Truth be told, I’m not certain how long that shelter would have lasted. There had been a few glitches happening a month back to the network system, probably due to it not being updated properly and frequently. The EMP also probably helped knock out some of its mainframe structure, I tried everything I could but with nothing available to try fixing it there was nothing that could be done but to wait for it to fail completely. I could explain some of this to them to put them at ease but nothing was a definite, for all I know it could have lasted a while longer. But this is why you prepare for the worst to happen asap because danger could and can be sitting right around the corner.

It’s been about two hours after we stopped for lunch when I spot a RV in the distance. As we start getting closer we make a plan, “I know we have about an hour before sunset, but we won’t have another chance at a decent shelter anytime soon. Helen, I want you to stay back with Alexia and have your gun ready for anything. Doug, we’re going to make sure there’s nothing alive in it. Be ready for anything, these things have evolved into crafty little buggers” they all nod to me, not sure why I’m becoming the strategist. Doug and I weave in between vehicles to reach the door to the RV, Helen and Alexia get behind a car beside the RV. Quite the pretty blue car, would have been nice to own before all of this. I look in the window to check out the interior, I notice a baseball bat in the back seat. (mmm, this might come in handy for now) rather too bulky to hike with but for now it can help. I check the handle to see if it’s unlocked, sure enough it is. Most modern cars are computerized with auto-locking systems in place, but with the EMP it would have fried the circuitry, so if they unlocked it to leave it wouldn’t have locked back. Takes too much effort to smash the window, and would have made an unnecessary amount of noise.

Doug holds his pistol up in front of the door while I'm beside it against the RV, I try the side door but it’s locked. I check the driver door and it’s unlocked, I looked through the window to make sure nothing was there before opening it all the way. I hop onto the seat and check the ignition out of habit, key were in. I turn the key, nothing (hehe, couldn’t help but to check). I look over to Doug and he offer me his gun but I shake my head, not that I’m opposed to them, I just don’t care to use them and I’m horrible at aiming. I notion back with my head and twist around out of the driver seat.

It’s fairly dark towards the back of the RV, the bedroom door is shut. (I best let Doug in before I do any searching) I head to the side door to unlock it from the inside. I undo the inside door and swing it open slowly, it creaks softly. “It looks safe so far, but I’m a little concerned about the... “ I whisper through the screen door while grabbing on to the last lock. The bedroom door crashes open as I flip the lock, I whip my head around.

Something slams into my side and tackles me to the ground, I hear a screech and a woman’s scream. I subconsciously put my forearm to its throat as I try to orient myself as to what had just occurred. A smelly warped face is gnashing its teeth at me, open dried sores are all about its face, skin to bone. This is what happens when they haven’t had anything to eat or drink for months on end, they become bone skinny and the sores deform their body. Lucky for me, I just had to worry about the saliva that’s beginning to fling out of its mouth. Finally coming to grips with reality, I grab the curtain behind me and cover its face up. I ram the handle of the bat into its mouth to shove it away. “Cover yourself” I hear someone yell, too chaotic I don’t recognise the tone or pitch. I grab the other curtain and put it as a barrier between the monster and me. Next comes a loud ringing in my ears and weight shifts off my body.

I lay there with the curtain draped over my head trying to get some sense back into my perception. I moan at all the discomfort in my body, (I definitely didn’t need that, I’ve been through too much these past couple of days). I hear faint words over the huge ringing in my ear, “I’m warning you, I will shoot” (What are you talking about? Did someone sneak up on us in midst of the confusion). “Speak, or I’ll shoot” Doug’s voice is very demanding, I hear a loud whimpering. “What’s going on?” I say out loud, finally able to get control of my senses. I lift the curtain off my head, “Oh, Thank god” Doug says as he lowers the pistol in his hands. “Are you sure you’re not bitten?” Doug asks as he helps me up, “I don’t believe so, but guess there’s no harm in checking to make sure. If anything, there’s going to be a bruise yet again, falling is not good for my health” I chuckle with a smirk. He sets me down on the door frame and begins move my shirt and coat around checking for signs of the infection and bite marks, safe to say none was there. I watch Helen hugging Alexia who has her face buried into Helen’s clothes. “What’s up with her?” I ask quietly to Doug. “Alexia? She’s seen too many people attacked, turned, killed, and on. Too many things have happened, I’m not sure what you’ve experienced but it’s bad out there. There’s no law anymore, martial law was in place but that crumpled to the ground within a month (makes sense, they weren’t prepared for this). She’s witnessed too many bad things within a short span of time, it has worn her down. She general a kind, trusting girl but these past few months has turned her faith in humanity sour, bitter people have taken advantage of those weaker than themselves.” Doug turns to face me “you have a natural atmosphere around you. Not too many people like you these days. Ha, not too many people around as it is. She’s practically like a sister to Helen and I. If you promise to protect her with your life, then I give you the task of keeping that faith alive and restore some of that trust back into her.” I nod to Doug, I chuckle “So so serious. Anyways, it’s probably best not to stay here tonight. We need to hurry and find another place” I wobble over to the car which we laid our packs against before all this.

We found a van right before it got all the way dark and hopped in. Generally vehicles can be safe to stay in as long as you cover the vents and make as little noise as possible. But if it came to it, I had a UV light with limited battery.