At the End of the World [Laine x Pari]

Autumn understood why it was taking so long to get to his house. He wanted to be careful, making sure they would take the routes where they could get by undetected by anything. But the sun was sinking lower and lower in the sky, and she was so tired from not getting enough sleep from the night before. She looked up at the sky, knowing by the time they went to his house and she got her supplies, it would be too dangerous to go out. With a sigh, she trudged on, hands in her pockets with her bag slung over her shoulder. She was watching their surroundings - they were both unarmed, and therefore, they were both vulnerable. If they were caught off guard, it could very well be over for them both.


"It's fine. I understand." She did her best to keep her irritation out of her voice. It was more her lack of sleep than anything; in fact, she was rather relieved he was being extra cautious. At his offer, she looked at him, seeing him walking backwards to face her. "That's generous of you. Are you the same person from yesterday?" she cracked a smile, though she was seriously contemplating his offer. With how long it was taking to get to his house, it might not hurt to wait until the morning to set out. She would rather not have both zombies and the gang chasing her during the night, when it was harder to see and easier to be ambushed. "You know, you've been awfully, mmmm, nice. What's with that, huh?" Not that she actually minded, she was genuinely curious. Perhaps it was the shared will to survive, and the experience they had gone through the previous day.


"No, I know. You remember how it was at my house." She grew more serious, though she noticed he faltered as he turned back around - she didn't push him about it, knowing if he wanted her to know he would have told her. "I... I might take you up on your offer," she said, watching the sun slowly set, the sky turning from blue to a bright red-orange. "They're fast... Means they're well fed, doesn't it?" she shuddered slightly, her eyes landing on his house. They were finally there, and she grinned slightly - though something seemed off. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she studied it. Something was different than the last time she had been at his house. "Hey, Russell," she spoke his name for the first time, "didn't you have more windows boarded up than that?"
 
Russ’ stomach churned at Autumn’s words. Well-fed. Yeah, no thanks to you, Russ. He shook his head again, picking up the pace as the cool sunset air began to take hold. He licked his chapped lips, muttering absentmindedly, “Mmm.”As he realised what she said, he stopped in his tracks, scrutinising the old house. “Wait…what?!” It was true – some of the windows on the ground level of the house had been taken out, their boards lying in a burned heap at the side. His heart lurched in his chest, and he bolted onwards, momentarily forgetting about his female companion.


“No, no no no…” He murmured as he came to the door, which had been all but smashed out of its frame, clinging on to one hinge as it swung sadly in the wind. He stepped inside, and he felt fearful tears well up in his eyes as he looked around. The drawers had been torn out, broken wood strewn everywhere, and a dark smear at one side of the kitchen where someone had set the curtains on fire. He was barely thankful that it’d gone out before it had spread – the gang had torn through the house like a wildfire of their own. He lifted the boards under the table and clasped a hand over his mouth. Gone. All of the food, gone. There was not one can left.


He stumbled into the living room, the dining room, the utility room – all had been ransacked. The table that had his weapons on lay bare, with several bulletholes studded into the walls, using old family photos as target practise. “They’ve…taken it all,” He whispered, like a stuck record. He then ran quickly upstairs, sliding his hands up the rails and turning into his parent’s room. It, too, was trashed, with green spray paint covering the walls. Sleep tight, baby Russell, the grim messages read. He ran over to the closet, throwing the doors open and spinning the dial on the safe. He gritted his teeth as he got the combination wrong several times in his haste. When it finally opened, he was hit with a pang of half-relief that it’d been missed, the marks on the side telling how Devon’s gang had failed to break into it. He scooped up the bottles and boxes in his arms, cradling them to his chest in relief.


There was a terrific banging at the front door. Russell felt himself stiffen, and he bolted back down the stairs, some of the medications falling from his arms as he went. He saw the approaching undead from one of the broken windows, and he screamed in terror. One look at the back door told him he only had minutes to spare before the horde was upon them, and he cried out to Autumn, “The basement, g-get in the basement…!” he ran over to the living room, sliding a tall, heavy wood display case out of the way. It revealed a door, which had been untouched, and he scrambled to unlock it with shaking hands. He pushed Autumn into the darkness, throwing the pills and boxes down the stairs as he rushed to get the door shut. He locked it with the key, before sliding a wooden plank across it. He stood next to the door, panting in the inky darkness, listening out for the zombies as they began to trapse across his floors.


He stepped down the stairs cautiously, putting his hands out and feeling all around him for the flashlight he’d seen in there. “Au-autumn, are you okay?” He called out, the fear evident in his voice. He grunted as he stepped on a box of pills, before his hands touched the solid plastic of the large flashlight, almost as big as his head. He struggled around for the on switch, finally clicking it and breathing a sigh of relief as the cold light illuminated the room. Above them, the heavy footsteps of the undead could be heard on the creaking floorboards.
 
He bolted towards the house, and Autumn got a sick feeling in her stomach. The door was smashed, shards of glass littered the porch and the inside of the house. It still smelled faintly of smoke, and as she climbed the stairs of the porch, she saw why. There was a black pile dusted with ash to the side, and she knew it was the boards that had been over the windows. Glass crunching underneath her boots, she swallowed past the lump in her throat. She glanced around, as if expecting one of the gang members to jump out of the bushes and attack, but nothing did. Standing there, she looked up once at the sky before heading inside.


"Oh my god," she whispered, a hand over her mouth. Russell had already disappeared upstairs, the ceiling creaking from his frantic footsteps. Everything had been destroyed, and it didn't take a genius to know - all the supplies were gone. She clutched her bag closer to her, as if she set it down for one minute it too would be taken. Going over to the kitchen, she saw the floorboards laying next to the table, seeing it empty, and vaguely wondering how the gang had found that. Splinters of wood were all over the floor, and she didn't touch anything, for fear of getting a splinter herself. She could barely get past the fact that everything was gone. She remembered how much food and supplies he had had, too much to count. And it had all been taken.


Looking around at everything else, she saw the bare table, her breath caught in her throat - the weapons were gone. And without the weapons, they would be defenseless. They were defenseless. Bullet holes riddled the walls, more glass on the floor from the broken frames. She didn't go upstairs, didn't bother as she tried to ignore the dread that was creeping over her. If it was even possible, she felt even more vulnerable than she already had. She knew there were other ways to kill the undead without a gun, but she wasn't thinking about that at the moment. She was thinking about how she felt safer with a gun, and how Devon's gang had the weapons. And they knew where Russell lived - which probably also meant they knew the two had escaped from the lamppost. Her heartbeat quickened as she wondered if they would come back. In her panic, she hadn't been watching the outside - night was falling. If she had been paying any attention, she would have heard.


The moaning startled her, and her heart skipped a beat. She slowly turned towards the windows, the broken windows, and shrieked when she saw the horde. There was the banging on the door, but she knew it wouldn't be mere minutes until it would swing open, allowing the zombies to enter. Russell came bounding down the stairs, medicine in his arms, and he screamed when he saw the zombies, which only terrified Autumn more. He said something about a basement, and she didn't hesitate to follow him. He moved a wooden case away, a door tucked behind it. He unlocked it, and pushed her inside, and she nearly fell down the stairs in the darkness. Boxes and bottles bounced down the stairs behind her, as the sliver of light from the door disappeared. She allowed herself a moment to catch her breath, still holding her bag tightly as she carefully made her way down the stairs. Heavy footsteps sounded above her head, and she shivered.


