The Lazy Chronicles: Apartment of the Apocalypse-Chapter 67: Navigating the Unknown

The compound’s residents milled about with the usual mix of grim determination and nervous energy that came with surviving the apocalypse. Mallory leaned against a wall, observing the bustle as Clara, Greg, Alex, and Altair worked on their plan for heading north. The weight of the flash drive containing the lab’s research data pressed on all of them, but Mallory managed to maintain her air of casual indifference.

She munched on a bag of pretzels she’d "borrowed" from the compound’s kitchen while occasionally glancing at Blinky, who was chirping happily and collecting dust bunnies. The tiny robot had become a source of amusement—and sometimes envy—for the group.

"Mallory," Clara called, snapping her out of her snack reverie.

"Hmm?" Mallory responded, flicking a pretzel into the air and catching it in her mouth.

"We’re going to need to leave before nightfall. The northern facility is at least a three-day journey, and we’ll need every hour of daylight we can get," Clara explained, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Mallory sighed dramatically. "Three days of walking and danger. Sounds delightful."

Greg smirked. "Don’t worry. I’ll carry you if you get tired."

Alex rolled his eyes. "You spoil her, Greg."

Mallory grinned. "That’s why he’s my favorite." freeweɓnovel~cѳm

"Focus, people," Clara interrupted. "The facility isn’t just going to solve our problems. It’s another unknown. We don’t know if it’s still operational or crawling with zombies. We have to be prepared for anything."

"We should split up and gather supplies," Altair suggested. "We’ll need food, water, and weapons. Anything we can carry."

The group nodded in agreement, and the mission was set in motion.

---

Mallory found herself paired with Alex for the supply run. The two of them roamed the outskirts of the compound, sifting through piles of rubble and abandoned belongings for anything useful.

"So," Alex began, breaking the silence. "You and Greg seem close."

Mallory glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Jealous?"

Alex chuckled. "Hardly. Just curious. You’ve got this way of making people care about you without trying too hard."

"Some call it charm," Mallory said with a wink.

"Others might call it laziness disguised as charisma," Alex quipped.

She laughed. "Hey, it’s a skill. You should try it sometime."

Their banter was cut short when they heard rustling nearby. Mallory froze, gripping the broken chair leg she’d been using as a makeshift weapon. Alex held up a hand, motioning for her to stay quiet.

A moment later, a figure stumbled out from behind a crumbling wall. It was a zombie, its rotting skin barely holding together, and its milky eyes focused on them.

"Great," Mallory muttered. "Just when I was starting to enjoy our little chat."

Alex stepped forward, his crowbar at the ready. "Stay behind me."

"Gladly," Mallory said, taking a step back.

Alex dispatched the zombie with practiced efficiency, his movements precise and controlled. Mallory watched, impressed despite herself.

"Show-off," she teased as the zombie collapsed to the ground.

"Survival isn’t a spectator sport, Mallory," Alex said, shaking his head.

She grinned. "That’s why I have you guys."

---

Back at the compound, the group reconvened to pool their findings. They’d managed to gather a decent amount of supplies, including canned goods, bottled water, and a few additional weapons. Blinky chirped proudly as it presented a small pile of batteries it had scavenged.

"You’re the MVP, Blinky," Greg said, patting the robot on its metallic head.

Mallory stretched out on a pile of blankets, watching the others as they packed up their bags. She didn’t say it aloud, but the idea of leaving the compound made her nervous. The walls might be shabby, and the people might be uptight, but it was still safer than the open road.

"Are we sure this is the best plan?" she asked.

Clara nodded. "It’s the only plan. If we don’t figure out what’s on that flash drive, we’ll be stuck in survival mode forever. This might be our chance to turn the tide."

Mallory sighed, knowing she couldn’t argue with that logic. "Fine. But if we all get eaten by zombies, I’m blaming you."

"Noted," Clara said with a small smile.

---

As the group prepared to leave, Sylvia appeared, blocking their path.

"You’re leaving?" she asked, her tone a mix of skepticism and relief.

"Yep," Mallory said, shouldering her bag. "Don’t cry too hard."

Sylvia scoffed. "I won’t miss you freeloaders, if that’s what you’re worried about. But if you’re heading north, you should know there’s a group of raiders in that area. They’re worse than the zombies."

"Thanks for the warning," Clara said, her expression serious.

Sylvia’s gaze lingered on Mallory. "Try not to get anyone killed with your laziness."

Mallory smirked. "I’ll do my best, but no promises."

As they walked away, Greg leaned close to Mallory. "You two should hug it out someday."

"Not unless there’s a zombie apocalypse in hell," Mallory replied.

---

The first day of their journey was uneventful, though the tension was palpable. The group stuck to back roads and wooded paths, avoiding open spaces where they might be spotted by zombies—or worse, other survivors with ill intentions.

Mallory found herself walking beside Greg, who seemed unusually quiet.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked.

Greg glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "I was just thinking about how things were before...all this."

"Let me guess," Mallory said. "You were the star quarterback, and the whole town adored you."

He chuckled. "Not quite. I was just a regular guy, working a boring office job and dreaming about something more exciting. Be careful what you wish for, right?"

Mallory nodded, her own thoughts drifting to the life she’d left behind. Lazy afternoons in her apartment, binge-watching TV shows, and ordering takeout without a care in the world. It felt like a lifetime ago.

"You ever think about what you’d do if this all ended?" Greg asked.

Mallory shrugged. "Probably go back to doing as little as possible. Maybe write a book about how I survived the apocalypse by staying on my couch."

Greg laughed. "I’d read that."

"Of course you would," she said with a grin.

---

As night fell, the group set up camp in an abandoned gas station. They took turns keeping watch, though Mallory managed to convince Greg to let her take the last shift.

When her turn finally came, she sat on the roof of the station, staring out at the dark landscape. Blinky perched beside her, its tiny eyes glowing softly.

"You know," she said to the robot, "for a tiny metal spider, you’re not a bad companion."

Blinky chirped in response, and Mallory couldn’t help but smile.

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