia? It’s not exactly normal circumstances. The cats are used to hunting to survive and it is natural for them to eat carcasses,” he added emphatically, lending credence in Gaia’s eyes to his previous concept. “If you want to give them the rabbit carcasses, or meat, or the manufactured stuff, they’re in the meat locker. But, this seems like a win-win. And who knows? They might just even the odds against the fuckin’ zombies.”
“That’s a pretty crazy plan,” Gaia admitted.
“But it just might work, right?” Nick added, retrieving his rifle. “I don’t mind helping you while I can,” Nick said with a sigh. He was handling his imminent fate considerably well, Gaia thought, considering that he was basically terminal at this point. The infection would ravage his body soon enough and with this latest offer; he wanted to go out on a good note.
Admirable .
“Sure thing, Nick. Any help you can give with getting the cats loose and securing the house would be…well, great.”
“What about the boy?”
“Well, we can’t leave him here!” Gaia whispered. “He has to come with us.”
“Why can’t he stay—never mind. Sorry.”
“It’s okay, Nick. There’s nothing I can do about it now.”
Tears formed again as Gaia tried to battle the sorrow as she thought of what lay in the bus right beside her. Nick was kind enough to have made sure that Adam would never come back as a member of the living dead, and for that, she was grateful. She had tried to go and see him on multiple occasions, but could never muster the courage again.
Maye was once again right outside the window. She was probably hungry, as was Gaia now.
“Justin, c’mon up here,” Nick called to the boy. He looked up, rolled the comic book up, shoved it into his back pocket. He stood before her and Nick, looking up at them innocently with a pair of big brown eyes.
“Are you ready for an adventure?” Gaia asked him. He stared back up at her and nodded.
“What kind of adventure?”
“Well, we are going to visit that big house near the center of the zoo. Did you see it before?” Gaia asked. Justin nodded again. “We want to make sure the house is safe for us to stay there for the time being, right?”
“Sure, but….”
“But what?” Nick asked, kneeling in front of him.
“Am I ever gonna see my mom and dad again?” Gaia almost burst into tears as those innocent words tugged at her heartstrings with tremendous effect. His words hit her like a punch in the face as Gaia too thought of her own family and friends—people she might never see ever again!—and placed a hand over her mouth to stifle any forthcoming sounds of sorrow that might result from the devastating sentiments she felt in that moment.
“Maybe someday, son,” Nick interjected quickly, seeing Gaia’s reaction. “Right now, we need to get you and Gaia here safe inside the house.”
“Okay,” agreed the boy with a nod. “But I need a weapon. I wanna be able to protect myself.”
This time, it was Nick’s turn to agree. “Yes. Yes you do. Let’s see what we can find for you.”
“What about a gun?” he asked.
“Right now, guns are out of the question,” Gaia said immediately.
“She’s right. You need to learn how to use them first.”
“Will you teach me?”
“Let’s get to the house first and then we can discuss it. Sound good?” Nick asked, looking up at Gaia and shrugging.
“Yep. I’m ready.” Justin moved to stand by the door of the bus. Nick grabbed a grocery bag in one hand and held his rifle in the other and stood behind him. Gaia carefully removed her machete and looked to Maye in the window.
“Are you coming?” Maye hopped around and then vanished, resurfacing at the front of the bus as if she were answering Gaia, waiting for her to exit the vehicle.
Nick and Justin carefully exited the bus and peered around the parking lot, seeing nothing and no one
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