We setteled in for some much-needed rest after driving all night. The sun was shining through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room. Danielle was already asleep, exhausted from the long drive. She'd curled up on her side of the bed, and I made sure to leave enough space between us, trying not to disturb her.
As I lay there, I couldn't help but think about how much I wanted to keep her safe. I'd been watching over her since the outbreak, making sure she had food, water, and shelter. I'd taken on the role of protector without hesitation, and it felt natural to do so. But beneath that instinct to protect, I knew there was more. Feelings I'd been trying to ignore, feelings that made me want to keep her safe not just because it was the right thing to do, but because I cared about her deeply.
I glanced over at Danielle, taking in the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept. I felt a pang of tenderness, and quickly looked away, trying to shake off the emotions. I focused on the room instead, making sure everything was secure, that we'd be safe if anything happened.
Despite my best efforts, my mind kept wandering back to the unease I felt. The town seemed too quiet, too peaceful. I kept expecting something to go wrong, for the zombies to burst in or some other threat to emerge.
As I lay there, I heard a faint noise coming from outside the room. It sounded like footsteps, light and cautious. My heart rate picked up, and I sat up in bed, listening intently
The footsteps stopped outside our door. I held my breath, waiting to see what wounhy6jm7ld happen next. My movement didn't stir Danielle, and I was grateful for that. I didn't want to alarm her unless absolutely necessary. I'd do everything in my power to keep her safe, no matter what.
There was a gentle knock at the door. I froze, my heart still racing from the sudden noise. I grabbed my gun off the bed-side table and cautiously approached the window and peeked out to see who was at the door. The man's familiar face came into view, and I recognized him as the owner from the office. I felt a wave of relief was over me.
I opened the door and stepped out, closing it softly behind me so I wouldn't wake Danielle. "Hey, thanks for checking in," I said quietly.
The man smiled and handed me a bag. "Just wanted to make sure you folks were doing okay. I brought some food and water. You look like you could use it."
I took the bag, feeling grateful. "Thanks, we really appreciate it. Listen, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."
"Of course, what do you need?" He asked, his expression soft and understanding.
"I'm having trouble sleeping," I explained. "The truth is, I care about her. When this whole thing started, I basically took the role of her protector, not because it's a good thing to do, or because I've been friends with her for a while, but because I have feelings for her. But I'm afraid to tell her, and to be honest, I probably never will. Relationships and zombies just don't work. You know what I mean?"
The man's expression turned thoughtful, and he nodded. "I think I do. You're worried about her safety, and you want to make sure she's protected."
I felt a sense of relief, knowing that he understood. "Exactly, and I want to do everything I can to protect her and keep her safe. But the thing is, I can't protect her if I'm sleeping. That's why I was wondering if you could keep watch for a bit, just to make sure nothing happens while we rest."
The man smiled, "I'll keep watch. You get some rest. I'll make sure nothing happens to either of you."
The man's words were a weight off my shoulders. I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. "Thanks man, I owe you one."
He smiled and clapped me on the back. "No need to thank me, kid. We're all in this together. I'll keep watch for a few hours. You get some rest, and we'll switch out later."
I smiled back at him, a sense of relief washed over me. I went back inside the room, locked the door behind me, and settled on the bed beside Danielle. She stirred slightly as I lay down, but didn't wake up.
As I lay there, I listened to the sound of the man's footsteps outside the room, patrolling the walkway to keep us safe. I felt a sense of trust in him, and knew that I could finally get some rest.
I closed my eyes, letting my exhaustion wash over me. I was asleep in minutes, lulled by the sound of the man's steady footsteps outside the door.
Hours passed, and I slept fitfully, waking up occasionally to check on Danielle or listen to the man's footsteps outside. But each time, I felt a sense of safety and security, knowing that he was there.
As the hours ticked by, I began to feel more rested and refreshed. I knew I would be ready to face whatever challenged lay ahead, as long as I had Danielle by my side.
