Broken

They've added me to patrol. Davis and his family moved into a new apartment to be away from 301.

The twins have started crashing at my place at least once a week. It's a mess. The group is broken. Benny tries to keep watch but he mainly seems to be focusing on his house. I haven't heard the baby cry at all. I don't know if that means it didn't survive or the house is just excellent at hiding noise. They've had their windows closed.its been a hundred degrees. I don't know how they are dealing. I haven't been in there.

Group meals are now a thing of the past. Davis sneaks over to peek in on the Benny family to make sure no one has turned.. for our safety. He often jokes about going in and killing Benny, the sisterwives and the infant. The eldest child is almost a teenager and could be of use and the other two are old enough to adjust.

I told him I'd only kill them off once they join the ranks of the undead. Not before.

I keep waiting for the screams of despair and more death. We are less safe being broken. I realize now how much I need people. Being alone made me go crazy. I survived but to what avail? The twins and I made a pact. If their parents die or their parents and the Benny family start a war within themselves, we are booking it elsewhere.

I just hope the group can recover.

Sister wives

I've made a break through. I woke up today and just listened. I could hear children playing. I followed the sound and came across actual children. Playing.
Soccer.

Within the gates of the apartment.

Soccer.

It was almost normal. Soccer. I kept my distance but I watched their happy little faces as they kicked the ball back and forth. I waited for them to scream as I approached but the older one simply called out, "She's here!" And they playfully scampered inside the bottom level apartment. No fear, just simple procedure. A women came out and kept her weapon visible but passive. She smiled at me and told me their names.

Their real names.
Isabelle.
Camron.
Zachary.
Little Avery.

Her husband Benny would be out to greet me shortly.

I kept blinking thinking her expression would fade into grubby, groaning, expressionless grayness. Her smile never wavered. I stammered out that I mean no harm to her or her family. She nodded approval as her husband emerged from the second level apartment, weapon in hand but without aggression.

"Welcome," he says. "We have pretty much secured the area. We've been here since the beginning. The garages have a lot of stable goods we have... Uhh... Acquired... From the surrounding areas. We can give you one garage, free and clear."

I watched him carefully as his mouth formed his words. I watched his wife waiting for a hint of apprehension. I spotted none. Entirely too clean. Something doesn't add up. I don't trust them and if they're really as smart as they say they are they wouldn't trust me either.

"To be honest," he clears his throat, "we need help clearing the neighborhoods and extra hands are always welcome."

Just then another woman emerged from the second level. She was obviously trying to tidy herself. I pursed my lips together in a smirk. I see what he's doing.

"That's Randi. She lives with us too." He said tightly.

I started glancing around their side of the complex.

"There are four more. They are in the apartment next door. They don't much like new people. I guess I'm the spokesman of the group."  He glanced at Randi who had now joined Isabella. Their comfort together just made me queasy. But who am I to judge? It's the end of the world, for fucks sake.

"We try to socialize once a day around noon. Even if its just to check in, get a meal and crawl back into our holes. It's still nice to know you got people, ya know?" He squinted at me, or maybe against the sun, it was a close call. Their apartment was closest to the main road and the main gate exit. Good place to keep an eye on things I guess.

"We've kept our space for a month now but we do have to make sure our people our safe. Okay? So.. uhh.. any day at noon you feel up for it come over so we know we can trust you. K? We all just want to feel safe. Fair?"

I nod. I give a thumbs up. I throw in a wave and double back to my claimed dwelling. Noon, eh? Food sounds so normal. Wait.. a month? I've been here a month???

A fucking month.

Down South

Didn't I say I was going north?

I lied.

Well, I didn't mean to. I mean-- I never I intended to.

It's been years-- right?

I have been carrying around this phone like a good luck charm. It died long ago. I managed to find a solar charger thing. The sun is plentiful here.

I keep getting glimpses from my past. The facts and fiction have blurred so heavily I don't know what is fantasy and real memory. I'm afraid I have lost myself. I just ran. I remember falling in love and then blood... Nothing but blood.

That's past me now. Past. Past.

How did I get here? Bike. Motorcycle. Little Geo looking car. Yes, many ways. Many ways.

I traveled over a thousand miles. I traveled super light and then found a fully stocked hummer. That helped me feel safe the nights I had to sleep parked on the road. It's nerve wracking to sleep under the stars at ground level with faint moans and grunts in the distance.

I got turned around somewhere... Took a wrong highway. I started seeing signs for New Orleans and knew to avoid such a large city but I kept finding the gravitational pull so strong. There is a voice in my head. It won't stop.

I've found a gated apartment complex. It's abandoned for the most part. There is another family trapt here. They don't trust me. That's fine. I don't trust them. I set up on the opposite side of the complex. It's a small complex. Direct doors and cheeky residentials behind it.

We still talk. The neighbors and I. They left a random can of beans and a note: "Plenty of room for all of us. Plenty of resources. No need to fight. Welcome."

I was confused because all I had done was avoid them, but I guess others have passed through wanting anything that wasn't theirs. I took the beans and ate graciously. I had found MREs in the hummer and had stretched them as far as possible but the supply was mighty slim. I had taken to looting gas stations because they were easy for one person and if I avoided the bathrooms and the coolers I sometimes wouldn't even come across a dormant corpse ready to pounce. The hummer saved me. Obviously he was on his way to New Orleans, or from New Orleans?

Like I said, I took a wrong highway somewhere. I have no idea how I ended up here. It's sweltering heat and it rains buckets. The stairs are concrete leading up to my level (of course I will take the second level) so I have to figure that out. I've tied it off about six steps up but that isn't good enough. Zombies can pile up and break the ties too easily or even flip over it. I'm going to have to see what the neighbors have done. I came in on the side they are not on and after cleaning out my area I haven't ventured out much.

The stench here isn't bad or maybe I'm numb to it. This is just a place. Solo is secure. No friends. No allys. Solo is secure. Solo is secure.

Solo is secure.