AW? Chapter 05

“Please go away.” The lady cracked the door open enough to mention it to me. I could only get frustrated by everyone's inaction. The fucking end of the world happened and people are just sitting in a room letting shit happen. There couldn’t be more than three or four days worth of food in each room's mini fridge. That’s if the power didn’t go out and the food didn’t spoil.

I could only yell at her. “Fine good luck with the zombie apocalypse then.” She slammed the door closed but I just left out of frustration. These sources were pointless for me as I couldn’t absorb any more. I needed another person, no, I needed a group to join. As strong as I was eventually I would be overwhelmed. I stopped killing zombies, just knocking on doors to see if anyone wasn’t braindead.

knock knock “Looking for people to group with so I can sleep at night without a zombie nibbling on my toes. Anyone in there?” A shaky voice came from the other side. “G-go away… Please.” I yelled down the hallway. “Hello. Anyone looking to survive this!?” I was about to head to the next level before an elderly man came out of his room.

I just looked at him before saying. “Head downstairs and wait in the lobby until I check the other floors.” I made two more yells on the floors I didn’t clear. “Looking for survivors who want to live through this apocalypse! Head down to the lobby if you want to group up!” On the top floor, I was greeted with many of the rooms being broken into. This must have been the work of the man.

I took my time at the start, getting a shower, going to the basement, and clearing my own floor. That would have given him enough time to raid this top-level. I noticed the destroyed crowbar he had used. The weapons looked like they were designed to last for ten, maybe twenty kills before they broke. Still, he was the only human I had seen who must have used his beginner bundle. 

Most of the rooms were ransacked. The man must have figured he could get food elsewhere which was the most valuable thing in the building not collected. His gun was the most valuable, the survivors next then the food. They made food look important in those shows but it wouldn’t be for like the first year. We have enough food that doesn’t spoil in stores that the first year or two should be pretty easy sailing.

Especially if only ten percent of the world is left. No, probably less than that now. Even if we just moved into a grocery it would be enough for a group of six or seven to live off for years. By then we’d have crops growing, let alone if we could purchase food from the store. For some reason food just wasn’t that big of a deal right now, getting members I can rely on was more important.

I made my way down to the bottom and was greeted by six survivors. An old man, a teen girl, a plain businesswoman, the most beautiful woman I’ve seen, like a movie star level of attractiveness, and two businessmen. The old man was yelling. “Look at these bodies. Do you really think this is all a mushroom trip still!?” He kicked at one of the guards I murdered. The zombies were just that, no flesh melting off just a normal person who didn’t need to eat or sleep and would try to kill normal humans.

Some had their mouths open in slack-jawed stupidity but most were just normal people… I mentioned. “System. Is there a way to make the source on the zombies glow so I can tell the difference between them and normal humans?” Once again the system spoke to me. “I can’t make the source shine but I can change the eyes so they’re red to distinguish the difference.”

Helper upgraded to Helper II

I let my group know. “Alright, the zombies will have red eyes from now on.” I checked it real quick out of curiosity.

Helper II- 15% discount on store purchases

Neat. Not helpful right now though. Everyone looked at me like I had two heads. “You can talk to the system!? Fucking system give me a gun!” The old man yelled out. Before asking another question. “System what can you do for me?” I look at the crowd again and no one is stepping up to lead… And neither am I. Fuck that noise, I’d rather go solo than get dragged down by these people.

The beautiful woman was the first to ask. “So, what's the plan? Should we go get food or secure the hotel?” Everyone looked at me. “Why are you looking at me? I don’t know what to do.” As much as I wanted people to group with I wanted them more as shields than as companionship. If we were attacked numbers might make a difference. If they had to kill people to get to me I might be alerted compared to being completely ambushed and blindsided by myself.

The beautiful woman only looked confused at me. Now that she spoke for the second time I could hear an Australian lilt to her voice. “I mean, should we vote on who the leader should be?” I just smiled at her. “I vote you then.” The other two men and businesswoman also voted for her but the old man and teenage girl voted for themselves. I asked. “So what's the plan boss?”

She looked confused and not sure what to do so I made a suggestion. “We need food, water and shelter. We should decide if we want to invite other members, fight them off if they try to join or only select useful people to us. I’d suggest the third option. I’ll go get the food while you plan where we should go for shelter. I would also recommend leaving the city and heading to a nearby town.”

While I didn’t want to be the leader because of the micromanaging and the need to listen to complaints, I had no problems making suggestions and would work as the pretty lady's enforcer for now until we found a bigger group. I went into the bathroom and took the food I hid before coming out. They were mid-conversation as I came back. “-Family in California. We should make our way there.” 

I cut him off. “That’s too far for us. If I were you I’d leave and try making my way there on my own or give up and continue to follow us.” If he recommended another state close by then I’d agree with him but that’s across the country. Not only would you have to deal with zombies, but you’d have to constantly move cars and deal with wrecks from people falling unconscious at the wheel.

It would take weeks of going there. Weeks of groups in California to build up, weeks of constant life and death struggles without a safe area to fall back to. The man just got up and left. We were down to six including myself. The businesswoman also moved towards the door. “I got family in Texas I need to check on so…” And just like that, we were down to five members. The businessman, old man, teenage girl, beautiful Austrailian and me.