Phil, You Are So F**KED

Chapter Fourteen - May 17 2013, Near Route 80, New York

There is one good benefit to all this walking, I am getting in pretty good shape.  My abs are coming out of retirement after a couple years of hiatus. 

“Jin, I am a little worried.  Everyone looks like they are all on edge.”

Mo seems to feel better.  My little speech last week might have worked.

“I know.  We are getting really sloppy with everything.  Look at us, we are not a group marching in formation, just a bunch of dudes walking.”

“You think we should say something?”

Interesting that Mo is starting to doubt himself.

“Nah, let them mourn.  We can pick up the slack.”

I say that, but I find myself having a hard time getting motivated too.  I can’t help but wonder if there is even an American government for me to get the anti-virus to.  

No, Phil.  Block out those thoughts.  Thoughts like that are poison.  Think about Amy, think about about Mom and Dad.  Everyone is counting on you to be strong…

“You are right, Jin.  So how is Dan doing?”

“Poor Dan.  We don’t know what to do with him.  Kim and I have been spending a lot of time with him.  Trying to keep him company at least.”

Also, we are worried that if one of us aren’t with him, he might do something stupid.

“Yeah, he has been pretty quiet since… you know.”

Dan might have said ten words total in the last nine days.

“Yeah… we stopped trying to get him to talk.  You know?  When someone is mourning, they will talk when they are ready.”

Mo nods.  He remembers.  I don’t want him to think about Ahmed right now.  Time to change topic.

“Actually, Mo, you know who has surprised me the most?  Wassem. He seems completely devastated by Grace’s death.”

He has been mourning for her just as much as Dan has.  I know all three of them were friends but I didn’t know they were that close.  But I guess spending all day together make quick friends.  

“Yeah, I know what you mean.  I can hear him crying the last few nights in his tent.  It is hard for me to keep suspecting him with him broken up over her like that.”

“Something still doesn’t feel right about his story….  By the way, dude, have you noticed how there hasn’t been any zombies around for a little while now?”

“Really?  Wasn’t there a group of them in that construction pit we walked by?”

We discovered that the zombies lacked the upper body strength to climb up ledges.  Nabil thinks the severely slowed down metabolism damages their central nervous system somehow.  The zombies can run, but only at a jog, not full out sprints.  

“That was like, five hours ago, dude.”

We try to avoid zombies as much as we can, but usually we at least see one every hour or so.

“Oh shit, really?  Huh… that is odd.  I wonder why… are they dying off?”

There is hope in his voice.

“No clue.  That would be awesome.  But Mo, I doubt we are that lucky.”

###

*Pop!*

Woa!  Who just fired their gun? 

Dan?  What the fuck did he shoot.  Kim has her shotgun up too.  They are standing next to a big tree.  I don’t see any threats.