A different kind of girl {Book One}

Shopping trip

When I awake, John is missing but his coat is laid over me like a makeshift blanket. It smells of him and I lie there for a few minutes, taking it in. I like him, I'm going to have to admit to myself before my heart bursts out of my chest and runs into his arms. I can't deny that every time I see him, I smile like a Cheshire cat and I think he's going to give me a heart attack. 

"Tim?" I sit up. "Hi, it's Rachael."

"Yes, I know who you are," he replies in a monotone voice. "What can I assist you in?"

"Where did John go?"

"John had some work to do with Cara."

"Thanks," I say. I stare at the screen. "Can you find anything on the internet?"

"In theory, yes." 

"How about the news?" I ask.

"No problem." Sky news pops up on the screen. 

"That's pretty awesome."

"Thank you." I watch the screen for a while, the words molding into one as my attention span disappears completely. 

"Rachael!" Russell bursts into the room making me jump out of my skin. "Ready to go?" I nod slowly, holding my chest as I stare at him. He laughs and yanks me up.

"You could have given me a heart attack." He just laughs again, acting like I'm joking and shoves me into the hall. 

"Let's go steal some supplies." I walk over to the Cara and Sophie, David, Charlie, and Jason. Wheres John? Russell slings his arm over my shoulder, still chuckling at my remark before. 

"You know the plan guys. Any sign of danger and we get out," Cara says. "We need food, heat, pillows and blankets, and anything else you see fit. Nothing stupid, Russell," she warns. "Now, let's go."

Walmart, aisles, and aisles of sweet glorious product and the best thing. We have it all to ourselves. Cara groups us again like we haven't had enough safety talk for one day. 

"Right now remember, Tims, taking care of security but any sign of trouble you drop everything; rendezvous back at the lair," Cara says. "Please be careful"

"Seriously, if I don't get my gummy bears I'm going to kill someone," Russell mutters. I believe him.

"Alright, let's get moving," Cara says. I tag along behind Russell who is eagerly looking for his munchies.

"Hi," I say.

"Hello."

"What else are we looking for apart from gummy bears?"

"Tins of food. Things that last. The subway is like a bunker and we have to survive forever because the radiation will kill us if we're outside for too long."

"That is the best description I have ever heard," I chuckle. Russell sings in glee when he spots the sweet aisle and he runs down to the gummy bears, shining like a trophy. Russell excitedly kisses the bag and shoves two packets down his pants.

"Now no one will eat them." I nod my head in agreement. That's a fantastic plan. We then find another aisle where we start collecting food for everyone else.

"Stealing like rats on a street." Russell drops the tin, nearly on my foot and we look at a man dressed in a suit staring at us. Crap.He pulls out a gun and Russell shoves me out the way. He links our hands together and we run down the aisle but someone appears in front of us holding a gun as well. We're cornered.

"Just give up, you're surrounded," he says. I turn around to see the other guy coming up to me. He turns me around, shoves me against the freezer door and pulls my hands behind my back. I'm then cuffed. Russell lets him do it and we follow them back to the tills where everyone already is. Shit.

The question is though, how did they know we were here?

"Where's Cara?" The one who caught me asks his partner. Are they looking for Cara? Why are they looking for Cara? Did she set us up?

"I don't know," the man opposite him shrugs. There are so many questions. I shuffle over to Russell and reach towards his hands with mine but the handcuffs bite into my skin and I stop moving.

"Well, what are we supposed to do with this lot then?"

"Who knows? This was a stupid plan. Why did we let Jedikiah talk us into this?"

"Guys, you should go help, Cara is putting up a fight. He's in trouble." I look up to see Stephen and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I am so glad to see you right now.

Make that two of us. I smile at him and he winks at me as the men discuss quickly before agreeing with Stephen and walking off. He quickly gets over to us and releases us.

"I could hug you right now," I say. He grins.

"I ain't stopping you." He holds his arms out and I run in quickly.

"Now, we don't have any more time. Where's Cara?" he asks.

"I don't know, we all split up," I say.

"Right, get out of here okay. I'll find her." He hugs me quickly and then Russell grabs me and we flash out. Why do I feel like he's saying goodbye?

I sit in the corner with Russell while we twiddle our thumbs. Finally, we hear a commotion and rush out the office to see John holding Cara and Stephen right behind them. We run over.

"They ambushed us," I start. "We couldn't fight."

"We're not blaming anyone," John says and sits Cara down on the couch. "But what happened tonight can't happen again. We'll need to broaden our horizons as to where we get food and in smaller numbers." He looks up at me. "Don't worry."

"I'm not," I smile.