The evening air was thick with the scent of canned stew simmering on the stove, a blend of canned vegetables and whatever seasoning Morgan had left in her pantry. The group gathered around the small dining table, digging into the warm food with a kind of desperation that only came from days of scrounging and rationing.
Morgan sat at the head of the table, eating in silence, her eyes sharp as she watched the teens hungrily scoop food into their mouths. After a few minutes, she set her spoon down and spoke, her voice cutting through the low murmur of conversation. "What's your next step?"
The group glanced at each other, a bit taken aback. Jean cleared his throat, swallowing the last bite of his stew. "Uh, well... we hadn't really thought that far ahead."
"Typical," Morgan muttered, shaking her head slightly. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "You think you're just gonna sit here forever? My supplies last one more week, tops."
Brittney huffed, rolling her eyes. "Can't we, like, take a breather? We just barely got here. It's been, like, three days since everything went down, and we've barely even slept."
Morgan gave her a hard look. "And you think it's gonna get easier? Reality check, kid. This isn't the start of some fun camping trip. You want to survive? You need a plan."
Chloe leaned back, twirling her fork as she raised an eyebrow. "Well, genius, where would you suggest? We don't exactly have a map of safe houses around here."
"Somewhere remote," Morgan replied curtly. "Natural resources. Food, water, maybe some game. This place is temporary. You stay here long enough, you're dead."
Evan looked around, nodding slowly. "She's... got a point, guys. We're kinda in the middle of nowhere, but there's not enough here to last us if more people show up or... if the zombies find us."
Jordan scratched the back of his head, staring at his half-empty bowl. "Dude, how about we just, like, go north? Zombies probably freeze, right? Just park ourselves in Canada or something."
Lucas snorted. "Yeah, 'cause the first thing we need right now is to go full wilderness survivalist. I'm sure we're all ready for subzero temps and snow."
Tyler shrugged. "Actually, he's got a point. We get far enough north, maybe we can find a place that's hard to reach. Zombies'd have a tough time if we're deep in the woods. Less chance of running into other people, too."
Morgan watched them, her face unreadable. "Canada's not a bad idea. Harder to survive, sure, but fewer people means fewer threats. That's the point."
Chloe crossed her arms, looking skeptical. "So we're just supposed to, like, rough it in the Canadian wilderness? I don't know about you guys, but I'm not exactly thrilled at the thought of freezing to death."
Akira, who had been quietly listening, spoke up, her voice low. "But it's safer. If we stay here... we'll run out of supplies, and we'll have to keep moving anyway."
Morgan nodded in agreement, her eyes flicking over to Jean. "Your friend's right. Safe isn't comfortable. You want to stay alive, you do what it takes."
Jean considered her words, nodding slowly. "So... we go north. But how are we even supposed to get that far? We barely have enough gas for the bus as it is."
Ms. Heather, who had been listening intently, cleared her throat. "There are small towns along the way. If we can avoid the major highways and stick to back roads, maybe we can scavenge supplies and fuel as we go."
Blake raised a hand tentatively, glancing around the table. "Uh, just a thought, but wouldn't it be... better to find a smaller, fortified town first? Somewhere where we can stock up for real. I mean, Canada's far, and we're not exactly well-prepared."
Morgan took a sip from her cup, her gaze thoughtful. "Possible. But towns come with risk. People like to guard what's theirs, especially now." She looked pointedly at the teens. "You ready to fight if it comes to that?"
The room fell silent. Jean shifted uncomfortably, looking at the others. "I mean... if we have to, yeah. But we're not exactly an elite fighting force. We're just... a bunch of kids trying to survive."
Morgan nodded, her expression unreadable. "Good to know you're realistic." She tapped her fingers against the table. "But being a 'bunch of kids' doesn't mean you don't have to be prepared. If you want Canada, it's on you to get there."
Lucas scoffed, crossing his arms. "Great. So we're looking at an endless road trip north with no guarantees. Sounds like a blast."
Chloe leaned back, a sarcastic smile on her face. "Maybe we can turn it into some kind of... 'survival adventure.' Make it a thing."
Evan, looking serious, shook his head. "It's not a joke, Chloe. If Canada's our best shot, we have to try."
Jordan threw his hands up, grinning despite the tension. "Hey, think of it this way—we're already living through a real-life apocalypse. Might as well go all in. Who knows? Maybe we'll find some epic hideout up north."
Brittney shot him an exasperated look. "Yeah, or maybe we'll just end up as zombie food halfway there."
Jean looked back at Morgan, a newfound determination in his eyes. "Okay, so we go north. Stick to back roads, avoid towns unless we need to. Gather supplies as we go. It's... not a perfect plan, but it's something."
Morgan pushed her chair back, standing up with a determined look. "Alright, if we're going north, that bus of yours needs some work. If we leave it as it is, we'll be sitting ducks."
The group looked at her, confused. Jean tilted his head, still clutching his spoon. "What do you mean? It's a bus. It, like… drives. What else do we need?"
