Punks Versus Zombies - episode 37 of the weekly post-apocalyptic zombie survival serial
Welcome to episode 37. In our last installment, Tommy broke his straight-edge pledge...
Tommy’s eyes fluttered open, the harsh sunlight filtering through the van’s windows, and he winced as he sat up.
He expected the familiar pounding in his head, the sour taste in his mouth, but the hangover had cleared.
“Where are we?” Tommy asked.
“Just entered the campus,” Roxy said. “Figured it was worth a shot to look for supplies here.”
“What campus?”
“Missouri. We’re in Columbia.”
Tommy nodded, taking in the stillness of the surroundings. The buildings loomed silent, their windows dark and empty.
Roxy steered the van towards the central quadrangle, parked, and killed the engine.
“Alright, everyone,” Zero said. “We don’t know what we’re walking into here. So stay sharp, stay together, and if you see anything suspicious, don’t hesitate to speak up.”
There were murmurs of agreement as they gathered their weapons and supply bags, preparing for the task ahead.
Tommy’s gaze lingered on Laila, who had barely spoken a word since they’d left Kansas City. Her face was drawn, her eyes haunted.
Zero took the lead as they made their way towards the cluster of administrative buildings. “We check the registration office first. Could prove a potential goldmine of keys and maps.”
“Good thinking,” Tommy said.
Reaching the building, they found the doors unlocked. They filed inside, flashlights sweeping over the desks and filing cabinets.
“Check everywhere,” Zero said. “Desk drawers, cabinets, anywhere they might have stashed something useful.”
Tommy set to work, rummaging through the abandoned office.
“Guess they didn’t keep a stash of snacks in here,” Jimbo said.
They moved on to the science and technology department. The sound of their footsteps echoed off the bare walls.
Zero entered the lab first and gestured for Tommy and the others to follow.
Roxy made a beeline for the cabinets, her machete at the ready. “Jackpot.” She held up a bottle of rubbing alcohol. “Found some bandages and antiseptic, too.”
They moved from lab to lab, their haul growing slowly but steadily.
“Let’s keep moving,” Zero said. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”
Zero led them to the student union. But as they approached, a sense of unease settled over the group.
The building was darker than the others, the windows boarded up from the inside. It was clear that it had been used as a shelter at some point, a refuge for those fleeing the horrors outside.
Tommy shook his head at the trail of blood, telltale signs of someone being dragged.
He moved cautiously, his flashlights sweeping over the shadowed corners. Every sound seemed amplified in the stillness, the creak of a floorboard or the rustle of fabric.
“This way.” Zero gestured towards the cafeteria. “Keep your eyes and ears open.”
Tommy followed him into a storeroom, to find the shelves lined with canned foods, soda, and potato chips.
Roxy and Jimbo stuffed their packs, while Zero and Tommy stood sentry at the door.
Laila stared at nothing.
“We should head back,” Roxy said. “We’ve got enough to last us a while, and I don’t like the feel of this place.”
Zero shook his head. “We keep looking.”
Roxy glared at him. “I say we quit while we’re ahead.”
Zero glanced at Tommy. “What do you say, Tommy boy?”
“I think we should at least check the library.”
Roxy frowned. “The library? What the hell for?”
Tommy shrugged. “I don’t know. But it’s worth a shot. Maybe there’s something there that can help us. Maps, survival guides, I don’t know.”
Zero grunted his agreement, his rifle held at the ready as he scanned the shadowed hallways. “Tommy’s right. We can’t afford to leave any resource untapped. Let’s check it out.”
Tommy followed the others as they made their way out of the student union, their footsteps echoing hollowly in the empty building.
As they stepped out into the sunlight, Tommy blinked, his eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness. The campus stretched out before them, a vast, sprawling expanse of buildings and walkways.
In the distance, he could just make out the shape of the library, its towering facade unmistakable.
“That’s where we’re headed.”
The others fell into step behind him as he set off across the quad and approached the library.
The entrance had been fortified, makeshift barriers and boards covering the windows and doors.