"I'm... I'm fine." She wasn't hurt, just scared, which was obvious from her tone. There was a small click and the room was lit, which helped ease her panic when she could see. The moans of the dead were faint, but still audible, which did not help settle her nerves. She saw Russell, who looked understandably shaken. "Are you alright?" It was obvious they both weren't - but she wanted to make sure he wasn't hurt. She did a quick check herself, though she didn't think she had been scratched. She was fine, and let out a small sigh of relief.
 
Russell waited for a while longer in silence, before walking over to where Autumn was and setting the torch down on the floor. He pointed it upwards, so the light spread in a thin cone around them, illuminating their faces in the pale glint. He pressed himself against the wall, clutching his knees to his chest and trying to steady his breathing. Eventually, he closed his eyes, pressing his face against his kneecaps in anguish. “Yes. Yes. I’m okay.” He said, the whimper in his voice suggesting otherwise.


Though it was hard to see with just the torchlight, Russ knew that the basement was practically empty. He’d intended it to be an emergency bolthole, incase anything ever got in his house, which was why it was hidden behind the cabinet. He’d never gotten around to stocking it, however, and so the only things that were left were the things he couldn’t trade, like cardboard boxes and empty water bottles. Russ groaned, frustrated that he hadn’t had the foresight to know this kind of thing would happen. Now everything was gone, the weapons, food, clothes, everything but the medicine. He would have to go to the next town, possibly even one after that, to find someone who didn’t know Devon to trade for them. He reluctantly got up, and felt around in the dark for the pills and boxes. He gathered them up, and carefully set them down next to the torch, counting them carefully.


“I’m sorry.” He whispered to Autumn, as he emptied an open bottle, placing the yellow pills carefully in his hand, “I suppose I should’ve guessed Devon would have the place raided if he thought I was dead. Or still alive. Either way, he had no reason to keep it a secret from his gang, now Ty’s dead.” His words were bitter, his face frowning as he tipped the pills back into the bottle, sealing it shut. He took a box and opened it, checking the tablets were still intact. “Guess you’ll have to stay here, now, huh?” He forced a chuckle, suddenly casting his eyes upwards as a zombie’s footstep made the floorboards creak. He held his breath for a few seconds, before looking back into Autumn’s amber eyes. “It’s alright. They won’t get in here. I put a plank across the door, and it only opens inwards. We’re safe. I promise.” He said calmly, although he didn’t know who he was trying to reassure more. He shivered a little - the basement was horribly cold to him. He shuffled up again, searching in the cardboard boxes for a blanket.


“They should be gone by tomorrow morning. They’re too well-fed by Devon to be patient – and they’re not smart enough to starve us out.” He murmured, cursing himself once again for not being prepared to bring something to warm them. He found a large, worn coat that’d been his father’s. He bundled it up in his arms, seeing Autumn’s bare forarms and feeling guilty – once again, he’d led her into trouble. He held it out to her, “Here. I can give you this, at least. As for whatever else I promised…” He sat down again, his brows furrowed in sadness. “…I’ll look tomorrow. I-I’m not sure they’ve left much, but I’ll give you as much as I can spare. They might have left some cans or ammo, or something.” He said, with some doubt in his voice.
 
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Autumn had set her bag beside her, and curled up trying to keep warm. Her knees were bunched up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. The silence between them was deafening, the only sounds being the creaking of the floorboards and the occasional moan. She shivered, from both fear and the cold. She could see her breath, the flashlight doing little to help heat her up. She rubbed her bare arms, trying to warm herself up as best she could. Her head shot up when Russell spoke. He didn't sound okay.


She heard him groan, but she wasn't sure why. She buried her head in her knees, trying to ignore the noises from the upper level. She sniffed, wiping her eyes. Quietly, she listed to Russell speak. "I... I'm sorry, too," she said softly. "I-I never meant for a-any of this to happen." She watched as he gathered up the boxes and bottles of pills, sitting down by the flashlight to count them. Looking way, she pulled her knees closer to her chest. Studying the basement, she could make out the outlines of boxes in the dim light. She vaguely wondered if anything was in them, though she thought that if there was, he would have told her. When he said the zombies couldn't get in, she looked at him again, her amber eyes wide. "Promise?" she asked, suddenly sounding very young. She flinched when she heard the banging on the door, but it seemed to hold up well against the zombies. The sounds were unsettling, and she shuddered.


Russell stood up, and Autumn inched closer to the flashlight, the light helping her relax just slightly. Watching him, she saw him looking through the cardboard boxes in the room. "Okay." The morning seemed so far away, and without being able to see the sun, she didn't know how long it would be. The zombies arrived when the sun set - it would be hours until they left, which didn't help her feel any better. He held up a coat, and she gazed at it wistfully. The basement was cold. Maybe not freezing, but being night, and wearing short sleeves and not having a jacket, it felt like it was freezing. She looked up, surprised, when he offered her the coat. She took it, casting her gaze downwards when he sat back down. "...We can share it?" She would feel bad, if he had to be cold the whole night while she was wrapped in the coat. Scooting over so she was sitting next to him, she spread it over them both like a blanket. It was barely big enough, but it was better than nothing. And being so close to each other, the body heat would help keep them both warm.


"Don't worry about it, okay? It's... It's fine if you can't give me anything." She bit her lip. It was. Her meager supplies might not be able to last her for too long, but she still had some. Which, she thought, was more than what Russell had, and she suddenly felt guilty about it. He had had so much, and Devon's gang had stolen it all. Gaze shifting from her bag to Russell, she knew she could give him some. it would leave her with little to none, but he had helped her so much already, it was the least she could do. But at the moment, she didn't want to think about the food, or the zombies. "Russell? What was your life like before... before this?" she asked hesitantly.
 
“No, no, it’s fine, I-“ He started, but even his politeness was pushed aside as he realised how cold he really was. He shuffled up next to her, feeling slightly odd but also secretly happy to be so close to her, their shoulders touching slightly as they both huddled under the makeshift blanket. The door rattled on its hinges and he exhaled, pressing closer against her protectively. He held his breath for a moment, waiting for the curious undead to pass over the door and continue on its search for flesh.


