Zombie Apocalypse Ch 2

Chapter two.

The first few days Kat was on edge. She couldn't sleep at all for fear that hippies would kill her in her sleep.  Even though they climbed into big trees and Jorge kept watch she couldn't sleep.  Her eyes closed, but she didn't sleep.  It was impossible for her to sleep.  She'd left the safety of her home, all that she had known. Unwillingly of course, but she still missed it. She didn't even know where they were going.  She followed Jorge even though he probably had no idea either.  It was just to get away from that place, she guessed. But after the first week she had to ask.
"Jorge?"  He looked up from where he was making a fire.  
"Where? What are we doing?"
"Well I'm making a fire and you're sitting there," he answered. She rolled her eyes and reached over to smack his arm.
"You know what I mean."  He gave her a serious look.  She wanted to shiver and it wasn't because of the cold.
"We're surviving that's what."
"Then what?  What do we do after that? Back at the facility we had a purpose.  Now we're just out here. Wandering." Her eyes scanned the forest for any signs of danger.
"What more can we do Kat?"
"I don't know. I've never been out of the facility. I don't know what's out here, but I'm not dense enough to think we were the only ones out there.  There has to be someone else out here. Someone surviving."  
"There are probably others still surviving.  In a world this big there has to be more than just the two of us."
"So shouldn't we be going to find them?"
"I think the first most important thing is to find food and a more permanent place to stay.  Then we can find them. I mean winter is coming fast.  We'd probably freeze to death before we found anyone." As if to prove his point a cold gust of wind blew passed her causing her to shiver and pull tighter into herself.  The sweater she wore was a big and warm, but the cold still managed to worm its way in and nip at her.
"Give me a sec."  They were quiet while Jorge went back to making a fire. When they had a strong flame going he put the flint back in his pocket and then got up.  He came towards her.
"Wh-what are you doing?"  She stammered.  He reached down and scooped her up.  He must have been really strong because she was a seventeen-year-old girl.  She wasn't light, but she wasn't heavy either.  He walked with her closer to the fire and sat down.  He arranged her in his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Her face turned bright red. She'd never really been this close with a guy before.  At the facility you didn't have much time for relationships.
"There.  Now we'll keep each other warm."  He told her as she struggled in his arms.  Slowly she stopped.  Of course, what was she thinking? Of course it was just to keep warm.  He could never see her like that.  The absurdity of her thinking about this in the situation they were in made her shake her head.  How shallow could she be? They had more important things to think about than her silly thoughts over boys.
"Kat?"  She hadn't realized that he was talking to her.
"Huh?"  She got out.
"I said are you warmer?"
"Oh. Yeah. Thanks."  She kept her eyes trained on the fire as she tried not to think about how nice it felt to be snuggled in his arms.  She was so comfortable and even though she didn't realize it she fell asleep.  She slept for the first time in at least 7 days.  It turned out they both did.  And that was the first mistake they made.  
The moaning woke her up.  Kat found herself lying curled up next to Jorge closer to the fire than him.  She spotted the feet first.  By the sounds of the moaning though it wasn't the only one. Sitting up she screamed.  Several of them were making their way towards them arms outstretched.  Jorge jolted upright at the sound of her scream and cursed under his breath.  He grabbed for his knife, but it wasn't at his belt.  It was by his backpack.  He grabbed the closest thing he could find and smashed into the side of the first hippie's head.  It happened to be a club like branch and worked to his advantage.
"Get your knife Kat."  He ordered getting to his feet and clubbing another hippie in the face.  He smashed its head into the ground before whirling around and clocking another when it got too close. Kat scrambled for her knife kicking away one that got much too close for her liking.  As soon as her hand landed on the hilt of the blade she whirled and slashed it through the hippie's head.  It hit the ground at her feet and she almost sighed in relief.  
She turned her attention to Jorge who was fighting them off with the branch.  She looked around for his knife, but couldn't find it.  So instead she ran at them plunging the blade into one's head and then removing it forcefully.  He nodded at her then swung at the next one coming at him.  They fought together in perfect sync taking out all the hippies not stopping until the last one fell.  Panting, Kat slid to the ground dropping the knife.  
"Are you okay? They didn't bite you right?"  He threw his weapon aside and knelt by her checking her all over for bites and injuries.  She let out a laugh thought it sounded hollow to her ears.
"I'm fine."  He inspected her anyways and then sat back when he was satisfied that she was right.
"That was close."  She commented.  His face grew blank. Standing up he put out the fire and shouldered his bag.  He pulled out his knife and stuck it in his belt.  
"C'mon we should get going."  He wouldn't look at her.  She slowly got to her feet and picked up her knife again.  He slung her bag on his shoulders as well and walked off expecting her to follow.  They walked well into the day. If he didn't talk to her much before it was even less now and what was worse now was that he wouldn't look at her. They reached a road, but made sure to stay at the edges in case they needed the cover of the trees.  
Just as the sun began its dip in the sky Jorge threw his arm out and stopped her from walking.  In the middle of the road one of them chewing on an arm.  Kat shuddered. She would never get used to that and god help anyone if they were used to it.  
