Chapter 71 Ready for Tomorrow

All supplies needed. Check.
The equipment for cooking. Check
Gas until we reach Zone twenty-eight?
When we check the area around the armored car, there are no Creepers anymore. Like all of them went somewhere when the dark comes and the temperature drops, unlike the other ones we have encountered from several cities before.
"Go go go!" Jayson hissed as he waved for us to run towards the other car, crouched and with sure, silent steps.
Scared to make any noise, each of us put fabrics under our shoes to lower the noise it will make on the concrete pavement under the skyway. Just like the first time we went here, the rancid smell of the place makes us all sick, Li, struggling hard not to retch out loud even though his mouth is already covered with a rolled t-shirt, tied around his head, which makes him so ridiculous but we just chose not to comment about it.
We all pace towards the direction of the other car which is not too far from where the armored car is but too dangerous to go top it through daytime because of the Creepers hanging around here when the sun is up and the surrounding is all bright outside like they are all seeking shelter here during the hottest time of the day and then move to another place at night. It"s strange to think they are still capable of thinking let alone feeling anything and we"re scared that those Creepers are still human inside. But that"s impossible, right? Their bodies are already dead. They are technically rotting from inside and out so I am wondering what kind of evolution is happening to them.
The area is dark and cold and our breath is releasing white smoke from our mouths as we all exhale and quicken our steps to reach the car as fast as we can. We can"t linger here too much because of the smell. The first to reach the vehicle was Timothy, who thankfully had the key and opened the door at the back of the car to get more of the things we needed, especially, the gallons of fuel we luckily saved in case of emergency.
Since Timothy is the tallest and the physically strongest among us, he carried the two black gallons of fuel in both of his arms, making him a bit slower and Jayson took the other one. Li carried the other things we needed like beddings, some pillows, and other stuff that we think would be useful for our journey to Zone twenty-eight which will take three days from here.
"Are you guys ready to head back? Li! What are you doing?!" I hissed at them and scolded Li for taking too long at the back of the car. It seems like he"s looking for something and is struggling to look for it. Feeling pressured and in panic, he signed us to wait for a little bit, as he kept on digging into the stuff that was left inside the car.
"Li! Come on!" Timothy hissed at him too, his face in a fret, scared that a horde might pass this side of the place. We cannot afford to lose more ammo because we might need some when we get into Zone twenty-eight as we heard that the Scarlet Tundra camps outside of that place.
He keeps on scouring until he finally gets what he"s looking for and quickly runs towards us, my gun ready in my hands as we walk carefully back to the armored car. Roanie volunteered to come with us but we might attract attention if we do the mission with all five of us so Jayson just told her she has to stay and look for Mona and Greg, who is still too weak to fend for himself.
This time, all of us are slower than we went in the car we used for three weeks. Sadly, we have to leave it here because it helped us a lot and it served us well through tough times when we always encountered Creepers in every City we entered. I gave it one last look before it disappeared from my sight and saw all the damage it took to protect us from the enemies.
I caught Jayson"s eyes staring at me even as he struggled with the weight of the gallon of fuel he was carrying in one of his hands. Li"s hands are also full of stuff and Timothy is trying his best to keep up with our pace as we head quickly to the Armored car where the others are waiting.
Once we get under the skyway again, which is inevitable because it"s the only way to get into the car, the stink almost knocks my soul out of my body and my eyes went teary, and the others are the same especially when the can"t adjust the fabrics on their nose and that they need to breathe the air because they carry the heavy containers. I feel bad for Timothy because he almost closes his eyes, trying to tolerate the smell as long as he can while panting, the two containers both are secured in his hands.
I move forward faster but am still wary of the noise that I might hear in the surrounding area as I wait for the three of them to reach the car. I opened the door and Li went first, pouring all the stuff inside from his arms, and then Jayson and Timothy, who were both bathing in sweat despite the cold temperature of the night.
"We must refuel the car while there are no Creepers around here yet," Jayson suggested as he panted, and Timothy, whose face is all green, had vomited on the side of the car, retching as silently as he could. I ran towards him and caressed his back to give him comfort as I tried not to vomit too, my eyes looking somewhere other than the mess Timothy made.
Li grimaced as he touch his stomach and then Jayson did the same.
"I-I"m sorry," Timothy apologized but I smiled at him and said that it"s ok and we all don"t mind about it.
Li volunteered to do the refueling of the car and using a spare pitcher, he and Jayson poured the gasoline on the tank and tried to fill it while I looked out for any Creepers, keeping them both safe.
"Are you done, Li?"
"Almost."
"I can"t believe this thing runs on gasoline." Jayson whispered, "A bunker with high technology and they are still keeping these kinds of vehicles? I thought these things are already faced out, being forgotten because of the amazing cars that Timothy"s dad had invented."
"Well, even I was surprised," Li seconded Jayson"s thoughts about it. "But if it isn't run with gasoline, we will be all having a great problem because it"s very impossible to find a nuclear-powered battery in this place. Plus, if that"s the case, we can"t just open the machine of a car. They have like passcodes and if you failed an attempt three times, the hood will be locked until an agent from the company fix it."
"Yeah, that is a great hassle compared to vehicles like this. This is why I hate technology," Jayson commented sternly, his face looking annoyed as he watched Li pour the gas on the tank carefully.
I just chuckled at what Jayson had murmured to himself because I find him cute when he acts like an old man who hates advanced stuff. He looked at me and squinted his eyes, looking amused that he made me smile unintentionally.
"So you"re laughing at me now, huh?" Jayson said and smiled, his eyes in a small slit as he looked at me, both of his hands propped on his hips.
"I"m so sorry, you just sounded like my old grandpa," I teased him and even Li tried to suppress his laugh as I and Jayson exchanged teasing words at each other.
"I think it"s already full." Li finally said. Jayson and I sighed in relief and all the three of us head back inside the car, the boys are all looking tired and exhausted already, especially Jayson and Timothy who just went from somewhere in this place together.
"I don"t think we can travel tonight. You all look exhausted already. We"ll resume tomorrow." Jayson declared, looking as exhausted as the others also. "It"s too dangerous to drive when we"re all in this condition."
"I agree. But I hope we can get out of here as fast as we can. I don"t think I can last another day here. The smell of those dead bodies is just so awful I think I was going to die when we"re walking past it."
"I"m sorry about it, Timothy. But you did a great job when you lifted those two containers. That is really impressive," I praised him and he gave me a small smile, looking pleased from what he heard. I heard Jayson snort but it seems Timothy didn"t hear it so I just looked at Jayson sharply, and told him not to make a scene inside this cramped armored car.
"Let"s all rest for tonight. Tomorrow, we"ll start heading to Zone twenty-eight."