CHAPTER 36 - Supply Run Tensions

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It was two days later in the third week of October as the time has gone and passed by at that very date and time in Z-city. And it appears that Eden and the selected members of the group in Safe Haven have already gone through the supply run a day ago or so before and completed their mission.

Albeit it looks like they went through hell or been through the wringer of sorts, judging from the few bandaged cuts and wounds and wrapped-up splinted sprains they must have suffered through in that very run they went through back then. Fortunately, it looks like they haven't suffered much besides some physical wounds, such as emotional or mental trauma or something.

But then, the only reason why they made it out alive and well, is all because of the lone survivor who stayed and live long enough in Z-city, Eden herself. And the others know about that main fact very well now and they're all grateful for it.

Mark and Homer got what they need from the supply run, even though the black African man, Homer seemed to be a little shaken from something that happened during the supply run before, but he seemed to be fine when his friend Mark reassured him, as well as his two sisters Nadia and Sahara comforting him.

It appeared that Eden was the one who saved Homer before he got hurt at the time, it's also one of the reasons why Ryu, Daiyu, and Sahara are staring at her intensely with respect and awe. But Sahara was looking at Eden much more than the two men, with wonder on her face like she just found her new idol of sorts.

However, Eden doesn't seem to be comfortable with the kind of staring attention on her from Sahara when she noticed it but didn't let her know that she does. Eden tries to maintain her cool and composure as she usually does, but it looked like she's having difficulty doing that since Sahara and then a few others are looking at her as if she's their new hero or leader of some kind.

Still, Eden was a little grateful that the stares were stopped after the second day later from the supply run before, and their routine went on as usual as it is to be in Safe Haven.

Mark and Homer are now working on fixing and improving the security devices and monitors to keep their group safe and more secure in Safe Haven as they stay there for a long length of time, depending on their situation upon Eden's assessment and such. Then Ryu and Daiyu were sorting out the new pile of weapons they had scavenged from the supply run and neatly putting them in the storage units as well as separating the suitable ones they are going to use always and such.

Sahara would have helped the two men in sorting the weapons, but she was busy helping her sister Nadia, the two older women Mother Ying, and Ole Bessie with the house chores and other tasks that are needed to ensure their long-time stay and survival in Z-city. Talia, on the other hand, is doing her usual job as a caring guardian, looking after the six children as they continue playing around with happiness and enjoyment, much to Eden's amusement and Talia's chagrin when she noticed it from her.

For Eden, she resumed her usual routine, between helping around doing the chores, looking after and teaching the children, as well as taking guard-watch duties too among the group in Safe Haven. Even though it's been quiet and peaceful since the two days of that third week had passed and the mission on the supply run had been accomplished, Eden is not letting her guard down anytime soon, as she is being hyper-aware and alert, and on full-on guard to watch out for her group in Safe Haven.

Right now, at the night-time of the second day there in the abandoned building up on the rooftop is Eden, taking over the night-watch guard post duty as usual, but she's alone this time and will be all by herself for the whole night, as Eden volunteered to do so when she told the group this.

It was fortunate that the new housemates trust her on this, even though Ryu and Daiyu still look at Eden suspiciously when she tries to take on certain tasks and duties all on her own alone when she requested or asked about it. But it seems that the two men are leaving her alone for the moment since they're focused on their group much more than on her at the time then, and it made Eden a little relieved over it, that the attention was turned away from her, only for a short moment or so.

That allowed her to take out the journal she hid very carefully on her person when she brought it along that night and she took it out and started writing the new entry swiftly before someone might come up and check on her, and they'll see the main reason why she insisted on being alone in the night-watch that time and catch her in the act. Eden wrote the new entry as fast as she can while darting her eyes, glancing about and around, making sure she was very alert and aware of her surroundings in case anyone comes.

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JOURNAL ENTRY: DAY UNKNOWN, 10TH MONTH OCTOBER, YEAR 2XXX

Hey, it's Eden again.

You're wondering if this is me and if I went through the previous run alive and well?

Yes, it is! I made it--I mean, we all made it. Wholly intact and safe and sound.