Morgan raised an eyebrow, her expression unimpressed. "If you want to get swarmed the second you hit a rough patch, keep it as it is." She nodded toward the boys. "You lot—come with me. We're ripping out some of those back seats and replacing them with netting. Gives us storage space and a way to haul supplies."
Lucas glanced around, grinning. "Hell yeah, let's go full Mad Max on this thing."
Morgan's gaze stayed hard. "Less talk, more work." She turned to the girls and Ms. Heather, her tone shifting only slightly. "And you—gather whatever food we have left. We'll need it packed and ready by morning."
Chloe huffed, flipping her ponytail back. "Of course, leave the 'ladies' with the cooking."
Morgan shot her a look that shut her up immediately. "You want to start tearing out seats? Go ahead. Otherwise, keep busy. This isn't a vacation."
Brittney sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine. I'll make sure we're, like, stocked on whatever scraps are left."
Morgan nodded once, leading the boys out to the bus parked outside. As they stepped out into the cool evening air, she gestured at the back of the bus, her no-nonsense tone keeping them focused. "First things first—strip those back seats. We need space for food, fuel, anything we can scavenge."
Jean looked at the bus and then back at her, a bit hesitant. "So… we're just tearing them out? You sure?"
Morgan didn't even look at him as she pulled open the back door. "You want space, or you want to die cramped in here when something goes wrong?"
Jean swallowed, nodding. "Point taken." He climbed into the bus, followed by Lucas, Jordan, and Brad. They began yanking and unscrewing the bolts holding the seats down, the sounds of scraping metal and grunts filling the quiet night.
Lucas grinned as he worked, his muscles straining. "Feels like we're tricking out a ride for the apocalypse. Like, straight up Walking Dead style."
Brad chuckled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Yeah, except no one's paying us, and we're not exactly pro mechanics. This is DIY as hell."
Morgan, leaning against the side of the bus with a cigarette in her mouth, glanced in at them. "Keep going. We're not done yet."
The boys kept at it, pulling out the seats one by one, stacking them up beside the bus. Jean paused, looking at Morgan. "What's with the netting? You really think we're gonna need that?"
Morgan took a drag, blowing the smoke into the night air. "You run out of room inside, you'll be glad for it. Means you can strap things down outside without losing anything important. Just make sure it's secure."
Jordan rolled his eyes as he struggled with one of the bolts. "Yeah, 'cause nothing screams survival like a cargo net on a school bus. Super stealthy."
"Keep complaining, and you'll be hauling everything yourself," Morgan shot back, her tone dry but serious. She looked at Jean. "You got a problem with the netting?"
Jean shook his head quickly. "Nah, makes sense. We're lucky you have it, honestly."
Morgan gave a slight nod, her expression softening just a bit. "Good. We're only taking what's essential. This bus needs to be able to move fast and carry enough for all of us. If you want comfort, you're in the wrong world."
As they pulled the last seat out, Lucas wiped his brow, panting. "Alright, seats are out. What's next?"
Morgan dropped her cigarette butt, crushing it under her boot. "Bring the netting in from the garage. We're strapping it across the back. One of you check the fuel cans while you're at it."
The boys set off on their tasks, with Brad heading over to the garage and coming back with the netting in hand. They worked together to secure it in place, tying it down with whatever rope and bungee cords they could find. The work was rough, makeshift, but it held steady.
Jean stepped back, admiring the setup. "Honestly? This is kinda badass. We're making our own supply hauler."
Morgan watched him, her face impassive but a glint of approval in her eyes. "You want to stay alive, you adapt. Doesn't have to be pretty."
As they finished up, Jean glanced over at her, curiosity in his eyes. "How'd you know how to do all this? You just… seem to know what we need before we even do."
Morgan looked at him, her gaze intense. "Experience," she said shortly, not offering more. "You learn fast when you have no choice."
Jean nodded, respecting her answer. He could see there was more to her story, but he wasn't about to push her. "Well… thanks. For helping us get ready. You didn't have to."
Morgan shrugged. "This isn't charity. You're either assets or liabilities. Choose which one you want to be."
Lucas, overhearing, chuckled. "She's like the hardass mentor in every action movie. Low-key terrifying but kinda awesome."
Morgan shot him a look. "Keep your hands busy instead of your mouth."
Jordan gave her a mock salute, laughing. "Yes, ma'am. Whatever you say."
She sighed, exasperated but not annoyed. "You're all gonna learn the hard way soon enough. Just be ready to pull your weight."
With the modifications finally complete, the boys stepped back, looking over their work with a mix of pride and exhaustion. The bus was stripped down, seats removed, netting in place, ready to carry supplies and keep them mobile.
Morgan crossed her arms, giving them a final once-over. "Good. This'll work." She nodded toward the house. "Get some rest. We're leaving at dawn."
Jean, Lucas, and the others exchanged looks, a mix of excitement and apprehension in their eyes. They were ready—at least, as ready as they could be.
"Thanks, Morgan," Jean said, meaning it. "We're… lucky to have you."
She gave him a curt nod. "Remember that." And with that, she turned, heading back toward the house, leaving them to take in their newly fortified ride, ready for the road ahead.
Q: Where would you go next?
Q: Where would you go next?