Deathly Encounters

Chapter Ten

"Crap."

The house door was locked, and Jenna had lost the key back at the school. Both Anthony and Andrew had tried bashing it with their shoulders, but to no avail. While they tried that, I walked around, trying to survey and find something helpful.

I found an unlocked window and slit the screen with the Swiss in my pocket. Why hadn't I used it before, you ask? Good question, reader. Because it's tiny. It's the cutest knife you'll ever see. Sure, the blade is sharp, but it's not big enough to do damage to a real threat. But that was okay, I had a sword and a dagger now. I just hadn't felt like using something so lethal for such a small task.

After slitting the screen, I popped open the latch and climbed in. I looked around and found myself in a sitting room, with nice furniture and tasteful art. "Nice house, Jenna," I said to myself. "Points."

I made my way around and found the front door. I umlocked it and opened it, laughing to myself at the expressions on my friend's faces.

"What, you didn't know I have teleportation powers?" I said, smiling at them with the look that said I knew something they didn't.

"Seriously though, how did you get in?" Jenna looked at me. "Did you break into my house?"

"Why yes, yes I did." I beamed at her and then moved to the side so she could come in. "Don't worry, I didn't break anything.. I think."

She pursed her lips at me, then smiled. "Don't worry, I don't think anything in here is of value anymore."

I nodded in agreement and made sure that Andrew closed the door behind him, then followed Jenna as she led us up to her attic. She lowered the stairs and we climbed up, coughing as dust billowed up around us.

Andrew waved his hands in front of his face. "Geez girl, clean your house." Jenna gave him the stink eye until he backed up a bit, then brought us to a coat rack with pounds of bags heaped upon it.

"Well," I said. "We certainly won't fall short." I browsed through the bags, looking for something with ample storage space but that still won't hurt my back. I can't be running from the undead with a bad back.

I found a nice black bag, with plenty of space and padded straps. Anthony picked a giant grey bag, like a hiking backpack, Andrew chose a camouflage pack, like a hunting bag, and Jenna chose a black one similar to mine. We started back down the steps and I made a beeline straight for the bathroom. Instead of closing the door, I opened the medicine cabinet and began emptying it into my bag, filling it with painkillers and such.

Andrew looked over my shoulder, confused. "We're going to get hurt that much?"

I shook my head. "No, but these are going to become mighty valuable. They could very well save our lives. Everyone, take some." I felt bossy, but I wanted them to listen to me and trust my judgement. They didn't seem annoyed, and all reached into my bag, no questions asked.

I looked down at myself. My shirt had a blood stain, running from my shoulder, below my ear, to my hip. My black leggings were ripped and dirty from my trip down the stairs. "Jenna, mind if I borrow some clothes?"

She nodded. "Sure, go ahead." She pointed to her door. I walked in and surveyed her closet, picking out white pants and a white shirt, then black pants and a black shirt. I could stay warm in the black and blend in for now, but would have to start wearing white as soon as snow fell. I also picked out a lined black hoodie, warm but allowing for movement. I was going to have to raid somewhere else to find myself a warm white coat.

I slipped into the black garments and packed away the white ones, then braided my long hair down my back, out of my eyes. I stepped into the bathroom attached to Jenna's room real quick to wash my face and maybe grab some deodorant or something (sounds strange, but who wants to go around during the apocalypse smelling like the sewers? You don't want the undead to be able to track you by your stench), when I looked in the mirror and froze.

I looked exactly like my mother.

Fair skin, freckles across my nose, dark lashes that always made it look like I was wearing mascara. Pouty lips, green eyes that shone gold in the sunlight, auburn hair.

I'd never thought of myself as good-looking, but I'd always thought of my mother as beyond beautiful. I looked up to her and admired her, and now seeing myself like her.. I wasn't sure what to think. I blinked away the memories and splashed my face with cold water, then grabbed some deo and soap. I didn't want to be stuck with the smelliest group.

I made my way back to the group, and saw that everyone else had changed as well. Apparently, Anthony and Andrew had borrowed some of Jenna's brother's clothes. I wasn't going to lie, Andrew looked good. But moving on.

I looked out of one of the windows, then checked my watch. It was pretty dark out, and the time said seven. I must have spent more hours at school, home, and traveling than I'd thought.

I unceremoniously went through Jenna's cupboards, taking out any useful unparishables and handing them off to people. I also pulled out a stainless steel bowl, and shoved it into Anthony's giant bag.

He looked at me, confused. "For boiling water," I said. "And popping popcorn." I smiled.

"Come on, let's get thick blankets, and put them over the windows. Make sure they're locked first. Lock all the doors. Make sure everything is secure."

The four of us scrambled around the house, covering up everything. We still had electricity, which was helpful, and Jenna turned the heat up.

By the time we had finished that, it was past eight, and I was exhausted. I sank onto the couch, but couldn't stay sitting for long. My head was starting to hurt, but I needed to set up our sleeping arrangements.

I nabbed pillows from all the rooms, and the extra blankets, and brought them to the middle of the living room floor.

Then my stomach grumbled.

I'd been so busy, I hadn't realized that I hadn't eaten all day. Neither had Jenna or Anthony.

"Oh my God guys, you must be starving! Why didn't you say anything?"

Jenna tilted her head. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."

I laughed. "Let's raid the fridge, before everything goes bad and becomes unusable."

Andrew cheers, and Anthony pumps his fist as Jenna sock-skates to the fridge. She opens it and takes out a leftover pizza. "Woo!" I say. "Food!"

We all stuffed ourselves until we couldn't eat anymore, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was going to be my last good meal.

My eyelids drooped, and my head felt fuzzy. "Okay," I said, "we need to take turns on watch. We can't all sleep at once." They all agreed. "Okay, Jenna and Andrew first?" Of course I wanted to go on watch with Andrew, but I was exhausted, and Anthony looked as tired as I felt. Andrew and Jenna looked the most awake.

"Sure," Jenna said. "I'll wake you up in... Five hours?"

I nodded, then noticed Andrew didn't have a weapon. "Anthony, will you give Andrew one of your katanas?" Anthony slumped and gave me a look like a pleading child. "Do I haaaaaaaave too?" He whined, comical. I fought to keep a straight face, and sighed. "Yes, you haaaaave to." He gave a puff of disgruntled resignation, then handed over one of his two swords. "Good boy."

I snuggled into my blankets as Anthony lay down less than a foot away, and slept knowing that my friends and my mother were watching over me.