Chapter 7: Week Three: Thursday

Last night's sleep wasn't too bad. Although we could still hear the roar of those Night Crawlers, they were farther away than previously. I do want to just put on headphones and sleep in peace, but who knows what could happen if I can't hear anything.

First thing I did was check the bodies thrown into the street from the railing. They were still there. Maybe whatever dragged them away won't return. Still, better to be cautious regardless. Suddenly a painful moan came from the bedroom.

"Ahhh! It hurts! It hurts so much!"

"I see you've learned the pleasures of working out. Unfortunately, you'll need to rest and heal your muscles before you can work out again. I know you're just dying to get up and move right?"

He began moaning and groaning again. 

"Quit your belly aching, it ain't even that bad."

I left him to his own devices and started my morning workout. Today is lower body. In order it goes stretching for 15 minutes, 350 squats, 150 lunges, 150 explosive squats, 400 calf raises, horse stance for 2 minutes each, 70 jump lunges, grabbed my dumbbells and did both weighted squats and lunges, and finally running in place for about 30 minutes.

Can't exactly just casually walk past the infected downstairs and just say 'Mornin neighbor! Beautiful apocalypse, am I right? Love the smell of rotting flesh in the morning!'

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Zach sitting on my couch looking at me, he seemed a little dumbfounded.

"Ca-Can I get as strong as you?!"

"Hahaha! You serious? Of course not dumbass. This is years of progress, and I'm just naturally very strong. But you should still push yourself nonetheless. Make me your goal. How about you get half of what I do, that'll be your side quest."

It took about 2 and a half hours to finish my workout. Next was eating. We finished off the bread and the peanut butter by making sandwiches. I also distributed the 4 bottles of water and gave him a small tupperware with water along with a rag saying to clean himself with it. 

Before going through the rest of the apartments today I decided to try something. Got some cardboard and some duct tape, then began to tape the cardboard on my arms and legs. Will this work? Haven't the foggiest but it can't hurt to try. Did the same for Zach and we were on our way. That's when he got to work.

I gotta say, he kinda looks cool being all focused like that. When he finished I heard a click, he then turned around and had this goofy smug smile on his face while he raised his thumb. That didn't last long when he saw how unamused I was.

"Not bad I guess. Could've been faster though..." Can't give him the satisfaction, even if it was pretty cool.

I took point and stepped inside. There was nothing there. And I mean nothing. No food or water, clothes were mostly gone with only a few hanging in the closet, and all the photos were taken out of the frames. Basically, most useful things were gone.

"Did they pack all their stuff?"

"Probably. Most likely headed to the refugee camp a few miles away. This doesn't bold well for us. The other locked apartments may be similar. Hmm..."

"What?"

"The refugee camp. If it was overrun, imagine all the good shit there! Guns, ammo, all the food and medicine we could ever need! That's for later though. Come on, let's go to the others."

While waiting for Zach to open the next one, I made a little prayer.

"Oh Mistress Destiny! I've always been a firm believer! We all know you are the sexiest, the most beautiful, smartest, most fashionable, greatest Goddess to ever bless our existence with your mere presence! Please watch over me now! Your most handsome, badass, devout worshipper needs your blessing!"

"...Wha-What are you doing?"

I quickly smacked this worthless whelp in the back of the head!

"Fool! How dare you go against Mistress Destiny?! You should be thanking your 30 generations of ancestors that I don't gut you here and now, and drink your unholy blood from your skull! Never question her you bastard!"

He looked at me with puppy dog eyes and rubbed the back of his head. Oh please, I barely grazed him. He got back to work and cracked the door in lickety split fashion. He certainly has a knack for this huh?

There was again nobody home, and mostly everything gone. Did find 2 cans of spam and a bottle of water, guess it wasn't all bad. I really wish these heartless bastards would leave some alcohol for me. I really want to burn some shit. Anyway, third door.

"Lady Luck, hear your devout worshippers prayer! I've always had you in my heart as the sexiest, most beautiful, smartest, most fashionable, greatest Goddess to ever exist! My love for you cannot be put into words, to do so would simply sully your name! Please oh Goddess, bless this sinner!"

This time, I was fully confident! Not even the most devoid of emotion Goddess could ignore such a heartfelt plea! As for that Mistress Destiny character? Always known she was a worthless bastard! I burst into the room and found...!

Jack shit. There wasn't even a crumb of food. This one was the worst yet! Almost everything was gone. I opened the bedroom door, just in case there would be anything under the matress or bathroom. I stepped inside and instinctually moved my head and body to the left, barely dodging a cat that flew through the air!

