Chapter 2: Ladder-Boy
“So what brings you to Atlanta?” I asked as I cut the ham and cheese sandwiches into halves so that everybody got half a sandwich. We had to manage our food the best we could and we had guests over, so this was as much as anyone was getting today “do you have any idea how dangerous this city is?”
“Then why are you staying here?” asked Rick as I passed him his plate of food.
“Because we have food, a bit of electricity which is exclusive to the fridge, furniture, weapons and this is our home” I replied “besides, where else would we go?”
“Good point” mumbled Shane as Lola handed him his food.
I picked up my own plate and brought it to the table, biting into the sandwich and making sure I never took one bite for granted.
“So anyway, you never answered my question” I said again, sparking up the topic which I so longed to discuss.
“We’re in Atlanta for supplies” chuckled Shane “we were on our way to get ‘em until we got herded by Walkers”
“And if it weren’t for you two, we’d be the meat in this sandwich” smirked Rick.
“Thanks, but even cannibalism isn’t viable in times like these” I laughed softly as I took another bite from the sandwich.
“Well I don’t know how many more supplies you’ll find in this part of Atlanta” stifled Lola “people cleared this place out pretty good when they fled and most of it was taken to the so called safe-haven so there ain’t much left”
“Shame, our group could use a little more shit” frowned Rick.
“Group?” I asked as I finished off my sandwich, everybody else not too far behind with their own “You’ve got a group?”
“Yeah, on the outskirts of Atlanta out of the city” replied Rick.
“It’s not too far, but it ain’t walking distance that’s for sure” smirked Shane.
The men then proceeded to ask Lola and I questions about ourselves, where we came from and what we did, how old we were and if we had family. They asked how we took care of the place and how we were still alive in all this chaos. I was reluctant to answer many of these questions due to the fact that I didn’t know these guys and I didn’t know what their deal was. I didn’t know much about them either so I felt it only fair to turn the conversation onto the two men the same way that they had done to me. By the time we had finished talking, eating and the dishes were done, the sky had grown dark and it was time to put the candles on. We did have electricity, but as previously stated, it was exclusive to the fridge. The rest we could go without because we were powered on a generator. It’s not easy to salvage for food, so we didn’t want our hard work paying off with rotting food. We had some stuff in the freezer but we were running low as when the outbreak had begun, we weren’t sure how to properly manage our food. Also, before the apocalypse we were both lazy shits, so grocery shopping wasn’t on the top of our to-do list. If we were hungry, that was never a problem. There was a sushi place right across the road and a Macdonalds literally one block away. I guess we were paying the price for that now.
“Fucking hell, look at the time” said Rick, exasperated “shit Shane, we gotta get back to Lori and… and Carl… and the rest of the group I-”
“No way! Are you suicidal or something?” I hissed “it’s not safe out after dark”
“It’s not safe regularly either” argued Rick “Lori’s probably think we’re dead, Shane, we have to go!”
“I’m not letting you two dumbasses back out there on the street” I retorted “we saved your life once, wasted a lot of fucking plates because of it, so make it count, because we won’t be able to do that a second time around”
“We’ve got a van parked just outside of the city gates” replied Shane “we could make it back-”
“No” I snapped “you can spend the night here and leave bright and early in the morning”
“She’s right” agreed Lola “I don’t know what it is about the dead-ones at night, but they’re more active and it would be wrong to let you go”
“Look, we’re not murderers” I countered “we’re not going to slit your throats while you sleep, we’re just here to help”
“Where would we sleep?” asked Rick “you’ve got two single beds and a couch”
“And a fold out bed” piped in Lola “we used it for whenever our brother was over, he’d sleep in it”
“Where’s your brother now?” questioned Shane.
My face grew cold and tears brimmed in my eyes. I ignored the question and went to go get the bed out of the cupboard. I think they could tell by the way I was acting where my brother was, and trust me, he wasn’t in a better place. He was still here on earth, but he’s not our brother anymore. He was one of those that fled when the city promised a safe house and now he’s out roaming the streets with the rest of the dead-ones. If any member of the living dead frequented our apartment building, it would be him. He’d always come and rattle the barricade we’d set up, like he remembered the place. I keep meaning to put him out of his misery….. but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
I got the bed and stretched it out, setting it up beside the couch and letting the boys decide amongst themselves who slept where. I myself decided to get changed into pyjamas, pulling on one of my old Blink-182 tank tops and slipping into some light green shorts with a white ice-cream pop print on them. I came back into the lounge room where their beds were set up to see both men in only their briefs, Rick taking the bed and leaving Shane to sleep on the couch.
“Can I get you guys anything?” I asked cautiously as I walked slowly towards them “water maybe?”
“Some water would be excellent thank you” smiled Shane as he got up from the couch to join me in the kitchen.
I could feel his warmth radiating behind me as I poured him a glass of water, handing it to him as he drank it in one go on the spot.
“Thank you, it’s very kind of you to host us here” he drawled in his sexy sounding southern accent “but you can’t stay here forever”
“What makes you say that?” I whispered.
“You’re low on food, the supermarkets are either overrun or have barely anything left in them and that barricade isn’t going to hold out forever”
“And what exactly do you suggest I do, huh? Go homeless on the streets?” I pushed.
“No” he said before he froze “come with us”
My jaw dropped slightly at the offer and my mind became blank. Come with them?
“Dude” I scoffed “I’ve only just fucking met you”
“And I’ve just met you and I’m giving you this offer” she said in reply “at least think about it, would you?”
I eyed him suspiciously before making up my mind “fine, I’ll think about it”
“So that’s-”
“It’s not a yes” I said stiffly “don’t get your hopes up ladder-boy”
“Yes ma’am” he snickered before hustling back into the main room and getting under his covers, relaxing himself on the couch “g’night”
“Night boys” I laughed softly before exiting the room and back into my shared bedroom with Lola.
I crawled under my bedsheets and law my head down flat on my pillow, shifting a little underneath the covers. A slight feeling of unease lurched in my stomach as I heard our chained up doors at the entrance to the apartment being moved by dead-ones.
“Are you going to get that?” murmured Lola from underneath her blankets.
“No baby, you know the rules” I whispered back to her “no leaving the apartment room after dark”
I saw her nod in the darkness before her eyes closed again, her body unmoving and silent in her peaceful sleep.
I didn’t have as much luck falling asleep as her. I had Shane’s offer playing over and over in my mind. I didn’t want to leave this place mainly because of all the memories that were contained within this building and within this city. I couldn’t just flee my hometown like this. I knew I had my most likely dead parents roaming around the city along with my deceased brother. They may be dead, but how could I abandon my family like this?