“Looks like someone’s been busy,” Jimbo said.
Zero signalled for quiet and scanned the building.
They crept closer, sticking to the shadows and staying alert.
Roxy pointed to an upper window. “Looks like someone’s there.”
Tommy could just make out a shadowy figure behind the translucent barricade. He turned to the others. “Let me try something. Wait here.”
Ignoring their protests, Tommy stepped out into the open, his hands raised. “Hello? Is anyone there? We don’t mean any harm. We’re just looking for supplies.”
Silence answered him.
Then he noticed movement behind the barricade.
The figure in the window vanished.
Urgent voices came from inside.
Tommy waited.
The library door creaked open a crack. A wary face appeared, the barrel of a gun visible in the shadows. “That’s far enough. State your business.”
“We don’t want any trouble. We’re just looking for supplies. Food, medicine, anything you can trade.”
The man’s eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking from Tommy to the others. “For all we know, you could be raiders, here to take what’s ours.”
“We’re not here to steal from you.” Tommy took a step forward, his hands still raised. “We’re not here to cause any problems. We’re just trying to survive, same as you. If you can’t spare any supplies, we understand. We’ll move on.”
The man lowered his pistol and took a step forward. “If you’re not raiders, who are you, then?”
Tommy glanced back at the others. “We’ve been on the road since this thing started, trying to get back to our families on the east coast. We’ve lost…we’ve lost a lot of good people along the way.”
“We’ve all lost someone, in this new world of ours.”
Tommy nodded. “We don’t want to take anything from you. But if you can spare anything for trade, any food, or medical supplies, we’d be grateful.”
The man turned to the others behind him. There was a murmur of conversation, too low for Tommy to make out.
The man turned back to Tommy. “We can spare some supplies. But we need something in return. Our defences are strong, but they could be stronger. If you’re willing to help us fortify the library, shore up our walls and barricades, we can give you some of what we have.”
“Sure. We can do that.”
The man nodded, a flicker of a smile crossing his face. “I’m Dr. Jameson. I am a professor of history here. We’re just trying to keep each other safe, and preserve what knowledge we can.”
“I’m Tommy.” He gestured to the others. “This is Roxy, Zero, Laila, and Jimbo.”
Dr. Jameson led them inside, the others falling into step behind him. The library was a maze of shelves and stacks, the musty smell of old books thick in the air. “We’ve been collecting books. Textbooks, manuals, anything that might be useful in rebuilding society. We figure that knowledge is the key to survival, in the long run.” He paused in a small clearing between the shelves, turning to face the group. “Before we get started, we have some ground rules to establish and roles to assign.”
He gestured for Tommy and his companions to follow him as he made his way to the centre of the library, where a group of students had already begun to assemble.
Dr. Jameson cleared his throat. “As you can see, we have some new faces joining us today. This is Tommy and his group. They’ve agreed to help us fortify our defences.” He turned to Tommy and the others. “However, I need to make one thing very clear. If there’s any trouble, any disruption to the order we’ve established here, I’m afraid you and your friends will have to leave. We cannot afford to jeopardise the safety and stability of our community.”
Tommy stepped forward. “We understand. We’re here to help, not to cause problems.”
“I appreciate that, Tommy. Now, let me explain how we’re going to proceed.” He turned to address the students once more. “Each of you will be assigned to work with one of our new allies. We’re all in this together, and the only way we’ll survive is by working as a team.”
A few of the students shifted uncomfortably, their gazes darting between Tommy’s group and Dr. Jameson.
One young man raised his hand. “Are you sure this is a good idea? We don’t know these people. How can we trust them?”
Dr. Jameson fixed the student with a stern look. “I understand your concerns. But we’ve discussed this before. Our survival depends on our ability to adapt, to forge alliances with those who can help us.”
The student nodded, his expression still uncertain.
Dr. Jameson turned back to Tommy, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Thank you for your patience, Tommy. I know this isn’t an easy situation for any of us. But I truly believe that together, we can create something extraordinary here. Something that will endure long after the last of the monsters have fallen.”
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