It landed on the floor just a few feet away and turned towards me. It had no fur and it's eyes were bleeding. It ran at me with some supercat speed! Then it jumped high into the air, snapping it's little jaw at me. I ducked under it in a smooth fashion and ran back into the living room. 

"What's going o-"

"Stand back!"

The infected kitty cat rushed at me again, relentless in it's pursuit of flesh. When it jumped once more, I threw a well timed uppercut into it's stomach. It was launched upwards and backwards a few feet, smashing into the wall. Very predictable. 

I came up next to it just as it got up and extended my leg towards it, praying for it to be a dumb kitty. It immediately latched onto my leg, biting and scratching the cardboard armor I had well crafted. I reached down fast and wrapped my hand around it's throat.

From there, it was useless no matter how it struggled. It kept trying to scratch my arms through the armor, as it's head snapped at me. I returned the gesture by slamming it's back into the edge of the door frame.

The crunch indicated the breaking of the spine, but only the lower body stopped moving. It didn't even yelp in pain. I noticed that with the others. Do they not feel pain? I then gave it a quick mercy death by smashing it's head in with my trusty hammer. 

Ah! I should have tried to see if I could knock it out by depriving it of oxygen, probably by crushing it's throat. I'll have to try that out next time. Now that I'm thinking about it, what kind of monster leaves a defensless little kitty cat all alone! Luckily, I was here to send it off to Pet Heaven. Such a kind soul I am.

"Oh jesus..."

Zach quickly turned around and walked away. What's his problem? Anyway, after searching around the bedroom all I found were some batteries. I took the cat's body and threw it over the edge to the others, which were still there. Oh mystery man, when shall thee arrive!

We went through the 3 other doors, nothing really changed. In total from the 6 apartments we got 3 cans of spam, a jar of peanut butter, and 4 water bottles. Oh well, you can't win em all.

My goal of clearing this floor was done, next was the floor above us. There was 6 floors in total, with us being on the 5th and after that was the roof. But what was the plan when I was done clearing the apartment? Should I just try to leave without clearing it? Where would I go? Where would I hold up?

Do I really want to leave? It's something I've been asking myself. And the answer I've come to is... not really. I'll probably die thinking like this but so what?! I finally feel like life is truly worth living by being so close to death!

Enough of that, I need to plan out the rest of my day. Clearing the apartments was quick, and I still have several hours left. When I looked over my kitchen knives, a brilliant plan suddenly wormed it's way into my brain! Why don't I teach myself how to throw knives at the enemy! I can be at a distance and kill them before they get to me, and it won't make any noise. Sigh, it's lonely being the greatest genius to ever live!

I gathered every knife on this floor and picked a wall near the balcony. Drawing a bullseye with a marker, I grabbed my first knife and positioned myself. I threw the knife while flicking my wrist in an expert manner! All those years of fiddling the meatiscle comes in handy today! It flew threw the air... and missed the target completely. Not even close.

"Huh."

I tried again. And missed again. After a few hours, it was time for me to give up. Although my aim did get better, it was just barely. I knew I was bad at aiming but damn. 

"What are you doing? What's with your wall?!" A wild Zach suddenly appeared.

"I was practicing the art of throwing knives. It's a lot harder than it looks."

"That sounds so cool!"

"Yeah yeah. Go pick up the knives for me will ya?"

So cool? Hm, he has some sense to him I'll give him that. I am pretty awesome. 

While Zach was busy collecting my knives, I headed to the kitchen and grabbed 2 granola bars. I handed one to him and started eating one myself.

I walked to the balcony staying a little out of sight while munching on my food. Wasn't expecting much, but to my surprise there was a figure crouched by the bodies. What the. Is he... eating them? 

Unlike before, this time he could be clearly seen. He was very thin, so much so that it seemed as if he would break if you touched him wrong. His skin was a weird gray, and he lacked any hair on his body including his head. He would constantly look up, checking the surroundings and whenever there was even a slight sound he would tense up as if about to run. Reminds me of a deer almost.

"Whatchu looking at? What the-"

This fucking... 

I covered his mouth but it was too late. The creature looked up at us with wide eyes and suddenly ran away. What kind of infected, runs away from the healthy? And holy fuck. That's some Usain Bolt speed right there. In just a few seconds he was gone, right back down that alleyway I saw him the first time. At least I know who the corpse thief was now. I looked over and glared at the offender.

"Sorry."

"Next time, keep your mouth shut understood?"

"Yes Boss!"

Boss? Well, he's got a knack for buttering up to other I must say. But I must punish him in some way.

"Go sleep in your own room."

"Huh?!"