Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse (Book 1): Sanctuary Read Online Free PDF Page A

waist
being, as I previously described, narrow, but they were workable. The jacket
was easier. I had a few old ones lying around from way back that were tight on
me but came close to fitting her, close enough that they wouldn’t hinder her
movement in any way.
    On the
downside, from a perspective of space management, she claimed to need a whole
lot more in the area of soaps, shampoos, and bathroom items in general. It was
likely my fault since I kept stressing for her to take anything she needed. At
first, she constantly asked if this was okay or if she could have that, but
once she decided I really meant take whatever, she did just that. In the end we
packed pretty much everything I had. I can say, with certainty, that the bubble
bath should have been left behind. I think we tossed it somewhere in Oklahoma.
    A second
problem, far more pressing, was that Briana did not know how to use a gun, and
she was born and bred in Texas. Shame on her and her family for that one. I
gave her my .38 revolver to carry. It was the easiest to explain and is all but
impossible to jam. You simply fill the cylinder, close it, and pull the
trigger. There wasn’t even a safety. I would’ve preferred giving her the .45 –
Briana looked strong enough to fire it despite the nasty kick – or maybe my
slightly smaller .40 caliber automatic, which I personally prefer to the Glock.
However, these required a bit more in the lesson category and some live fire
practice, which we couldn’t do just yet.
     
    *
* *
     
    Lunch
was another round of cold steak and lunchmeat, along with some canned veggies.
Briana also offered to make the sandwiches I’d mentioned earlier, for the next
day when we were on the road. I readily agreed. It gave her something to do,
aside from stealing all my bathroom fare, and having a task, however simple,
seemed to be calming. Her eyes still darted about though. It was obvious Briana
was scared.
    I was
frightened as well, had been from the very start. I know what I’ve written thus
far doesn’t really show it, but that’s more the effect of my pride than actual
confidence on my part. Now, I wasn’t panicked or terrified, not even close. I
had my plan – I’m big into planning and more than a little dependent on such –
and ample resources to carry it out. I had someone to talk to who could also
share in the work. Granted, Briana was a teenager, meaning her grasp of reality
was nowhere as good as she likely thought. Still, the underlying fear was
always there.
    One of
the best things about Briana was that she was treating me like a person and not
a substitute parent or, far, far worse, throwing herself at me, hoping that if
I saw her as a possession I would be more inclined to keep her safe. I don’t
think I could have dealt with either scenario. Like I said, Briana is, without
doubt, a beautiful woman, with a lovely smile and a most wonderful figure, but
I’ve never had any use or respect for those who depend solely on their looks to
get through life. I think I would have left her behind if that had been the
case. Saying so might seem questionable, seeing how the opposite sex was
rapidly becoming a commodity, but the grief and stress would have been brutal.
    She
finished the sandwiches, wrapping them in wax paper and sticking them back in
the cooler with its ever diminishing supply of ice – that would be gone by
nightfall – and we shifted the conversation to other, important topics.
    “Is your
Jeep a standard?”
    “No,
automatic. Can’t drive standards. Tried to learn a few times but never was able
to get anywhere. I gave up a long time ago.”
    She
smiled. Briana’s teeth are straight and white. I’d worn braces for years, and
when they came off I had a perfect set of choppers myself. Then, over time, a
few teeth shifted slightly. It was quite frustrating. However, I’ve never had a
single cavity. My enamel was as good as it got. It’s a tradeoff I’m quite happy
with, ideal now that the dentists were