𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 | an apocalyptic novel ©

Chapter 64

Finding Strangers

2035

Aidan

I feel numb. My heart feels weird. I blink, slightly confused. No, "confused" isn't the right word. It's not even close to what I feel right now. My mind is racing around the fact that I have found them. Or at least that's what I think. I still remember every sound of the Morse code signal in my mind.

-- -.-- / -. .- -- . / .. ... / .... . -. .-. -.-- .-.-.- / .-- . / .-.. .. ...- . / .. -. / - .... . / -... .-. --- -. -..- .-.-.- / .-.. --- --- -.- / ..-. --- .-. / ..- ... .-.-.-

MY NAME IS HENRY. WE LIVE IN THE BRONX. LOOK FOR US.

And I now think that I have found that Henry. Well, she doesn't look like the typical Henry I pictured. A skinny girl, slightly younger than I am, is looking at me, blinded by the flashlight I'm still shining into her eyes. Even she looks confused - but mostly blinded. Instantly, I realize that mistake and drop the flashlight I have been holding up the whole time. My eyes adjust to the darkness of the store's inside. Then, I look back at the girl, my brows knitting together. Her long brown hair is put in a braid and her clothes - like mine - are torn and dirty. She is a survivor, just like I am. My heart skips at the sight of her. I haven't seen another human being in a while. A long while.

I want to step close to her, touch her, and feel a human under my fingertips for the first time after what feels like an eternity.

I want to make sure she's real.

But all I do is stand here in the middle of the store, like an idiot and stare at her.

Do something. Say something.

Hesitantly, I take a step toward her, but she raises her hand in my direction. As I look closer, I see a gun in her hands, her finger on the trigger, ready to fire. Somehow, I only notice that now. The girl is hesitant, but she could have shot me if she wanted to. She still can. My stupidity could get me killed. She parts her lips like she wants to say something. I frown. Even I can't come up with something right on the spot. I mean, what should I say? "Where have you been? Long time, no see at all." ?

The girl looks frail and torn apart by something she has experienced at a very young age. And it's bothering her. Her hands holding the gun begin to shake from tension. The gun is loaded with two bullets as far as I can count.

Just two, I have fifteen if we're doing a competition here.

I shift in my position, just the slightest bit. As I do so, the girl suddenly lunges forward into the remaining distance, the gun still extended. It's as if she expected me to attack her. There are still a good seven feet between us.

Bullets don't care about distance. When they hit, they hit. I know that by now.

Surrendering, I raise my hands, trying to calm her down, to tell her I'm innocent. The girl has a look of disturbance painted on her face. She has seen some shit. Her stance is weak, I could just push her out of the way if I meant business. But that's not the case here. At least I don't hope I have to prove what I am capable of.

I open my mouth, trying to introduce myself as humble as possible. "Hi..." I say, barely a whisper. Partially, I'm surprised that I still can talk. I haven't used my voice in a long time. The girl looks at me, completely unfazed, as if she is saying "Wow, that's all?".

I clear my voice. Is she the person who sent me a message through Morse code?

Suddenly, the girl seems distracted by something behind her. She scans me for a swift second before turning around, tucking the gun in the waistband of her jeans. And then, out of nowhere, a little boy, not older than seven or eight, lurks around from behind her back. "Henry!" I hear the girl whispering harshly in his direction, but the boy just smiles wide at me. I smile back, hesitant.