Apocalypsis 03 - Exodus

question. But I’d like to leave my backpack with Peter so I can ride faster.”
    “No problem. I’m sure he’ll be fine with it. And he has a gun, so he can stand watch.”
    “We’re with you, too,” said Fohi. “A hundred percent, dude. I mean dudette.”
    “No, man. You’re staying with Peter and the dog,” said Rob.
    “Shut the hell up, Rob , I am not!” said Fohi.
    “Yeah, you should,” agreed Winky. “Peter’s too vulnerable by himself. We need someone to watch him and all our supplies. Without that stuff, we’d be sunk.” Winky’s tone was sufficiently respectful to cause Fohi pause.
    “You serious?” he asked, suspicion lacing his voice.
    “Of course she is,” I said quickly. “Those grenades are the only thing we have to set up our defenses with when we get to our new place.”
    Fohi nodded, looking up at the sky and rubbing his chin, considering my words. “I am the demolitions expert.”
    “Yeah. So keep an eye on that stuff for us,” I said. “Come on. Let’s get our crap unloaded with Peter and Fohi.” I didn’t wait around for Fohi to argue anymore, making my way over to the shell shop and riding right through the spot where the front door used to be. Peter was already inside, standing behind the counter where he’d rested his backpack.
    “Where should I put this?” he asked, gesturing towards the bag.
    “In that office behind you. Maybe you and Fohi can hang out in there, just in case someone walks by. Then they won’t see you unless they actually come in.”
    Peter raised an eyebrow at me. “Fohi’s staying too?”
    I battled to keep a straight face. “He’s our demolitions expert,” I said, walking past him.
    Peter followed. “More like an accident waiting to happen,” he grumbled. “You’ve put me in charge of babysitting.”
    “And dog-sitting,” I added.
    “The things I won’t do for you, Bryn Mathis …” he said, shaking his head.
    I dropped my bag on the ground and reaching inside the front pocket to pull the harmonica out, sliding it into my pocket. I walked back to Peter and pulled him into a big hug. “Be careful, please. Get your gun out and use it on anything that doesn’t look like one of us.”
    “Will do,” he said into my shoulder.
    Jamal and Ronald entered the office. “This where we’re waiting?” asked Ronald, looking around at the mess all over the floor and the overturned desk and chair.
    “You guys are going to be here too?” asked Peter, pulling away from me and looking hopeful.
    “Yep,” said Jamal. “We’re not really the fighting type … but we don’t want to go without you guys on to the prison, either, so …”
    “Yeah. We’re gonna hang out with you, if that’s okay,” finished Ronald.
    “No problem,” said Peter. “The more the merrier. Do you guys have guns?”
    They both shook their heads.
    Peter pulled his .357 out of his bag, breathing in puffs with the effort. “Don’t worry. Mine’s big enough for all of us.” He hefted it into the air, his arms practically wobbling with the effort.
    Ronald reached out and took it from him gently. “Maybe I can take a look at this. And hold it while we wait,” he said.
    Peter shrugged. “You said you’re not a fighter, but if you think you can shoot a canner in the head with it, then be my guest.”
    Ronald handed it back, hurriedly. “Uh, no. That’s okay. You look like you can handle it.”
    Peter smiled at me slyly and winked, addressing Ronald. “Yeah. Sure, no problem. Just make sure you’re behind me when it goes off. I don’t have the best aim in the world.”
    “He’s not lying, either,” I said.
    Ronald and Jamal moved quickly to the back of the office and sat down on the floor, talking quietly to each other and glancing from time to time at my fearless friend.
    I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Hold the fort. We’ll be back in a jiff.”
    “How long is a jiff, exactly,” asked Fohi, coming into the office dragging Rob’s and Winky’s backpacks in either hand next to him, his own still on his back.
    “An hour?” I said. “Or eight? I’m not sure.”
    Fohi rolled his eyes. “Okay. Ha. Good one. We’ll see you when we see you, I guess.”
    I looked at Ronald. “I’m going to use your bike. If anything happens, you take mine and ride out of here without looking back, got it?”
    Ronald nodded.
    I left the office and joined Rob and Winky outside, grabbing Ronald’s mountain bike and getting on, my feet barely