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Chapter 29
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2022-05-22 14:23:28Related chapters
75 Days Chapter 30
Zombies are shuffling up the driveway. They're still a few minutes away, but that doesn't change the fact that there are over a dozen of them grouped together. "The car. They must have heard the engine and come running," Naomi says quietly."It would have been the only thing making noise for probably miles. There's no telling how many of them heard. There could be hundreds of them on their way here.""And we'll never reach the jeep in time," she says, looking at me. "Leave the fruit. We have to warn the guys."The two of us ignore the spilled fruit, and we race up the hill to the cabin. "Ryder!" I shout, hoping someone is paying attention. "Ryder!"Reese sticks his head out the door, spots the zombies, and swears. He ducks back inside, and I can see him rummaging around for the rifle with the scope. He takes a handful of ammo, grabs his stuff, and jumps out the front door. "Reese! Where are you going?" Naomi asks. She's panicking, and I don't blame her."Our sniper's nest."Ryder grab
Last Updated : 2022-05-2375 Days Bonus Chapter
The sound of gunfire wakes me up from a horrid nightmare early in the morning. When I slowly open my eyes, I'm met by the same depressing view I've seen every morning for a while now: thin, dirty cots placed around the room with thin, dirty young woman lying on those cots. They all stare at the boarded up window in wide-eyed terror as the gunfire continues, but the sound doesn't bother me like it does some of the others.The guns go off at all times of the day, and we're used to it by now. More than seven months of death, constant fear, destruction, and hopelessness is enough to make anyone hard and insensitive. So even though the guns are loud and I can hear whimpering from my younger bunkmates, I don't really care enough to go reach out and comfort them. They should be used to the fear and gunfire by now.I dress for the day in mostly clean jeans and t-shirt-they're as clean as a washboard and hand scrubbing with very little laundry detergent can make them-and then I head out into t
Last Updated : 2022-05-2475 Days Bonus Chapter
Daisy sighs. "What do you think we should do today once our chores are done?""Is there anything we can do but sit around and wait to die?" Rose says, casting a disgusted look at the rest of us. "I mean, it's not like there's any internet, texting, video games, or television to watch. We might as well just sit around waiting for the end, right?""There are books to read, games to play, and survivors to get to know," I say, silencing whatever she's about to say next. "We'll find something to do with our time. If none of those options amuse you, you are more than welcome to join the training sessions later. You might actually learn to do something other than bitch about our circumstances."She narrows her eyes at me again, and I mentally prepare myself for a fight. Surprisingly, Daisy intervenes. "Rose, let's go wash our clothes. That will give us something productive to do, and we can talk while we do it. Felicia, you're welcome to join us while Madison is at training."Felicia gathers
Last Updated : 2022-05-2575 Days Bonus Chapter
I find Felicia working in one of the bottom-level classrooms that used to be some kind of agricultural class, judging by the built-on greenhouse attached to the back of the room. With her are Daisy, Rose, and a handful of other girls who are stuck with washing duty. Between the eight girls are three large metal tubs full of cold, soapy water and a handful of washboards. A few of them scrub the clothes as thoroughly as they can, before passing them off to be wrung out.A few lines of cord hung up in the greenhouse serve as makeshift clotheslines, where the clothes are hung up to dry in the sunlight. Beneath them are a few plastic trays of plants that are still in the process of growing, courtesy of the agricultural teacher that taught his students to grow things. Peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and cabbage are a few of the seed packets that were left behind, and we planted them a few weeks ago, though much hasn't grown yet. Aaron and I are afraid we waited too long to plant th
Last Updated : 2022-05-2675 Days Bonus Chapter
"Hey, Madison," Aaron says, stopping me on my way back to my room after washing clothes. "I need a huge favor, and you're the only one I can trust.""What do you need?""I need someone to come into town with me on a supply run. I've got a few soldiers willing to help out, but I want someone that knows the area a little better than them. You survived here in town for a while on your own; I thought you might be able to help."Aaron gives me plenty of time to think over his question without rushing me, because he knows how serious this is. I haven't been outside the fenced-in perimeter since Aaron found me five month ago, and to be honest, I haven't had the slightest urge to leave the safety of this camp. Even though we desperately need supplies, many refuse to go on the supply runs; there are so many things that can go wrong, and they don't always come back. We've lost eight men and women on supply runs in the past three and a half weeks. Those that have come back in one piece claim tha
Last Updated : 2022-05-2775 Days Bonus Chapter
