Chapter 54: Chapter 51
As the convoy slowly came to a halt, civilians and soldiers alike disembarked from the vehicles, once again finding themselves in a brand new small town. Except for a few new survivors, everyone else felt a sense of déjà vu.
Following the same procedure as last night's operation, soldiers stationed sentries around the town's perimeter and intersections, ensuring the streetlights were powered to illuminate the area.
Meanwhile, civilians cooperated as usual, clearing the designated residential areas, transporting food, making fires for warmth, and now, they had an additional task of clearing the snow from the streets. Given the recent trend of snowfall, it was evident that if they didn't clear it soon, by early morning, the snow would likely be too thick to pass through. And, in order not to impede any possible emergency evacuations that might occur at any moment, they had to be prepared in advance to avoid any potential accidents.
Rubbing his stiff, frozen hands, Brian queued up outside the supply distribution point. He couldn't help but notice the sudden generosity of the adults around him upon seeing him, a child. They kindly made way for him, but Brian didn't feel particularly moved; instead, he felt a strange sense of unease. Perhaps he was becoming too cynical, no longer believing in the inherent goodness of humanity?
As people willingly made space for him, he quickly reached the front of the line. It turned out the soldier distributing food at his assigned vehicle was Tracy.
Handing over his and Sarah's ID cards, Brian gestured with his hands, saying, "Sis, I'm collecting supplies for two."
Tracy took the ID cards and glanced at them. Looking at the young Asian boy in front of her, she felt a strange familiarity, which clicked when she saw the other ID card. These were the two children she was responsible for on the bus.
Recalling that the data had indicated these two children were unaccompanied, Tracy couldn't help but feel a tug at her heartstrings. She pondered whether she should take some time to check on the children on the bus who didn't have adults accompanying them.
"Here you go."
Handing back the ID cards, Tracy retrieved two portions of packaged food supplies and handed them to Brian. After ensuring he packed them properly, she also took two bowls from him, scooped some soup into them, and returned them.
"Thank you."
Carefully taking the two steaming bowls, Brian made his way towards a residential building with a red roof on the side of the street.
As he walked, people passing by consciously avoided the child, fearing they might bump into him.
Inside the house, which was less spacious than the previous night's accommodation, Brian entered and found Sarah wasn't in her usual spot. This caught him off guard, and he began searching the house, eventually finding her in a corner.
Sarah was squatting there, accompanied by a black woman leaning against the wall looking exhausted. It was the same woman who had shown bravery the previous day. They were chatting happily, both appearing content.
Though Brian couldn't understand how these two ended up together, he didn't see it as a bad thing. Judging by the woman's attitude during the intense situation last night, she seemed like a good person.
"What are you two chatting about? Seems quite cheerful."
Approaching with the hot soup, Brian gently placed the bowls on the ground and then took out the food from his backpack, handing it to Sarah. Smiling, he asked.
Seeing Brian approach, Sarah sat down beside her and waited for him to put down what he was holding. Then, she tugged at his sleeve and said, "Brian, this is the brave sister from yesterday, Sylvia. Let me introduce you."
"No need." Rolling his eyes, Brian pretended to be disdainful as he swatted Sarah's hand away. Then, he extended his hand towards Sylvia and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Brian, a Asian."
Retracting his hand, Sarah touched her slightly numb back of the hand and puffed her cheeks. She shot Brian a glare, pretending to be angry, and turned her head away, acting as if she was genuinely upset.
"Hehe..."
Sylvia chuckled at the interaction between the two children in front of her. It seemed quite interesting. Then, she raised her hand and lightly shook hands with Brian.
However, as she did so, it aggravated the injuries on her back. The pain made her smile disappear instantly, her brows furrowing slightly. Yesterday's collision had left a deep bruise on her back. According to the military doctor, she needed at least ten days to fully recover. Suppressing the pain, she greeted, "Hello, I'm Sylvia."
Brian noticed something amiss with her and recalled the intense battle from yesterday. Even now, the thought made his spine tingle. Hastily, he released her hand, allowing her to lower it.
