Chapter 32
“We
can’t tell anyone yet,” I told Nicole after shaking out of my stunned silence
“They
deserve to know,” She argued, but I could tell she was conflicted too
“True,
but if I tell them now they’ll argue, some might even want to leave him behind,
or worse,” I played out the scenario in my head, it never ended well no matter
what I would say. Eventually Nicole agreed with me, we had to keep moving
forward, but to what end I had no idea. Haven was safe for now, but if our
theories were true and the dead could sense us from miles away no one location
would be safe, not forever. I kept remembering those theories I had before all
this, ideas for the perfect hide out. But even if one of them could protect us
indefinitely, we couldn’t build it in time, and it was more than unlikely that
we’d stumble upon one in the suburbs. But it wasn’t for just me to decide, for
the first time in a while we had the opportunity to reunite everyone together
in one place. They had put their trust in me as a leader, not a dictator, and
now I understand the importance of that title. If the decision had to be made,
it would be made by all of us
.
…
The cars
were loaded up with as much as we could take, so we couldn’t drive as fast as
we wanted to, not to mention the danger posed by the remnants of the zombie
horde. But after a few hours we made it, we found the others. Once again people
starting jumping out of cars before they had fully stopped, too anxious to
reunite with their friends to wait. Connor and Will wouldn’t stop smiling and
laughing as they examined they damage that had been done to the cars. Chris and
Monica shared a friendly smile, although Monica seemed even happier to be
handed the extra ammo. Malcolm and Andria had already reunited, but the still
kept close to one another, I had forgotten they were friends before all this.
I was
smiling, we were all smiling, until Nicole turned to me, her smile fading, “where’s
Brooke?”
…
We had
lost someone before, but I was dismayed, yet slightly comforted, that it wasn’t
easier the second time around. I explained everything that had happened at the
station, the resistance, Anthony, everyone who had died. I introduced Lindsey
to the others, but I was not surprised she did not receive a warm welcome, the circumstances
were fair from pleasant. Lauren cried freely, Chris comforted her silently.
Will walked off, and Connor followed him, Daniel as well a little later. It wasn’t
until they returned and the other’s settled down that I spoke again, “We have
to decide what comes next, whether we return to Haven, and try to make it
perfect”-
“But it
never will be,” Chris finished, “no amount of wooden beams and barbed wire
could stop what we just saw”
“Exactly,
but the alternative is not very appealing either,” Nicole argued, “Previously
we had a purpose, find our friends, find medicine, find a home. But what do we
do if we can’t find a home, where do we go?”
“What
was it like in the resistance?” Will asked Lindsey, “travelling with little
destination in mind?”
“It
worked,” she began, trying to sound encouraging, “but we had huge trucks, with
shipping crates large enough for dozens of people and equipment, we were even
trying to experiment with hydroponics”
“We have
two cars and a Ute,” Connor said bluntly, “that’s hardly enough to live place
to place”
“He’s
right,” Nicole agreed, “without those kinds of resources we’d have no chance.”
We all
segmented into smaller groups, arguing over what was best. I tried to find the
answer in my own head, a home would never work without a massive amount of luck
and manpower, and we had neither. But living on the road would only end in
disaster to, it would destroy our mental and physical health, and resources would
always be a problem. If we stayed in one area we’d know all the dangers but
eventually run out of food, and if we ventured out too far we would have no
idea what we’d be heading into. If we had the same resources the resistance had
we wouldn’t have to worry about running into trouble, we’d have the manpower to
stop it. And if their experiments bore literal fruit we wouldn’t have to worry
about food. Without realising it I stumbled upon the answer. “We’ll join the
resistance,” I said finally, and eventually everyone agreed.