He shook his head, staring blankly into the flashlight, knowing their faces would be a little too close if he turned towards her. “Well, I still have the medicines. You can take a box or two with you, to trade. They’d probably be better than food, since you can store ‘em for a long time, and they’re worth a lot, easy to carry…” He trailed off, smiling faintly. “They’re pretty handy, like that. I only wish I’d managed to carry more down.” Russ frowned at the meagre pile of boxes that were piled up next to Autumn’s food bag, which was probably enough for one person for a while, but not two. His stomach growled furiously as the slightest thought of food came into his head, and he patted his midsection to quiet it. He hadn’t eaten for a full day now, and he shifted uncomfortably as his thoughts turned to food. What I’d give for a can of meatballs right about now…


He was snapped out of his thoughts by her words, scrunching up his face as she asked. “Before this…you mean before the outbreak, right?” He crossed his arms beneath the blanket pensively, struggling to remember which parts were most important. “Hmm. It was…quiet. I never seemed to really do much compared to nowadays. Not that that’s a bad thing, but...I don’t know. Going to school, hanging out with friends, arguing with your family…it just seems all trivial now, doesn’t it? So much of it is just gone. Poof. No schools. No food. No friends. No comfort.” He pouted a little, drawing his knees closer to his body. “And maybe…I was a bit of a spoiled brat, too. I’m so used to having lots of things around me, and getting things that I want practically when I wanted them. I guess it’s no wonder I became a bit of a hoarder when things took a turn.” Russ said, with a slightly embarrassed grin forming around his cheeks, “And uh…you can probably tell…I was a loud-mouth. Always getting into trouble saying things before I spoke. Luckily, I could usually sweet-talk my way out of trouble. Some talent that turned out to be.” he sniffed, frowning as he spoke. He licked his lips, daring to turn his eyes towards Autumn’s, realising that he’d been rambling, “…And what about you?”
 
"I still have some medicine, from, you know," she said sheepishly, looking at the flashlight. "I'm sure that, once they're gone, maybe the rest will... Still be up there?" she offered him a small grin without turning her head to look at him. If she did, they'd be little too close for comfort. As it was, she was leaning closer to him, comforted by his presence whenever the zombies moaned or the floorboards creaked. The coat and sitting so close to him helped her warm up, her shivering lessening. She heard his stomach rumble. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" she asked.


She listened quietly as Russell spoke. "Me? Nothing much. It was normal, I guess. I was always outside with my friends." She swallowed, her heart hurting when she thought of Alexi. "Every Friday night, my parents and I would have a movie night. We'd get pizza, soda, and watch movies all night. In the summers my dad and I would look at the stars through the telescope. My mom would take me shopping, and I'd pretend to hate it but I loved it." She fidgeted under the blanket, not looking at her companion. "I started wishing that I didn't argue with my parents as much, even if I rarely did. It's funny, how everything changed once the virus broke out. It's one of those things that makes you think about all the things you took for granted." Her smile was pained, and she stared at the beam of light, a faraway look in her eyes. "I don't know where my friends are. I haven't seen anyone I know at all. And I don't know where my parents are, if they're alive."


She sighed. "It's weird, how zombie apocalypses were seen as fiction. Dystopian, futuristic novels and such. People made tv shows out of these scenarios. And then you're at school one day, and you realize you're living it. I tried to call my parents, I think everyone did. But of course, all the networks and stuff were backed up. I tried texting them, but they didn't answer. Everyone was panicking. The outbreak wasn't that bad, at that point, a few zombies here and there. But you know, it didn't take long for everything to fall apart." She shook her head, laughing bitterly. "They let us home. I had read a lot of zombie books, so I did everything I could. Boarded up the windows with some wood my dad had in the garage. Found the gun he kept in his bedside table, because, you know, we lived in the city. Alexi came over. We taught each other how to shoot. Her parents and older sister were missing in action as well, so we stuck together, moving some of her food and supplies to my house. That was... That was how she got bitten." She exhaled slowly. "I used up all my own medicine. I hadn't known about the convention hall at that point, and my food and water supply slowly decreased. That was when I started going out, looking for what I needed. And, well, the rest is history." She shut up when she realized she had been talking so much.
 
Russ shook his head at the food offer, politeness taking over once again, even though this time he knew there was no food of his own to eat this time. He distracted himself with listening intently to Autumn’s story, pressing his head against the wall and resting his eyes as she spoke. Although her words were bitter and sorrowful, it somehow felt a little comforting to hear someone else’s account of the breakout. “Yeah. It escalated pretty quickly, didn’t it? I guess that’s why so many people struggled for basic stuff, like food and water. Not everyone realised how permanent this thing was going to be, I think.” His stomach rumbled again, this time with no footsteps or moans from above to cover it up. He smiled sheepishly, "Maybe I will have something to eat. Please." He chose a can of sweetcorn again from the selection Autumn offered him, pulling it open hungrily and picking the yellow grains out from the watery slop with his fingers.


“I was in the thick of it, when it happened, you know. I mean – I was actually in the hospital at the time. It suddenly got sectioned off and quarantined because someone who’d been bitten was admitted there, so I had to barricade myself in a ward with a few other people. I was the only one smart enough to raid the drugs trolley before we got out, though." He sniffed and scratched his neck, pensively thinking about how things had transpired so quickly.


"And- and when I eventually got out and made my way back home the windows were already boarded up. My brother Daniel, had driven there from the next city over because he knew it’d be safer than his apartment complex. Bastard wouldn’t let me in until he’d made sure I wasn’t one of them.” Russ chuckled bitterly. He placed the tin on the floor, shivering and subconsciously shuffling up closer to her. "For the first few days, we just sat in the living room, eating chips and frozen pizzas, fixing boards on the windows, listening to the radio...eventually the water stopped, the power went, cells stopped working. Then the radio got broke, and our food started to run out..." He hadn't realised that his breathing had become more laboured, his eyes twitching slightly as he avoided her gaze. He carried on, even though he didn't really want to, the words spilling out in anguish.


"...We had an argument, so I went out to get some fresh air. I took the medicines with me, to try and trade off - he didn't think I could, but I did. I got more food than I could carry. So I came back, all excited and stuff, because I thought, we could survive for years, with all the pills we had at home. But when I got in- when I got back there, Dan, he was…he had…" He motioned firing a gun at vaguely with his hand, pointing it at his head. It was the first time he’d spoken about it to anyone, and the more he thought about it, the more upset he got. He bit his lip, slumping dejectedly against the wall. “I guess he just couldn’t handle it all, you know?” He said, his voice high pitched and on the verge of tears. Russ scrunched his eyes and wiped at them impatiently with the jacket. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed, crying like a baby in front of a stranger, and he turned away from Autumn suddenly, covering his face with a hand as he began to sob. "S-sorry," He stammered, trying to calm himself.
 
He took a can of corn. She didn't really mind. She had already eaten, and he was hungry. She had medicine she could trade away for food and water, anyway. She curled up against the wall, distracting herself from the noises above and from her memories by listening to Russell. The brunette was getting tired, having not slept for several days, but she didn't want to interrupt. He had been in the hospital when it had happened. She shuddered slightly. With all the sick and those who were bedridden, it would have been very easy for zombies to go through the halls, picking off patients left and right. The thought horrified her. Even if the person who had been bitten was quarantined, no one would want to take a chance with zombies. She securely wrapped her part of the jacket around herself, as if it would protect her from any zombies. It helped her feel warm, and just a little bit safe, like hiding under her covers when she was little helped protect her from monsters.


The rest of his experience left her speechless. She hadn't known he had a brother, or that he, that he... She swallowed, not knowing what to say to him. Russell was crying, and she didn't know what to say. Autumn had never been good with consoling or comforting people, as she was always afraid of saying the wrong thing and making the situation worse. This was no exception. Instead, she moved closer to Russell, her hip lightly pressing against his.


