The Lazy Chronicles: Apartment of the Apocalypse-Chapter 75: The One-Eyed Redemption

The sun hung low in the sky, painting the city in hues of orange and pink. Mallory, Greg, Alex, Harper, and their new "guest," Ryder, sat around a makeshift table in the living room. The silence was thick enough to cut with a knife as everyone mulled over the events of the day.

Ryder, tied securely to a chair, stared at them with the intensity of a caged tiger. "You can’t keep me here forever," he growled.

Mallory leaned back in her chair, sipping from a chipped mug. "Forever? Nah. Just until we figure out if you’re going to stab us in the back or not."

"I’m not the backstabbing type," Ryder said indignantly.

"No, you’re the ambush-in-an-abandoned-gas-station type," Mallory retorted.

Alex chuckled, earning a glare from Ryder.

"Enough," Greg said, his tone sharp. "We need to focus. We’ve got bigger problems than arguing over Ryder’s questionable morals."

Ryder scoffed. "You’re one to talk, scavengers."

Harper, sitting cross-legged on the couch, chimed in, "Hey, we’re not scavengers. We’re survivalists. Big difference."

"Exactly," Mallory said, pointing her mug at Ryder. "We survive with flair. Unlike you, Mr. One-Eyed Bandit."

"That’s not my name," Ryder muttered.

"It is now," Mallory replied with a grin.

---

Later that evening, the group gathered in the kitchen to discuss their next steps. Ryder had been securely locked in the bedroom with Blinky standing guard, its antenna glowing ominously.

"Are we really keeping him around?" Alex asked, leaning against the counter.

Greg nodded. "He knows the area better than we do. That could be valuable."

"Or it could get us killed," Mallory said.

Harper, ever the optimist, said, "Maybe he just needs a little kindness. You know, like in the movies where the grumpy guy ends up being a softie?"

Mallory raised an eyebrow. "Harper, this isn’t a rom-com."

"Could’ve fooled me," Alex muttered under his breath, glancing at Mallory.

Mallory caught the look and rolled her eyes. "Don’t start."

Greg clapped his hands together, drawing their attention. "Okay, here’s the plan. We’re low on food and ammo, so tomorrow we split up. Alex and Harper, you’ll check the north side for supplies. Mallory and I will take the south side. Blinky stays with Ryder to make sure he doesn’t try anything."

"And if he does?" Mallory asked.

Greg smirked. "Blinky’s more resourceful than he looks."

---

The next morning, the teams set out at dawn. The city was eerily quiet, the usual groans of zombies replaced by the occasional gust of wind.

Mallory and Greg walked in companionable silence, their weapons at the ready.

"Do you think Ryder’s going to try something?" Mallory asked, breaking the silence.

Greg shrugged. "He might. But I think Harper’s right. He’s not as bad as he seems."

Mallory snorted. "You’re giving him too much credit."

As they rounded a corner, they stumbled upon an old bookstore. The sign above the door was faded, but the words "Page Turners" were still legible.

"Think there’s anything useful in there?" Mallory asked.

"Only one way to find out," Greg replied.

They pushed open the door, the bell above it jingling softly. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the faint smell of mildew. Rows of shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, filled with books of every genre.

Mallory picked up a paperback and flipped through it. "I don’t think romance novels are going to help us survive."

Greg chuckled. "Maybe not, but it’s nice to see something normal for a change."

As they searched the store, Mallory stumbled upon a box of canned goods hidden behind a counter. "Jackpot!" she exclaimed, holding up a can of peaches.

Greg grinned. "Good find. Let’s grab what we can and head back."

---

Meanwhile, Alex and Harper were having less luck. They’d spent hours searching abandoned buildings, only to come up empty-handed.

"Why do we always get the bad routes?" Alex grumbled as they walked through a crumbling apartment complex.

"Maybe it’s karma," Harper said with a smirk.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Karma for what?"

"Being a know-it-all," Harper replied, sticking out her tongue.

Before Alex could respond, a loud crash echoed through the building. They froze, their eyes darting around.

"Did you hear that?" Harper whispered.

"Yeah," Alex said, gripping his mop-turned-weapon tightly.

They followed the sound to a nearby hallway, where they found a zombie stuck in a doorway. Its head was too big to fit through the opening, and it was thrashing around in frustration.

Harper burst out laughing. "It’s like a cat with its head stuck in a jar!"

Alex couldn’t help but laugh too. "Should we put it out of its misery?"

"Nah," Harper said. "Let’s leave it. It’s not going anywhere." free𝑤ebnovel.com

---

Back at the apartment, Mallory and Greg returned to find Blinky hovering near the bedroom door, its antenna blinking rapidly.

"What’s going on?" Greg asked.

Blinky projected a hologram of Ryder sitting on the bed, playing cards with himself.

"Well, at least he’s not trying to escape," Mallory said.

When Alex and Harper returned later that evening, the group sat down to sort through their findings.

"Not a bad haul," Greg said, eyeing the canned goods Mallory had found.

"And we found some entertainment," Harper said, holding up a deck of cards.

Mallory raised an eyebrow. "You’re giving cards to Ryder? Bold move."

"It’s just cards," Harper said. "What’s he going to do, throw them at us?"

Mallory shrugged. "Fair point."

---

That night, as the group sat around the table, Ryder surprised everyone by speaking up.

"I’m not your enemy," he said, his voice quiet but firm.

"Could’ve fooled us," Mallory muttered.

"I mean it," Ryder continued. "I’ve been on my own for so long, I forgot what it’s like to be part of a group. But seeing you all... It’s different."

Greg nodded. "Stick with us, and you’ll see we’re stronger together."

Mallory rolled her eyes. "Great, now we’re a therapy group."

Ryder actually chuckled. "You’re something else, Mallory."

"And don’t you forget it," she replied with a smirk.

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