chapter 24

After the kiss, I left Gabby to find Josh and Vince to talk about setting up trade routes into the city and finding a gated community near the farmhouse and make it into a safe place. I like Gabby and I know she has feelings for me as well, but I can't let them get in the way of what's really important and that's making sure we are safe. I went inside and saw Josh just standing in front of the Map of the surrounds area and L.A pin to the living room wall. Josh was making up the schools in the area, while Vince was marking the map of the city. I watch them work when the radio came to life. "Julie speaking, just wanted to know if you and the group made it to your safehouse over." I wanted to laugh at how he spoke over the radio, but I knew were both trained to speak like that. I find it funny even now that my life went from stressful too stressful in a matter of hours and days. But at the end of it, I am still here but a part of me will never truly understand why this happens and our this happen.

All I knew was that I felt were Gabby's lips on mine and how badly I wanted to kiss her again and have none of this bullshit zombie business happens. Maybe then I would have been with her just as a cop and not some leader that I've been made to be. But at the same time, I had to be careful because we were both bitten and we don't know the side effects from, hell we could just be prolonging our death, or we could turn into something different altogether. I just hope we don't turn into freaks or something. I know that Gabby and I were the only ones bitten that haven't turn but maybe there were more like us outside of the city but that was a bet I wasn't willing to take. Maybe that big ass zombie Josh and I face was someone who got bitten and turned into them but that could have taken days or weeks, but Gabby was bitten at the start of this all and she didn't change her bite mark healed and so was mine. I needed to talk to someone who knows about this and the only other person who does is on the other side of the country and I have no way I am contacting her. I couldn't continue to think about this I had things to do.

I went inside and look at that map that was on the wall. I saw some home hardware stores and a school and a gated community. The gated community looks like a great place to settle and save other people. I mean I love the farmhouse and I wouldn't leave it but if this place needed to or became overcrowded so instead of the problem happening over time we could build it up and move on. I know for a fact that Julie and Katie. I should call them and tell them, but I wanted to make sure it was safe and well protected. However, exploring could wait until tomorrow because I miss my girls and I wanted to spend some time with them. I went upstairs to where my girls were at. Casey was by the window looking outside while Carmen was on the, she was rolling around playing with her feet. I smile at her and went to pick her up. The last time I held her she was a bit lighter and when Casey notice me she ran and hugged me tightly. I held her to and ask her how everything was when I was gone.

Casey told me how Gabby and my Danny went out and how she wanted to help out, but she didn't know what to do so she just watch her little sister. "well I have some new kids you can help them out, show them around and keep on watching your sister," I told her, and she smiles. She told me all about how she took care of her sister and being friends with Abby. I just smile at her and knew she would be fine, but I promise myself I would take care of her and Carmen, they had each other and me. I wasn't going to let anything happen to them no matter what.

I spend the hold day with my girls and soon I fell asleep with them in my arms. It felt go to feel that they were safe. But I wonder how it would feel if Gabby were in my arms. As soon as the though appear I quickly stop it. I couldn't think about her at a time like this. I needed to stay on track, but she was there and real and I wish I could do something about it. I went to sleep and was at peace for once.

I woke up with Casey and Carmen in my arms and surprisingly Abby was they as well. She stirs and rubs her eyes. She gave me a shy smile "Um I've also slept with the girls and stuff in case one of them wakes up but then you were here, but it felt weird to not be near to them," she said was a blush on her face. I smile at her and thank her for watching out for them and that I didn't mind at all. I got up and left the girls asleep with Abby watching over them. I needed some food in me, but I hope we had some coffee. I knew it would be too much to ask for, but I need my coffee.

Today was the day I was going to check out the gate community was Josh and maybe Vince. As soon as I went downstairs I saw Josh on the cot still asleep and Vince out right next to him. They were both exhausted, but we needed to do this. Maybe not today. I wanted to get this stuff done fast but we were only human and nothing good comes from overworking your body. They needed the break but for some reason, I was feeling fine. I was feeling high and full of energy. It was weird. The guys were still resting, so that meant no exploring today. I could ask Gabby, but I didn't want to be alone with her. I fear I was losing control and tell her how I feel or worst she would kiss me again and I was lost it.

