Had they outstayed their stay in Florenceville, was the thing that was now on their minds. Florenceville, where the once-thriving streets now lay silent and deserted, four survivors—Dusty, William, Samantha, and Sarah—prepared to venture out into the perilous unknown in search of much-needed supplies. With their safehouse dwindling in provisions, they knew they had to act quickly to restock before it was too late.
The last attack on them would not be easy to forget, William was on the mend but still wasn't as strong or as sure with his blade as he needed to be. William, of course, wouldn't admit it.
"Samantha," Dusty spoke, "You need to look after William today. Right?"
Sam nodded her head.
"And William," Dusty looked into his eyes, "I know you think you are better but you need to listen to her, if she says run you run, agreed? If not, your staying here."
William looked down but did agree, "Yes mom!" he joked.
Today they would be dividing themselves into two teams, Dusty and Sarah formed one group, while William and Samantha comprised the other. Each team armed themselves with swords, knives, and whatever makeshift weapons they could scavenge, knowing that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger.
Before they departed Dusty called them all together. "I've been thinking about something, he stated. We don't have to decide now but I just wanted to put it out there." The other three stood and listened to what he wanted to share.
"Based on those last two attacks, both the fact that they were right at our safehouse and the numbers of zombies involved, I am wondering if we should consider moving on to a different location." Leaving it there for them to think about his words.
"Do you mean another building her in town, or do you mean leave Florenceville completely?" Samantha asked.
"I don't know," Dusty replied, "Perhaps it is time to head to Saint Joseph and see if we can figure out more of what is going on."
Their first destination was a nearby grocery store, its once brightly lit aisles now shrouded in darkness and decay. Its only lighting from the broken windows along the front of the store. As Dusty and Sarah cautiously made their way through the deserted store, they were met with the sight of overturned shelves and scattered debris—a grim reminder of the chaos that had engulfed the world. It was clear that this building had been searched in the past but they often find things that were missed in people's hast to search and leave a building.d
Despite the disarray, they managed to find several cans of non-perishable food tucked away amidst the wreckage, along with a few bottles of water and other essentials. Sarah and Dusty shared a high five at their success. With their haul secured, they quickly moved on to their next destination.
Meanwhile, William and Samantha ventured into a hardware store located just down the street. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of metal and oil, and the shelves were lined with an assortment of tools and equipment. As they searched for supplies, they encountered a lone zombie lurking amongst the aisles, its eyes glazed over and its movements sluggish and uncoordinated.
With practiced efficiency, William and Samantha dispatched the undead intruder, their weapons flashing in the dim light of the store. With the immediate threat neutralized, they continued their search, gathering up whatever tools and supplies they could carry before moving on to the next location.
Sam looked at William, "I can see you're still in pain, but you did really good."
He smiled and nodded back to her.
Their next stop was a pharmacy, its shelves picked clean of medicine and supplies by desperate survivors in the early days of the apocalypse. Despite the barrenness of the store, they managed to find a few remaining bottles of painkillers and bandages, along with other medical supplies that would prove invaluable in the days to come.
Joking, Samantha held up a bottle of painkillers, "I bet you wish I had these for you before I attacked you with the needle."
"Ouch" the joke made William laugh, which of course hurt his stitches.
Meanwhile, Dusty and Sarah had ventured into a clothing store, its racks picked clean by looters in search of warm clothing and protection from the elements. Despite the lack of supplies, they managed to find a few items of clothing that were still salvageable, along with a couple of backpacks to carry their haul. Another stop which they deemed as quite successful.
Their next stop was a sporting goods store, its shelves stocked with an assortment of equipment and gear for outdoor activities. As they made their way through the store, they encountered another group of zombies, drawn to the noise of their scavenging. The first they had run into today.
With weapons drawn, Dusty and Sarah fought off the undead attackers, their movements swift and coordinated as they worked together to defend themselves. Despite the danger, after defeating the zombies, they managed to find several useful items, including some camping gear and supplies for outdoor survival. They didn't need it all right now but when the time came and they decided to move on these are the things that will keep them alive. Also, with winter coming, extra precautions were called for.
As the day wore on their stock of new supplies grew, the two teams regrouped and made their way back to their safehouse—the Jewelry store in the center of town. Despite the dangers they had faced and the challenges that lay ahead, they knew arrived back with a sense of satisfaction for a job well done. The new stock was added to their existing inventory, everything had its place and many empty spots were filled due to todays activities. As they settled in for the night, they knew that no matter what trials awaited them in the days to come, they would face them together, united in their quest for survival amidst the ruins of Florenceville or beyond.