Mentally cursing herself for not saying anything, she sat and stared at the flashlight, trying to think of something, anything. She felt miserable, unable to help the only person she could really call a friend. She found herself wondering, though - how many others had done the same? How many others had just given up, unable to accept the outbreak, and had just given up? Daniel couldn't have been the only one. The thought made her sad. And she couldn't imagine. Their last words being from an argument, and then going back home to find he was dead. Words failed her. She supposed, sometimes just being there and listening was enough. Though it didn't make her feel any better, the silence surrounding them was suffocating.


She opened her mouth as if to say something, but shut it again. "Russell?" she finally asked cautiously. "Russell, are you... okay?" He wasn't okay. She knew that. His brother was gone, he was trapped in the basement, mindless monsters above them, trapping them. They barely had any food, any water, his house had been destroyed and his supplies had been stolen. No, he was not okay. But she hoped he would understand what she was asking. He was strong. He had made it far, so far. He had stocked up on food, weapons, medicine. He had helped her. She wasn't asking if he was alright, she knew he wasn't. She really wasn't, either. She just wanted to know if he could go on. She was afraid, scared that he wouldn't be able to. At that moment, she felt incredibly selfish. Because she didn't want him to leave her alone in that world.
 
As soon as the tears began to fall, Russell instantly regretted saying anything at all, wishing he’d have just kept his mouth shut. He didn’t answer Autumn, her words slurring into the background as he was reminded of the horrible sight he had to witness coming home that day. He shuddered, having to take deep breaths to stop himself from heaving. He felt her shift closer to him in silent comfort, knowing that there weren’t really any words that could console him over his brother’s death.


“What am I going to do?” he broke the silence, turning to face Autumn, his eyes red and puffy. “I don’t have anything left. I don’t have anyone left. Dan’s dead, Dad’s one of- one of them- all my friends are dead, or part of some gang- my house has been destroyed, all my stuff is gone-“ He rambled. The creaks on the ceiling started up again, and the zombies shifted around, trying to find the source of the noise. He stopped, biting his lip, sensing a tension between them as they both huddled closer together.


“Sorry. Sorry, Autumn. You don’t need this crap. I’ll stop.” He snivelled, wiping at his face with a rolled-up sleeve. He truly had no idea what to do, where to go next, and the thought terrified him. He felt a pang of guilt mixed with embarrassment, realising that Autumn had been through almost the same, and still had held everything together in comparison to him. She seemed to just carry on going, no matter what, whereas Russ was just about to fall apart. He drew the coat tighter around them both, feeling a slight comfort that he was at least beside someone, in the dark, cold basement. "I won't do what he did. I promise." He murmured, suddenly feeling as if he had to reassure her. But as he said it, the thought crossed his mind, But what am I going to do?
 
The ceiling groaned from the zombies, and she moved closer to Russell. She chewed her lip, planning out her next words carefully. "You... have me?" she asked timidly. She looked away. She didn't want to leave him alone, she was almost afraid of what would happen to Russell. "You know, you can... you can come with me?" She turned herself to look at Russell, seeing his red, puffy eyes, the bruises that stood out in the dim light. She realized she wanted him to come with her. Autumn didn't want to go alone.


"Only if you want to, of course," she mumbled, leaning back against the cold basement wall. She closed her eyes, not falling asleep just closing them. It was almost funny, how their attitudes towards each other had changed so quickly. It was after they were nearly killed that it changed, she remembered. Tucking close to Russell, if not for the heat, she sighed quietly. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt, wondering what he would say. Please, she found herself thinking, opening her eyes and glancing in his direction.


Autumn was glad that he said he wouldn't follow his brother. Just hiding out in the basement with him, she had grown closer to him. Some survival bond, she supposed. Whatever it was, she had grown attached to him, somehow. Hearing his story, sharing her own, it had, in her mind, helped their "connection". "You know," she whispered, "you're the only person I've met and I've communicated with more than two times who's decent. Though the circumstances may have been a little forced." She laughed a little, though it was more sad than anything. Sniffing a little, she stared at the flashlight, picking at her shirt.
 
Russ chuckled, sniffing and looking over to her, his eyes still watering, “Yeah. Not every day you find a complete coward, in a big empty house with a horde of zombies after him, dragging you down into his freezing basement and eating all your food. I’m such a…decent guy.” He said sarcastically. He knew it wasn’t what she meant, but he felt so wretched, so upset that the words fell out before he could think about them. He regarded her for a second, and saw her fiddling with her shirt, her eyes lowered.


She had moved closer to him, he noticed, and the way she spoke was hushed, almost...nervous? As if she was afraid of how he would respond. Does she really want me to go with her? All of his anger with himself melted away, briefly remembering how the previous night he’d been wishing they could be this close to each other, how he’d admired her and hoped there was some way for him to see her again. Now he had an opportunity to stay with her and get to know her better, and he realised that he shouldn’t have dismissed the idea so quickly. He shook his head, pushing his grief away and turning to face her.


“Sorry...If you really want me to go with you, then - I’d love to, Autumn. I really would.” He tried to move closer to her, but his elbow was uncomfortably squished between them both. He grunted in annoyance, pulling away from her slightly and raising his arm from underneath the jacket. “W-we could put our supplies together, and then when we get to the next town, we could trade our medicines away, get ourselves some weapons, more food, maybe find somewhere warm to stay...” As he spoke, he nervously lowered his arm, deliberately bringing it to rest on her shoulder. Anxious butterflies fluttered in his stomach, and he waited for a few seconds, afraid that she would suddenly pull away from him as soon as she realised. But- to his surprise, she didn’t. Russ’ face flushed as he gently pulled her closer into him, welcoming the warmth of her body against his. He tugged the side of the jacket tighter around them both to avoid letting the cold air in, a small, contented smile forming on his lips. "... That'd be nice, wouldn't it?"
 
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"You would? I'd love for you to join me." Autumn grinned up at Russell, her eyes lighting up. She was happy he was going to come with her. "Yeah... It would be nice," she said, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips. She had been worried about what he would say, but he had agreed to go with her. He also seemed to have cheered up, which she was glad for. Watching him weep, and not being able to say anything for fear of worsening the situation, had been painful, and again she scolded herself for her lack of consoling skills.


He pulled her closer, wrapping the jacket around them and resting his arm on her shoulder. "Mmm. It's nice and warm now," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. Her mind was off the zombies as she ignored the noises from above. "Where did you go to school?" she asked suddenly. "We live relatively close to each other, I'm surprised we haven't met before. Though the school I went to, it was pretty large, and a lot of people went to it. Maybe it shouldn't be that surprising..." Yawning quietly, she closed her eyes, not to fall asleep, but just to rest them. She started thinking about what it would be like to travel with Russell. It was the first time in a while that she was in the company of a male for so long.


