"Oscar. OSCAR." I wave my hands in his face, trying to get his attention.
"What?" He says spooning canned peaches into his mouth.
"I think someone is watching us," I whisper. "I swear I saw someone. A woman. In the motel, we just passed." I point behind us. The snow crunches under my hiking boots. Oscar shrugs.
"Probably a wanderer." He says. Wanderers are what we call the people who went insane after it happened. They just stumble around aimlessly, their skin decaying and their brains turning to mush. "You know, you're supposed to save the food we have," I say, pointing to the can of peaches. Oscar shrugs again and keeps walking. "You're so annoying," I groan.
"I know! Lighten up, Leo." He smiles. I punch his arm jokingly.Oscar is always positive. Even now, when I don't see anything to be positive about. "Looks like there's going to be another blizzard. We better get back to Mum." The snow flurries and the wind howls. We sprint to the end of the road and into the old pub. We have been camping here since it happened. Oscar managed to find another tent, which is good because we only had one. The door creaks shut and we're plunged into darkness. "Home sweet home..." Mumbles Oscar. We tip-toe into the main room.
"Mum?" I whisper. I hear a shuffle, and then suddenly mum appears in front of us. "I thought you were dead." She whispers.
"We're so sorry mum I know you said before nightfall but we found a warehouse and-"
"No. No excuses. From now on I'll go in supply runs." Mum said sharply.
"Mum but you're not well-" Oscar continues.
"I'm fine!" Mum yells. Cutting Oscar off again. Oscar stiffens. "I'm fine." She says again, quietly this time. Mum has been suffering from Influenza for a while now. We ran out of proper medicine a few months ago, we've just been using leftover cough drops and extremely minty cough medicine. "You get to sleep Oscar. Leonie, help me lock up."
"Why does Oscar get to sleep," I whine. Oscar trudges off to the back room and clambers into the tent.
"Because he is fourteen and you're sixteen. C'mon, get a move on!" Mum claps her hands and I groan but comply with mum's order. I'm too tired to be stubborn.
The pub has two sections. The front room, which has the cobweb-ridden tables and chairs, a rusty bar and a few shelves, and the back room which is the kitchen. Its patterned with a black and white tiled floor and lined with tall counters, which is where we're sleeping. "Mum! I need to ask you something!" Oscar whispers.
"What now?" Mums forehead is creases with stress.
"We found a new tent. Should I set it up?" He asks. Oscar is so innocent. He sometimes doesn't realise things that are happening right under his nose. "Sure, now it will be less cramped in the other tent." Mum tries to smile but doesn't quite achieve it. I worry about her sometimes. "We'll be right back. Don't... Break anything..." Mum stutters before collapsing into a fit of coughing. "Mum!" I yell, running to her side. "Mum- What- Where are your drops? Your medicine? Look Oscar give her the rest of them I'll run out and see if I can find a Pharmacy!" I'm so worried. I can't think straight. I don't understand. I forgot to put my coat on. I'm freezing. I don't care. I keep running.
YOU ARE READING
Elsewhere (ON HOLD)
RandomThe streets were cold. Desolate. Bare. Frost crept up the windows. Snow flurried in rage around the paths. They were together. They were different. They, are the last hope.
