When that was done, I started checking under the couch and in between the couch cushions... only finding change and a phone charger... that's when it hit me.
"We have power, right? and gas?"
"Yeah?" He obnoxiously whispered while checking the cabinets. I then turned to the TV and muted it, turning the volume down to a low hum while it took its time to flash to life. Trey heard this and came walking over.
"Bored of looking around?" I rolled my eyes and navigated to the News Channel. He then nodded in understanding, and we watched as the broadcast filmed an empty chair and words panning across the bottom of the screen.
Stay. Indoors. Stay. Safe. God. Bless...
I sucked my teeth and rolled my eyes. I expected information on what was happening, a list of symptoms... something. But instead, I get a panning message. I turned off the TV, my jaw twitching in annoyance as I took the batteries out of the remote. Placing them in separate pockets to have a higher chance of prolonging their life.
Other than the first-floor bathroom there was nothing else on this floor besides the kitchen and the living room. Trey readied his club and told me to get the door and back up so I did just that. I pushed the door in and quickly retreated. There was no one and no supplies in the bathroom.
"Okay... Now the whole cabin is clear." My muscles relaxed a bit when he said that.
"Good. Also, with all the supplies you got and with what was already here, we could easily last two months. We need to work on the perishables first otherwise it'll be a waste. And we still need to ration. For a higher chance of this lasting longer.
"Fine by me, what's for breakfast?" I smiled and pointed at the fridge. "After the News thing and while you were searching the whole cabin again, I rationed out and placed everything perishable in the fridge."
He smiled and opened the fridge.
"Does it matter which plate I choose?" I shook my head.
"Nope, I tried to balance it out the best I could."
"I see then let's eat." He scooped up two plates, examined what was on them and walked over to the microwave. I tensed when the buttons didn't beep, I relaxed a bit, but anxiously waited for the tone after it finished but it never came, he just opened the microwave door and brought the warm food over.
"Wow. How do you know the buttons wouldn't beep?"
"It looked like the microwave we used to have before the door broke."
"Oh. OK. How did you get it to not beep in the end?" He stuffed some food in his mouth, and I did the same while waiting for his answer.
"I pulled it out at the last second. Super easy." Once again, I nodded in understanding stuffing more food in my mouth as I did so. His expression became sad.
"But this won't last forever. Soon we will need to leave for more supplies or at the very least hunt."
"Yeah, I know... We need to leave this mountain. But how will we do that?"
"Well not to stir up any hurt feelings, but there are now multiple unowned cars in the lot with one in particular that we know has valuable supplies in the trunk."
I nodded silently agreeing to the sad truth. I finished my food and stared at the ground. Part of me was afraid to look up and around and lose everything again. So, I stayed staring at the dark waxed wood flooring.
My legs were straight out in front of me, and I was staring at the floor on either side of them or the plate in my lap. That is until I watched Trey straddle my shins and take my plate. Then he took my chin and made me look at him.
"I'm right here. Look at me... I'm not going anywhere." His grey eyes stared into my green ones with the kindest gaze.
"The world is going to still be here when you look up." He politely pulled my attention to him when it shifted away... "I promise"
His gaze, his touch, his presence... It was calming and made me feel... safe. I sighed away my stress and let go of my fears for the moment standing up. A scream and a gunshot rang out and my body immediately tensed. I couldn't move, it was like I was frozen in place.
"Bax. Bax. Love, it's okay. Just move away from the door, come on."
Together we hid the food in the cabinet and took cover behind the island. The gunshots rapidly approached and very slowly went away. We were hiding for 10 minutes before we were comfortable with leaving our hiding spot. That's when we decided to look for our emergency escape. Trey looked on the first floor for any windows that could lead to a back exit seeing how there was no back door. I went up to the second floor and noticed that there was a low rooftop that if we were careful, we could climb out onto and safely jump down. Then we packed our book bags as emergency bags just in case we left one on the 1st floor and kept the other two on the second floor. The plan was that if we ever got into a situation where we would need to leave in a hurry or we were getting chased and had no choice but to leave we would grab the two bags from the second floor and use the roof to leave the house safely. The last bag was for our first-floor escape just in case the second floor was compromised.
"Damn."
"What? What's wrong?" Panic was evident in my voice even when I did my best to act calm.
"Cool it freckles. I was just thinking how they got lucky with a gun..."