Another hour had passed, and I slowly got out of bed, trying not to disturb Danielle. I stretched my arms and yawned. I quietly got up and walked over to the bag, pulling out a sandwich and some fruit. I took a bite of the sandwich, savoring the taste of frsh bread and meat. It was a welcome change from the canned goods we'd been eating.
Just as I was taking another bite, Danielle stirred and woke up. She rubbed her eyes and looked around the room, disoriented. "Hey," she said, her voice groggy.
"Hey," I replied, smiling. "The man from the office brought some food. We've got sandwiches, fruit, and water."
Danielle sat up, brushing her hair away from her face, "That sounds amazing. I'm starving."
I handed her and sandwich and some water, and she devoured it eagerly. As we ate, I filled her in on my conversation with the man, and how he'd offered to keep watch while we slept.
Danielle nodded, her eyes scanning the room. "That's really nice of him. I'm glad we're not alone here."
I nodded in agreement while taking another bite of my sandwich. "Yeah, me too. Let's just hope we can actually trust him."
As we finished eating, I felt a sense of renewed energy and hope. Maybe, just maybe, we'd make it through this apocalypse after all.
We finished eating, and Danielle looked up at me with a hint of curiousity. "So, what's the plan now? Are we going to stay here for a while?"
I shtugged. "I don't know. But we can't forget that we still need to find Nick. He left to gather supplies and just never came back. We need to find out what happened to him and make sure he's okay."
Danielle's expression turned serious. "You're right. We can't give up on him. Do you think this guy might know anything about Nick's disappearance?"
I nodded. "it's possible. Let's go talk to him and see if he knows anything."
We packed up the remaining food and water, and I went to unlock the door. As we stepped out onto the walkway, I saw the man standing guard, just as he'd promised. He nodded at us, and I smiled in appreciation. "Thanks again for keeping watch," I said. "We were just wondering if we could ask you some questions."
The man's expression turned serious, and he nodded. "Of course. What do you want to know?"
I took a deep breath. "We're looking for a friend of ours named Nick. He's about 6'1", brown hair, blue eyes. He's a little bit taller than me, and he's been wearing a black leather jacket. Have you seen anyone fitting that description around here?"
The man's expression changed, and he nodded. "Actually, I have seen him. He came through here a few days ago. We talked for a bit, and he seemed like a nice guy."
My heart skipped a beat. "What did he say? Did he mention where he was going or what his plans were?"
The man thought for a moment before responding. "He mentioned that he was on the run, trying to survive. He said he'd been ambushed while out gathering supplies and barely made it out alive."
I nodded, feeling a sense of urgency. "He left a not for us, didn't he?"
The man nodded and handed me a piece of paer. "Yes, he did. He asked me to give it to you if you just so happen to come here."
I ttok the note and unfolded it, recognizing Nick's handwriting. As I read the words, my heart ached.
"Hey guys, I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it back the day I left to grab supplies. Things went sideways, and I got ambushed. I barely made it out alive. I was forced to evacuate for my own safety, and I'm on the run now. I'm trying to survive and find a way to make it through this. Don't worry about me, I'll be okay. We'll all meet again when it's safe. Take care of yourselves until then. -Nick"
Danielle's eyes met mine, and I could see the worry and concern etched on her face. We both knew that finding Nick wouldn't be easy, but now we had some information, we were determined to keep searching.
I folded the note and tucked it into my pocket, feeling a sense of determination. "Thanks for giving us this," I said to the man. "Do you know if Nick mentioned anything about where he was headed after the city?"
The man thought for a moment before responding. "He didn't say specifically, but he mentioned something about trying to get out of the state. He said he heard rumors of a safe haven somewhere in the mountains, but he wasn't sure if it was true or not."
I nodded, processing the information. "Did he say which mountain, or where exactly?"
The man shook his head. "No, he didn't go into details. But he seemed like he was grasping at straws, trying to find any lead that might get him to safety."
I looked at Danielle, and we exchanged a determined glance. We had a lead, and we were going to follow it. "Thanks again for the help," I said to the man.
The man nodded. "You two be safe out there. It's not getting any easier."