Outside

Their first venture outside

 It took a few moments before then suns assualt on our eyes started to ease away and let our vision be restored. First stop, our neighbor Ryans apartment. Adam reached out and knocked on the door loud enough that anyone inside could hear. We waited.... Nothing. He knocked again. No answer. He turned and lifted his shoulders in a small shrug.

             "No one home I guess" he said as he made his way down to the second stairwell landing. I turned and followed him down but I had a fleeting thought that it was odd that we hadnt heard Ryans dog barking. His dog barked at anyone who walked near the door. The thought quickly slipped away to the back of my mind as Adam started knocking on the next door. No answer. Tried the next door. We got to hear the pleasantries of the old man who lived there telling us to Stop knocking on his f*****g door followed by what I could only piece together as F*****g a******s to early to knock on the god damn door. Well he was home and he seemed OK. We both retreated to the railing that over looked the parking lot.

 

 I was looking out over the, what shouldve been a full parking lot full of cars, I noticed that almost all the spot were empty. The snow that had sprinkled the ground looked like a zoo had come through during the night.

             "I wonder where everyone went? Almost all the cars are gone." I wasnt sure if he had even noticed but I was hoping he could figure out some logical explanation. He looked around taking in the parking lot view.

             "Hmmm.... Dont know. People got scared by the announcements and took off?

              Headed to their families house, the store maybe?" He paused thinking.

             "Thats where WE need to go, the store, come on!"

At first I wasnt following this logic, the store? He wants to go shopping, Now? What is it that cant wait alittle longer, just until we figure out..... Oh then it clicked. I felt stupid. Of course, there was a crazy virus on the loose creating "zombies" we would need supplies. Good and other necessaties. Atleast one of us was thinking in the right direction. By the time I figured out the Why of his outburst he had already made it up to our apartment and was grabbing our car keys. I stood on the landing trying to think of what "good" survival gear and food was. I had about 5 items on my list when he tapped my shoulder held up the keys and asked if I was joining him.

             "Of course but lets think about where were gona go and what we really need

              before we just take off! If all or even some of these" I swept my hand out at the

              parking lot. "people went to the store then were gona have a hell of a time."

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited to see what he said. He rocked his hand back and forth in a thinking motion. Finally giving me a quick head nod.

             "Yea, yea of course. Ok lets go figure out exactly where we want to go and what

               we need for now."

 

 With that we headed back up the stairs. We made out lists pretty quick. Adam coming up with the most items. We were going to try 3 stores; Walmart, Lowes (similar hardware store) and Kroger (similiar food store). We were on a mission. It took both of our minds of the actual situation going on out in the world. As we walked to our car the start of smiles and the beginning of jokes had began to poke out.

 

 By the time we returned to our 3rd floor apartment all of that would disappear being replaced with absolute horror and sheer terror of what this Virus was really doing.