5 Months Later

Heaving a load of supplies into storage I sat down on the box and wiped my brow. It's been five months since that fateful day... though I have been named the camp's leader my camp was struggling a little. The food supplies were slowly decreasing as the days go on. I, myself, have lost a ton of height in the ability to make sure everyone got enough. Halfway starving myself in the process...

Sighing I looked over at the markings on the wall counting up the days that we have been here. Five months was a long time since we have seen the outside world. Groaning, I marked the days tally mark and stretched before exiting the storage room. Walking down the hallways to the resting areas of our little hideout we have made out of the schools remaining space.

"Hey, Michelle can I speak with you?" I turned my head to see Jordan walking up to me. Nodding my head I stopped in my tracks and turned to face Jordan. "What's up, Jordan?" I spoke lightly. "It's about Lexi...she's not getting any better and she's refusing medicine that we give her," Jordan explains with worry lacing his voice. Some have fallen ill in the past week though some have gotten better, others not so much. Example; Lexi, who refuses the treatments that we are trying to provide.

"I see... have they decided on what to do on the shortage of food?" I asked trying to see what everyone discussed while I grabbed other supplies from the nearest buildings. Jordan nodded his head, "Yes and Alex wishes to discuss the plans to you." I sighed knowing that this'll end up with me leaving the base again to do such things.

I waved my farewell to Jordan and walked towards the lobby where the blood had stained the tile floor. When we came out of that room five months ago we came to the lobby to see Officer Roubo, the Security and Deputy Downs on the Floor bled out without a way to save them. Though we took the guns and things to protect ourselves we had to burn the bodies due to the fact of illnesses and many hints that some were suicidal in a single trigger.

Walking inside the office I looked away from the memories not so long ago as I walked to the conference room at the end of the long hallway. "O, hello Michelle, I presume the necessary supplies are stocked then?" Alex asked as I just nodded my head as I sat in the chair. "So what's the plan for the food crisis that we are having?" I asked unhooking the gun from my side. "Well since we've been raiding houses close by and no further... we are thinking about going further just to find what we need in order to survive."

Crossing my arms in a defensive stature I looked at Alex and sighed, "I suppose we have to but I can't just be the only one heading out all the time in search of food, Alex...I need at least two more people to come with me so that way more can come back than making so many trips." Alex seemed to be puzzled by thi...within the five months Lexi got sick and is not recovering and another female became pregnant.

"You are right," Alex began, "I'll have Jordan and Tyler go with you this time and so you can bring back more than normal. Just make sure no one catches you." That's right. There's still the risk of the aliens coming back and finding out that we lived. As I stood up and spoke, "don't worry so much or you'll just jinx us... we survived this long so matter what we won't go down without a fight."

Alex smiled as he nodded. Walking out of the room I came face to face with Lexi who was to pale to be out of bed at this hour. "Lexi! You're not supposed to be out of bed," I said in shock and disbelief. But all I received was the dead eyes look as she looked up at me. I heard Alex came out of the room and gasped, "she looks like one of the undead... I think it's time to just give up and put her out of her misery."

I was stunned by this... why? Then I felt the heavy weight of my gun being placed in my hand. Looking back, Alex nodded his head as I sighed and reached for Lexi's hand. Semi-dragging Lexi outside of the building and towards the trailer that we have kept many things. But also a large hole was dug up for the bodies we have put to rest. Loading the gun and hearing the click I made Lexi stand at the edge of the hole and walked closer to the trailer.

"I'm sorry, Lexi," I spoke sorrowfully, "due to the recent events and the massive decrease of supplies and the fact that you are refusing everything that we try to do... I have no choice but to put you out of your suffering. I'm sorry Lexi and hopefully, you can rest easy in the afterlife and find those who have perished not long ago." She just stared at me with those dead and hollowed out expression. "I'm sorry and forever rest in peace, Lexi," I cried as I aimed the gun at her head and took the safety off and pulled the trigger and watched in horror as the bullet struck the middle of her forehead and blood sprayed out. Without thinking I shot once more and struck the left side of her chest, striking her heart.

She fell backward into the hole. I stood there shocked and in a heaving mess. I lowered the gun and slumped a little due to the moment, sullen moment. Breathing heavily I looked at the hole and stumbling towards the hole and looked down at the freshest corpse. Lexi had a ghost of a smile on her lips. So she did want this, to die for the past month.

Putting the safety back onto the gun I sighed and started to walk away from the hole. Halfway back to the building Jordan and Tyler came to meet me halfway. They held the large backpacks that we found to carry our findings back here. They handed me my leading packs and I motioned them to follow me through the ruins into further houses and even ran towards the ruined store that was across the cracked and broken road.

