Scraps

I’m not alone. I don’t tend to be anymore. I used to find there presence unnerving. Always wanting to be alone, but honestly they’re kind of comforting now. They don’t hurt you as long as you don’t do anything to draw attention to yourself. Don’t make a loud noise, move too fast, jump in front of them, touch them, or wave your arm in front of their faces, and you’re good. Jimmy who thought he knew everything though maybe they were partially blind or deaf. I didn’t have the heart tell him I probably wasn’t the case. Like the others, I looked at them really looked at them, and I wasn’t afraid that way they were. Denial wasn’t gonna get them anywhere. They were dead. There bodies were, but their minds… They still remembered things. Not just echos. Sometimes they reacted to things you said. I knew this Revenant once who only stole chocolate from me. It’s kind of annoying if he wasn’t so sad looking all the time. Half his face burned off. One day dead just didn’t stay dead anymore. I wasn’t really certain what was wrong with them, but I knew they they could understand me sometimes. There was even one of the room reading up on how to build a lantern. Which is what happened to be  putting together right now. I read over her shoulder. Quiet as a mouse. Her hands shook as she turned the page. I wonder how she died. I named them sometimes. It helped. I called this one Octavia. A proper sounding name. She was wearing a expensive looking college uniform. It was a shame it was so torn up. I turn a screw. Then walk back over. 

“I need that part.” I point to the picture. Not daring to talk above a whisper. Certain things trigger them more than others. Octavia seems OK with me talking to her. She flips to the page the parts on. I take notes, then get back to work. It felt like minutes, but our past, according to the clock. Like that sometimes when I work in the zone. It used to piss off my father. I think that’s what it’s like for them, the dead. There sort of stuck in there own little worlds. To zoned out to notice us half the time. I stretch. Octavia’s head snap towards me making me freeze for a moment. She then gets up picks out inter book, and starts reading again. I sign. 

“You’re gonna give me a heart attack one of these days Octavia.” I whisper. I pull out a cot, and lock the door. I sleep on the torn mattress. I wake to gun shots. Octavia’s eyes are glued to the door, growling. 

“Ok, ok, chill.” Fuck it sounds like there shooting at the Revenants they can find. Which is stupid. Out here the forests are crawling with them. They’ll bring them to us like a beacon pissing them off like that. 

“Fuck!” Besides I tried to avoid killing the dead if I can. I look at Octavia. She hasn’t moved. “Sorry I’m come right back.” With that her turns to me looking almost confused. I quickly slip through the door and lock it from the outside. She’s growling and clawing at the door. It’s for her own good. I don’t need her mindlessly getting her self shot because she said kill mode. I rush down the hall. I take a few down as I go with my hatchet. From the stairwell, I can see them. Three people. A gun clicks. Four. I raise my hands. 

“You one of the living.” They state stupidly. 

“No I'm just really good at doing my make-up.” My sarcastic comment seems to suffice. He puts the gun away. I watch as they go from room to room. I already got it this place so I don’t know what they’re looking for. I have to save their asses twice. Then they try the locked door. 

“No!” I cry out as the break it down. it’s empty of any people living or dead. 

“What are you trying to hide from us?” The windows been shattered oddly. She fucking jumped out the window. Thinking quick I pick up my lit lantern. One chuckles. The other glares. 

“We’re not gonna steal your stupid night light.” It’s still dark out. How the hell do they think they’re gonna survive this far from the city? They can’t stay here now. After all the racket they made. The apocalypse been happening for about a year. How are they this out of the loop.They’ll never see the Revenants coming. I guess no one pays attention to their patterns the way I do, but still. I decide to give them a warning.

“Y’all better get out of here.” 

“Is that a threat?” The tallest one asks stepping towards me. These people really are stupid. 

“Not from me.” I gesture with my thumb out the window to the crowd, forming outside. They swear. There not on us yet. They still have time to escape. That’s what I’m planning on doing. I jump the two-story drop. I hear gasps and shocked comments. I land on my feet with ease. One dead guy gets to close, and Octavia tears at him with her claws. I fire off a few rounds as we run. I slow down when we make it to the tree line. My light guiding us. I see four figures in the dark. Everyone is on Octavia. Octavia this is Jerry, and Terry. The brothers. Prince our resident I was rich before the apocalypse guy. And Rock Salt. Our my band totally would have made it big if the apocalypse girl.” I hear gunshots, and men screaming not far from us. “Let’s get moving.” I say. I lead the way, and the dead fallow. Loyal friends never really leave you. There the best scraps I’ve ever collected.