Well…I have to admit in reality, we did encounter only one nasty skirmish event and such, but only suffered through a few cuts and bruises as we escaped and survived it alive and well.

Not to mention the fact that only one of us was caught by surprise by a dangerous threat but that was already dealt with, and the poor guy is slightly suffering a nervous breakdown when it happened.

Right, I'm rambling on.

I'll explain as best and fast as I can here in this entry what went on during the supply run two days ago and everything else that happened before. So, here's all how it happened.

My selected group members and I were all ready to go out there into Z-city and accomplish our mission on the supply run we're determined to go through there and come out alive. Only Talia, Nadia, Mother Ying, and Ole Bessie were left behind to take care of the children and look after Safe Haven with the best of Talia and Nadia's abilities to standing guard and watching over the group while the others are gone.

I promised my anxious kids Michael and Annie that I'll return soon after I help the others to get what they need in the supply run, and I also comforted them that I'm bringing Luna along this time so that the female dog will be additional help into watching out for any dangerous threats. It didn't take long for them to be quickly reassured that I'll be alright and will be coming home safe and sound for them that they let me go reluctantly, even with the whining worried Archer by their side.

We all get ready and prepared with the stuff that we need, bid our goodbyes, and then climbed down the ladder to get to the vehicle suited for this trip we're going to be using for the supply run. It was a big SUV van, big enough to fit in the scavenged supplies and stuff that we'll be searching and gathering for, and it's been modified with strong sturdy heavy armor by my designing and fixing upon it, so that it will withstand any force from any threats, even be able to fend off the most dangerous enemies, such as the Alpha-Z types of zombies.

Once we got into the car with me as the driver, I drove them straight into the streets of Z-city and headed down in the direction where the place we were going to, is the spot where we need to get the necessary supplies and important stuff needed from what Mark told me days before.

When we got there, I was tense and anxious with my whole body being tight like a wound spring, almost ready to bolt and run away or fight at the first sign of anything that might come out and jump at us. As I mentioned before, the spot we went into is almost close to the heart of the 'Danger Zones', specifically the place is near to one of the zombie nests of the Alpha-Z.

I didn't like that I was going with the others straight into a literal 'Lion's Den' so to speak, but I knew that this is important to grab the stuff we need to ensure the security measures in Safe Haven and keep our group safe.

But I sure hope that our hyper-awareness and the weapons we have on hand are enough to fight against any kind of threats that are going to come jumping from the shadows and then strike at us.

I reminded the others again and in a firm stern tone to watch their backs and keep their guard up and eyes alert for anything that might be hiding in dark corners or lurking in the shadows somewhere as we slowly got inside the small shop where the necessary items would be.

Homer joked lightly in the reassurance that he's sure and believes that we'll be fine, but I retorted sharply at him that this is not the time and place to make jokes or feel amusement over this, since this situation is very dangerous that we need to tread lightly like we're stepping on delicate eggshells or something.

Homer didn't seem phased at all that I snap at him like that but it didn't take long for him to eat his words on not heeding my stern warnings when he was scouting about and looking for something among the scattered stuff in the shop, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, a lurking zombie that is an Omega-Z came sprinting out from the shadows and tackled Homer down to the ground, the man startled and instantly fighting furiously to get the snapping zombie off him without being bitten.

It was very fortunate that we were all prepared to fend off any zombies from biting us by wrapping our vulnerable arms and legs firmly with sturdy material that any zombies can't bite or munch through. But the only weak spots we need to watch out for are whenever zombies suddenly aim and attack right at our backs or at our necks, and that's also including the Alpha-Z's inhuman strength and force if they came out of hiding from wherever they are.

Ryu and Daiyu would have saved Homer, but I got there first so swiftly before they can even blink, used a machete blade I had with me, and stab right through the Omega-Z's head from behind, killing it instantly.

