As the morning light crept into the terminal, Danielle and I sat together, enjoying the quiet moment. I was still keeping watch, my eyes scanning the desert landscape outside. Nick was still asleep, exhausted from his watch the night before.
"Let's get a plan together," I said to Danielle, my voice low. "We can't just keep wandering. We need to figure out where we're going and what we're doing."
Danielle nodded, her eyes narrowing in thought. "I was thinking we could head into that town we saw in the distance," she said. "See if we can scavenge some supplies."
I nodded, liking the idea. "We can go there, get our supplies, and then we can camp out here for a few days while we figure everything out," I said. "We'll need to stock up on food, water, and any other important supplies ASAP. We can't afford to wait."
Danielle agreed, and we started discussing our plan in more detail. As we talked, I kept a watchful eye on the desert outside, making sure we were still safe.
After a while, our conversation was interrupted by the sound of Nick stirring. He stretched and yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Morning," he said, his voice groggy.
"Morning," Danielle replied, smiling at him. "We were just discussing our plan."
Nick nodded, interest sparking in his eyes. "What's the plan?" He asked, sitting up and joining the conversation.
"We need to get supplies from the town," I said, summarizing our plan. "Food, water, anything we can find. Once we've got what we need, we come back here and take some time to plan out our route and figure out our next move."
Nick nodded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Sounds like a solid plan," he said. "Let's get moving, then"
Danielle stood up, stretching her arms and yawning. "I'll get the truck ready," she said. "We can head out as soon as Nick's ready."
I nodded, standing up and shouldering my backpack. "Let's make sure we're all set before we head out," I said. "We don't know what we'll find in the town, and we need to be prepared."
Nick nodded, standing up and grabbing his own backpack. "I'm ready when you are," he said.
With our plan in place, we set off towards the town, our senses on high alert for any signs of zombies. The desert sun beat down on us as we drove, casting a golden glow over the landscape. We were all focused on our mission - to gather supplies and stay alive
As we approached the town, I could feel a sense of unease building in my chest. We'd seen signs of abandonment everywhere - empty buildings, overgrown streets, and a general air of neglect. But we'd also seen signs of recent activity - footprints in the dust, broken glass, and scattered debris.
I slowed the truck down as we entered the town, my eyes scanning for any signs of danger. Danielle and Nick were both alert, their guns at the ready.
"Let's be careful," I said, my voice low. "We don't know what we'll find in here."
I drove us slowly through the streets, searching for a likely place to scavenge for supplies. We passed by a few abandoned buildings, but nothing that looked particularly promising.
Then, I saw it - a large pharmacy on the main street, with a sign that read "Open 24/7". Or at least, it had read that before the apocalypse.
"We should check that out," I said, nodding towards the pharmacy. "We might find some useful medical supplies."
Danielle nodded, and Nick followed suit. We pulled up outside the pharmacy, and I killed the engine.
"Stay sharp," I said, as we climbed out of the truck. "There could be zombies inside."
As we entered the pharmacy, our eyes adjusted to the dim light coming through the dusty windows. The shelves were still stocked with various medications and medical supplies, but it was clear that someone - or something - had been through here before. We moved cautiously, our guns at the ready, as we began to gather up as many supplies as we could carry.
Suddenly, I heard a noise coming from the back of the store. It sounded like footsteps, light and deliberate. I motioned to Danielle and Nick to follow me, and we crept towards the sound, our guns trained on the hallway leading to the backroom.
As we approached the corner, a figure emerged from the shadows. He was a rough-looking man, with a scruffy beard and a scar above his left eyebrow. He was armed to the teeth, and his eyes narrowed as he took in our group.
"Well, well, well," he sneered. "What do we got here? Looks like we've got some newbies in town."
I kept my gun trained on him, my finger resting lightly on the trigger. "We're just looking for supplies," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "We don't want any trouble."
The man snorted. "you're in my territory now, friend. You're gonna have to pay the toll to take anything from this store."
I could see the calculation in his eyes, weighing up weather we were worth the risk. I knew we had to be careful - one wrong move could escalate the situation quickly.
"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.
The man smiled, showing crooked teeth. "I'll tell you what I want. I want your truck. And all your supplies. And maybe one of you as a little bonus."
Danielle and Nick exchanged a tense glance, and I knew we were in for a fight.
I could see the tension building in Danielle's body, and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was - we had to get out of this situation without getting hurt. Nick's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in determination.
The man's smile grew wider, enjoying the fear that radiated from us. "So, which one of you lovely folks is going to volunteer to come with me?" He asked, his eyes lingering on Danielle. As he kept eyeing up Danielle, I felt a surge of protectiveness. My instincts kicked in, and I knew I had to keep her safe.
In that moment, I think we all had the same idea. Danielle would play along, pretend to be interested, and then we'd make our move. It was a risk, but it was better than trying to fight him head-on.
Danielle took a deep breath, and a sly smile spread across her face. "I'll go with you," she said, her voice husky. "But let's talk about this outside."
The man's eyes lit up with interest, and he nodded. "Sure thing, sweetheart. Let's take a walk."
As Danielle started to move towards him, I caught Nick's eye. We exchanged a brief subtle nod. I knew Nick would take the shot. I positioned myself to get a clear shot as well, in case Nick missed.
The man gestured for Danielle to lead the way, and as she moved past him, Nick acted. With lightning-fast speed, Nick lunged forward, gun raised, and put a bullet right between the man's eyes. The man's body crumpled to the ground, his arsenal of weapons clattering to the floor.
Danielle and I stood there in stunned silence for a moment, the reality of what we'd just done sinking in. Nick however, didn't bat an eye. He simply nodded to himself, as if he'd just taken out the trash. "Let's get what we came for, and get out of here," he said, his voice calm and matter-of-fact.
Danielle and I exchanged a glance, still trying to process what had just happened. I nodded, still feeling a bit dazed. We quickly scavenged the man's gear, adding his firearms and ammunition to our own supplies. As we finished up, I couldn't help but wonder what other dangers lay ahead, and what had shaped Nick into the person he was today.