22 Chapter 22 - Gathering of Survivors
Two days later, under the heavy and unending snowstorm, Zach could be found walking alone wearing thick coats to cover his body. It had been two days since he left the base and was now nearing the rendezvous point where Officer Jenny was holed up and staying as they could no longer move as they lacked enough thick clothes and more importantly stamina to travel and endure the freezing temperature.
Every hour for the past two days, Zach's radio will always receive a message coming from Office Jenny and his mother Vanessa back to the base. Officer Jenny would always ask where he was at the moment and if he was alright while Vanessa would inquire the same while reporting the state of the base.
"I'm close." Zach held on to his radio before taking out a log from which he then looked at the snow he was standing on before piercing it through. Looking closely, in the back where he was walking, there were a number of noticeable logs standing through the snow every 10 meters.
After that, Zach looked at his back especially at the logs since it was something he did to mark the way so he wouldn't get lost on the way back. With that, he then just started walking again as he was now very close to where Officer Jenny was seeing him walking inside a small town.
Not before long, Zach found himself inside the town's bookstore from which Officer Jenny and her two police companion immediately greeted and helped him seeing that he was pulling a blanket which their eyes immediately widened upon seeing what the things was inside of it.
"I appreciate you coming to meet us, Zach. In fact, aside from the freezing temperature, the reason why he couldn't go on anymore was due to hunger. Some of the people with me no longer have the energy to move forward which affected the whole group." Inside a quiet office inside the bookstore, Officer Jenny and Zach could be found talking to each other.
"The food you brought was a blessing and I thank you for that." Officer Jenny followed while looking at Zach. Unlike before, she no longer treated him as a young man but as someone who earned her respect upon seeing how brave he was in facing the snowstorm alone just to help them.
"Do not worry. I'm also glad that you and the others were fine. Just to let you know once again, I trust your words that everyone here didn't commit any crimes. Also, once we were back in the base, I hoped everyone would adhere to what I said. I hope you're clear with that." Zach said while looking at the paper Officer Jenny had given him which consisted of the list of the people who were with her and their former jobs.
There were a total of forty-seven people including her and most of them were in their prime age while some were probably students and three children aged 6-8 years old however, that wasn't Zach's business as he was more concerned about their previous jobs which delighted him seeing there were professionals among the group.
"Do not worry. We will adhere to everything that you will say as long as it is not absurd and doesn't cross the line." Officer Jenny replied with a nod as they were desperate and the fact that everyone would probably not hold on soon if they could not eat anything and since Zach promised that he could provide them even though she didn't know if he was telling the truth, there was no other choice left but to trust him.
"Good. We will leave tomorrow morning. Distribute the food I have brought to everyone as they need enough energy to walk and face the snowstorm tomorrow. Don't worry. After we crossed this hurdle, I promised everyone would have their stomach full when we reached my base." Zach said before he stood up and offered a handshake.
Officer Jenny looked at Zach before taking his hand as a faint smile appeared on her face. Though she didn't know where Zach had such kind of confidence, just the thought that he promised them was already enough to make her relieved.
After that, everyone started eating with Officer Jenny started introducing Zach to everyone. Though some of them were already familiar, there were also new addition to the group. Following that, she also started telling them the kind of rules they needed to abide by when they reached the place so everyone would no longer be clueless to them and to see whether there were odd ones among them.
Time quickly passed and the next day then came for everyone. With their eyes filled with glints of wanting to survive, they stepped into the snow again as they faced the storm together following Zach's and Officer Jenny's back.
Meanwhile, back in the base, Edward and Bob together with other men were seen working early in the morning after they were told that Zach and a group of forty-seven people were now on their way back. Looking closely, there were another four simple houses being built in the area but it was not enough after knowing how many would arrive.
With Zach's instruction, Edward and Bob were told to build another warehouse or two next to the ones he had built. It was an absurd order knowing that there was still a snowstorm going on but they still followed the orders to repay all the things that Zach and his family had bestowed to them.
On the other hand, the women around were also not idle either as they were responsible for clearing the snow as it now started forming a small mountain surrounding the area which was carefully planned as it helped reduce the cold winds to get inside.
With that, three days have passed quickly. Nothing much happened during these days aside from the finished two warehouses, an additional three bathrooms, two houses, and a huge building like a canteen seeing wooden tables and chairs installed on it. It was passed noon, and the people inside the base weren't working on something as they all could be found clearing the snow to show a path after having the news that Zach and his group were already near the place.