Entering the building we began to check things out and make sure that it would be safe to eat. Rummaging through the cans and candy isles. I found much more than what we needed to have. Packing my first bag I closed the zipper and heaved it onto my back. Stumbling a bit before regaining my balance I started to make my way towards the pharmacy to grab medicine and wrap since we ran out due to Lexi's illness and recovering things we need in the rubble of the building. 

Hopping over the counter I began to read the labels and the logs of the pharmacy hoping to find anything helpful for everyone to survive. Before the tragedy of the internet disappearing, everyone filled out notebook by notebook, binder by binder of knowledge due to the fact of technology disappearing the way it did. Sighing I started to pack the things I could and grabbed any information for further research. Hopping back over the counter I began to empty the shelves of everything and packing the bag completely full.

Zipping up my second bag I flung it over my chest and secured it to the first one as I pulled out my last bag and began to grab anything that will become of use in the near future; like school supplies, cleaning supplies, weapon supplies, and other needed things. Filling the last bag I zipped up the bag and placing my last bag and secured it on the back one and headed towards the entrance, seeing the other two there with three bags as well. Great a better load than the one's beroe this. "So are we good to go now, Michelle?" Jordan asked as I nodded my head yes. "Yes let us head off before dark," I smiled and walked out of the building. 

On the way back I finally realized how lucky we were to survive. The building was badly damaged and in the same area's buildings were flattened to the ground. Frowning I sighed and looked back at the two boys, they were on the edge as they searched the shadows. O, myself was on edge but noticed the staring but told me that they pose no threat unless they attack us first. Whistling low and long Tyler and Jordan jolted their heads to look at me.

I motioned towards a makeshift tunnel I made a while back to the back to the hideout without being followed. With a fast pace, we all made it to the hidden tunnel and I stayed by the entrance holding my breath as I waited for the pattering of feet. There were shadows, there as I placed my pointer finger to my lips.

"Where did they go?!?!" I heard the voices of those who were eyeing us earlier as I crouched down and watched them. Grabbing the handle of the gun in case and insecurity of my safety. Watching them carefully two come into view, "how can you lose three humans carrying loads of things like that, Tart?!?!" Another voice spoke, sounding older and dulled out. "I thought you knew everything, Pai! We need those humans, I want to save Kisshu's life," the first voice cried.

So they want to save one of their own yet they don't know how and need the help of humans. Interesting. "They'll soon discover Kisshu never died and will then kill him and then kill us for betrayal... our hiding spot isn't enough, that's why by finding where the last remaining 'free' humans are hiding. We could strike some type of deal with them and in return, they hide us with them," I heard the other one say.

So they want to hide from their own kind. Interesting, indeed. I need to talk to Alex and maybe this'll give us a fighting chance. I felt the tap on my shoulder as I looked to see Jordan motioning towards the tunnel. I nodded my head as we walked further down far from the two aliens and back over to our little hideout. 

Walking in I brought them to the kitchen and unzipped the back one from off my shoulders and waved farewell as I walked to the medbay to drop off the other things to Glenn. He was there cleaning the bed that Lexi once used, oh I forgot to mention. Glenn is from a different class though to come out of a locker telling us he hid there when he heard the commotion.

"Oh Michelle," he seemed surprisedto see me, "did you go on yet another suply trip?" I nodded my head as I set the supply bag down and sighed, "we needed thesupplies and plus Tyler and Jordan joined me this time. QWe brought back a lot more than the recent runs through. I think I may have a way for all of us to get an upper hand. I gotta goo toAlex about my discovery, bye Glenn," I chirped and set the dufflebag ofsupllies on the empty bed.

"Hey Michelle?" Glenn called out as I turned around, "It's been a few days but I think your asthma may act up if you keep doing thisto yourself." I tensed as he knew what I was doing to myself. I nodded and closed the door, "I know but I'll try toget us further before O can worry about myself." I opened the door and exited the room. Walking through the long hallways ntil reaching the officesI walked through and grabbed a half filled binder and opened it up. Setting out thelast bag and startedto log everything that has been picked up and howm much we have gotten to finally be able to support us for over a year if nothing goes wrong but it should be fine. Finishing writing I sighed and looked at the blank screen that was once active and doing important matters than being of no use. "So I heard everything went smoothly," I lookjed up tosee Alex coming into the room.

"Yeah though I think I have a way to get information that we need," I smiled as I set down theink pen that would soon be emppty after three months work of writing and record keeping. "I heard from Jordan that you encountered two of these aliens though you want to strike something with those things, right?" I whistled as ALex read my mind. "Guilty as charged," I raised my hands as I smiled at him, "you gotta admit that it's the best colution of actually surviving for more time."

Alex nodded as he sat down and crossed hisarms, "I suppose... So are you planning on going alone?"