Splitting into pairs to search for supplies seemed sensible, but like everything in this new world, nothing was as simple as it seemed. Still a bit perplexed by my conversation with Laura, I was paired with Hana. Will and Tom formed a trio with Joseph, and Laura decided to search an area on her own, probably knowing that as the leader, she would have to look after us if something went wrong.
"What should I do if a creature shows up?" I asked suddenly.
"Run," Tom suggested, giving me a few encouraging pats on the shoulder. I think that was what he was trying to convey.
"Running is good, but always try to run through alleys. It's a great tip," Laura advised Hana and me. "Remember, our meeting point is the bridge northeast of here, okay?"
"But where is that?"
"Don't worry, Phil. You're with Hana; she knows where it is."
Hana and I started walking towards a street filled with small houses and abandoned shops. The atmosphere was heavy, with an oppressive silence that made every noise deafening. The house windows seemed to watch us, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was always lurking.
"So, Phil, tell me something," Hana broke the silence, trying to keep the mood light. "What did you do before ending up here?"
I sighed, trying to dispel the tension.
"I was an IT technician. Nothing as exciting as fighting demons and scavenging for food in a post-apocalyptic world," I replied, shrugging.
She laughed, and I smiled, grateful for any distraction that could ease the tension. We continued searching, going in and out of houses, but most were empty, just as Laura had said. However, some houses showed signs of recent activity—opened cans of food, clothes strewn about, and even some personal items left behind.
"Isn't it strange? Food, drinks, and objects just appear in houses and disappear," I said, staring intently at a mannequin with a realistic human face in the window of a dark store.
"Yeah, but we don't have many options," she said, walking a bit ahead.
I stopped looking at the mannequin and jogged to catch up with her.
"But what about you? What did you do before coming here?"
Always sweet and admirable, she replied, "I was a student, just a girl dedicated to studying."
"Hmmm. Let me guess… Stanford? Columbia?"
"No, no. You're aiming too high; I was at Duke," she said, smiling with slight embarrassment.
"Duke? That's a good university, especially for someone like me who didn't care much for studies during my college days."
"Hmm. People who project an image of being laid-back or carefree are often the opposite, you know?"
"Really? So, I wasted myself on booze and drugs, became a neighborhood photographer, and a failure for nothing? My dad wouldn't like to hear that I didn't become a failure by my own shortcomings, but by my own stupidity."
At the intersection, she looked toward a street on the right and, spotting a grocery store, she said, "There, a grocery store. Let's go."
Finally, we entered a small grocery store. The shelves were dusty and almost empty, but something caught my attention at the back of the store.
"Hey, Hana, look at this," I called, pointing to a shelf that seemed recently restocked.
We cautiously approached and found several cans of beans and some packets of instant noodles. It wasn't a feast, but it was better than nothing. We began filling our backpacks when I heard a noise behind us. I turned quickly, my heart racing.
"Oh, shit!"
It was Laura, carrying a backpack and looking relieved yet worried.
"I found you!" she said, out of breath. "We need to go, now!"
"What happened?" I asked, feeling the adrenaline surge.
"Gyakus! They're coming this way. We need to leave before they see us," she replied.
I didn't need more encouragement. Hana and I finished filling our backpacks as quickly as we could and followed Laura out of the store. We entered an alley and ran, trying to make as little noise as possible.
"Where are the others?" I asked, sweating nervously and keeping my eyes alert.
"They couldn't come with me. They had to head straight for the factory area."
Laura sat down, visibly exhausted, and we did the same. She then pulled three communication radios out of her backpack.
"Take one. We'll communicate entirely through these. Will and Tom each have one too; we were lucky to find them all together, tossed in a corner of the street."
I instantly remembered the earlier conversation I had with Laura about supplies mysteriously appearing.
"Laura, is this common? Finding important things for us like this? On the street?"
"Phil, you don't have to say that," Hana said.
"Yeah… I know it's not normal and can be dangerous, but what were we supposed to do? Ignore it? We have no choice," Laura responded, gesturing with her hands and looking noticeably nervous.
I knew that if I pressured Laura about being responsible with what we picked up, she might get too stressed. But I couldn't stay silent.
"I find it very convenient. How could communication radios appear on the street just when we were far apart? It's too much of a coincidence, and I hate it when there are too many coincidences because it makes me think of conspiracy theories, and suddenly I'm remembering the crazies on Reddit talking about aliens and the pyramids of Egypt."
Deep down, I knew there wasn't time to discuss conspiracy theories at that moment.