Snippet #1753006

Natalie Whittle
Day 6
Downtown-Library

Jacob was pacing nervously. Nat was doing her best to smile and stay happy but the fact remained they hadn’t been sleeping and they had finished the last of the mouldy sandwich. Nat sitting cross legged on the floor she played with one of her curls. She really wanted to shower. Washing up in the sink of the girl’s bathroom just wasn’t the same as a full shower. “But it’s something.” Nat inwardly smiled. It’s true it could be worse.

Jacob stopped moving and turned to look at her. “Nat I think we need to leave here. There is no food left. We need to find some food. We can come back...it’s secure here but I think we really need to leave and find food.”

Natalie smiled, standing, “Sure. Besides if we are stuck in here how will they know to come get us? If we go out we can find others that are okay and then when the military or whoever comes to help we will be out in the open.” Jacob shook his head at her. “Nat for all we know there isn’t anyone else alive and no one is coming to help us.”

With a nervous laugh, Nat shushed Jacob, “Nonsense. We can’t be the only people smart enough to find shelter or to fend off...whatever they are.” The prospect of leaving cheered her up immensely. It was a bit nerve-racking to be stuck in the same building for six days, all barricaded in with no contact with the outside and no idea what was going on.

Jacob picked up his fire extinguisher. “We go out now, while there is still daylight. Take the fire extinguisher with you. We might need it. I am thinking we start by finding the closest store or cafe.” Nat gave him a smile and nodded, curls bouncing slightly. Picking up her extinguisher she followed Jacob to the door.
He started moving items from the door, Nat helping when the furniture was too heavy to move on his own. They had a door free and the two stood for a moment, almost hesitating to take the first steps out the doors. Jacob, trying to protect Nat opened the door first and stepped out. Nat, annoyed that he was being so overly cautious pushed past the man and out onto the side walk. There was nothing out there.

Well, there was the smell. Nat’s mostly empty stomach lurched. “Jacob what is that smell? It’s like...” Jacob cut her off. “It’s rotting bodies.” She turned to look at him but he was staring at something lying in the street. It was approximately where Nat had seen her friend eating the man. Her eyes went wide, no it wasn’t approximately it was exactly and that thing was what was left of the man.

“Jacob?” He turned to see her face, ghastly white. Jacob moved to stand beside her. “Let’s get moving okay Nat? “ The pair started off down the road. Office buildings and a few small cafes lined the street. They stopped at the cafes but didn’t find much of anything that wasn’t already mouldy or so far gone that it was pointless to try. They walked for two blocks before they came to convenience store. Heading in the place was a bit of a mess. Jacob headed into the back, “I’m going to see what I can find box wise to help us carry some things. You grab chips and stuff, that stuff stays good for while.”

Nat put the fire extinguisher down on the floor in front of the chip rack. Bobbing her head, Nat began gathering up some bags, “Are we going to try and take it all? That might mean a few trips.” From the back there were some odd noises and a yell. “Jacob?” Nat put the chips down and picked up her fire extinguisher again. She moved slowly to the back of the store. She peered through the window of the storeroom door. There was no sign of Jacob or anyone. She opened it, “Jacob?” Her voice was shaky but she did her best not to sound scared. There was no answer.

Nat backed away from the door and made her way back to the chips. “I’ll wait here. He’ll come back and it’s best that I don’t go far so he doesn’t think something got me.” A light laugh to herself barely hid her own worry that something had gotten Jacob.

Nat stood for a while, opened a bag of chips and ate. There was no sign of Jacob and frankly she was too scared to go into the back room. After half an hour, Nat sat on the floor and stared between the bags out the front window of the store.

“He’ll come back, I am sure he is fine...” Nat tried to reassure herself. She watched out the window for signs of another person.