A Cimmerian Silence- A zombie apocalypse novel Book 1

Chapter 5

My hoodie slumped over my eyes as I pulled it down tighter. I watched Evan's feet scurry ahead of me; I stayed behind, trying to avoid being seen.

He walked up a driveway to an open garage. There, I noticed a vast weaponry collection stacked upon each other, some leaning against the walls of the garage, others buried in cardboard boxes that were stacked on large tables. Instead of watching the entrance of this place, Evan was in fact at the armoury. Evan exchanged words with another man, however to me, it sounded muffled.

The man patted Evan on the arm before leaving- I quickly turned to avoid him seeing my face. Evan shut the garage door, shutting him inside, which then separated us.

I went around the back of the house, where a low fence parted a path and a garden. I peered over the garden fence, and noticed the coast was clear. There was a rusted window attached to the side of the building, left open ajar, so I crept through.

The window led me straight to the garage. My eyes widened at the sight. Laid out on a long wooden table were small handguns and combat knives. Taped to the wall next to them was a checklist on all the weapons in front of me. A new gun had been added to the list, written down as 'D.M' with a tick. I ran my finger along the handles on the guns until my finger stopped at mine. A faint smile lifted my lips.

I stepped backwards, but my boot hit a large gun resting against the leg of the table. It fell
raucously, causing the other weapons to domino to the ground.

"Fuck." I whispered under my breath as I scrunched up my face.

The door opened expeditiously, and Evan glared in my direction.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" he thundered.

"I was getting my gun." I held it up loosely.

Other voices then came from behind Evan and I was instantly surrounded by a group.

"You alright, Evan?" A person asked.

"We heard the racket." Another added.

Their eyes then closed in on mine and their faces casted a sense of worry and confusion.

Evan came towards me with nothing but a frown. "You're not making a very good first impression are you, kid?" He muttered to me as he took the gun from my hand and placed it in-between his jeans.

I rolled my eyes to the floor.

"You better get Maeve." Evan than added to the others.

"Are you sure you're alright here?" One queried.

"Yeah, I've got this."

Evan sat me down at a dining table in the kitchen. Backing away from me, he leant his body against the kitchen counter, placing himself in the corner.

"What was that all about then, huh?" He asked me as he folded his arms. "What was the plan? Steal our guns then take off? Kill us? What?"

"Look, all I wanted was my gun." I vocalised loudly.

"That's not what we do here."

"It's the last thing I have of him."

"The last thing you have of who?"

The front door burst open, cutting our conversation short.

"So, this is where you were." The voice made me turn my head slightly. "I went to the house and you weren't there. Next thing I know, you're breaking an entering."

Maeve sat in the chair opposite me and rested her hands firmly on the table, tapping her finger harshly.

"Evan, I can take it from here. Have you put the gun back?"

"Yeah," He said, clearing his throat. "I've put it back." He looked at me faintly before he left.

Maeve looked me dead in the eyes. "Now, what are we going to do with you then?"

"Maeve, I..."

"De," Maeve interrupted. "I get why you did it. You've been out there a long time, and this way of life is extremely different. When I told you you'll be safe here, I meant that. But now I must take this situation into account."

"I want to stay here." I admitted.

"Then act like it. I trust you, De. But others won't if you pull another stunt like this."

I let out a sigh before opening my mouth to speak. Evan walked in which then broke my train of thought.

"Sorry Maeve," He said apologetically. "Alek is looking for you- Said it was important."

Maeve huffed. "Can he not wait?"

"You know Alek- of course not."

"Right, ok. Thanks." Maeve rose from her chair then turned in my direction, raising an eyebrow. "Go home and rest. we'll continue this later."

Just as I went to leave, a man pushed past Evan, who leant his hand against the archway, and now faced Maeve head on.

"I've been looking for you for about half an hour." He moaned through slightly gritted teeth. He stood with his feet spread apart a little, while his arms were folded right across his chest. His eyes were dark, almost as dark as his coal hair. There was no smile upon his face, just a frown that shaped his eyebrows into long arches.

"De, this is Alek." Maeve left her hand out and pointed it at Alek.

"Hi." I spoke softly but instead he ignored me.

"We need to talk right now- we agreed to no more people."

"No, Alek, you agreed to that. Let's talk privately, shall we?" Maeve than once again turned to me. "Get some rest."

I nodded slowly.

"I'll walk you back." Evan suggested as I stopped near him.

"We're already low on supplies, Maeve." I heard Alek's stubborn tone behind me. "I said no more people from the outside. She can't stay here."

"One more mouth to feed won't harm anyone."

"So you're just going to wait until she steals our food? Why didn't you come to me before giving her a place to stay, huh?"

"Oh, Alek..."

"I'm telling you, Maeve. You'll regret this."

Evan shut the front door before I could hear anymore.

Then it was just the two of us. As I was about to go through our front door, he stopped me by holding my wrist. Looking from left to right and realising no one was watching, Evan quietly handed me my pistol.

"Take it," he said in a hush tone, almost a whisper. "Don't show anyone."

I grabbed my pistol and quickly tucked it into my hoodie pocket.
"Thanks," I replied forcing a half smile- he did the same. "But why?"

"Just don't kill me with it." A smirk lifted Evan's lips as he avoided my question. He then turned, heading back towards the armoury.

This time I did not follow Evan, instead I admired him from afar. I held my pistol in my pocket by the handle, lightly brushing my fingers over the engraved 'D.M'.