[indent][i]Silence hung over the large cabin, tucked away in a neat little clearing in the woods. That had been the biggest change. Before everything had happened, it had never been truly silent. Now though, the sounds of humanity had died, leaving only the soft sounds of nature, seemingly oblivious to the chaos that had gripped the world.

Danny and his family had been at the cabin for six weeks now. When shit hit the fan, they’d been here, playing board games and watching tv. His father had tried to call everyone he could, get a helicopter, a plane, but nothing had worked. People had been panicking too much, rushing around. With no help in sight, his parents decreed they’d stay at the cabin. They boarded up most of the doors and windows, tried to make it look run down so no one came looking. It had worked for a bit.

Now though, their supplies were running low, not that his parents wouldn’t admit it. They were trying to hide things from him and Marina, but he’d snuck down to the pantry the night before and seen that their food was dwindling. They needed to find food, soon.

That’s why his dad had gone out that morning. As the sun was rising he’d gotten up early, picked up the rifle he used to keep over the fireplace, and headed out. That’s why he came home carrying a deer, and sporting a fresh scratch on his arm.

The gunshot was the part that stuck with him. The sharp, piercing bang that rang out through the night, sending a bullet tearing through the reanimated corpse of his father. The gunshot is what invaded his thoughts, haunting him. That damned gunshot…[/i]

[hr]

[color=ffe063][b]“Danny?”[/b][/color] Charlotte Foster stared up at the hardened face of Daniel Esposito, who had trailed off mid-sentence. His gaze was vacant, as if he was somewhere far away. She couldn’t blame him. This place sucked.

Charlotte and Danny had only known each other for a week, maybe less, but they’d found a strange rapport already. Danny had vouched for her to stay, when she’d initially stumbled upon the ever expanding group of survivors. Her company was calming, and she could tell Danny needed someone to talk to, so she made an effort to be around him. The end of the world happens, and here she was, still trying to do her job.

These episodes seemed commonplace for the former college student, Charlotte had observed. During their talks, he would occasionally drift off. Sometimes it was slow, subtle and unnoticeable. Sometimes, it was abrupt, and jarring, like this time. She’d dealt with traumatized patients enough times to recognize one. Then again, who wasn’t traumatized right now.

[color=ffe063][b]“Danny?”[/b][/color] Charlotte repeated, this time successfully pulling him from his trance. Startling slightly, the boy regained his composure after a short moment of confusion, and turned his head to Charlotte.

[color=deepskyblue][b]“Sorry, sorry. I got… distracted.”[/b][/color] he said, shaking his head as the duo pushed on, doing their best to ignore the muggy heat that had them all gripped tightly.

[color=ffe063][b]“Seems to happen to the best of us nowadays,”[/b][/color] Charlotte said, offering Danny a slight, but encouraging smile. Those were still hard to come by since the world had ended, and if she could add to the supply, well it couldn’t be that bad.

The pair walked in silence for a few more minutes, somewhere in the middle of the pack. Eventually, Danny broke the quiet, with a question for the therapist. [color=deepskyblue][b]“What do you think about us heading into the city?”[/b][/color] he asked, his eyes focused on the interstate that stretched out in front of them. 

Charlotte stayed quiet while she mulled over how to answer the question. She’d come from Minneapolis, and she’d seen what it was like when she left. She wasn’t very sure that there was much for them there, but then again, she wasn’t in charge. The only reason she was sticking along was the security the group gave her. It was nice, having people to rely on somewhat. Being out there alone, it had taken a toll. It was harsh, and exhausting. This, well, at least she could sleep at night. 

[color=ffe063][b]“For now, it’s a plan. I don’t think we should head to far into the city, but we need more supplies, and that’s gonna be the best place to scavenge I think. We need to find shelter too,”[/b][/color] Charlotte said, sighing. The groups list of needs was long, and discussing it only reminded her of their grim reality.

Danny nodded along as Charlotte spoke, but refrained from voicing his opinion. When it came to bigger issues like this, Danny tended to go with the pack. He didn’t have the expertise to take a stand, nor the desire. He figured that following Freddie was better than being alone out there.

Their trek had led them to an unremarkable spot on the interstate, where the group milled about while Freddie and the doctor messed around with a car. Seeing them return with water sent both Charlotte and Danny’s hearts soaring. Water was becoming a greater luxury every day. 

[color=ffe063][b]“I think Costco’s a good bet. Even if we can’t find resources, we might be able to camp out there,”[/b][/color] Charlotte said, while Danny nodded along gripping the handle of his machete tightly.[/indent]