Her lack of sleep and the warmth from him and the jacket was making her tired. But she was determined not to fall asleep, she wanted to get to know him more. Opening her eyes, she raised her head to look at him, hoping that the sudden change in topic wouldn't bring up any bad memories. School had been relatively neutral for her - she didn't enjoy it, but it was alright, if only because she got to see her friends. "I remember this one teacher," she said, her face crinkling at the memory, "she hated my class. And she made the worst seating charts ever. I had to sit next to this one guy, he was annoying and wouldn't shut up. He also tried to get me to be more social." Laughing a little, she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, the teacher, Ms. Rory, she would scream at us if we wouldn't be quiet. Like, she would literally scream, loudly and shrilly. It was awful, especially for the people who were near her when she did it." She wondered where Ms. Rory was, but she didn't say that. Maybe there was a chance she was still alive somewhere.
 
“Mmh. I hate being cold.” Russ shuddered, squeezing her shoulder. He felt himself flush again as she lay her head against him, but he also took it as his cue to carry on. He closed his eyes and leaned in slightly to nuzzle her neck. But before he got chance, she spoke, making him jump suddenly. “…S-school…?” He opened his eyes and pulled away, furrowing his brow. “Uh…I was a Junior at Bellmont High.” He couldn’t say that he’d seen her around there, either – but even if he had, he probably wouldn’t have taken notice of her, since it was a big school.


She seemed to drop the topic as soon as he answered her, yawning and closing her eyes in tiredness. Russ felt tired also, but feeling her head against his chest made him want to try again. This time he pursed his lips as he leaned his head down, desperate to plant tiny kisses on her bruised neck, but he was stopped once again as her eyes snapped open, and she raised her head to face him.


He sighed as she began chatting, unsure whether she was deliberately trying to stop him, or she was just being friendly. He mumbled in agreement, “I think we’ve all had a teacher like that. Like…they went into that job just to yell at kids. Kinda sad, when you think about it.” It was odd for him to be thinking about school at all, which seemed like some weird, distant memory to him since so many other things had happened since. He hadn’t really liked school so much, but his parents had pushed him for grades since he was young, urging him to do well so he could go to a good college. He leaned back against the wall, shuffling underneath her as he thought of the fact that he’d never go back there.
 
"Bellmont High? That's weird, never saw you around," she murmured. But she figured that she may have at some point, but she probably wasn't paying attention. Her voice was quiet, finding it hard to keep her eyes open. She laid her head back on Russell's chest, closing her eyes. It didn't take long until she was fast asleep, her breathing was steady and there was a peaceful expression on her face. She snuffed, curling up against Russell in her sleep. The first few minutes after she fell asleep were relatively peaceful, with the occasional twitch or stir. She seemed smaller when she was asleep, cuter. Calmer.


She was outside, heading to the mall. Alexi was with her, and they were both laughing at something the redhead had just said. It was a sunny day, the streets crowded as always, with cars honking their horns in the background and the chatter of the people surrounding them. She was happy, ready to just spend a day at the mall. She pretended to hate shopping, but the reality was that she didn't, and she loved just hanging out.


The closer they got to the mall, the less people there seemed to be, until it was just them. They were walking, but the mall was nowhere to be seen. The sky was getting darker, the clouds an ominous rusty red color. The streets were growing sticky and hard to walk on, until she looked down and realized they were walking through blood. Turning towards Alexi in horror, she saw her friend's skin had a grey tint to it, her hair a color closer to the crimson they were running through than the normal ginger it was. When Alexi turned around, Autumn opened her mouth to scream, but no words came out. Her friend was covered in blood, the liquid flowing freely from what looked like bite marks on her thigh. She stumbled towards Alexi, but she suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe, as if two invisible hands were pressed against her throat. She cried out in her sleep, eyes painfully squeezed shut.
 
Russ’ eyes snapped open as he felt the other shifting and twitching against his chest. “Mmmh. What’s up?” he murmured sleepily, his back stiff from being pressed up against the wall all night – although he was grateful she had at least been comfortable, he thought. There was a ghostly white outline in the far off corner of the basement where the door was, and Russ suspected that the sun had come up already. He heard no footsteps above them, which was a nice change, although the flashlight had become dangerously dim, having being lit all night. She was nestled between him and the jacket, comfortable and warm, her hair messed up over the main portion of her face – all he could see were patches of freckled, tan skin inbetween strands of red-brown. Eventually she twitched again, this time groaning and whimpering softly.


“Autumn… Autumn, wake up.” He shrugged his shoulders, which made her whole body shake slightly. He dug out at hand and gently pushed his fingers through her hair, to reveal a face scrunched up in agony. “It’s me, Russell.” He whispered, gently pulling the jacket from around her to try and wake her. She instantly recoiled against his body at the shock of the cold, although it seemed to stir her from the horrible nightmare as well. One of her hands was clutched at his shirt in anguish, and she suddenly cried out, still half-asleep, which made Russ jolt fully awake. She subconsciously buried her head into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug, finally shrugging her awake.


Her head was turned towards him, and she painfully opened her eyes, which seemed to be brimming with tears. She gasped suddenly, as if she’d been struggling to breathe. “H-hey. Shhh. It’s okay. It was- it was just a nightmare. Shh.” He said, shaking her to make sure she stayed awake. He released her from his grip, gently pushing her to sit up beside him, against the cold, hard wall. He peered at her closely, tapping the side of the flashlight in an attempt to make it brighter. After a few minutes she seemed to be back in the land of the living, although her face was contorted in discomfort over the disturbing imagery she’d seen. “Are you okay, Autumn?” He murmured, rubbing her arm slightly. "It's morning now. We can go upstairs, if you like...."
 
She was choking, it felt like, when someone was shaking her awake. Abruptly cold air hit her, and she shied away from it, curling up against Russell. She was tightly gripping his shirt as she coughed, crying out as her other hand went to her throat. Nestling against Russell, her eyes flew open as she sucked in a breath, realizing where she was. The wall was cold against her back as she looked up at Russell, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "R-Russell?" Her voice cracked as the tears began to fall. She threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as she cried. Her body was shaking with her sobs as she clung to him. She hadn't had nightmares since she was a little kid, and she had forgotten how lucky she had been not to have them. The feeling of being strangled, seeing Alexi again, but as one of the undead, she started crying harder the more she thought about it. It was still vivid in her mind.


It took her minutes to calm down, but to her it felt like hours. Even after she had cried herself dry of tears, she just sat there hugging Russell tightly. She pulled away, wiping her eyes as she leaned against the wall. "S-sorry," she sniffed. "It was just-it was just..." she couldn't even explain it, she didn't want to. She didn't want to relive it more than she had to. Lightly rubbing the bruises on her neck, she leaned against him, glad he was there. She didn't say much, only staring at the flashlight, noticing how its light was fading. Her eyes were puffy and red, and she rubbed them and her cheeks, drying her tears. "I'm f-fine," she finally said after a while. She was not fine, but she figured he knew that. "Thanks for w-waking me."


Her breathing was slowing back down to a normal rate. She noticed the rectangular white glow as well - the sunlight filtering around the door. It was morning. There was no noise from above, the quiet telling her the zombies were gone. They had left, to come back later that night, hopefully when they were long gone. Slowly, she started to stand up on watery legs, feeling stiff after sleeping on Russell the whole night. "Are you ready to go up?" she asked quietly, one hand against the wall as she waited for him. She did not want to go upstairs alone. She did not want to leave his house alone. She was glad, that he had decided to go with her the night before. She did not want to be in that world alone.
 
