Eli was barely staying afloat before the apocalypse. Working long shifts, taking care of his younger brother, and just trying to figure out what to do with his life.
When he finds his mom trying to take a chunk out of her youngest son though, Eli...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Waking up without having who was on watch previously, was easier than the night before. Taking Luna with me downstairs to start my shift, the watch I had on telling me the that it was around 3 in the morning.
Red was sitting on a couch, keeping an ear out for anything as the window was open nearby. The thin chapter book in her hands was nearly all the way read through, using the moon as a light source it cast shadows that accentuated her features. Making her look alluring as her curly hair tumbled over her shoulders.
Getting up, she smiled tiredly. Her eyes flickering down to the book and then meeting my eyes. Thanking him. I smiled, recalling as she was putting the medicine away and going over her notes from Aubrey I had snuck into her and Vivian's shared room. Placing one of the books I had taken on her twin sized bed.
She pets Luna's fur as she passed by me and climbed up the ladder entering her own room where she could sleep for a few more hours. Closing the window, blocking the cold air from entering the room, folding the tossed fuzzy blanket that I had given Red, it seemed like so long ago now when in reality it hadn't been more than a week. She was curled up with it as she read but left it here now, perhaps in case she thought I would get cold.
I didn't ponder on it too long, walking out of the front door with Luna, shivering from the frigid wind they lapped the house, following along the fence line, keeping an eye and ear out for everything.
I slowly walked through the yard, as the sun began to rise. Sitting on the porch step, I looked out over the backyard. Able to see the shape of the two cars hiding in the woods, partially blocked by the colorful trees within the fence.
Hearing stirring coming from inside the house, I watched as Aubrey came out, an empty bag with her as she grasped her small pocket knife.
"Can you let me out?" She snapped, walking to the locked gate.
Narrowing my eyes at the troublesome girl, I let her out relocking the gate, being sure she didn't see the code. "Be back by sundown."
"Whatever," She mumbled, walking down the road.
Shaking my head at the delusional girl, I left the yard. Luna getting up from her spot on the dying grass, trotting in behind me.
Walking in, Mason's small voice chattering with the three older companions in the kitchen. Luna automatically flanked next to Mason, who was sitting on the ground working on a drawing.
Pushing beside Javier I looked through the cabinets. They were stocked, but eventually, food will go bad or we will simply run out. Grabbing something small I began chewing on it.
"Done!" Masons voice cheered, ringing out through the quiet house. "Isla look."
Red turned patiently to Mason who was proudly holding his drawing out to her. "How wonderful Mason, who are these people?"
Stepping forward at Reds voice changing, I peered over her shoulder looking down at the picture. What looked like a little potato with a ball on its head was holding onto a bigger potato with curly red hair, next to the curly haired girl was a colored in, slightly larger potato with two different colored eyes. On the other side of the little boy, the potato was a lighter colored in potato with long dark hair, drawn lazily on the paper. Next to him was a potato that laid on the ground, colored in grey. Next to the dog was a smaller potato with long black hair. Around each of the potatoes, middle was a line, I guess their version of bandanas, that had colors corresponding to each person.
