World of Anarchy/Chapter 19

This is Chapter 19 of World of Anarchy entitled: Larceny

Chapter 19 – Larceny
October 18, 2014. Colorado. “Alright, so guys—here's my theory.” Omid said.

David, Omid, and Riley had just finished a run for food and were now walking back to the campsite. They hadn't gotten much food, and Omid was trying to lift their spirits because of it.

“The Illuminati.” Omid told them with smirk.

“So you think that the Illuminati are the ones that created the disease that makes the dead walk around and eat people?” Riley asked.

“It's the only thing that makes any sense.” He said to her with the same smirk and a slightly higher voice.

“Hmm...could be. Or—Or what about the wrath of God?” She said playing along with him.

David wasn't paying much attention to their conversation though. He was still worried about how little food they had gotten. Lately things were going a bit downhill for them. After they had escaped the mall they had to use pretty much all their medical supplies to treat Chris' gunshot wound. And on top of everything else they were still in Colorado and making very little head way to Rapid City. There was one thing that he promised himself when he first learned of the safe-zone. That he would get Teresa and Chris to Rapid City even if it killed him. But at the rate they were going it would be winter before they made it to Rapid City, a winter that he didn't know if they would be able to survive the way they were. Especially the way they kept losing people left and right.

The pain in his left shoulder was going stronger. During the search for supplies they had run into a little trouble with a few infected. It felt like he had pulled something in it during the mini conflict. He rubbed it, trying to null the pain as Omid and Riley carried on.

“What do you think, David?” Omid asked pulling him away from his thoughts.

“Huh?”

“Do you think a secret organization create the zombie disease or whatever, or...do you think God did?”

“Why not both?” He joked with them as they walked into the camp.

Upon arriving, everyone went up to greet them. It was almost sunset now and the camp lit up with an organge-ish glow.

“You're back!” Teresa said pulling him in for a hug.

“Yep. Would have been back sooner but we ran into a little trouble.”

“The bandits?”

“Nah—just some infected.”

“So what y'all snag?” Leo asked.

“Whatever that was left—which wasn't quite as much as we were hopping for but better than nothing.” Omid said as he tossed Leo his backpack.

He opened the pack and peered inside. A look disappointment mixed with anger crossed over his face as he cursed under his breath and closed up the pack.

“Well, fuck. Now we only got enough meds for one person.” He said tossing the backpack off to the side softly. “I guess let's eat and get to bed so we can leave early and hit the next town.”

“The what?” Leo asked as they all ate assorted can food around the camp fire.

All of the children, except for Claire who was with Jane, were already fed and asleep while the adults were just finally starting to eat. The only one who wasn't eating with them was Sam due to an argument she had with Leo earlier.

“The Illuminati. You know the supposed secret group that controls all the worlds major events?” Omid said before taking another mouth full of beans.

“Oh come on, Omid.” Jane said pushing him playfully.

“What? I'm being totally serious right now.” He said with a smirk.

“Ain't no way a secret group caused this. No—This is something else.” Leo said tossing his empty can behind him.

“Well, what do you think?” Riley asked.

“I think I don't give a shit how all this shit started—All that matters is that it did. No changing that. For all we know, the infection could have been started by unicorns shooting rainbows out their ass and it wouldn't really matter.” He said looking to the fire.

“Unicorns? That's your theory, dude?” Omid asked.

“Hey don't give me that. You were just fuckin' talkin' about secret organizations, and Riley here was talkin' 'bout the 'Wrath of God''. Why not fuckin' unicorns?”

“'Wrath of God' seems the least likely to me at this point.” David said under his breath.

“Why's that?” Amber asked.

“Oh, It--It's nothing.” He said regretting opening his mouth.

“Well it has to be 'something' or else you wouldn't have said anything.” Jane said.

“It's...I don't believe in God.”

Just as he expected most everyone in the group looked shocked. He should have known by now that opening his mouth about religion would cause this. Religion just seemed to make everything more difficult.

“You're an Atheist?!” Amber said shocked.

“No—I'm an Agnostic Atheist.”

“Oh, so the 'lazy man's' atheist.” Leo said seeming okay with it.

“Eh, yeah, pretty much.” He admitted.

“So, uh, why are you an Agnostic Atheist?” Riley asked looking a little uncomfortable.

“Well...when I was, like, four or five my mom told me about God. I didn't know about other religions at that point, so I just believed it until I met someone in kindergarten who was Hindu. She told me about her religion and I later asked my mom about it. She told me that there was many different religions—Some believing in other things than God. That's when I decided not to believe in God.”

“So—I got a question.” Jane said waving her hands to get his attention. “What exactly is being an Agnostic Atheist?”

“It's just...uh...kind of hard to explain. Atheism is definitely not believing in any God no matter the reason. Agnosticism is not knowing weather or not any Gods exist—So it's kind of both. Not believing in a God but at the same time admitting that there could be. I just don't want to bother with it.”

