UNITY

Chapter 6

"Lala Land..."

"Livingstone,"

"Eight, thirteen..."

I kept muttering their address as if it would magically teleport me to it, the gun beside me was taunting me, willing me to pick it up and off myself right here.

I puked what my guts had, or what was left of it, in the bathroom. The smell of bile and rotten food that came from my stomach made me want to vomit again as I lay there, reminiscing the time I watched those men die at the hands of the zombies outside.

I forced myself to watch them suffer, thinking to myself that it shouldn't be hard, that they deserved it, and yet here I am. I'm not a psychopath, after all.

How many people have I killed? Do I even consider them as people? They're more like animals, to be honest. And now, they're mindless zombies outside, feasting on one of their former mate's flesh.

It took a toll on me when it wasn't supposed to, and like a weakling, I cried. It hasn't even been a week since I last left my house.

Has it? I don't even know anymore.

"Livingstone."

Ah... to be among the living.

I looked at the gun beside me again and debated on whether I should end my life right here, right now. But then I remembered I'm a boss bitch, and how my dad's waiting for me... and maybe the boys, as well.

Wishful thinking.

"Lala Land... hihi..." I giggled; I think I'm going crazy.

Tootsie's been clawing at the underside of the bathroom door for the last 5 minutes, trying to see if her owner's still okay.

Oh, yeah... I have to live for my dog too.

At this point, I have no plan to go somewhere familiar. I can't go to Batangas on foot, it would kill me.

I have no choice but to maybe find a settlement or a camp and hopefully survive there until I can somehow borrow a vehicle.

With the full intent of returning it this time, mind you.

And no, I don't want to go to Lala Land where they are. I just have no reason to, even if they wanted me to come. Perhaps I could visit them some other time, just visit, not live with them or anything. Right, since I got my bearings and thoughts gathered, it's time to open up the door and let my favorite pup in.

Tootsie was laying on her side on the floor, trying to see what was underneath it with her one functioning eye. When she saw me, she whimpered, as if knowing what I was about to do.

"I know, I know. I'm good now. Are you hungry?" I whispered to her as she licked my face, happy that I'm alive after all this time.

"I'll take that as a yes. Go to the kitchen and let me get something really quick." She ran towards the kitchen as I went back inside the bathroom, gathering my stuff and putting them in my bag, as well as holstering my gun behind me.

I flushed the toilet as I went outside. What, we can't be decent in this household? What if someone makes this their hideout and finds vomit on the fucking toilet? I don't want that to happen to me, much less to others!

I went down the flight of stairs to feed Tootsie. As always, she gobbled down her... lunch? I opened one of the curtains to see if it was midday, and yes, it was in fact, lunchtime.

I prepared my things to leave once again. This place is fortified, but not enough. I can come back to it whenever I could and try to zombie-proof it more the next time when I can.

By the time I finished, it was already 3 PM. I think the zombies outside have wandered off somewhere somewhat cold, since they hated how the heat felt. It decomposes them faster, making the stench much more unbearable than in their normal state.

Just like that, Tootsie and I went out to some scavenged cars and tried to start some of them, but to no avail. The last one I tried to open was a beetle, with its keys just haphazardly thrown in front of the dashboard. I inserted it into the ignition, and to my surprise, it started!

Well, I guess the older generation won.

I showed both my middle fingers to the cars I tried (and failed!) to open.

"To getting out of this hellhole!"

I brought out the Jack Daniel's that I bring with me wherever I go (I know, sue me), and took a swing.

There's nothing like living on the edge while drunk.

I carried Tootsie and sat her on the passenger's seat while I gathered my bearings on the driver's side, calming my nerves. Oh, come on! I've never driven a car since I was 18! And even then, it was only for my driver's license. Speaking of, can I still use my driver's license?

I rummaged through my bag and held the license in my hand. I squinted at the blurry letters, reading the expiration date which said, 2026.

Well shit, I can still drive!

"Mweheheheheeeeee-"

I held the steering wheel with one hand as I put the car into reverse, hightailing it out of there and on the road before me towards the unknown.