Friends and Survivors

"Is that you Grant?! Oh man is it good to see a familiar face... I thought everyone I knew had died! Wait, what the heck are you carrying?! And how are you carrying something that large?!"

Grant started laughing, not because of Ethan's surprise at his pack, although funny, he was just happy to see someone he had known for many years.

Like Ethan said, it was good to see a familiar face.

Ethan was of average height, about 5'8", with a round face and reddish blonde hair. He embodied the typical choir boy to a point. He never focused much on his appearance so he wasn't in great shape but he wasn't overweight either. He just accepted the way he was and was fine with it.

Grant and Ethan went all the way back to when they were teenagers. They had met when Grant got his first job at a local restaurant and they had ended up working together until Grant went off to college. A little while after Grant had gone off to college, Ethan had gone on a missionary to South America and spent a few years working there. Grant had just assumed that Ethan was still in South America even to this day.

Before answering Ethan's questions, Grant placed his pack on the ground and walked over and gave Ethan a big hug.

"How come you didn't call me when you got back in town man?! I thought you were still down south! It's so good to see you man. I am glad you are safe.

As for this pack, it's supplies for me and a few people I have been staying with the the past few days. We are holed up in a building not far from here.

Who are all these people by the way?"

"It is by the grace of God that I came back into town just a week ago. I've been spending all my time with my family since I got back. I had been planning on reconnecting with everyone in the coming weeks but then this Path appeared and now the devil walks the Earth!

I'm glad you haven't been alone during the past few days. God knows, we could all use someone in these dark times. I have been praying for the safety of you and everyone else.

As for the people behind me, they are members of my church. My Mother and Father were leading a Saturday service when The Path emerged."

Grant just stood there shaking his head while he was listening to Ethan. Grant had never been a religious person so he couldn't really understand Ethan's devotion to his religious beliefs but he would never disregard another persons views either, so he accepted Ethan for who he was.

"I see you still have faith in your Lord even in these dark times. Thank you for your prayers but I have been forging my path with my own two hands. It has been tough but here I am, still kickin.

Enough about me though, where are you guys headed in such a large group?"

Rather than answering Grant's question, Ethan turned around and fetched a hand held radio from his backpack and turned up the volume.

Playing on loop was a message, "This is Peter Cooke, I am a professor at Arizona State University, if you can make it to the campus located in Tempe, we have managed to set up a small settlement of sorts. We have extra food and water and can provide you with safety. I repeat..."

Grant just nodded his head at the message thinking that it made sense for someone to start setting up a settlement, since by now most people would have started to realize that the world wasn't going back to normal and they needed to start adapting.

"So you are taking this group of people to this settlement then? Why don't you guys wait for me here and I will go drop off these supplies and bring back a couple of people to help protect you guys until you can reach the settlement."

"Why don't you come with us Grant? If you really do have survivors with you, why not bring them to the settlement along with the supplies? I'm sure that the settlement would welcome you and them with open arms. We are all human after all."

After the events of the past few days, although Grant agreed with Ethan that it should be natural for people to accept others in a situation such as the one they were in, he wasn't entirely sure that would be the case. If the people who managed that settlement didn't treat others fairly or with respect then it could quickly devolve into a very dysfunctional situation rather rapidly.

Plus he wasn't entirely sure that Ally was prepared to be around people at this point. What she had experienced and the trauma's that were a result of those experiences wouldn't be something that she would be able to get past quickly and Grant didn't want to force her.

"That's alright Ethan. I think we will stay where we are for right now. I do appreciate the invitation and I will not ask you to change your mind on going there but I just want you to understand that not everyone is like you who accept people no matter their deficiencies.

Have you guys eaten anything recently? Some of your parish are looking at my pack like rabid dogs ready to pounce."

At first Ethan looked at Grant with a scowl because he wasn't appreciative of the insult to his flock but when he turned around and saw the look in some of the peoples eyes, he couldn't help but shake his head. It was true that some of the people were looking the pack like starved animals.

"I apologize for them. No, we have not eaten recently. That is precisely why we are moving to the settlement today. We ran out of food yesterday and this was our only option since no one wanted to fight those monsters and try to scavenge for food."

Grant just laughed before reaching down and unwrapping the ropes holding his pack together. Although he had focus on non-food items, he had still grabbed some food to bring back to the Ally and her kids.

He had been planning to take most of it with him when he went to meet Skit in three days but he decided to share the food with the people here and then make another supply run before the promised day.

While he was unwrapping his pack, he told Ethan to gather the people so that he could distribute the food to them.

When the people heard that Grant would be providing food the light in their eyes started to shine brightly. For people who were used to eating three meals a day, if not more, going nearly an entire day without food was something that was hard for them to accept.

While Ethan and Grant were handing out the food, a few of the more daring members of the group started to complain that Grant should give them more food since he had so much extra with him.

"Hey man, you have so much food there! Why can't you give us more?!"

"Yeah, we're starving! You seem strong, go get us more food!"

"Why are you being so selfish?! Clearly you can afford to give us more!"

"My kids haven't eaten for nearly a day! Give us more!"

Each time Grant heard another person complain, his temper started to rise in parallel. When he heard the statement about the kids, his temper waned slightly but when he looked at the person who had said it, he realized that although he did have kids, he had more food in his own hands than they did in theirs.

Before Grant could burst out in a fit of rage though, another voice rang out next to him.

"Ungrateful!

How dare you accuse someone who has extended a helping hand to you of being selfish?! He had no obligation to share any of his food with you and yet he did. No matter how much food he has, he must have earned it with his own efforts! Be grateful and thank God that we crossed paths with him and he was benevolent enough to provide for you!"

Grant just stood there boiling until Ethan was finished yelling at the group. He was grateful that Ethan had stood up for him and it just reaffirmed that Ethan was a stand up guy through and through and would never bite the hand that feeds, if you will.

Once Ethan was done speaking, Grant reached down and grabbed a couple more packets of food and handed them to the kids that still looked hungry before he glared at who he assumed were the kids parents. Then Grant went back to his pack and wrapped up his remaining supplies before getting ready to leave.

"That is all for now. I need to save some for a journey I must undertake.

Ethan, I will leave you here. It seems that these people do not appreciate the assistance that I have provided so I will not guide you to the settlement. If fate decides, we shall cross paths again."

Ethan sighed hearing Grant's words, but he understood his decision. Instead of arguing he just walked over to Grant and gave him another hug before backing away.

"It was good to see you my friend. If God wills it, we shall reunite in the future."