Officer of the Dead

Chapter Nine

Notes; 

I hope you're mentally prepared for this chapter. Angst, a lot of angst.

You look out of the car's window in amazement as it approaches a tall multi-story building in the distance. Excitedly, you wonder if it's the Rosarito hotel as your eyes briefly glance over at Ronnie. His big brown eyes stare up at the building with curiosity, he seems just as awe-struck and fixated on it as you.

The car is silent as it pulls to a stop outside a makeshift gate. You all watch with curiosity as two heavily armed civilians approach the car in front, conversing briefly before approaching your vehicle.

"Do you have weapons?" one of the robust men asks sternly.

"Y-yes," Sarah replies with apprehension as you shift uncomfortably in the backseat, listening intently to the exchange.

"We're gonna need them before letting you in," the man states matter of factly.

You all turn to look at Ronnie for guidance, his mouth twisting as he glances down at his machete, clutching at it tightly.

He sighs before asking, "Do we get them back?"

"Only when leaving the perimeter. It's a safety precaution."

Ronnie pauses before looking at you, "Well, they did say it was a sanctuary," he replies, referring back to the original broadcast as he shrugs his shoulders and hands over his machete and handgun through the passenger window.

The rest of you follow Ronnies lead and hand over your weapons. You reluctantly pass the men your cherished baseball bat before they leave the vehicle and open the gate, waving you through.

You nervously glance around your new confines as you get out of the car and reunite with the small group of people that have slowly become your friends.

"Wow," mouths Lucy as the rest of you stand awkwardly in the forecourt, comprehending your new surroundings.

As you look around you notice that the hotel appears to be well protected, with tall makeshift fencing surrounding the boundaries and guards positioned at different points of the perimeter. The building itself must be at least twenty stories high as you look up at it, mesmerized.

When you look back down, you glance over at your friends and notice how relaxed and happy they all look, it's as if a collective wave of relief has washed over them and you could feel it too. Finally, after weeks, possibly months of fighting to survive and constantly living in fear, you had made it safely to this haven.

You glimpse over at Ronnie, watching his captivated eyes dart around the place. He looks overly excited as he takes in the magnitude of everything around him before pausing and returning your gaze. You blush slightly when his mouth curves into a smile and his eyes beam at you with a longing you hadn't noticed before.

For the first time since the outbreak you feel as though you could have a future, and as Ronnie reaches his hand out to you, your stomach flutters at the thought of one with him.

"Hey, thanks for saving me," an unfamiliar voice calls out towards you and Ronnie, diverting your attention from each other. You see the young man from the school gymnasium approaching you with piercing blue eyes and notice he has the build of an adult but moves as though he was still taking his body for a test drive like he was unsure of himself.

"It's Dan, isn't it?" you question as he gives you a small nod in reply. "Well, thanks for saving us too, we thought we were goners,"

"Least I could do," Dan replies with a chuckle before continuing, "So your friends said you heard about this place on the radio?"