Time to Survive

Maybe We Deserved It

It was getting dark, why hadn't they radioed back yet? What was taking them so long? Did they run into something? Why weren't they back yet? Had Kuza ever even intended them to return before nightfall, that asshole?

I was pacing a line in the carpet.

I strode back and forth in front of the broken windows, leaving a trail behind me in the carpet where I'd been doing this for the past hour at least, biting my nails anxiously until I didn't have any left.

I was getting really nervous.

Where was he?

He'd promised ---.

"Ayo, bitches!" I heard the radio suddenly crackle, and I whirled around, staring at it where it sat in the empty fruit bowl on the coffee table, Devin and Kylie sprawled across the couch in front of it watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV.

FINALLY.

Balz nabbed it from the bowl before I could pounce on it, quickly pressing the button.

He'd been getting just as worried as I was.

"Where the fuck are you, Ryan?" He burst, looking as worried as I felt. "It's almost dark!"

"Yeah, well, about that." Ryan sighed, his voice cutting in and out from the distance, that annoying crackle all radios had making him fade in an out every other word. "We're probably just gonna camp it out for a while, yknow? It's taken longer then we thought it would, walking all the way out here with these lazy asses ---."

"Fuck off, Ryan."

"--- so we'll be back tomorrow," he chuckled, Kuza the one who had snapped at him. "Oh, and Kuza says to lock the house down, don't forget. And don't let Kelsey --- I'm not saying that, Kuza."

I glared, and grabbed the radio from Balz.

"He never intended on coming back before nightfall, did he?" I snapped, my fingers clenching.

I should have just gone with them, snuck out or something, but everyone in the house had been watching me like a hawk to make sure I didn't do just that, the traitors.

"Uh, actually ---."

"Don't lie to me, Ryan."

There was a moment of silence from the radio, then, "No, not really."

I sighed.

That's what I thought.

"Ryan ---."

"Stop attacking Ryan," Chris voice suddenly huffed, and despite the static I could tell he sounded amused. "He's just the messenger. How are all you guys?"

"We're good," I spoke after a moment, glancing at everyone. Ricky was on duty with watching the girl, so he was in the bedroom, where the rest of us were gathered in the living room entertaining ourselves. "Bored."

"Better bored then sleeping on rocks," Ryan grumbled, and I rolled my eyes.

"You're the ones who wanted to go out, you ---."

I jerked as there was suddenly a crash on the front porch, and we all went silent, staring at the broken windows, Balz standing abruptly.

None of us moved for a moment, and then we heard it again, accompanied by a faint grunt, which made me relax just a little.

Probably just a deader, right?
.
"Kelsey?" The radio crackled, but I didn't answer, turning to stare at the front porch. The sun was behind the trees at this point, so it was getting dark outside, and we could hear more shuffling.