NOVEL WEB Chapter 17: Chapter 17
The leader went out, the engine still roaring, and knocked on the gates, now covered in metal sheets that rendered them opaque. On both sides, we could see the fences beginning to be reinforced too.
Most likely Lucas's idea. He's a good survivor and ally. A good friend.
We could hear the chatter all the way from here.
Once we fully cover the fences, we'll need to keep quiet to stay hidden from monsters.
That's the problem with big groups — we attract attention. Unwanted attention.
Louis, knowing they were starting the renovations today, walked up unfazed and knocked on the gates.
BANG BANG BANG!
"Open the gates, it's the expedition team!"
The door fully opened. I could see, in the distance, children playing football between the cars, people chatting around campfires on the ground, others making out in cars, trying to be stealthy.
A group began gathering near the entry point — even more than last time.
I got out and greeted Lucas with a nod and a faint smile as he walked toward us.
"So, it's clear? Nothing left worth taking?"
Louis, as the leader, looked at him and slowly shook his head.
"There were still some boxes, but…
There was a horde coming toward the building, so we rolled. By now, they've probably entered and swept everything."
Zoe interjected, adding, "We counted. We have about three days of food, but I think we should begin doing half rations. With what we have in storage, we should last about ten days."
Lucas frowned at her words, clearly worried.
"Considering the places left to loot, I'll start implementing the half rations.
People will be displeased though.
Hmm. You can all go rest while I take care of this. You'll tell me more later."
I exhaled in relief, relaxing my shoulders.
Ten days is a sizeable amount. We have more time to think and plan.
---
I pushed my way through the crowd walking toward the rest of the team — the crowd totally ignoring me.
---
Finally home, I opened the door, feeling fresh air coming through the window facing it.
I sat on my camp bed and sighed, pulling off my sticky shirt.
I looked over my shoulder — the cat was lying like a king or queen on my bed, staring at me.
— "Hello, 'cat'. Hungry?"
MEOW
I stood up, my back flashing with traumatic memories of the ground and all the lifting we'd done.
The cat jumped down and came between my legs, circling and brushing against them while I rummaged through my backpack.
I took out a little can with a white cat on the bottom.
— "Here, I brought cat food for you.
It's a secret though — don't tell the other cats or I'll be swarmed."
I let out a soft smile and sat on the ground, patting the cat.
Cats are really therapeutic tools.
---
Day 34
7:30
pant pant pant
I stopped for a moment, panting, legs wobbling under the weight of my own body, the intense sun hitting my shoulders.
From afar, Rhea — with a barely noticeable teasing smile — shouted: "Don't stop! Didn't you want me to teach you?"
— "That's too much! Spare me, please! It's only been thirty minutes! I won't be able to train until lunch, Rhea!"
---
30 minutes earlier
I was in my room, lying in bed reading a book, the cat curled up on my lap, eyes shut.
KNOCK KNOCK
— "Come on in."
A beautiful blonde girl with dog tags appeared between the wall and the doorframe.
"Hi.
I'm so jealous you have a room just for yourself.
The expedition team's room is big, so there's more space for each person, but still — no real privacy."
— "You can stay here if you want. There's room for another bed."
She showed a complex expression and put her hand in her back pocket.
"No, I don't think that's a good idea. Just the two of us in a room?
People will talk. They're like that — they have too much time to spare."
— "If you don't want to, that's fine too."
She looked at my lap and pointed at the cat.
"So what's up with him? How did you get a cat?"
I started caressing it as our attention shifted to the animal.
— "It somehow happened. I met it outside with Louis, and it followed us all the way here."
"That's pretty cool. Is it a she or a he?"
— "Well, I don't know."
She pondered, arms crossed, then continued her questions.
"And what's its name?"
I looked at her, then at the cat.
— "I didn't name it. It's just 'cat'."
"Why won't you name it?"
— "Well, it doesn't need a name.
There's only one cat. No need to differentiate it."
I said with an intriguing gaze.
She narrowed her eyes and sighed. Then a little smile crept onto her face.
"Whatever.
You wanted me to train you, right?
We start today. We'll train in the morning every other day from now on, when we're here. Dress comfortably and meet me outside.
Oh, and you have five minutes."
…
— "So, do we spar or something?" I asked, excited to learn to fight, throwing random punches in the air.
She laughed, mocking me.
"You're funny — but no. First, you need to build your body. You're slim, but you need to be fit and increase your stamina.
You can't fight without a body. Just like you can't slash without a sword.
So you'll run around the playground until… let's say, until I say stop."
---
— "Euh... euh… it's killing me. Fuck, I had a favor and I chose pain.
Fuck you, past me. Still, I hope future me will be stronger thanks to my sacrifice."
Beads of sweat dropped onto the green grass. I gritted my teeth and started running again.
I could do this much — for strength, for survival, to be able to kill more zombies.
To keep anyone I like from dying ever again.
---
11:00
In the expedition team's room, the team waited for Lucas to speak.
Lucas came knocking.
"Hi guys!"
He entered and was startled to see me lying on the floor, sweaty and breathing raggedly.
Rhea sat next to me, smiling mockingly.
"Wow, Alex. What happened to you?"
— "I… HUFF HUFF I… HUFF"
I waved my hand, trying to explain, but Rhea answered for me.
