25. "Calling" them

"How did you find our number?" The soldier jumped from his chair.

"Someone gave me the number. We don't have much time. Cam you call Jocelyn Gale to talk to us. This uncle refuses to talk to you or any other soldiers. Hurry please. We must continue or travel and I need to tell mother we are fine." She was anxious while looking at the countdown clicking the precious minutes.

The officer stood up and waved at nearby passing soldier that happens just to be the one talking to their mother. "What did you say was her name?"

"Jocelyn. Jocelyn Gale." Anna Gale even spelled the name.

Map was blurry while she used the connection between the world's so she didn't know that the soldier got stunned and rushed to bring their mother.

Jocelyn Gale was still on the military bed with eyes devoid of any emotion. She let her three daughters there to fend on their own but actually hoped that they will follow them as streets were literally empty.

On their way to base she asked her husband multiple times to promise her to get the children, but as soon they entered the base he changed.

Or was he always like this?

She knew she was a weak person that needed someone strong to depend on. Seeing her husband refusing to even step near the base walls to fight zombies made her faith in him crumble into dust.

Now all she wanted was to see her daughter's safe by her side. So she did all she could to beg him to go there.

This was the last chance she gave him, but suddenly he announced that he wanted divorce as she was no more good enough for him.

She refused and I need up beaten on bed while he was with his new lover in their tent.

Jocelyn Gale had bitter smile on her face. What a ridiculous joke she is.

Suddenly the soldier from before rushed towards her. "Mrs Gale, hurry. Your daughter is on the phone. It seems they are with group of survivors heading out of the town. Hurry!"

Her breath stocked and she felt dizzy out of happiness but then stood up and rushed with staggering steps behind the soldier.

"My children..." Her pale face was beaded with pearls of sweat as she rushed with her painful body towards inner base.

Inside was a huge hallway and they went to one of doors and finally to one small office without any window.

A young man in his early thirties held the phone with excitement and spoke with someone on the other end while group of people took notes as he spoke.

"... so the northern part of town is free of zombies?" He waved at the two people and pointed at nearby stool.

Jocelyn Gale was excited, but had to wait. Anna Gale explained by now what she saw on the map. Zombies hated for some reason water and rain. So when rain season starts many of zombies will not go out and will hide in houses and such. They could kill whole groups if they bomb those places.

And they can raid for food right after.

"Large group of zombies are gathered around the old jail that was closed a few years back. I think people inside made base as well. If you kill those around your base, you can go and gather food in the nearby wholesale market. And the two farms we passed have only few zombies. We didn't kill any as we feared attracting those mutant zombies at us. They are strong and dangerous."

Anna Gale explained how they looked and about their speed and officer repeated it to the solemn group of people standing there.

"We have to move now. Is my mother there?" She already spoke over twenty minutes.

The officer waved at the thin woman. "She is here."

"Anna?" Jocelyn Gale knew right away that her older daughter was the one speaking.

"Mother, we are in hurry. Michelle and Alice are with me. Don't worry. These survivors are taking good care of us. When situation gets better we will meet again. You must definitely survive. And mother, you must definitely become stronger for our sake and for your own sake. Having strong man is not wrong, but if you act too weak the man will not love you as he will have feeling you leach of him. Mother, live properly until we meet again. Tell officer I will call as soon we stop in safe place. We are going to the north as there is more rain. It's safer."

Jocelyn Gale could only cry and nod like her daughter could see. "I will do that. Officer wants to talk to you again."

How weak... she is already giving away the phone?

Jocelyn Gale felt dizzy and could only give up the phone to steady her own breath. Her heart was beating so hard it felt like it will burst out of her chest.

The soldier pulled her out and she finally released breath.The only thing that was eating her from inside out was the guilt for leaving her children out there.

Now that they are going to safer place she felt lighter.

Soldier looked at her and sighed. "Woman, they are not safe yet, but definitely safer than near your husband. I will send you to tent where other females live and send you some food. Eat. It seems we will soon go out the base and gather supplies."

Jocelyn Gale grateful smiled at him. "Is there anything I can do, without leaving the base?"

He thought of it. "Right now no, but in future I think we will grow own food. So every hand will be needed. "

She understood that logic. There won't be anymore stores to buy things or big companies bringing food from far away.

Their society will go back into olden times of own planting and harvesting for survival.

Luckily she knew few things and nodded. "I will write everything I know about planting and when times come I will help growing seedlings."

Soldier saw new hope in her eyes and nodded.

She might never be able to see her children again, but even this bit hope that they survive gave her needed push to live.

Jocelyn Gale was not an ugly woman by any mean. She took good care of herself before apocalypse and even now in worst moments had an amazing skin and beautiful face.

Even without make up her eyelashes were long and tick and pair of two green eyes made him feel strange.

Jocelyn Gale blushed as she saw his long stare and coughed. Her husband looked at her this way long ago when they just met, but now he has only words of despise and ridicule.

Maybe there is a way for her...