It hit him like a ton of bricks. Fuck. Dave and Paul. Aw man …. Where the hell are they? Are they still alive? He began to worry, having a panic-y expression. “Where are they? Dave and Paul? I haven’t seen ‘em in o’while.” Now that he was thinking about it. Ellis never really did go to an evacuation center. After Irene died, he pretty much lost faith of getting out of there on his own. And he didn’t want to think about the family he once knew or the friends he once had. Dead, mutated, whatever. It wasn’t a pretty thought. He was worried, frowning: “… They ain’t dead are they? I know Dave is purdy strong-willed and Paul, well— He’s a different story. Ya have no idea w’ere they at?”
He leaned back with his hands on his hips. Wow, even Keith was more prepared than Ellis and that’s shocking. “Hope dat shit got water, man. I gatta shave, relax, ya’nno, lil’ r&r we used tah have.” Why didn’t the kid think of that? Looking for a home to stay in, make use of its contents then move on? Oh that’s right, because he thought he could outwit the zombies by bringing an old sleeping bag, backpack, a nearly empty first aid kit, clothing and some food. He should of known to pack more. Often he thought he would be fine with the minimal. That ain’t the case anymore. He huffed at himself.
He cocked an eyebrow as Keith spoke. “Wha’ tha hell? They multiply? How tah fuck does tha’ work? They jus’ bite off other people? You ain’t bitten, righ’?” Aw shit, just what he wanted to hear. They’re getting smarter. He sighed, this was no easy feat and it wasn’t going to get any easier. Ellis grabbed the firearm thrown to him, checking out the gun and reloading it. “Hey, ‘his is purdy nice.” He grinned happily. Finally a weapon. “Alrigh, Capt’ Keith.” He saluted him as if they were in the military. “W’ere’s tah house?”
Keith leaned on one foot a little. “As far as I know, Dave ‘n Paul ‘r awright. Las’ I saw of ‘em they were ‘least.” It had been a long while. The ginger had lost grip of time, having no idea what day or month it was, only to know it was rather chilly. Chilly enough for a jacket or a light winter coat. It varied day by day, like weather always had. Then again, why would the weather change up how it acted before the apocalypse during it? “There’s a better chance-a findin’ ‘em now. Just gotta have faith and all tha’. Shit, bet’cha were thinkin’ tha’ ‘bout me, too, man. Wouldn’t be surprised ‘cos those thoughts-a you crossed m’ minds like tha’.” Of course, the man would ignore them, not wanting to think of the downfall of his best friend.
He was honestly taken aback by the fact that he, Keith Silas Marshall, was far more prepared than Ellis Rydell Rafferty. Shit, the level of their preparedness never worked out like that, Ellis was usually the one who was prepared for the worst. Like when Keith almost blew his hand off, Rafferty was the one who fixed his hand up before they’d gone to the hospital. ‘If you don’t stop this nonsense, I can’t guarantee how long you’re going to live, Mister Marshall.’ ‘Yea, yea, I know.’ That’s how the conversations with the doctor’s always turned out. Of course, it never stopped him. It just got him to get deadlier with his stunts. So the comment about needing water was funny to him.
“It’s strange, man. Maybe I’ve jus’ been alone fuh so long, it seems tha’ way. Sheit, Iono man. But no, I ain’t been bitten. ‘M a damn good shot, you know that.” He laughed, a tinge of sour to the noise. When he caught the grin, he couldn’t help but let his own come right back out. He turned toward the direction of the house, pointing with the butt of the shotty in the direction. “Tha’ way, pardner.” He started off towards the house he’d claimed temporarily. Luckily there weren’t as many infected in the particular area as compared to on the way to town. But there were always a couple of stragglers. Hell, upon thinking of it, Marshall probably wiped the gun store clean. He had stashed the weaponry and first aid kits he’d found in the house. “Jus’ watch yer step, kiddo. There’s a couple-a steep parts gettin’ there.”