Russ nodded, scraping himself up from the wall. He stretched out, yawning quietly as he watched Autumn straighten up – she looked a little shaky standing after sleeping curled up all night, especially after her traumatic nightmare. He picked up the flashlight, which was now producing so little light it was practically useless. It was heavy, though, Russ thought, and it would be a useful weapon if any of the undead were still wandering. He paced up the stairs in front of Autumn, motioning to her to be quiet, just in case. His heart was pounding in his chest. They’ll have gone by now, I’m sure…He pressed his fingers against the wooden beam covering the door, lifting it up slowly as he listened for movement behind the door. He heard nothing, the early morning making the old house eerily still, and he unlocked the door with his free hand.


He looked around the living room, looking carefully left and right before nodding that it was okay for Autumn to come out. Still brandishing the flashlight in one hand, he slid open one of the cabinet doors, searching through the scattered papers for the ordinance survey maps his Dad used to keep. He picked one out, and mumbled to Autumn as he walked into the kitchen.


“Our best bet is…Hamden, I think. It’s not too faraway, and I overheard Devon’s gang say that it was well-protected, because of its size. Don’t know anything about the people there, though.” He smoothed out the map on the kitchen table, pointing to a settlement about 30 miles away, give or take. “As long as we get a move on soon, and we don’t get lost…” he paused, sniffing quietly as he tried to work it out. “We might get there by tonight. Or not…” He shrugged, sharing an uneasy glance with Autumn, “We might have to travel during the night. But, if we stick to the main roads, the highways, we should see any undead long before they reach us. We’ll just have to pray there’s no hordes about…” He couldn’t keep the fear out of his voice, and he scrunched his face up as he tried to figure out the logistics of the dangerous journey.


They left not long after, with Russ carrying a small backpack that contained all of the pills he could find, along with some he’d dropped the day previous. He’d kept the flashlight, deciding that it would be his best choice of weapon, and had left Autumn to pick up anything she could find around the house to use – although admittedly there wasn’t much left. He was sure to walk in step with Autumn as they set out on the road beyond the forest. Russ walked with a mixture of emotions, a strange melancholy following the two as he realised that he’d never be coming back, something which he didn’t expect he’d have to do for years. That being said, he was glad he was with somebody, and that somebody’s presence was something he was quickly warming to as they chatted in the still morning air.
 
It had only taken a couple days to get to Hamden. They hadn't rested much, only stopping when they really needed to. Her food and water rations were running low. They had looked around in buildings they had passed and slept in, but they were pretty much empty and abandoned. They had tried to save the food and water by only eating or drinking when they absolutely had to, but she hadn't had much to begin with, and there was little to nothing that had been left behind at Russell's house. The remaining rations, and her own medicine, was stored in the bag on her shoulder. The trip had been quiet. They were able to avoid most of the zombies with the openness of the highway, and only encountered a close call with Devon's gang as they were leaving his territory. She was glad, as walking through the night had made her nervous and wary.


Over the course of those several days, she had gotten to know Russell better, and had only grown closer to him. She had noticed some things while with him, but had dismissed it. How, when they were in a safer spot, and had made sure every entryway had been barricaded, he would hold her close to him while they were sleeping. How, if they saw a zombie, he would step in between her and the zombie until either it or they were gone.


Of course, she thought he was being sweet and often reflected on how they both had already changed. The apocalypse forced people to grow up, she had mused. But most of the trip they had just spent talking. She learned his mother was a doctor, which explained his huge house and abundance of medicine. Daniel was never brought up, nor was Alexi - neither wanted to stir up unwanted and painful memories. Most of their talks had consisted of random thoughts and questions, anything to ease the boredom of traveling. It had helped them to understand the other - pre and post apocalypse. She never felt lonely, as long as he was there. And it felt nice to travel with someone, Autumn had thought to herself. Especially in that cold, cruel world. Every day, she had been grateful that he had decided to go with her.


There they stood, at the "gate" of the town. The gate and fence looked more like a thick wall composed of everyday objects, but put together in a way where it was solid and protected the town well. It was strung with barbed wire pretty much everywhere, and the two teens stayed back away, afraid of getting stuck in it. The brunette had to admit, she was pretty impressed with the set up. "Hello?" she called up loudly. "Is there anyone inside?" She figured there had to be some sort of sentry somewhere; the wall looked stable enough to walk on. She just hoped they wouldn't be shot, or mistaken for the undead. Though, the zombies couldn't talk, she guessed. Either way, she hoped they'd let the two in easily. She was tired, and hungry, and just generally wanted to rest.
 
There was a brief few moments of silence after Autumn called out, and he heard shuffling somewhere behind the wall, and hushed voices. Hunger was gnawing at his stomach, and the journey had made him more tired than he had ever been – they had gotten lost several times on their way there, causing an irritation in him that only added to his aching muscles and unwashed body and clothes. He hadn’t been used to being constantly on high-alert, and his eyes looked strained as he peered at the gate. Finally, he dropped his bag on the floor, placing two fingers in his mouth and sending out a sheer whistle that echoed loudly. “Hey!” He shouted, a frown creasing his face as they seemingly ignored him. Just then, a face appeared above the wall, inbetween the curls of barbed wire, and to Russ’ shock stared straight at then, aiming a rifle at Autumn’s head. “You! Be known or be foe!” She called out, cocking the gun in a threatening manner.


Russell raised his hands in surrender, shaking his head hastily, “Woah woah woah! We’re here to trade, we’re just here to trade!” He yelped, taking a tiny step to the side so his body was covering Autumn’s protectively. The eyes at the wall narrowed, and the guard looked at Autumn, and then back at Russell, eyeing the teens with vehement suspicion. “What’ve you got?” The blonde guard called back, refusing to lower her gun.


Normally, Russ wouldn’t give away what he had so openly, for fear of being hunted down and having all of his stuff stolen from him. But the weariness in him was taking his toll, and he was willing to do anything to have a comfortable sleep and something other than corn to eat. He nodded towards his bag, “Medicine. Painkillers, antibiotics, cold and flu pills – you name it. We’re willing to trade them for a place to stay and some food.” He said back, innocently. The woman at the gate said no more, but behind the wall gave a hand signal to raise the gate. A loud buzzing noise rang out, warning the nearby townspeople that the west gate was opening, and the two were greeted by a collection of curious eyes as they were waved in by a tall, muscular guy dressed in all black. Russ scooped his bag up and walked slightly in front of Autumn, as if to protect her from whatever lay inside. The gate slammed shut behind them.


The man hurried towards them, nodding at them to follow him as he pushed his way though. “New arrivals, with me.” He snapped. Behind them, the sentry woman they’d seen at the gate had appeared, and she pointed her rifle at them both, jabbing Autumn in the shoulder with it to urge her forward. They were walked briskly through the centre of the town for a few minutes in silence and Russ exchanged an uneasy glance with Autumn as they suddenly turned into an alleyway. He heard Autumn cry out behind him, and he turned around to find that she’d been grabbed by another, slightly shorter man, also dressed in black, who shoved her into a dark doorway just along the alley. Russell followed him in, raising his flashlight threateningly when his bag was wrenched off his back, and he too was shoved inside. He panicked for a second, struggling to throw punches as he stumbled about, confused as to what was going on. He blinked at the bright lights that shone in the room, which was almost like an office, and they were both sat down on rigid wooden chairs, where a woman sat across an impressive-looking desk, tapping her fingernails against the wood impatiently.