…
Before
we lit the signal we wanted to be ready, and we knew we’d have to replace the
Ute with one with an intact windshield, so Daniel and Monica went out on foot
to find one. The others sorted out the supplies, between what we had gathered
from Lindsey’s father’s house and what we had kept from Haven there was quite a
bit. I sat in the old Ute’s passenger seat, trying to get some rest. Part of me
wanted to be with Jade, but I was far too exhausted, and she always seemed to
be full of energy. Nicole stunned me out of my nap by hopping into the driver’s
seat and slamming the door, a sour look on her face. “Are you okay?” I asked
drowsily, I was tired but concerned, Nicole usually kept the spirits up, not
dragged them down
“I’m
fine,” she snapped back
“You
sure sound it,” I replied sarcastically
“It’s
nothing it’s just,” her sour mood broke into sadness, “it’s them,” she gestured
out to the others, smiling and laughing as they examined our supplies and
planned their life with the resistance. “They’re happy,” I said confused, “is
that a problem?”
“No,”
she sighed back, “I want them to be happy, but… Brooke is dead,” we were both
quiet for a long time, “maybe I’m just bad at moving on but I don’t feel like
laughing right now”
“No one
expects you to,” I tried to be soothing
“Well tell
them that,” the sour face was back, “that’s it.”
She
turned the key and the engine roared to life. The others outside looked up in
confusion, but I faked a smile and with a gesture they want back to their conversations.
I was worried she was going to try and drive away so I prepared to grab her
hand, but she didn’t reach for the handbrake, she reached for the radio. “You
won’t get anything you know,” I almost laughed
“I’ll
get white noise,” she replied sarcastically, “enough to drown them out.” And
she was right, teeth-grating static came through, and Nicole smiled grimly at
the look on my face. As a joke she pretended to scan through the channels, pretending
to judge each one before moving on. This time I really laughed, but I did go to
stop her, “you’re gonna waste the fuel.” But she knocked my hand away and
shushed me, as she turned the volume up, and listened carefully. A voice came crackling
through the radio, impossibly.
It was
the end of a message, and I thought we had missed it, until it began again on a
loop, “Hello my name is Lewis Carter, and if you can hear this, you are not
alone.” The fact that someone was out there broadcasting on the radio was
crazy, but true. The others eventually heard the sound of a voice and came running
over, about to speak until the heard the message and realised. The message didn’t
end there, “I’m in Melbourne, near the centre, and I’m working with Doctor”-
the message cut out for a moment and I could hear another female voice, then
the male voice again but neither were distinguishable. But then it became clear
again, “we are working with other’s to find a cure, we are at Gordon Centre,
and if you know where that it is you know enough about science to help us.” I
turned to Nicole, and she nodded in recognition, Lewis spoke again “we are safe
there, I repeat we are safe...” the message paused for a while, “come to GC if
you can help, this our last chance, this message will repeat on this frequency.”
We all
stood in stunned silence and listened to the message twice more before Nicole
turned the engine off. Was it possible? Somehow, somewhere there were people
working on a cure, was a cure even possible? Nicole insisted she wouldn’t be
able to help, and argued that we stuck to the original plan, but she was
outvoted. Eventually I convinced her that even if she couldn’t help being close
to a possible cure would be important. The only issue was the trip there, and
the location. Everyone with common sense knew that the city would be swarming
with the dead, and if we wasted fuel and supplies to get to the place where we
died it I would never forgive myself. So we waited until Monica and Daniel
returned with the new Ute to put it to an official vote.
Over the
past months since we left the clinic my leadership skills were tested, if I
even had any to begin with. But even if I didn’t I had to believe that I
developed some, otherwise every bad thing that has happens is my fault, and I
couldn’t live with that. And if my guidance leads us to a gruesome death in the
city I would have no one else to blame. Except maybe this guy Lewis. But if I
lead them to our salvation, maybe for once I can be sure, that I am the right
leader for these people. My friends, no they’re more than that now, my family.
I would do everything to protect them, even if that meant stepping down and letting
someone else take control, but for now I was their leader. And I won’t let them
down.
They returned, we voted and then we left. Headed
towards Melbourne, headed towards our fate. And possibly the fate of the entire
world. Or what was left of the world now gone.