"He asked me to train him."
Lucas looked into my eyes with pity.
"He must be regretting it."
"I won't let him," she said, giggling.
We all gathered around a table with a map of the town.
Louis, serious and frowning, started:
"The supermarket must be flooded with hundreds of zombies by now.
There were some shops around it, but we can't go there anymore. Even our base of operations is off-limits too."
Lucas frowned and thought, then finally broke the silence:
"If what you're saying is true, we need to prepare. With the engines, you must have attracted them this way."
"Don't worry. Louis made us loop the other way before coming back," Dante said proudly.
Lucas sighed in relief.
"Good job, Louis."
Louis nodded.
— "So, what did the people think about the half rations?"
"Well, if we're talking about the adults, most of them understood.
But there were still complaints and some unrest.
As for the children, well… they were whining, as expected."
Lucas bit his lip in frustration.
"I…" the words stuck in his throat. "I wish we didn't have to do this — ration the children. But we can't afford not to… sigh."
Everyone looked conflicted. The mood turned grimmer.
— "We should make the adults work for food.
Either they help, or they starve.
If they don't contribute, they're a burden on everyone. They slow us down.
They're in the way.
Most of them are just fucking around — talking, gossiping, eating, and sleeping."
Dante stood up, frowning.
"No one is a liability. You can't say that, Alex. You're going too far."
— "Sorry to hurt your sensibility. But if they just eat, have sex, and sleep — they're animals. And not the useful kind, like hunting dogs."
"Shut the fuck up!
They are people. It's our job to feed…"
Angered by his savior complex, I interrupted him.
— "But we can't bring enough food for everyone!
We don't work for them. We should all work together.
…
To be clear, I don't want to let them starve — it's just a deterrent.
They're cowards. They're afraid of their own shadows, cooped up here.
A little threat, and they'll fall in line.
We'll grow stronger as a group.
We will thrive as a—"
"But still,
your method, the way you treat people like shit if they're not useful to you…"
"It's the fricking end of the world. You're too soft!
We can't afford to have a heart."
"I do think it's a good idea — but you, you're not one of us. You just came, and already you treat our people like things.
You're heartless.
It's bone-chilling, man."
I stood up, my chair crashing to the floor.
— "Don't you dare!
You say I don't have a heart?
But we can't afford to be kind to everyone.
But unlike you, I also use my head!
I know how you feel — really, I do.
But new world, new rules, dude."
As I said that, my stomach churned. My heartbeat quickened. My throat burned from shouting.
Dante tried to reply, but I cut him off again.
— "You don't have to like me.
But it's objectively true — some people are useless.
It's not a question of 'if'.
If we don't make everyone participate…
We're all dead.
It's that simple."
Dante tried to continue, but Louis spoke — calm as winter, eyes filled with anger:
"Okay, that's enough. You both made your point — sit down."
Dante glared at me with a mix of anger and disgust, but sat down, frustrated he couldn't say more.
I breathed deeply and sat as well.
My face betrayed a hint of doubt.
Maybe he's right. I really don't think the loss of the useless ones matters.
I care for the ones I care about.
I don't want Rhea to die. Lucas is my friend. Louis is dependable — even with his muscle-head look, he's smart and makes quick decisions.
My heartbeat spiked. My breathing shortened. My vision blurred as I remembered my journey here.
The smell of death was disgusting at first…
But I got used to it.
Its presence almost comforting — I was alive. They weren't.
And now I wear that smell every day.
Killing. Sometimes enjoying it.
But they're just dead. There's nothing wrong with this.
I killed a man too. But he deserved it. He wanted to harm us… harm her.
I didn't like it — but I had to do it.
That's the line.
He… he was a scumbag. Less than human.
He deserved it. Yes. I did the right thing.
But I definitely didn't enjoy it.
I shouldn't let doubt creep in again.
I got excited in our little debate.
I won't let the words of others influence me.
"Alex? You alright?" Rhea patted my shoulder.
Her words snapped me back.
I placed my hand over hers, trying to calm down.
— "Yeah. Thanks to you." I smiled softly, seeing her face shrouded in worry.
Lucas restarted the discussion after a few seconds of awkward silence:
"Well, I think we'll ask people to volunteer first.
And if — only if — we're still short-handed, we'll give food only to workers and those who can't work."
"I think we should split our team in two and fill them with newbies so they can learn," Louis suggested.
"How would you split it?"
"I was thinking of Rhea as a new leader. She'd take Lucien and Alex."
"I'm honored, Louis. But we'll need cars.
Lucas, can we take two of the cars from the yard?"
"Hmmm… That's difficult. They all belong to people. Might need some convincing.
And we only have regular cars left — no pickups or trucks."
— "Then don't ask. Just take them.
You're all too kind. Not that it's a bad thing — but we need to survive."
Rhea looked at me with a stern face:
"Shut up, Alex. That's an order."
-"So you give me orders now?" I said with a stern face.
"You heard Louis. You're my subordinate now.
You need to do everything I tell you to.
And it's not the time nor the place for another outburst."
She turned back to Lucas: "So, can you do it?"
"I'll try." He stood up and walked out.
I stood up and turned back to Dante.
-"I'm sorry, i went a bit far."
"I did too, calling you heartless. It was awful."