After a nod from the woman, the sentry unzipped Russ’ backpack, tipping the contents out across the desk, pills, boxes and bottles spilling out everywhere. Russell tried to get up and protest, but was held firmly down by a strong hand on his shoulder. “Well, well, well…” the woman spoke, picking up a white tablet and holding it between her fingers. “What brings such a wealthy couple to Hamden on this beautiful day, hmm?”
 
The cold metal of the rifle that jabbed her only reminded her of the alley encounter, and she shuddered, walking faster. She was staring straight ahead, but out of the corners of her eyes she could see the puzzled looks from those who resided in Hamden. She swallowed, feeling a bit nervous. There were more people watching them than she had seen since the beginning, even at the convention hall. It made her nervous, somehow, and she bit her lip, staying close to Russell as she followed him. She held her bag close to her body, as if protecting it. She allowed herself to glance around the town. It was huge, it seemed, with houses and people everywhere. Some of the buildings had wisps of smoke trailing out of the chimneys. it seemed almost foreign, to her, to see so much activity in one place, and seeing the buildings with windows free of boards covering them. She had forgotten what it was like to see a neighborhood, that for all the world looked normal, and that made her sad.


It had surprised her, how easily Russell had told them of the treasures they possessed. But they were weary, and just wanted to get inside. Anything, she supposed, that would help them would have to do. Trudging along, she herself was feeling tired, dark circles underneath her eyes showing her lack of a proper amount of sleep. Exhaling, she just concentrated on following Russell rather than her surroundings, continuing onward through the streets.


They turned down an alley, and Autumn felt uneasy, glancing at Russell, who met her gaze. She was almost expecting someone to steal her bag, and she yelped when that did, in fact, happen, and she was roughly pushed into a doorway. She stumbled, the unexpected shove almost knocking her off balance. The office setting was bright, and she squinted, momentarily blinded by the bright lights. The wooden chairs were hard and uncomfortable, and she fidgeted, trying to settle into a more comfortable position. Upon finding none, she sat still, feeling wary. The brunette winced at the loud noise of the pill bottles crashing on the table, but her face was soon emotionless. The woman spoke, and Autumn resisted the urge to narrow her eyes. The woman had an air of superiority about her, one that made the teen uneasy. She rolled the pill between her fingers, gaze raking over the two seated in front of her.


Autumn swallowed. "We came from the next town over," she said quietly, picking at the hem of her shirt. "His house was raided, since it was, uh, common knowledge that he had medicine. I decided it would be safer to go with him. There were gangs all over the place." She was truthful, while purposefully omitting several details. Her voice was flat. Something about the woman seemed off to her, and she stayed alert, carefully watching her. "Hm," the woman said, looking thoughtful, the pill still between her fingers. She inspected it, no doubt looking to see if it was legit. She seemed satisfied when she looked back at them. "Medicine is so rare these days," she said, sighing melodramatically. "I should thank you for supplying us with some." Autumn shrugged a little, as if it was no big deal. The woman had said it so casually, as if she hadn't been presented with one of the rarer supplies they could have had. It was enough to make her suspicious though she didn't show it. She didn't want to show anything around the woman if she could help it. The woman suddenly smiled. "My name's Ebony," she said, looking between the two. "And you are?"


"Autumn. And this is Russell," Autumn replied, gesturing to the boy beside her. Ebony suddenly seemed much more friendlier, which only made the brunette more suspicious.


Ebony spread her hands. "Welcome to Hamden." Her voice was warm and friendly. Snapping her fingers, the two men in black from before emerged from the doorway. "Please take our guests to the top suite of the hotel. It should be the perfect room for two as rich as they are." The men nodded, but instead of the rough treatment the two had experienced from the before, they instead opened the door, beckoning the two outside. Autumn got up, almost eager to leave Ebony's presence. The hotel wasn't far away, and it was easily the tallest building in the town.
 
Russell started to speak to introduce himself, but a loud rumble stopped him in his tracks, and he cleared his throat, patting his stomach roughly and excusing himself. He didn’t know what made him more uncomfortable, the amused looks the two men dressed in black were giving him, or the rather different look he was getting from the woman sitting across from him at the table. As she welcomed them both, she caught Russell’s eye several times, scanning his body, her words fading out as he shuffled in his chair, feeling his face flush as her eyebrows raised in approval. He knew that Ebony was attractive, but the fact that she could’ve been twice his age made him suddenly feel nervous about being under her confident gaze. He mumbled his thanks, not meeting her eyes.


He paced out of the room, feeling dazed as he was led to the hotel, not even thinking that they didn’t hand him his backpack back. His hunger was starting to give him a headache, and he groaned, rubbing his neck as his thoughts drifted back to food. He raised his eyes to distract himself, and was surprised to see that the street was bustling with activity. The houses were free of boards, although some of the windows were broken or taped up. He caught whispers here and there, and they passed a man standing and shouting in the street, although they were lead away before they heard very much.


“…Who need weapons, when we have the greatest weapon of them all?! While the rest of the world falls to its knees, Hamden will stay safe, bound in the arms of our fiercely protective mother, who provides us with the immunity from the beasts our race so desperately lacks…! We must give our thanks, that she is so kind, so sharing, and she provides us with…” Russ smirked at the rambling nonsense, having heard similar stuff shouted at the convention hall the first time he’d been there. Some had seen the virus spreading as a disaster, whilst others had seen it as an opportunity, he figured.


They reached the hotel quickly, and Russell was surprised that the building has stayed in such a good condition, it’s walls a bright, pure white colour, and luxurious silk drapes hanging from the wide windows of the rooms. “You’ll be staying here from now on.” One of the men said ominously, leading them through the well-lit hallway. A well-dressed woman standing at reception exchanged hushed whispers with the men, before extending her arms out to them both, smiling brightly. “Ebony extends her warmest welcome to you both,” she said, handing Autumn a key. “I’ll show you to your suite.”


As they were led up a group of stairs by her, Russell blinked, suddenly noticing that the inside of the building was bright, despite the fact it was nearly sunset. He looked at the ceiling suspiciously, his face furrowed in confusion. “The lights are on…you have…power, here?”
 
The man on the streets, shouting, bothered Autumn. His words puzzled her. Who was the "mother"? And the whisperings of an "immunity" made her suspicious. As far as she knew and was concerned, if someone was bitten, or even scratched, they were as good as gone. Like Alexi was. Glancing at the man as they walked past and away from him, she frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing in just the slightest with suspicion. He wasn't the only one who was speaking such ideas, she could faintly hear others conversing. Not everyone was, of course, but mixed in with normal chatting were words of "immunity", "goddess", and "protection" among others. It sent a chill down her spine, as she tried to ignore the butterflies that seemed to be fluttering around in her stomach.


