02. You are mother
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Jocelyn Gale cursed herself thousand times. For her weakness, for her inability to fight for them.
It should be her that goes out to gather food, not the small girl. But now it would be even more contra-productive if she goes out to find her.
The two girls looked at each other and shook their heads. Since they were born they knew that their mother was weak.
Their father had a strong personality and usually ordered his wife around. That caused the two girls to rebel against him many times.
Their older sister even got house arrest when she refused to agree to his demands.
Their father was used to ordering around their mother and didn't expect to get stubborn children. But at the first sign of trouble, he packed his things and run away, leaving them all alone and unprepared.
Suddenly a slight knock could be heard on the metal door. Three knocks and two scratches.
That sound was so little that her mother knew right away that Anna Gale came back.
The shelter they were in was actually something they found by accident. It was meant in case of nuclear war or a strong tornado as a shelter.
The gate was a heavy iron and could be opened only from inside. Luckily their father was quite psychotic and wanted to get ready in case of attack so he repaired everything and oiled everything well.
The door opened almost noiselessly and they saw Anna coming in with a packed backpack and hands holding a bundle.
She motioned to close the door and finally sighed in relief as she took the backpack. "Mother, I know a way to get some electricity. And I know how to find a way to make things louder when they are around. We can use empty cans and surround the whole neighborhood with them. Then they won't be able to hear many things. I just realized that they hate loud noises."
3. Loud noise is their next weakness
Jocelyn Gale was stunned. "I know they hate birds, but is it because they make noise?"
Anna Gale nodded. "Just before there were few empty cans on the street and one of the zombies unintentionally hit it. The can hit a nearby metal can and it echoed so loudly that I got frightened. I thought a bunch of zombies would run this way. But instead of it, zombies started walking faster away from it. It seems they are not used to such loud sounds yet. If we could bind next to the walls those empty cans and let them ring whenever they are around, maybe they wouldn't enter our street. They might get used to that sound after some time, but at that time we would be able to raise all houses in surroundings and gather enough supplies. And I saw something else."
She opened her bag and took a couple of milk packets that were still cold.
Jocelyn Gale was weak, but not completely dumb. "I forgot. There must be electricity next door. If your idea worked, we could transfer electricity to us. It takes only one long extension cable. Then we could cook and heat ourselves as well."
Anna Gale nodded and gave each girl one pocket of milk. It was a precious thing they needed to grow strong.
"I know Miss Jackson's secret of good food." Anna Gale mischievously winked and took out canned food.
Jocelyn Gale for the first time since this mess started felt like she wanted to laugh. "Seriously? Canned food?"
"Yes. And there is more. But only I can go there as the whole kitchen looks like a horde of zombies searched for food." Anna was certain that her low weight was the reason she could walk over the broken porcelain without making a loud noise.
Jocelyn Gale didn't like that idea, but could only agree. Once you get used to being taken care of, you don't give up such annoying characters anytime soon.
Before, her husband took care of everything like shopping and paying bills. Hers was only to cook, clean and take care of children.
He did all the hard work and expected her to do her work without failure.
The problem is, he always found something to complain about.
Food was not salty enough or it was too salty. Not tasty enough. Not savory enough.
And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Anna Gale thought that early or later her father might really start raising his hand against them and literally was happy that he left.
Anna Gale already knew her mother well enough and pressed her lips. "You have to prepare the noisy part."
Jocelyn Gale paled. "Me? Why?"
Anna Gale lowered her head. "Because you are a mother. I can go gather food as I'm faster than you and lighter. But you must take care of the security of our shelter. You took care of water as well. I think you will do just fine taking care of the cans."
Jocelyn Gale forgot instantly that she regretted sending her daughter out and the strike of selfishness came out. "You take care of outside, I will watch over the girls."
This time the two girls could only drink milk and look at their older sister. "Let us get a bit stronger. We will help you."
Anna Gale could see the panic in her mother's eyes and nodded. "As it seems we children have to care about ourselves."
Just as she was done speaking, a loud noise could be heard outside as they left the door a bit open for air circulation.
Jocelyn Gale paled now completely and literally fainted, while Anna Gale calmly stood by the door and pointed at the bundle of food.
"Hide food. Quickly." The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard and she literally hid the bundle with cans behind the girls and rushed back to the door...
---This is an original book written by JennyS. Please support me by reading it at W. e. b. n. o. v. e. l. s. com. If you read it anywhere else it means it's copied without my consent. Thank you in advance :) ---