I was staring out the window trying to decide what to do when I hear someone say something to me and I said yes to them. "Great meet Gabby in ten minutes so you guys can explore," said Jane. I quickly span out of it and look at Jane. She gave me a knowing look and walked away from me. I couldn't believe she would do this to me, we don't have time to find love in hell all we needed to do was live.

I gather my things and met Gabby on the porch swing. She looks up at me and gave me a small smile but the look in her eyes told me something different. Something in me broke when I saw the look in her eyes, knowing that I create that hurt me. Maybe something with her wouldn't be bad, but I didn't want to continue that thought. Today we were going out and I needed to keep a clear head. I open the gate with Gabby following behind me. I told her about checking out the gated community and she told it was a good idea to scout it out but a bad idea to go in without any backup. I agree with her with. We passed by some stores on the way there. All of them seem kind of useless besides one. It was a clothing store. I reminded myself to check it out on the way back home.

We were about ten minutes away from the place when I heard the telltale signs of a ticker. I sigh, I wasn't in the mood to fight when I had a lot on my mind, but I knew if we took this thing out it would be one less of them in the world and one less person running from it. It was only one of them and one growler. Maybe it was a newly turn ticker. This was going to be easy I thought. Gabby went to the left while I went o the right and before I could get close to hitting it went down. I didn't head any kind of gunshot or see the flash. I look and notice that it was an arrow. I saw three people walk up to us. They had their weapons draw but not pointed to us. "Well that could be out back up or this could go wrong and we could all died," I said to myself but then I felt a sharp pain in my side where Gabby had to elbow me. She gave me a pointed look and I looked away. I blush and tried to hide the dumb smile on my face.

We introduce each other to the strangers. Well, not some strangers anymore but still out there. Their names were Justin, Maxine, and Oliver. They came from up north about a three-hour drive away from the lake but a day walk. They told us how it is up there that some gang came and started killing people who wouldn't join them. Damn now we have to watch out for that, the dead were worst but now the living. I wanted to scout up the community, so I bought it up and told them if they help us out it was theirs or the could stay at the farmhouse with us. We walk and talk about there hometown and what happens. We arrive at the small community.

I saw some growlers and Maxine draw her bow and let loose an arrow. Taking it down in one shot. She took down four more that we could see. I pick up a rock and throw it to the nearest car to break its window. The alarm went off and the growling begins. I climb up the six-foot-tall wall and look out over the dead that came towards that noise. I saw a ticker run to the car and hit it head first. I saw the three-new people took out the bows and one crossbow and let the dead have it. I also pull out my M9 and kill a few myself. Both inside and out the wall the dead came to us until the alarm fully died. With the five of us, we can take down this small horde.

I was down to my last clip when we kill the last one. But that was what we could only see. I jump down from the wall and landed inside the community. I hear Gabby curse but followed me. I went to the first house closest to me on my left and open the door. Nothing came out and I went inside. Gabby was behind me cover our rear. The first floor was clear, and we went upstairs. There was no noise coming from the rooms. But still, we open and clear every room in that house. One down and fifteen more houses to go.

The three new people follow our lead, but Justin stays on top of the wall to be a lookout. I once again find myself alone with Gabby while the other two girls search the house next door. Again, the first floor was clear. However, the second floor wasn't. I open a bedroom door and a growler came at me. I push it away from me and Gabby got it from behind and stab it. I don't know what it was but something in me just broke open. The damn that held my emotions in open up. I don't know if it was how she handles her knife or being cover in that gross black blood, but I needed to hold her against me. I pushed myself off the wall and pushed her into the room that the growler came out of. I close the door behind me and brought her close to me. I didn't care that my clothes would get dirty I needed to feel her lips on mine. I kiss her hungrily until I was full, I stepped away from her. "Look I know I am an asshole and everything is going to hell, but I know one thing is I can't stop thinking about you, you are on my mind all day and night and every time you kiss me or near me I melt," I told her. I was about to say something else when she pushes me against the door and kiss me.

After our kiss and my confessions, we continue to clear the houses. It went fast and soon the area was free and clear of the dead. We would come back tomorrow and clear up the place but for now, I wanted to go home take a cold shower and be with my girls. I know that Gabby and I had more talking to do but for now, we had an understanding of our feelings and that was a good start for me.