"I mean guns are loud and dangerous. For all we know, it will draw more."
"I didn't hear more."
"Because of the snow..." I said matter of factly, he just stared at me confused and quiet.
"The huge piles of unshoveled snow could be enough to keep them away, or at least far enough to be considered away. If they shoot in a swarmed building it might not go too well."
"That makes sense." He smiled and chuckled, folding me into a hug. "What would I do without you?"
I melted in his arms and tried not to think of what he would have done if I wasn't around.
I wrapped my arms around his lower chest and looked straight up at him, his happy eyes gazed down at me with longing. Then he licked his lips and stared at mine and grabbed my face slowly leaning down. I've been teased for long enough and closed my eyes waiting for lips to connect with mine, I was just barely able to feel his lips on mine before we both tensed up.
There was a gigantic boom in the distance... Then our lights flickered on and off a few times, remaining on in the end. We made eye contact and reluctantly released each other. A large wave of wheezing and whining zombies shot past the cabin with extreme speed. We both made our way to the second floor to see if we could locate some remnants of an explosion... and be closer to our emergency exit. Sadly, we couldn't find it which means we don't know how far or dangerous it is. I don't think I have to explain why hearing an explosion on a snowy mountain was terrifying. We both searched for signs of an incoming avalanche but heard no rumbling or crashing. The fear had us silent for an uncomfortable amount of time.
"I-" he cleared his throat and tried again. "I think we're okay for now."
I nodded.
It's just one thing after another with this resort I want off of this damn mountain.
"We need to get off of this mountain."
"My thoughts exactly..." I took a seat on the bed and patted the spot next to me. "So, let's start making our plan. he nodded
"Alright, first things first, supplies, what are we taking with us?"
"Everything. We're going to need it so it might be wise to take as much as humanly possible. I was thinking that we fill our bookbags with linen, some food, some drinks, and anything that we're not willing to lose. the rest that we can't carry and don't mind losing we can put on the sled and pull with us while we make our way to the car. ya know? We can even tie everything in the extra linen and tie it down with the rope you got from the store, to lessen the chance of losing items."
"Okay, so the car is our destination, and we got our supplies... What about weapons?" I remained silent and we both thought about it for a while. Trey was the first to speak.
"I could always break off some wood for another club so we can both have one at the ready. and I notice they're less active at night or at least you hear less shuffling at night. I don't know if they sleep or just stay still, but whatever it is it might help to leave around 10 or 11 at night."
"Okay, so we have weapons, and time to leave... I still have a concussion so we will still need to wait for me to heal or else the stress and overstimulation will worsen my concussion or at the very minimum make my recovery longer."
"How long will you need to recover?"
"About 7 to 10 days."
"Okay then... we have 11 days to be prepared and get ready. we will need to be sneaky and smart, so we know our method, we both know how to drive so our escape is ensured no matter who is at the wheel, so the only thing left is to do it, right?"
"Yep."
"Alright, so we have our plan." I stood up and started making my way back downstairs but before I could leave Trey caught my wrist and avoided eye contact when I looked at him.
"I know this is gonna sound weird but..." He finally looked at me, "... Will you go on a date with me?"
A smile slowly spread across my face. He obviously meant something within the house. I knew that very well but...
"Where to? Or more like what will we be doing?" He smiled shyly, a look I don't get to see very often.
"Watching movies?" I giggled and shuffled closer planting a kiss on his cheek. He stared at me wide-eyed and happy.
"It's a date." It's like he couldn't stop smiling, he just looked so excited.
"I always wanted to say that to you... I always wanted to hear you say that..." He was basically bouncing with excitement as he wrapped me into a hug and politely pushed me out of the room. "Then I'll see you in a few minutes."
He's so cute.
I paused because of my thoughts and felt a heavy pang of guilt.
How could I? Why am I moving on so fast? Why is it so hard to let him go?
Then in the same moment, I made myself let go of everything that didn't hold on to me.
I'm sorry but I'm not going to be eaten by guilt anymore. You dropped me like a bad habit so... It's time, I have to let you go as you did to me. Brandon, I did care about you but... You let go of me before any of this crazy shit happened. The more I think about it the more I realize that it would have ended the same way, with you being with someone else and me dealing with the heartache, the only difference is you'd still be alive. So, with that being said… Rest in peace but... know that I'm not going to mourn over you or feel guilty anymore. We're done.