"Wait here."  The first two words he'd said to her all day and it was an order.  She hated the way he was treating her, but she was more confused than anything.  Still she stayed still and waited while he went and dispatched it.  As he dealt with the hippie Kat noticed little white flakes of snow fluttering to the ground.  The first snow fall.  They melted as they touched the ground, but still it made Kat smile.  She looked back to see what Jorge was doing after admiring the snow for a few minutes. He had stopped where he was looking off to his left.  Even craning her neck, Kat couldn't see what he was looking at.  
"Jorge?" she called out.
"Jorge, what are you looking at?"  He turned to look at her and gestured for her to be quiet.  She couldn't stay where she was a second longer.  She ran to him ignoring the dirty look he shot her.
"I told you to wait there," he hissed.
"I'm not a child."  She argued back her voice a whisper.
"It's for your protection.  Look. I see a cabin, but I don't know if its got more hippies in it or if there are others surviving."
"A cabin!" She brightened up considerably.
"Yes. Wait here I'm going to check it out."  She huffed at his cold behaviour.
"No. You are not leaving me here.  What happens if I'm attacked while I'm waiting here?" she challenged.  He gritted his teeth, but seemed to see her side.  
"Okay, but stay close and if I tell you to run, you run," he agreed grudgingly.  Together they crept up to the dark cabin.  I looked pretty sound around the outside; there were no holes or breaks in the walls or windows and they only had to kill one hippie.  
Now the tricky part was getting in.  The doors were locked, which made sense, but it didn't make things easier.  Jorge decided he was going to have to break one of the windows.  He set his backpack down and wrapped one of his fists in a thick wad of cloth.  While he did this Kat observed the house.  In all the old movies and shows she had watched there had always been a trick to it a fake rock, or a plant that held a hidden key usually.  She doubted it would be so easy, but something caught her eye just as Jorge pulled his arm back to break the glass. Stretching on the tips of her toes she reached her hand up and her fist closed around a freezing cold metal key.  
"Jorge!" She exclaimed before he could let his fist fly.  He turned to her making a wild gesture for her to be quiet.  She rolled her eyes and held the key up for him to see.  He dropped his arm and stared at it dumbly.
"C'mon then. It's getting cold."  Kat, despite everything was quite amused by this.  
She turned on her heel and went back to the front of the house.  She fitted the key into the lock, jiggled it a couple times then managed to get the door open.  She allowed herself a triumphant smile before walking cautiously inside.  She wasn't exactly sure what she would find.  She could hear Jorge following quietly along behind her.  There was a light switch by the door and upon flipping it the cabin was filled with light.  It was simple, but it was much better than what they had been at for days.  There was a kitchen open to the room they were in and towards the back of the house a tiny hallway that led to a dead end and branched off to two rooms.  
Sighing in relief she took off her backpack and set it on the ground. Her aching muscles thanked her as she began to wander around what she guessed was the living room.  Jorge shut the door and turned the lock.
"I'll check the back rooms."  With that he disappeared as Kat's stomach led her to the kitchen.  The cupboards weren't too well stocked.  They had a fair amount of food, but not enough to last them the winter.  It was filled with canned, preserved and non-perishable foods.  There was no fridge, but there was a sink, and a stove and oven.  The sun had completely set and when she looked out the windows all she could see was darkness.  
She shivered at the thought of seeing something frightening upon looking out those windows and reached up to draw the curtains.  In fact, she did that to all of them in the front room. She pulled all the curtains shut tightly and double-checked the door to make sure it was locked.  Jorge reappeared with his knife on his belt and that meant it was clear especially since there was no fresh guts or rotting flesh on it.  
"It's clear.  There's a bedroom and a bathroom. How's the kitchen?"
"Not stocked enough to last us the winter if we stay.  But its got quite a bit, which is great because I was beginning to hate the beans."  She joked trying to lighten the mood in the room.  He didn't laugh though.
"Go take a shower and change into some new warm clothes.  You're shivering.  I'll make something to eat."  He brushed passed her into the kitchen.  Discreetly she sniffed herself.  Was his request for her to take a shower a hint at how she smelled?  After being a week on the road she thought that she didn't smell too bad.  Especially since she had been travelling a week on the road.  
She picked up her bag anyways and headed to the bathroom.  Even though he'd said it was clear, Kat had to check for herself.  When she was satisfied she shut the door and shed her grimy clothes.  She stepped into the shower almost moaning when hot water fell from the showerhead.  She was in there for a while scrubbing at her arms, legs and the rest of her body trying to get all the dirt off.  She then proceeded to thoroughly wash her hair even though there was no shampoo.  When she was done she towelled off with one of the towels stacked in the cupboard under the sink.  She slipped into fresh clothing that was much too big for her because it was Jorge's, but at least they were clean.  
When she emerged steam followed her back towards the front of the house.   She was wearing his track pants the drawstrings tightened so they wouldn't fall and a plain white t-shirt.  Rubbing her hair dry she padded back to the kitchen to find him.  He was at the stove cooking something.  It smelled heavenly to her.
"Where'd you learn to cook?" she asked announcing her presence.
"I lived outside the facility before. I learned before I arrived there."  He didn't look at her.
"That's cool." She couldn't really think of anything other to say so she just finished drying her hair. When he was done he served their dinner in two bowls and the two hungrily devoured the first decent meal in what seemed like forever.