Kenopsia - Chapter 117: Chapter 117

That was.... A rude awakening.
I had been doing my little morning jogging, still half groggy, still like half asleep when I hit a husk out and set it on fire on my way back.
Despite how I always woke up early because of the windup clock blaring out loudly, I was not that much of an early bird, always needing a moment to start up.
But well.... I was now wide awake.
It was... Odd to say the least.
"I really don't know how you did that mate." Adar said with a surprise Australian accent.
Like sure.... Having someone pop up in town the literal day after I wondered about other humans was a scary coincidence.... But to have them drive a car was way more weird... Even weirder? Somehow, them hitting the one speeding sign outside of the town and breaking their car on it.... Like that requires skill I can only clap at.
It was Cody that found the odd crash first, me being the last one informed.
Out of everyone around me, this little group of four, were those I'd let stay, sorry guys but they actually look defenseless.... Not you.
It actually hurt.
Out of the four, two were children looking younger then Jasmine and she is like barely in the usual age gap called a teenager.
A little pig-tailed blond girl that looked barely around seven, she was toddler when this started, her big fearful blue eyes staring at us from the hug her big brother was giving her from behind, sandy blond, almost a light brown short hair and hazelnut types of eyes. Both wearing some clothes with some large patchwork in areas, mostly on the knees of the pants and the elbows of the little hoodies.
One of the adults was a thin blond woman, looking like she could play the act of a strict teacher in a kids movie with that Karen haircut that looks overgrown, face marked with some age but I wouldn't say that old, I wanna say.... around late 50ies tho I don't wanna be mean. She too, with the other adult, wearing similar pants and hoodie combo.
The second adult was a much younger woman, looking older then us but still young, a brunet with hair tied back in a longer pony tail then me, green eyes. The only one actually hurt by this impromptu destruction of singing, the airbags snapping out and making her nose bleed from the harsh impact of the plastic dashboard snapping up to free the bags, having been sleeping with her face against it if I heard correctly from the complaining between the two women.
The 'oh my god other humans' discussion had happened before I showed up, they had waited for me to join before doing anything, honestly, the one day I leave my walkie talkie behind, it would have been needed..... Of course.
"Now, that's quite an idiot incident." I said.
"You tell me?" The younger woman said, wiping her nose on her clothes, having no other options.
"I didn't see it."
"The whole sign?" She asked her companion that denied the incident. Rolling her eyes before weighing the ideas rushing through her head. "We.... Are a bit stuck.... Can we stay? It would be for a little while only, it would be safer for us and you." She was not stupid, instantly trying to play it nice but clearly asking to stay since if we are alive and with weapons that would mean safety for her group.
"Okay but--." I lifted the rifle, Cody still was lugging that sword around, Adar the fire axe and Lucy another rifle. We did look intimidation. "-I have a few questions first."
"Sure." She gulped, the older woman stared with silent nerves, the little boy pulling the girl with him and hiding behind her.
"First, how did you survive until now?"
"I was one a cruise when this all happened, we couldn't stop anywhere, told to isolate with the boat.... They had supplies, huge supplies. Like one year worth which anchored down to not move kind of food storage of cans and stuff... Of course that was after many people ended their lives because of the distressing news we've gotten about what way going on shore. After a while, some of us braver ones took a life boat and sailed out, the others unwilling to leave the cruise even as starvation was around the corner.... Brave or stupid, I don't know anymore, I could have died with my family instead." The younger woman took a deep breath, fanning her face. "We made do how we could but we were overrun, I took the car and abandoned them in fear." At least she admits it, I prefer her being guilty over it instead of feeling like she was lying about something. "I met them not that long ago, maybe December? We've been on the road since."
"You?" I pointed the rifle at the older woman.
I still exchanged a look with the others, if the cruise just anchored down and didn't head for any other continents that might have been face that means it is worldwide that humanity has come to a stop.
"I was part of the government organized evacuation of a holiday resort. It fell not long ago to anarchy, people rising up against the military and a whole bunch of troubles. We were many to run in fear for our lives and we drove off into the world, preferring to face it instead of the inferno that place became.... We were not ready, so the group slowly dwindled until only we were left, splitting off from another three, hoping that either side of the group would survive, surrounded."
I hummed.
"Any of you, killed husks?"
"The zombies?"
"Duh." I rolled my eyes. "But we call them husks here."
"Yeah..." She sounded guilty once again, good, I like her. The older just nodded.
"Humans?" A deadly silence. "Hurry, the car alarm is blaring, husks will be drawn in and I will protect my people first." That spurred them on in fear.
"No, of course not! Not by my own hands." "I pushed one into these husks to save myself."
"What do you say?" I asked my group. "I know it is the rule that I have the last say but I am interested in your opinions."
"I'd say let them." Lucy said, already lowering her weapon.
"They seem harmless." Cody pipped up.
"Sure, I'll agree with you guys." Adar added last.
"Then I suppose it is unanimous, come on ladies and gent, leave your supplies you might have in the car for now, we'll come back for them when the alarm has stopped. The moment you pose us danger we will take care of you so if you have any weapons on you, hand them over." I instructed.
The younger woman frowned but she was pushed along by the loud alarm stressing her out as she pulled out a stun gun and a small normal knife from the hip pouch she wore, the older woman on the other hand, pulled out three separate pistols from her backpack.
"Cody, grab those." I told him and he took his bag off, opening it and waiting for them to drop the weapons in it. "You can keep that." I told the boy nicer when he fished out a hockey stick from the backseat of the car and tried to hand it over too.
"Done."
"Good, Cody and Lucy, you are in the back, Adar with me and you four in the middle, now behave and follow us before the dead show up."
"We are really grateful." I didn't answer, just turning my back to them and walking already.
This is about to become 'get to know your neighbor' all over again.... At least it will take my mind off Jasmine.
I wish she was here, she is the one good with people, I can only hope to live up to how she would have done things and hope that I am doing it correctly.