The front door of the store has been barricaded with an empty shelf turned on its side, but the window has been broken out, probably by vandals some time ago. Aaron is the first to climb up and over the shattered glass, and he bends down to help lift me into the store. A shard of glass jutting out of the window frame snags my shirt sleeve and it tears, but thankfully it doesn't break the skin. The thump of my boots echoes in the empty store as I drop down from the window sill, landing in a crouch.The other two soldiers climb into the store after me, and they quickly draw their guns and spread out, trying to make this place as secure as possible. Aaron nudges me in one direction, and I quickly grab two red handheld baskets from a stack near the window, before following him down a nearby aisle. Like many stores in such a large city, there isn't much left in any one place. A lot of the remaining merchandise is scattered around the floor or turned on its side on its shelf, having been ov
Last Updated : 2022-05-2775 Days Bonus Chapter
The two soldiers whose names I still don't know hop through the window first, and Aaron helps me up and out safely. "Madison, you don't have to-""I'm going," I say, sliding the gun out of the waistband of my jeans. "What are we waiting for?"More shots are firing off every second, giving us a clear direction to go. However, the noise each shot makes is alerting every zombie in the city to our group's exact location, and many more zombies will be here shortly-ready to feast on our brains. We have to get our other group and get as far away from here as soon as possible.Aaron grabs my hand and drags me away from the store, and the four of us are off, racing down the sidewalk in an attempt to reach our stranded group members. The shots get closer and closer with each step, and as we round a corner, we found ourselves at an intersection that has been overrun by zombies. There are more than thirty zombies, and they've got ou
Last Updated : 2022-05-2775 Days Bonus Chapter
"Madison, I want you to show Todd and Janelle to their rooms. Just find a place for them wherever there's room-you'll know the best place for them. Then I want you to show them both where they'll be doing their chores. When you're done with that, you can take them to the cafeteria for lunch. It should be starting right about then.""What are you gonna do?"Aaron sighs and runs a hand nervously through his hair. "I have to gather the soldiers and tell them that I lost five of their comrades on a stupid supply run. That should be fun," he says bitterly. "There's nothing like telling someone their friends all died for a can of baked beans or a package of diapers!"Aaron walks away shaking his head, and I just stand there in the doorway to the school, watching him go. I know Aaron well enough to know how deeply today's events will weigh on his soul, and I hate seeing him like this. Surviving in this harsh new world is hard e
Last Updated : 2022-05-28
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75 Days Special Chapter 10
We rejoin the group by the vehicles. Ryder is still standing guard on top of the truck, always vigilant and aware of anything going on around us. For a minute, all I can do is stand at the back of the parking lot with Todd and stare at Ryder. He's made it possible for us to feel as safe as humanly possible while out on the road, and he takes all of the faith we have in him seriously. He'll never let us down... He turns and spots us. The corner of his lips twitch, and I know it's as close to a smile I'll get while he's on guard duty. That almost smile falters as his eyes roam over my body, and I know the exact instant he sees the wounds on my face and arms. His gun drops to his side and he jumps off the roof of the truck to the bed and hops over the tailgate, hitting the pavement with a loud thump. He heads over to us with long, purposeful strides. I can tell how furious he is from the way he clenches his hands until the knuckle are white and the way his nostrils flare. He reaches ou
75 Days Special Chapter 9
"You'd let complete stranger in?" Aaron asks, as if he can't believe she would be stupid enough to do that. "Aren't you worried about what they might do? To you or your kids?" "Of course I am!" she snaps. "But we won't make it here alone. I need help gathering fuel and protecting this place. Against my better judgment, I'm trusting yours. If you think they're safe, send them back this way if they're willing. I don't have much of a choice," she says. Reese nods. "I understand." "Thank you so much," Tuyen says. "I really appreciate it." "Don't worry about it. If we meet anyone on the road, Ryder and I can assess them. If they're trustworthy, we'll let them know you're taking people in." She smiles gratefully at Reese, but then turns her attention to me. "To be honest, I'm not sure how reliable this cure information you have is, but for all our sakes, I hope it pans out for you." "Me, too." "Stay safe while you're out there trying
75 Days Special Chapter 8
Out of the corner of my eyes, I notice Ryder and Aaron suddenly go tense. Tuyen catches our behavior as well and smiles. "Don't worry, I have to keep this area locked up because the kids like to try and get in here to snack. If I let them take what they want, we'd run out of food for sure. So I always lock it. Nothing to be worried about."She sounds honest and sincere, but there's no telling if she's trustworthy or not. You can't be too careful these days. There might be madness lurking beneath that sincere face, and it might be too late to take caution."Stay close to me," Ryder whispers, his breath hot on my ear from how close he is. He makes sure his words don't carry-they're for my ears and my ears alone. And I take them to heart.I sidle closer to Ryder, feeling my arm brush against his. I take comfort in the warmth and closeness he offers. My hand drifts down until it's resting against the grip of my gun, and I notice the others move their weapons closer so they're ready to use
75 Days Special Chapter 7
