When they reached the town at the top of the hill, Georgia couldn't help but shudder as she felt invisible eyes on her. She stared at the broken glass windows of the burnt houses and storefronts, praying not to find anything staring back. She started when Kami reached for her hand, a small comfort in such eerie new surroundings.
"How do you know there aren't any zombies still inside these buildings?" Georgia asked. They trailed behind Marc, staying in the middle of the street as if going too close to either side would cause a pack of zombies to appear.
He didn't look back. "We used to do regular sweeps of town. There's nothing stuck inside that wouldn't have been roasted alive in those fires. We only worry about new zombies that wander into town, and they usually tend to come from the east for some reason. Most of the sentries are concentrated on the other side of town."
"So nobody checks this side of town at all anymore?" said Alex. Georgia noted that he was trailing furthest behind as if he was trying to keep a comfortable distance from Kami.
"Maybe once a day or two now. Less than we used to at first."
Marc led them down a few short streets until a tall chainlink fence sat ahead of them.
Georgia kept her voice low. "Anything in particular you think we should know before we go in there?"
He waved to a sentry sitting in a flimsy guard tower. "Nothing you don't already know. But if you do want to leave, I'll be there to help you out."
The gate was open when they walked up to it.
"Who are these?" The sentry demanded. He had climbed down from the tower to greet them. He seemed to be just a teenager with a faint shadow on his lip.
Marc didn't brush him off. "They ran into me when I was out hunting on the other side of the river. They plan to stay a short while before moving on."
The sentry turned slightly so the sun glinted off his half sheathed belt knife. "You didn't bring anything back from hunting. No food, but three extra mouths. Matthieu won't like this."
"I think you mean three extra sets of hands. Obviously they will be working for their keep as long as they stay. And it's not their fault I didn't catch anything. I was already on my way home when I saw them on the road."
The sentry grunted, moving to scurry back up the ladder to his watchtower. Marc rolled his eyes and beckoned them to follow him into the stronghold.
"You lie really easily," Georgia noted.
"It's not difficult with these idiots," Marc said under his breath. "Most have no hope of holding any type of intelligent conversation anyway."
They walked past what looked like a barn-raising in the middle of town, which was not quite as odd as seeing several farm animals lassoed at a gas station. Other people were rushing around with baskets of laundry or vegetables, hard at work.
"This doesn't seem so bad," Kami commented.
Marc led them to the largest building in the middle of the stronghold. "We better hurry, dinner is soon and we want to keep up appearances." He held open the door.
"Is this a high school?" Georgia went inside and gaped at the dark hallways. She could make out some bright school banners hanging over doorways.
Kami followed, then Alex. Marc closed the door behind him. "Now it's our dormitory and mess hall." He led them into another hallway.
"Why is it dark? Don't schools usually have generators?" Alex asked.
"It's a poor use of resources to keep the generators running all the time. We have them on for a few hours in the evening, but otherwise, we make do fine." He stopped at the doorway of a former classroom. "It's strange, I thought I was leaving this place for good this morning." He shook his head. "Anyway, there's some beds for you two if you want to drop your bags. I remember an empty bed at my dorm a few classrooms over for Alex. The mess hall is around the corner. Can't miss it." He suddenly walked away, Alex following close behind.
Georgia turned to Kami, who shrugged. They set their things down on two folding cots with a pillow and blanket folded at the foot before heading out.
Georgia expected a loud cafeteria crowded with chatter, people leaning between tables, random eruptions of laughter. Instead was a shadowed room with solar-powered lanterns hanging from the ceiling and about two hundred people either speaking to each other in hushed tones or not saying anything at all. There were several tables set up around the room, but one table at the end of the room was on a raised platform. Five people sat there, looking down on the timid crowd. One looked completely annoyed. He stared at her, eyes drilling into her neck when she steered Kami towards the food line.
The locals let them into the line easily enough. They served some sort of baked fish, roasted potatoes, and bread rolls. Georgia was sure to take a small portion. A glance at Kami's plate told her she did the same. They looked around for a place to sit, Georgia trying to ignore the man still staring at her, and noticed Marc and Alex waving them over.
They sat down. "It's weird how quiet it is," Georgia noted. She kept her voice low as well, not wanting to stick out too much by speaking at a normal volume.
"They're afraid of Matthieu. A few people that spoke against him have gone missing. He thinks he's a feudal king. If you work hard and keep your head down, you'll be okay."
She stabbed at the fish on her plate.
The man at the high table stood up. The few people talking silenced. "We are all that stands against these monsters wiping out civilization. We are the last key to your survival." He looked in Georgia's direction. She shivered. "In a situation like this, nothing has more value than loyalty. Anyone that tries to break this settlement apart has no place among us."
Kami whispered in Georgia's ear, "What's his point?"
"There are still people out there that need to be liberated," he continued. "The three new faces I see before me are proof of that."
Georgia's eyes widened.
"In a few days, we will start a new campaign to search for survivors and bring them to our home while destroying every zombie that dares to get in our way. This would be a great honor to me and to any who volunteers who join me on this great mission. But today, we eat!" He raised his glass while the four people beside him cheered.
A few people in the crowd raised their glasses, murmuring approval but no one else even clapped.
Not long after, the leader stood up and left, his followers trailing close behind. The room seemed to relax and everyone got up to take plates to the kitchen.
"That guy is crazy," Alex hissed. "What about reinforcing that flimsy fence? He wants to just abandon everyone here?"
A small woman stepped in front of them. "I don't recognize you-"
"I found them wandering the woods when I was out hunting today," Marc quickly explained.
Georgia played along. "Yes, we're lucky to have run into him. We were really lost out there. All those trees start looking the same. Anyway, we don't want to intrude on your hospitality for too long, and we're willing to work."
"Oh." She frowned. "I can find a place for you long term if you need."
"Only for a week or two maybe?" Georgia looked at her companions. She noticed Alex and Kami sharing a quick glance.
"Do any of you have any skills or experience with homesteading?"
"I have some experience with mechanics," Alex said quickly.
Marc pulled him away. "I'll show you to the garage." They disappeared, leaving Kami and Georgia to fend for themselves.
"Our head gardener has been looking for some extra hands to help expand the garden, would that interest any of you?"
Kami nodded. Georgia shrugged, "Sure."
The woman smiled. "Great. The garden is through there," she pointed to some doors on the other side of the cafeteria. "Ask for Bert. He can put you to work in the morning." Satisfied, she bounced away.
Kami and Georgia headed back to their room. "What's the deal with you and Alex?" Georgia held open the cafeteria door. "You've both been pretty weird today."
"What do you mean? I've been completely normal. Where do you think the library is?"
"That's exactly what I mean. You've been chattier and changing the subject a lot. More than usual, I mean."
"It's nothing. Just that my best friend since our freshman year of university confessed he has a crush on me and decided to wait until the literal end of the world before telling me."
Georgia raised an eyebrow.
"And it's not that I don't like him too," Kami admitted, "He's an amazing person. He's my best friend for a reason, you know. But I didn't see it coming. So I'm not sure what to do." She stopped and stuck a finger in Georgia's face. "But to be clear, I am not looking for any insight or advice right now. We have other things to worry about right now." She pushed open the door to the classroom they were staying at.
With a hum, the overhead lights flickered on. Three other women sat in the room, reading and talking to each other. They stopped when Georgia and Kami entered.
"Uh, hi," said Georgia. "We're staying here for a little while. Where are the showers?"
One woman pointed down the hall. "Take a left." They resumed their conversation, ignoring their presence.
Georgia and Kami silently picked up their things and left.