Dystopia - Chapter 4

[cirquesation]

 

4:30 upload FTW!

Next week’s chapter will mark the start of the most agonizingly painful and angsty hell that is to come… but for now enjoy a short, calm, relaxing filler chapter :D

“It should only take a few more hours,”  Pakratt studies the map before putting it back in the outer pocket of his backpack.  “We have to go east a bit but we’re basically spot-on north wise.”

“What’s the first thing you’re gonna do when we get there?”  Guude asks, trying to make conversation.

“Sleep.”  Avidya says instantly, a large yawn escaping his gut.

“Whose fault is it that you didn’t get any sleep?”  Pakratt asks sarcastically.

“Yours.  You kept me up with your stupid pacing.”  Avidya raises his voice.

“It’s called ‘protecting your comrades’ sorry butts from having their bodies rotted from the inside out’.”  Pakratt fires back.

“Then get quieter shoes.”  Avidya ends the argument.

Guude laughs internally at the pair before his own insomnia reminds him of his restless night and causes him to fall behind.  After jumping down for watch he asked Pakratt how his shift went, he said it was completely uneventful and Guude never brought up the figure he saw watching them.  There was nobody there, there was no gunshot the night before, and you’re completely safe.

“You still out of it, Guude?”  Avidya asks, mirroring past events as he slows to Guude’s speed.  Pakratt joins them.

“Just uneasy about this whole trip and situation,”  Guude responds, changing his excuse slightly.  “I was this way when we moved base to the drug store, too.”

“When it was only you, Avidya, and JSano?”  Pakratt asks.

Guude nods.  “Where did you and JSano set up base before I found you?”  Avidya asks, joining Pakratt in trying to distract Guude from his uneasiness.

Guude thinks for a moment before opening his mouth to speak.  “We wandered a lot and really didn’t have a base anywhere but sometimes, when our supplies got too heavy, we would camp out in small sheds, garages, and stations for a week or so.”

Avidya and Pakratt are both silent, contemplating and taking in every word Guude says.  Him and JSano have been friends since before the fallout so they have a long history, Avidya came across them several years ago and he took them under his wing, they found Pakratt raiding a house they had scouted, and Nebris stumbled upon their base one day.  About a week before Pakratt joined them Avidya had convinced Guude to set up base in a fully-stocked drugstore and they had stayed there with no need to leave for about a year so having to abruptly leave now was understandably difficult.

“Look!”  Pakratt yells, running up and pointing at the street sign.

“Spawn: 5 miles…”  Guude reads aloud.  “That’s the town’s name, isn’t it?”

“Yes,”  Avidya confirms.  “Let’s just hope it’s still standing.”

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“Would you prefer a one story or two?”  Pakratt jokes, gesturing to the wide range of houses.

The town turned out to be much, much larger than any of them thought.  Several neighborhoods, a large downtown area, main roads, side roads, and plenty of stores to raid.

“Whatever’s the most secure.”  Guude responds, examining the houses to see if any stand out.

“Hey!”  Avidya yells from the end of the cul de sac.  He gestures for the other two to come and they rush over.

“You like this one?”  Guude asks.

“I think there were survivors staying here before, almost all the windows and doors are barricaded and it seems pretty safe.”  He says.

“What about the upstairs?”  Pakratt looks at the top level.

“I can see some boards on the windows so it seems pretty secure but there’s no telling what the inside will look like.”  He responds, rattling the back door handle.

“Only one way to find out.”  Guude smirks, tapping the window on the back door.

Pakratt and Avidya stand back as Guude wraps his hand in some gauze from JSano’s first aid kit.  He gives himself a few inches of padding on his knuckle before swinging his arm back and punching out the window.  

CRASH!

He reaches in and unlocks the door, the gauze now full of small pieces of glass that would have otherwise cut him.  Avidya and Pakratt go in first, clenching their weapons tightly as they listen for any unknown sound.  Guude unwraps his hand and follows suit, the adrenaline starting to kick in.