Not long after, Zach and a group of people came to everyone's sight from which they started walking while waving in their direction trying to call them so they wouldn't get lost. Vanessa and the others were also there as they were relieved seeing Zach was fine after almost a week outside the storm.
Meanwhile, Officer Jenny and the other people were completely surprised by the excitement the people in front of them were showing as if they weren't affected by the freezing temperature and other calamities that had happened. Each of them couldn't help but think that Zach must have really been telling them the truth which their hearts started beating with excitement.
"Don't fall down now as we have finally arrived." Zach said loudly as he looked in the distance with a smile on his face after successfully and safely arriving back to the place where his mother, sister, lover, and friends were.
Not long after that, Vanessa hurriedly told the others to bring some warm water for them to drink as they started looking after the people who came with Zach. Food was also served gaining everyone's surprise thinking just what kind of place they had come from seeing meats and other food that they hadn't eaten for some time presented on their own plates.
Each one of them started crying while munching the food on the plate as they looked at Zach, Vanessa, and the rest with great gratitude. They also felt relieved upon trusting Officer Jenny and Zach's promise because if not, they could only probably wish and dream about what was happening right now.
After that, Zach then told everyone to get inside so they could take cover from the cold weather. Forty-four people were divided as they entered the two warehouses which already had the necessary things they needed for the night after Zach arranged it himself by taking out supplies.
Following this, Zach gave one of the houses to Officer Jenny while giving the other one to Anna and Carl as they were a couple. The three police officers were completely surprised by the special treatment, but they didn't decline as they immediately moved inside their houses.
Night quickly came, and the new survivors were still surprised from just happened. Aside from settling down in the warehouses and being given food, they have also experienced having a bath in hot water. They were in a state as if they were dreaming right now as it was their first time resting on a clean bed and full stomach.
On the other hand, Officer Jenny could also be found in her house with her eyes still wide open since everything came as a surprise to them. She couldn't help but think that if they had taken Zach's offer before, they shouldn't have suffered in the cold temperature and hunger after that.
Nothing much is known to Carl and Anna but there were some kind of bustling sounds coming from their house which lasted an hour before calming down as they finally rested through the night after not just getting tired of walking but also to something else.
Meanwhile, Zach could be found in the living room of his house drinking hot chocolate as he looked through the situation outside in the window. Arriving at home, he has this feeling that something inside him has been fulfilled which he couldn't get used to before but somehow, he finally knew what it was.
It was a sense of responsibility and most especially the feeling of being treated as someone superior was the thing that kept on bugging him. Zach has read several apocalyptic-themed novels and it was only now did he came to know the feelings of those protagonists and even villains about the thirst for recognition and power that he was now experiencing.
"Zach. Let's go to bed already." Hannah, who was lying on the sofa, said while seductively presenting herself in a naughty position as he looked at Zach with eagerness. She knew Zoey and Vanessa were already asleep so they could now start something else without getting bothered.
Hearing Hannah, Zach couldn't help but smile as he finished his warm chocolate before excitedly carrying Hannah back to their room. Following that, the sound of cats and dogs fighting then started echoing inside as the two didn't hold back.
The next day, Zach called the representative of every house and warehouse through the radio that it was now time to wake up and work on clearing the snow once again. Edward and others immediately started moving while the newcomers were surprised to see that it was already morning as they felt like it was the best sleep they ever had for a long time and wanted to ask for more.
With that, it only took fifteen minutes before the surrounding snow was cleared since everybody was working and after that, Zach started giving roles to everyone, of course, those who were only able to do so since there were kids among them. He emphasized the need for individual houses, so manpower was needed and everyone didn't complain.
Division of labor happened as the men started working on building a shelter again while the women were responsible for the clearing of snow in the area, but before all that, everyone had their stomach filled first as they ate breakfast together in the canteen building which the space was not visibly enough so some of them were standing.
Looking at everyone's faces, Zach has a faint smile on his while holding a wooden slab in his hands. He thought that they might finish everything before the start of the next and new calamity. He then just looked in a certain direction and there he saw Officer Jenny talking to his mom. Staring at her in the distance, he couldn't help but think that she really was beautiful especially now that she was clean.
"Sigh. Just what am I thinking?" Zach could only shake his head before he focused on what he was doing again wanting to clear his mind to whatever ideas he had thinking that there were more things to do before he could focus his attention on something else.