“Oh come on you have to believe in something.” Amber said but only got a shrug from him in response.

“I just...don't.”

“You guys are just okay with this?” Amber said looking around at everyone else in the group and got nods and shrugs from them.

“What's it matter what he believes in?” Teresa asked her as David began to drink from his water.

“It's just—Weird. I mean, what if when we get to the safe-zone and you guys decide have kids or something. What will you teach them?”

Upon hearing the part about having kids, David spit out his water.

“Kids?!” He said still coughing up water, but was ignored by them.

“What would it matter what we taught the kids?” Teresa asked

“Wait—We're having kids now?!” David asked but was still ignored.

He looked to the others to make sure that he was being heard. They all looked just about as uncomfortable as he felt. Out of all of them though Claire looked like she was upset by the fighting the most.

“Hey guys,” Riley said getting the sister's attention. “Maybe you two could talk about this later. Claire's being fussy, and we're getting up early tomorrow so...”

“Whatever.” Amber said as she got up and stormed off.

“Sorry about all that back there.” Teresa said as they walked through the woods.

They had been going to the large creek every night since they made camp there. Once there they would just sit and talk, or just stare up at the stars.

“It's alright. But that stuff about having kids...What was that all about?”

“I-I didn't mean for you to hear that.” She said as they found the usual spot they usually sat at.

“So...you...want...kids?”

“No—It was just—The other Amber and I were talking about what our lives would be like once we reached Rapid City and, well, stuff just started coming out. I mean, I'd like to maybe start a family one day once life gets back to normal when we reach the safe-zone. What about you?”

“Uhh...” He said glancing away. “I'm...not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

There wasn't one specific reason why he wasn't sure. Maybe it was because of what had happened to his family when he was younger. Maybe because he felt like he didn't know what was he doing with Chris and that the only real reason he was looking after him was because of the guilt he felt. Or maybe because at the back of his mind was a small part of him that didn't think that he'd make it to Rapid City.

“I'm not sure about that either.” He admitted.

“Is...Is it because of what your dad...?” She asked.

He froze the instant she mentioned his dad. He was sure he hadn't told her about him before.

“Emily told me about him.” She said as if she knew he was trying to figure it out in his head. “Why didn't you tell me about him?”

“There's nothing to tell.”

“Oh come on, David. Those nightmares that you have...some are about them aren't they?”

“...Some are.”

“Well, have you ever talked to anybody about them? Cause you know you can talk to me about it. We both have dead parents--”

“But your dad didn't murder your mom, Teresa.” He interrupted. “Can we just--Change the subject?”

He regretted it as soon as he said it. A hurt look flashed across her face after he said that. A look that he didn't want to see on her face again. He knew he should have probably talked to her about it, but that just wasn't him. He had never spoken about the stuff about that night to anyone. Not Jim, Jayden, no one.

“Uh, sure.” She said avoiding his eye sight.

They sat in silence for a moment. The pain in his shoulder blade began to work up again. He tried to rub it again but it didn't help much.

“What's wrong?” Teresa asked eying his shoulder.

“It's nothing. Just pulled something earlier after fighting back some of the infected.”

“Here.” She said scooting over behind him and placing her hands on his shoulder. “I think I can help.”

Chris' POV “How does it feel?” Penny asked him, pointing at the spot where the large bandage was hidden underneath his shirt.

“Not too bad.” He said rubbing it as they sat down in the meadow not too far from camp.

“Did it hurt when it happened?”

“A little at first but...I don't really remember what happened after that. The medicine your mom had helps.”

There was silence between them as they looked up at the night sky. Chris liked to stare up at the stars above. It was the one thing that hadn't changed since the zombies started walking around.

“I've been thinking of my mom more and more recently.” Penny said with a pause. “...Do you ever think about yours?”

“All the time.”

“...Your mom became one of them right?” She asked.

“Yeah. David made sure she didn't stay like that though.”

“Kinda like how my dad did to my mom?”

“Except your dad did it before your mom became one of them. Not after.”

There was another pause between them, this time longer then the last. Chris looked back up to the sky and noticed the north star. He remembered his dad telling him about it when he was younger. Remembered his dad telling him that if he wished on the brightest star in the sky the wish would come true. But he didn't wish for anything because there was nothing he wanted now.

“Do you think there will be other kids at that safe-zone place?” Penny asked.

“I dunno. Maybe.” He said before turning back to look up at the sky.

“...Have you ever had a girlfriend before?” Penny quickly blurted out.

“Erm, no.” He asked slightly embarrassed.

“...Well I could be your girlfriend if you want.”

“Umm...” He said looking around. “O-Okay.”

She scooted over closer to him and planted a kiss on his cheek, causing his face to turn bright red.