Apocalypsis 01 - Kahayatle

used to tell me dat I am very good.”   He smiled and said, “I’m trying to improof my accent so I can blend in better.   For me, it’s da double youss dat get me efreytime.”
    “Dude, trust me when I say, it’s not just the double yous that are getting you, but it doesn’t matter to us if you have an accent.   And no, thanks, we don’t need to hear your harmonica.   We don’t want to attract any attention with music.   Maybe some other time.”
    “Yeah, sure.   No problem.   Chust tell me when you want to hear it and I will play it for you.”   He put all the cans back in his bag.
    “You stay over there,” I said, directing Bodo to a spot about ten feet below us.
    “Okay, dat’s not a problem.”
    I leaned in and whispered to Peter.   “Did you hear that?   It’s not a problem.”
    Peter rolled his eyes and whispered back.   “You are so mean.   He’s foreign.   He can’t help it if he repeats the phrases he knows.”
    “I’m just goofing around.   His accent is cute.”
    “I know.   It totally is,” said Peter, his voice taking on a dreamy quality.
    I nudged him.   “I’m pretty sure he’s not your type.”
    “A boy can fantasize,” he said nudging me back.
    Bodo went down the ramp and sat down, reaching into his sack.   “Do you guyss want some Pringkles?   I am happy to share.”   He held the can up behind his head.
    Peter looked at me nervously.   “Do you trust him?”
    I shook my head.   “No.   The only ones I trust are you and Buster.   How do we know he doesn’t have a gun or something else in that bag?”
    Peter walked down to where Bodo was sitting.   “We want to search your bag.”
    Bodo shrugged, handing it over.   “Go ahead.   It’s not a problem at all.”
    Peter brought it back and went through it, while I kept my gun trained on Bodo’s back.  
    Bodo took the plastic lid off the Pringles can and took out a chip, turning sideways so we could watch him put it in his mouth.
    I felt myself start to salivate, watching that chip go in; and I didn’t know whether it was the food or his cute face that was causing it to happen.   He was tall, broad-shouldered, and blue-eyed.   The stereotypical aryan European man.   Wowza .
    “He’s clean,” said Peter.   “He doesn’t even have a gun or a knife.   Just a can opener.”
    Peter took a few steps towards Bodo and tossed the backpack to him.
    Bodo held up the can of chips and shook it a little.   “I’ll chrade you … one chip each for something you have.”
    I took four long steps down the slope and snatched the can out of his hand.
    “Hey,” he said, half standing, “dat’s not fair.”
    “You want to join this crew?   You sacrifice everything.   Pringles and all.”
    Bodo thought for a second and then looked up, his crystal blue eyes boring into mine.   “You are offering me a place with you?   In your family?”
    I looked back at Peter who shrugged in return.
    I turned my gaze back to Bodo and said, “It’s more like a tribe than a family, but yeah.   There’s a place for you here if you agree to share with us, protect us, and not give us away to any canners … zombies.”
    “I will like dat.   To be with your … tribe you call it.   And I will share my food with you.   I am sorry it is not much.   And I will protect you.   I think I can do dat pretty good, anyway.”
    I stared at him intently, wishing I could read his mind.   “I swear to God, Bodo, if you’re lying to me, and you try to hurt any of us, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.   Do you understand?   I promise you I will do that.   That’s not a problem.”   And I meant it with all my heart and soul.   I hadn’t been able to protect my last family from the death and destruction that had raged over the Earth, but I could protect my new family from the dangers that lurked out there in the night for us.   And I’d do whatever it took, even if it meant taking someone’s life - even a cute guy’s life.
    He nodded his head.   “I gif you my promise.   It is true.   We are family now, see?   You have the Pringkles.   Eat dem all if you want, even dough dey are my favorite American snack.   I will not hurt anyone.”   He sat back down on the slope and drew his knees up to his chest, resting his forearms on them as he stared down the incline.
    I walked slowly backwards to join Peter and Buster, motioning for Peter to walk up higher with me.   Once we were near the top, so much