I unfolded my map once more for a final check, thinking that that neatly kept pile of paper was worth as much as my life at this point with my constant updates in red of its layout. My footsteps rasp the gravel floor until I found I nice car roof to lay my map on as I looked the map over far enough that the dust did not reach nor touch me.

Hm… guns and meds were my best chance of exchanging food in a camp, so I could aim towards the… police station, or the hospital, and try to find food in between…

Maybe if I had enough I could buy my and Kira’s entrance in a camp, I thought, feeling bitter at my unfolded positivity.

Worth the try, still…

Every day that passed it got harder and harder to live as a Wanderer, the supplies getting scarcer and spoiled.

Well, for the lack of any better plans I choose the police station, it was right in the center of the city, the most dangerous part, but the one with bigger chances of having loot.

As I start to walk again I finally reach the city borders, the view of the woods starting to be blocked by more and more buildings, until there are only blocks of concrete and streets filled with rusting cars.

The appearance hasn’t changed much in the cities not affected directly by the bomb, most had 2 to 3 years of abandon, so the paint had mostly faded from both cars and buildings, even worst with the radiation in the rain, and many plants took over the place, making their way to crack the pavement, having the place covered by tall grass here and there.

Most destruction was the result of the first months in the apocalypse, the very beginning, when people were still very conflicted about the zombies, even more after a war and the nuclear catastrophe that shook people to paranoia.

The zombies only made it worse, hit society in a fragile moment and was enough to break what was left of it.

In the end I had to dodge many broken cars, signposts that had fallen down, and even walls; but if it was just that then all would be good, the bad was yet the zombies roaming around, only the slow ones insight with a few Runners who I avoided like a plague, tensing more and more as passing by unnoticed proven to be a harder challenge than that I expected from the beginning.

Kira was beside me, body low and ears down, attentive but calm as I thanked the grass for muffling most of my footsteps and making it easier to move around without making a sound.

Yet she had an easier time moving around then I for most zombies just ignored her, but as I had trained her she stayed beside me nonetheless, alerting me with her reactions for danger up ahead.

It was ironic, how this place, once safe for humankind, has become some kind of metal jungle, the most dangerous type and the real danger zone, as the forest has become the safe haven, even with bears, wolves, and the like.

I could almost chuckle at that if I wasn’t right now inside that very on concrete jungle.

I slowed down my pace, hiding and looking around me for covers as the snow that accumulated from yesterday helped out too to muffle my steps once I reach the center of the city, only finding a couple of can of beans until now, at least covering the food for today; hopefully not being the only one, but I wasn’t that positive about that.

Because, of course… things could always get worst.

I knew from afar that something was wrong, starting with the way the zombies were moving, not in the sluggish way of simply wandering around, but with intent and focus, all heading towards to the same direction, which was right where the police station was.

Even though I was up close to my destination I keep my distance from it, looking around for a safe place where I could overlook it all, climbing over a ladder on a gas truck that barricaded the street, the steps thankfully on my side as I scoop Kira with one arm and climb with the other, a slow pace but better then leaving her down there alone.

Once I was finally up there I could see the opposite street was full of zombies stuck behind this metal barrier, but I did not waste my time, eager to go back to the wild and far from this dangerous place as I narrow my eyes over the police building.

There were some signs that pointed out that we had some visitors; the somehow recently closed front gate with few zombies between the gate and the upper entrance, but with enough fresh zombies bodies lying around to let me know that I fight had been had in this place.

Plus the massive amount of zombies trying to break in, and a truck parked inside the fenced area in good shape and probably working.

Scavengers.

Fuck me.

But the real question is: from a camp? Then which camp?

The options that came to mind where not good, and that is not me being pessimist again, but realistic in this kind of situation.

I mean, come on, the moment you thought things could not get worst is like calling disaster upon yourself right?

Or maybe is me believing that that brought bad things towards me all the time…

No worries, I was used to it, and problems were always accounted in my plans, especially because they were bound to happen sooner than later.

I ogle down that truck. The door behind it has haft open and I could barely make the shape of some boxes inside. Nobody was around.

I narrow my eyes at that.

This is a bad, terrible idea.

But it was a bad idea needed to survive, we would not last too long with the provisions we have. I clench my teeth, looking to the side, asserting the place, only for my sigh to end up on Kira, who saw me looking and wiggle her tail slightly, her eyes shining just for having me glancing at her.

God that was so cute, please let me be able to continue taking care of her, she deserves much better then what I’m able to give.

Her look is enough to harden my resolution, even if it was a dumb one for countless reasons, I would not hold on any efforts to keep us afloat for one more day.

So… stealing it is.

Up the gas tank I could go up to the roof of the nearest house; since the trunk had hit the wall and almost entered the house; so I could slowly but surely approach the police station, helping Kira out from time to time as she paw pawed beside me, lowering her body like me, eyes on the target attentive for any sounds.

One problem still remained, however, was that there was the last street filled with low ass zombies, and a locked iron gate to help.

I look down, thinking that as a last resort I could always dash between the zombies since the street was somewhat large and the zombies slow and rotting but… I would rather not, the smell up here was already bad enough.

Now, even worse was that, down there, I was bound to step on some… baffling fluids.

Yeah, yeah, scratch that, we go down, then right back up, no second routs. Great, that sounds as bad as I thought it would.

Kira pushes her head at the back of my knee, forcing a little to catch my attention, as I look where she points at only to find something good and bad at the same time; the good one was the wooden board big and long enough to make a bridge over to the other side, the bad being that there was a camping here, with a fishing chair and the remains of a somewhat livable place; until winter, that is; which indicated that the place had already been throughout scavenged.

Well, is not like I would be crazy enough to enter the place by now, but I could’ve tried later on… not now. And it meant that they would probably find nothing in there, going quick around the building.

I may have less time than I thought initially.

I go towards the wood, trying not to think how the weather may have affected its structure and how mold and fungus may be all over it, probably smearing my gloves, without even considering the wet dirty snow that was melting a little on the sides.

Yikes.

I just pull the tip that was visible out, testing if the wood was in good state, before dragging it over the edge and pulling my weight back so that the wood could be somehow dragged midair until all its ledge was out enough to reach the gate, making me ever so slowly move forward and slowed it down, releasing my breath once it was finally done.

Pew, that thing was heavier than I thought; or I was weaker from hunger or in general really, nothing would surprise me.

I give a low whistle, making Kira go beside me as I say: “Stay girl.”

She sits down, looking at my every move once I go and start walking over the plank. I could move around faster without needing to worry about her, plus I could not carry her in my arms with the loot that I was up to steal.

I stand over the edge of the building, looking down at the horde of zombies rooming underneath, thankfully still unaware of me as I drag my feet forward slightly, bending my knees unconsciously as I finally pass the edge of the building and have all my weight supported by the wooden board.

Little by little I squirm forward, not pulling my feet up but dragging them over the wood so to be sure that I would not take a false step.

It took mere seconds, but with the adrenalin pumping in my veins so high up, my attention going from the board for the zombies for any strange sound that could give away the humans inside or a dangerous zombie stretched my nerves to the limit, until I finally reach the end and jump down on top of a big metal blue bin, scowling and closing my eyes at the sound, having some zombies look my way.

“Fuck.” That’s all I could say before they start making a ruffling over the fences and standing their bonny smelly finger to my direction, making a lot of noise and calling the attention of the nearby zombies.

At that I just dashed to the back of the truck, wishing that the Scavengers did not hear me.

But as I said before… I’m very realistic.