I slide down from the rooftop and hop down into Ryder's outstretched arms. He catches me effortlessly, like I weigh next to nothing, like he hadn't been previously wounded and left almost helpless. He looks down at me, eyes full of worry. "Are you hurt?""No," I say breathlessly. "I'm okay for now, and so are those kids." He sets me down and I feel strength start to return to my legs, my earlier fear almost forgotten. "I can't believe there are still children left alive. I thought for sure they would all be long dead by now."We watch the two boys, who may actually be brothers now that I get a better look at them. They're comforting each other, checking to make sure they're both unharmed. We turn our attention to the strange girl who came out of nowhere. She's busy staring at us, clearly sizing us up and determining whether or not we're a threat to her and the boys in her care.Finally, after a very tense minute that has Reese and Aaron shifting nervously, she walks over to us. She st
75 Days Special Chapter 6
Ryder pulls over to the side of the road a few hours later, cutting the engine. He flexes his fingers and winces at the stiffness in them. Hopping out of the truck's cab, I stretch my legs for the first time since we left, feeling the strength slowly return to them. We've been following Interstate 29 since we left at dawn, and we're just outside the South Dakota border, which is quite the journey.The others get out of the vehicles, stretching their tired and aching limbs while we have the chance. Madison catches my eye and nods as she arches her back until it cracks. With a contented sigh, she walks over. "I'm getting hungry. We should use this quick stop as a lunch break, too. We might not get a spot like this to stop in again."I nod in agreement, eyeing the area around us. Ryder's expertly chosen our location, choosing a spot that's easy for us to defend. We leave the highway and walk for twenty yards, coming to the top of a small, grassy hill that overlooks the highway and the su
75 Days Special Chapter 5
Madison nudges me. "Don't," she says. "Don't doubt yourself. Not now. We're way too close to doing this for you to question your choices now. Reese will get over it eventually. And if he doesn't, it's not your problem." I sigh. "You're right." Is she though? Ryder steps around Reese and his eyes find me instantly. "Well, I think we're just about ready to go. We've just gotta pack the food into the vehicles and decide on who is riding together. I'm gonna drive the truck, and I think Aaron should drive the jeep. Sam, I want you with me so I can keep an eye on you." I nod. "Okay. Reese, I think you and Naomi should ride with us, too. Madison? I think you should ride with your people. You'll know how to work best together, and you guys probably trust each other a little more." Madison nods. "Sounds like a plan." Thankfully Reese decides to stay quiet, and he doesn't object to our plans. He just hovers in the corner, glaring at nothing in particular and making sure we all know how muc
75 Days Special Chapter 4
When we get back home after our supply run, Ryder and Aaron go over every inch of Reese's new truck, looking for imperfections. I catch snippets of their conversation, but I don't understand most of it since they use the proper mechanic terms, and I've never been that great with the subject of vehicles. The best I can do is drive one, and even then I'm a little iffy about it. But if it were to break down somewhere, I would be in so much trouble.Rather than stay outside and watch the guys look over our new ride, I head into the kitchen. There is an open can of peaches left over from the lunch the others had about an hour ago, and I dig in with a plastic fork. Daisy sits at the kitchen table, sipping at a bottle of water. She has this look in her eyes that I've noticed every once in a while. It's a look that says "I've lost someone important to me; someone that I'll never get back". Madison told me that Daisy lost her twin sister Rose when their school safe haven got overrun a
75 Days Special Chapter 3
Hours later, the jeep jerks to a halt in front of the only car dealership in the area. Reese pockets the car keys, but he doesn't exit the car. He just sits there rubbing his temple as if he has a migraine, and I wait impatiently for him. After a thirty minute drive into town from the middle of nowhere, I'm feeling anxious to stretch my feet, and to get this done, and waiting for him does not make me happy.Finally Reese slides out of the jeep, slamming the door shut behind him. Rolling my eyes at his attitude, I head into the dealership parking lot to look for anything that will be able to fit us all. The sound of Reese's boots clunking against the pavement is the only indication that he's deciding to follow me, and I hope he's paying more attention to our surroundings than I think he is.I constantly scan our surroundings, always on the lookout for any sign of movement. The gun belted to my side feels right at home on my hip, and with it always within my reach, I fee
75 Days Special Chapter 2
"Breakfast is ready," I shout, loud enough to be heard over the ruckus in the living room. Walking over to the kitchen doorway, I lean against the frame and watch the contest going on. Both Ryder and Aaron are sitting on opposite ends of the living room table, clasping each other's right hands. Their free hands are behind their backs, and the others are watching and cheering them on, waiting to see who wins the arm wrestling contest.As I watch, Ryder begins to get the upper hand. Slowly but surely, Aaron's smaller arm begins to lower to the table, but it doesn't go down. It hovers just above the wood while Aaron struggles to hang on for just one more minute. Before Aaron can recover, Ryder slams his arm down on the table, effectively winning the contest.Reese and Naomi cheer while Todd and Madison pat Aaron on the back. "It's okay, Aaron. You'll get him next time," Madison says.Aaron smiles good naturedly, and leans across the table to offer Ryder his hand. T