"Sorry, I forgot about your injuries."
Having made a new friend, Brian habitually began to inquire about what Sylvia knew, understanding how she managed to escape from the city infested with infected.
As the three of them chatted away, a figure appeared beside them, unnoticed. Brian looked up to see the girl who had joined the convoy midway through, carrying a bowl of hot soup herself.
"Anna, come, sit."
Seeing the girl, Sylvia raised her hand in a welcoming gesture, inviting her to sit down. Then, she turned to Sarah and Brian and said, "This is Anna. Her mother is a nurse. Without her, I would probably still be suffering."
Then, she addressed Anna, who had sat down, "This boy is Sarah's companion, Brian."
Raising an eyebrow, Brian scanned the two women before him. Anna seemed like she had just joined the convoy. How did these two seem so familiar with each other already?
"Hello, I'm Brian." He nodded slightly as a sign of respect. Then, he realized Sylvia had only introduced him, so he casually turned to Sarah and asked, "Sarah, do you already know Anna?"
"Yeah." Sarah nodded, indicating she had already known her. She explained, "When you left earlier, Anna asked me to help take care of Sylvia. It's just a small favor, so I helped out."
"Oh..."
Hearing Sarah's explanation, Brian just responded with an acknowledgment. He had thought Sarah was chatting with Sylvia on her own, but it seemed there was this girl helping as well.
Picking up the bowl of steaming soup, he blew on it lightly and took a sip. Glancing at Anna, Brian couldn't help but feel suspicious about her intentions and what...
While Brian conversed with Sarah, Anna helped Sylvia with the food and soup, assisting her in finishing her meal.
After finishing their food, Sylvia felt full and sincerely thanked Anna. "Thank you, you've been a great help."
"No problem." Hearing the sincere gratitude, Anna felt quite happy. Her lifelong dream was to follow in her mother's footsteps as a nurse, saving lives. Unfortunately, since the outbreak, she couldn't attend school anymore. But as long as she could help others, she still found great joy in it.
As the four of them chatted, their conversation deepened. They got to know each other better and learned that Anna's mother had brought her along. At this moment, she was helping the soldiers collect supplies.
Suddenly, Anna stretched and sat with her legs crossed, feeling curious. "I heard people saying they could choose their own quarantine areas
. How did you end up choosing Atlanta, which is so far away?"
Recalling his original destination to Atlanta, Brian finished his hot soup and sighed. "My mom is in Washington, but Dallas's farthest quarantine area is Atlanta. I had no choice. I had to choose here first. Once I get there, I'll figure out a way to contact Washington or send a letter for them to find me."
Anna glanced at Brian and then at Sarah, her expression gradually becoming strange. She hesitated whether she should ask or not.
Unexpectedly, Brian immediately understood her thoughts and explained, "Sarah is my neighbor. Her... mother disappeared. So, I'm taking care of her."
As he mentioned Joel and Tommy, he visibly hesitated, choosing not to mention their deaths but rather their disappearance. Turning his head, he noticed Sarah's dim expression and quickly comforted her, gently patting her back and softly consoling her.
"Cough, cough..."
Sylvia, sensing that they might be touching on a sensitive topic, coughed lightly and smoothly changed the subject.
"My sister studies in Atlanta. She's the only family I have left. So, I have to find her. I don't even know if she's still alive..."
As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears, seemingly recalling some painful memories.
Anna was at a loss for words as she watched the sorrowful Sarah and Sylvia. What's with these tears? I just started the conversation, and I didn't even ask anything yet! Why are they crying?
She could only reach out to comfort Sylvia as well and tried to console her, saying, "Don't worry, it's a big city. There must be government troops stationed there. What's your sister's name? When we get there, we'll help you find her together."
Sylvia felt a little embarrassed as she wiped away her tears. But upon hearing Anna's offer to help find her sister, she hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Her name is Marlin. She's eighteen this year and in her senior year at Georgia High School!"
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