3 Years Later

You learn the sting of being outcast-ed after a certain point. The way people's eyes turn away at the sight of you. Whispers and gossip trailing each step you take.

You can feel the heavy wall of judgement each time you try to correct this. Fix whatever made them hate you. See where you went wrong and prayed and hope you could go back and change it. Even going so far as to tell them this.

Yet at the end you always feel that thick tense feeling knowing everyone, but you, got along.

"You look like shit."

A frown etched its way to my face as I turned back to Ace. Her eyes still hollow looking but a sense of annoyance came off of her. The first, in a long time, that I was allowed to help out. Under her rules of course. Despite not being missing, a sense of unease still resonated within me as I followed her.

The others came some time during the night. Quietly making it through the halls without another word. Jake didn't get anything from John, even though they were supposedly good friends form before, which caused him to be even more on edge.

My legs were finally able to move with only a sly wheeze of pain to come out of me. Somehow, Joseph deemed me fit to do some work upon seeing this. Part of me wanted to refuse, wanted to get answers from him, but I decided not to. Uncertainty filling my stomach and making it twist in pain.

Sighing, I shimmied on a pair of pants that I was given. My own having been ripped beyond repair. My torso bandaged enough that they deemed a shirt not worthy. With a grunt, I stood up and motioned for Ace to get going. To show me what my job ought to be which only prompted her to purse her lips. She complied nonetheless.

Our walk was silent. The only sound was my slight wheezing and the way our shoes tap the floor with each step. Making our way to the main room in which multiple piles of items and objects laid about. Four distinct heaps, each corresponding with some sort of theme, and one glorious hunk of trash in the middle. Ace took to a knee and began to mutter to herself, her hands shifting and wading to sort out the objects.

I just stood there, part of me still unnerved from the pile that came out of nowhere and the other part not wanting to do this task in the first place, but I followed suit soon after. Grabbing numerous boxes of expired crackers to ripped up strips of fabrics to even tiny bullets. The amount of shit that was just lying here was impressive to say the least.

There we were, mindlessly dealing with this junk and ignoring one another. I couldn't help but let my mind slip away and let it converse with itself. Questions of self worth and doubt popped up here and there but eventually left as soon as it came. The cacophony of mixed up words with an underlying melody from my forgotten past was the only thing that kept me company.

Which was why I was grateful when Ace broke the silence.

"I don't know where we get these things." She sighed while looking at a dilapidated box of hair dye.

I raised an eyebrow to her comment in hopes she would continue but a sorry look just crossed her face. Muttering once more beneath her breath causing a huff to leave me.

"Y'know I can't really hear you if you do that..." I mumbled back. Her head snapping up at me as if she wasn't expecting a response back. She stared at me for a long time before finally speaking.

"Well," she said coughing,"I was saying how I don't know where we get the shit here. I'm not allowed out of the base but I'm sure by now most of the stores are looted."

A thought ran through me as I remembered just how barren the mall actually was. Sure there was litter and trash around but for things to survive this long seemed impossible. Even the supermarket I used to loot in was almost empty when I met Jake.

"Maybe ya'll gain it on supply runs? You know... from outside?"

This prompted sound of discontent to come from the multi-colored haired girl. Almost as if my answer was too concerning to think of.

"But Joseph is the only one allowed out there.... Usually at least. He does bring everyone else out if he finds a place to loot."

"Really?" I asked as she nodded.

"I guess I could say he scouts a lot. Checking this area and then getting everyone else to go grab what he finds but... It doesn't seem right."

"What do you mean?"

"Hrrm... Well, even if he looted... This much goods seem almost too good and too abundant when he brings it back. Even if he goes to each store around this mall, I would bet that they are as empty as this mall. Makes me scared to think he's intentionally going around to get this from..."

"Other survivors?"

Her lips drew a thin line. Teeth clasping down on that cracked lower lip of hers that I swear I saw blood prickle out. Ace's eyes turned wild which caused me to sigh.

"It's a good thing he didn't reach me then. But considering he was close by..." I paused, a pit growing in my stomach, "He would've eventually..."

I froze. What if Joseph did find me? What would he do? He doesn't seem to be the type to let strangers into the gang, much less the base. Would he have... done something to me just to get my supplies?

A cold shiver ran down my back as a strange thought came to mind. My thoughts of how many other survivors I saw when I first arrived compared to the barren landscape now caused fear to run through me.

Was... Was Joseph cleaning the area out?

Does that even make sense? He was just one man, just one person. Surely he needs a team of people to do that much. But... Doesn't he have a team? Abby, Nick, John, hell maybe even Ace. Don't they count as the team?

"Shaina?"

A wave of nausea washed over my thoughts upon hearing my name. My eyes shutting close as I tried to shake my head. I'll need to get this sickness under control before I jump to conclusions. Bile began to creep up my throat as I shook my head.

With a huff, I continued to sort. Ignoring Ace's voice of concerns.

Even if they began to grow more frantic.