The hotel was bright. Clean. Pretty much everything she wasn't, with her dirty skin and tattered clothes. She was almost hesitant to walk on the sparkling floors, sure she would leave dirty footprints everywhere. No one seemed to mind, though, as they walked through the halls. Though she felt very out of place, with her worn clothes and grimy appearance, surrounded by the well dressed and clean inhabitants of the town. She accepted the key from the woman, holding it between her fingers. It was barely bigger than the one that rested in her pocket. She twirled it around in her fingers as they trudged up the stairs.


It wasn't until Russell pointed it out that she noticed. The lights on the ceiling. They were lit. She blinked, furrowing her brows. The only artificial light she had seen had been the flashlight. Seeing the lights startled her. "How?" was all she asked, looking up at the lights. No wonder the hotel was so bright, even with the curtains over the windows. The hotel didn't just rely on natural light, like most did after the power had gone out. "Generators," the woman said simply. "We have larger ones that power the main buildings, such as the town hall, and here. Smaller ones are littered around the town, and a lot of people have their own."


Several stories passed by. Autumn was beginning to wonder how much longer it would take to get to the very top of the building. It seemed to take forever, and she was growing tired. She distracted herself by thinking about the town. It seemed well defended, and from what Ebony implied, heavily stocked and they had power. Something struck her as odd, though. If they had so much, surely more people would have heard of it? Going to Hamden, she hadn't been sure of what to expect on the journey. People passed by the convention hall, having heard of it through others. But this was the first time she had heard about Hamden's riches.


They finally arrived at the top floor, Autumn's feet sore from all the walking. The woman gestured to the door, the only door that seemed to be present on the floor. "Here's where you'll be staying," she said cheerfully. "If you need anything, I'll be downstairs, as well as the others who volunteer here. I hope you enjoy your room!" She headed back down the stairs. Autumn pushed the key in the lock, turning it and opening the door. Yanking the key out she entered the room, her eyes widening. "Woah... Russell, you have to see this."
 
Russell followed behind her, eyes widening as Autumn flicked the light switch. “Holy shit,” he murmured, suddenly forgetting his hunger as his eyes scanned the room. Before the apocalypse, it probably would’ve been just a standard room for Russ – a double bed, bathroom, table and chairs, minibar, good view of the town. But for the two teens, who had grown used to sleeping in drafty old buildings and abandoned cars, it was like a paradise, clean and warm, and seemingly untouched by the chaos outside.


He walked around in disbelief, and his guard instantly dropped as he wondered in awe why they’d been allowed to stay in such a place. Russ smoothed the bed sheets beneath his hands, which were crisp and welcoming, if a little discoloured. He bent down and peered into the minibar. Inside were three bars or chocolate, which he grabbed, his face lighting up like an overexcited child. “Autumn, look!” he held them triumphantly, throwing one over to her before ripping another open and stuffing it into his mouth. He sauntered over to her, groaning in pleasure as the sweet taste spread over his tongue. His face was curved into a smug grin, aimed at Autumn as he elbowed her playfully.


“Whose idea was it to come here, hmm?...Oh yeah, mine…” He smirked, leaning on the windowsill and peering out into the town below. “That wall goes all the way around town. I’ll bet you it’s to keep the zombs out. Hell, I can’t see any at all.“ As he spoke, he chomped loudly on the second bar of chocolate, unable to keep the smile off his face. At that moment, he had everything that made him feel safe – a comfortable place to stay, food, a companion, and a 10ft fence between him and the ravenous undead. In any other circumstance, perhaps he would’ve been suspicious, as well as furious that they’d taken all of his medicine without even asking to come to an agreement. But strangely enough, that didn’t seem to bother him now – as if having someone else take charge over his decisions was a welcome break from having to decide how to ration his food, what to trade, where to go. To him, the rare pills were a small price to pay for comfort, a potentially costly flaw in his character that made Autumn uneasy as he stared out of the window, his shoulders drooping in contented tiredness.


"This is great," He said after a while in deep thought, turning back towards her. After getting to know her better over the past few days, he'd only become more attracted to her, developing a need to be constantly beside her, wanting to protect and provide for her, less like a friend and more like a lover. He looked at Autumn for a few seconds, unsure as to why she still seemed so guarded, showing no signs that she appreciated such gestures, despite having gone out of his way to make sure she slept comfortably every night, and awoke from her troubled dreams with someone who cared for her. To see her less than impressed with the fortress that Hamden was, only added to his frustration, and he sidled up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist in a loose embrace. "Don't you like it, Autumn?" He drew her closer, his lips gently brushing against her neck.
 
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Autumn had drifted over to the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, her eyes widened at the sight of water gushing out. She wondered how they still had running water. The generators explained the electricity, but not the water. Hamden, it seemed, had all the luxuries the apocalypse had to offer, and at any other place it would have made her happier. She couldn't help the small frown on her face. Making a mental note to herself to ask someone about the water, she turned the sink off and headed back out to where Russell was.


She barely caught the chocolate bar that flew towards her face. "They have running water," she said quietly. Inspecting the chocolate bar, she deemed it safe and she unwrapped it. Taking a bite, she closed her eyes, savoring the sweet taste. She didn't know how long it had been since she had last eaten chocolate. It had seemed like years, when in fact was probably only months. In the apocalypse, everyone had lost track of the time. An elbow to the side made her open her eyes, seeing Russell smirking at her. He reminded her of a smug child, with chocolate smeared around the corners of his mouth. "I don't think any zombies can get in here. It's probably also to keep intruders out. You know how they wouldn't let us in at first." It bothered her, how his guard seemed so low, if it wasn't already down. She had thought that it being low at the gate was a one-time thing, an act of desperation. But apparently she was wrong.


It hadn't escaped her attention that the medicine was not returned. It had Russell's, it seemed. She finished the chocolate bar, throwing the wrapper away in the trash can by the table. Russell's back towards her, she watched him uneasily. All it had taken was one luxurious room for him to lower his guard, and that made her uncomfortable. She thought he would have been smarter, and she thought he would have been as suspicious as she was. She thought wrong there, too. Autumn sighed quietly, still thinking. Something seemed off, about the whole town of Hamden. It frustrated her that she wasn't sure what it was. Everything in Hamden gave her a bad feeling, it seemed, even the hotel room. She just wished Russell could sense something as well. But he was oblivious, caught up in the pleasures of a fancy room and chocolate. Setting her bag down on the floor next to her, she glanced down at it. It contained the only medicine they had left. Ebony hadn't searched her bag, with Russell's containing medicine, perhaps the woman had thought Autumn's bag was the one that had food. Which was true, but there was also medicine hidden inside.


"It's nice," she said, sounding distracted. Any other time, she would have welcomed his embrace, but she gently broke free of it. She was gazing around the room, looking for any suitable spot that she could find where she could hide the rest of their supplies. Her eyes fell on the vent, partially hidden behind the table and chairs. That's it. She could just wait until Russell was asleep, or in the bathroom or something, then she could hide their supplies far in the vent. It saddened her, but she didn't trust him to know where she would hide them. "Doesn't something seem wrong to you?" she asked innocently, though she knew what his answer would be. She had moved so there were only a couple feet between them, but she had missed the flash of hurt in Russell's eyes.
 
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