Radio Silence

We switched vehicles. We came across a hybrid suv. We shoved all of our shit in it and us. We piled in like sardines.

As soon as we loaded in and was secured I pushed the gas pedal headed in the direction of the map given to us. There were buttons on the steering wheel and somehow I pushed the 'seek' button for the radio. A lot of white noise and right before I shut it off Avery screamed to turn it back on.

"Wait! Dont you hear that? Turn it up!" She was clawing her way to the front.

"Calm down! Im turning it up!" Oliver pushed the volume button a dozen times and we all froze, I almost slammed on breaks. We collectively held our breaths as we heard a womans voice through the speakers.

"Hello ZombieLand! O if only we were in a cheeky zombie comedy instead of this shithole deadhead bullshit! Hear that FCC? How about drop a charge on me? Yeah... well... [long pause] Three years ago my phones would have lit up with angry bastards and I would be saying my last two seconds on air before being burned at the stake. O, well. Fuck'em. Okay... as always, I broadcast over a hundred miles. If anyone is here. Give me a call, I think most major carriers are down but maybe a landline is still working? If youve got fingers write these digits down! If youre a zombie... uhh... go bang your head on a wall until true death comes a calling!"

As she rattled off the numbers a scramble for a pen happened collectively. Oliver happened upon one in the center console and scribbled the numbers on the front of a religious pamphlet that was by the pen. Luckily the dj said the numbers over a dozen times. Unanimously we decided to try every phone we passed by as this phone became heavier and heavier in my pocket. Finally, I told the group about my phone. How I see a bar or two flicker in and out but I havent tried to call anyone since three months after my exclusion in Greensboro.

I reached in my pocket and dialed the number. By this time we had pulled over and were standing beside the vehicle my fingers trembled as I heard the pulse and then click of a connection. I could hear the DJ in the background scramble to answer the phone. 

"Hello? Hello? Hello? I can hear you breathing!" The dj was yelling.

I took in a deep breath and Avery screamed at me to respond.

"Hi." My voice broke. I could hear my echo in the suv.

"Where are you? Are you safe?" The DJ insisted.

"Safe. Yes. We're safe."

"We? There are more of you? Look-- im going to cut on some music and give you directions here."

The music startled me. We loaded back into the suv and turned the music down. I repeated the address and directions while Oliver wrote them down. It was an hour away. We are nearing our destination.

Let's see how this goes.

Fog.

Warmth has returned. It was frozen before. Ice. Snow. Sleet. Rain... so much rain.

Now fog. So much fog.  The fog masks us as much as henders us.

We were able to get out of there. The ihop. We left yesterday. We slept in a barn last night and woke up to fog. We crossed a bridge yesterday. A very long bridge. Abandoned cars and remains still scattered around. Someone had been there before us and cleared a path. That is comfort. Knowing there is someone else out there.

We had found a large pack of supplies. It looked like an abandoned military distribution tent. It was set up in front of a Wal-Mart right down the road from the ihop we had held up in for weeks. There was a note in a ziplock bag tucked in some of the food. It was directions. It could be a trick... we are aware... but we must try. We have to try.

Few

Its been months. We finally made it. A much colder climate. We went north. North. North. We stayed away from snowy states and large cities.

We are back in North Carolina. Rednecks and small town America. Its so cold the shamblers move in slow motion. We set up in an ihop. The gas stove provides heat.

We have only been here for a few weeks. Its so nice to have companionship.

Out of so many we are now few. Maybe we will find more survivors soon. We leave notes on walls and on buildings. We are going to brave a store soon. Amazingly some stuff has been left. Our recon provided good info.

We are few but enough. We are enough.