I'm very glad and relieved that Homer was aware enough to not scream his head off when he got attacked and then bring unwanted attention towards us, which will bring our mission to a sudden halt and force us to flee. After I killed the zombie, I helped Homer to remove the still clamped jaws onto his armored-protected arm, kicked the corpse forcefully, and then gently helped the man up, looking over him intensely, double-checking if he got any scratches or bites that he and I might have missed.

There's nothing, much to my relief and then I calmly gave Homer the meaningful look that says 'I told you so!' and it got me smirking smugly inside my head when he flinched and looked a bit embarrassed that he was caught off-guard like that so unexpectedly.

After that, all of us were now all on our guards and watched out for any hidden threats if there were any while Homer, Mark, and Sahara busied themselves with packing up and gathering all the stuff they need, fortunately, there are the exact materials that are all there which Mark is asking and looking for.

Once we were done with that, I immediately asked them all if that's everything and when the others confirmed that they got everything they can get and needed, I firmly ordered them that we should return now before sundown, as I warned them again that Alpha-Z will also come out hunting during night-time when it does, and we shouldn't be around for them to find out that there's living prey near their midst.

They instantly obeyed my commands and followed my orders, and the two brothers Ryu and Daiyu helped us out to carry the much heavier load, for they are the stronger ones, surprisingly. And it didn't take long for us to grab what we came for and also scavenge any other useful stuff to bring back as we return home to Safe Haven.

It was almost near sundown that we were finally done and finished with our supply run, and it was a good thing too that we've accomplished our mission as I drove the SUV van and hightail it literally out of there, leaving a faint smoke trail behind the vehicle as it skidded down the road and heading back to our safe place.

I didn't relax as I was still tense when we left that dangerous area, but once we were out of the Danger Zones and now on safer roads, I finally did, my body slumping a bit with relief but my whole mind still alert as I drove us all out of there and heading back the path straight home to Safe Haven.

I was glad that it was quickly done and over with after we finished our mission, and I pray and hope that nothing like this is going to happen again, otherwise it's going to drive me nuts whenever we have to do these kinds of trips and the supply run tensions are going to drive me a little crazy and bonkers if anything might happen to me or the others.

I was very much glad that we made it safe and sound, even though the only thing we suffered is a few cuts and bruises from trying to clear some messy debris in that abandoned shop where we got the supplies or when some of us clumsily tripped over our feet and hit parts of our body against something, and the only one a little traumatized and mentally shaken from that place is just Homer when he got attacked and almost got bitten by the Omega-Z that caught the poor guy off-guard.

Nevertheless, I'm relieved that it's over with. But I know better than to press my luck on that and sometime in the future there might be more that will come at us, whether unexpectedly or not. But I'm going to be fully prepared to face it as well as the others when it does come and I'm going to make sure that I won't be caught unprepared for it.

So that's everything there is to it. Wow, I must have worried you all about this, huh?

Don't worry, we didn't go through anything worse than that, and I'm relieved that we made it through this. So the new entry for this journal the next time will be about what's been going on with us in Safe Haven or whatever surprising events that might happen to us.

Until then, this is Eden signing off.

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After Eden finished writing the new entry into her journal as quickly as she could, she swiftly hid it away, right on time when the person mentioned she heard coming up, arrived to check on her and it was Nadia who came upstairs to the rooftop.

Eden turned to her and Nadia told her that she and Talia kindly settled her two kids already into bed in her room and she nodded in appreciation and gratitude for it and watched as Nadia turned around and left her alone again. Once Eden is sure that Nadia is truly gone and sensed sharply that no one else is coming up for her again, she relaxed and gave a soft sigh of relief before she leaned back on the chair she was sitting on and turned her head to look up at the night starry skies.

She seemed to be thinking of something deeply like she was wondering what was in store for her and her group in the next few days, but what Eden didn't know is that she was going to regret herself for thinking such thoughts because something unexpectedly surprising is going to happen and it's not something bad or anything worse that's going to catch them off-guard or render them unprepared once they face this new surprising thing that will happen to them in the latter days of the future.

Eden doesn't know for sure what is truly in store for her group and herself, for the unexpected surprising event that's going to happen, is something that might change the course of their lives for the better or maybe, for the worse.

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