Late Night Discussion to early Morning Discovery

Posted on Wed Feb 19th, 2025 @ 10:26pm by Survivor Amythyst & Survivor John ("Dodger") Smith & Survivor George Brooks

1,898 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Settling In
Location: Amy's Apartment, Manhattan
Timeline: September 11, 2010 - 9:00 p.m.

In the end, the Infernals had chosen to occupy one apartment and remain together, as they had in the days before the hotel, drawing comfort from the close quarters. Privately, Dante couldn't blame them; he wouldn't sleep tonight and had already set up a comfortable chair near a window with a view of the street. In the meantime though, everyone had questions and it was time to make a plan because staying here, well, that wasn't going to work for long.

Dodger walked over to the Infernal leader and his friend. "Anything you need me to do Dante," he asked quietly. He knew the Infernals couldn't stay here that they needed a place for all of them and he knew Dante had a place for them to call home. They needed to make the journey.

"I think," Dante said quietly, pitching his voice so that the little ones wouldn't hear, "we're going to have leave this area completely." He shook his head quietly. "The gangs are taking over down here and even if we have a safe place, we'll end up having to fight them for resources. And since they're all a bunch of locusts, those are going to dwindle fairly quickly."

"No, we need a better base, one without all the bright shiny things that attract the gangs, but where there's a chance for us to build something sustainable." His expression turned bleak. "That's a whole skill set I don't have, I'm afraid. Fortunately, it's a ways down the road."

Amy came in bringing the group some more blankets and clothes. She overheard Dante. "Where would you go?" she asked softly.

"Someplace inconspicuous." Dodger replied making more of an observation than a statement.

Amy looked at him. "And where would that be? Gangs are going to be everywhere."

Dodger nodded, "I don't disagree, but I think there are places. Someplace that wouldn't interest the gangs. An abandoned train depot or station. A small hotel or one of the bed and breakfast places. An office building. Someplace we can get in and out of in a hurry or at least unnoticed. Maybe a school. It's got lots of classrooms we could turn into bedrooms or storage rooms. A lunchroom where we can all eat and store food and lots of bathrooms," Dodger replied. "I was just thinking out loud."

"Out of Manhattan," Dante said. "That's for sure. Dodger has some good ideas. I know a church that's for sale, fenced in, bars on the windows and a fenced in rooftop. Of no real interest to anyone but it could work as a base for us. At least temporarily."

"How far?" Amy asked curiously "Because moving long distance might be dangerous." She began sorting out the clothing she had found, handing Dante and Dodger two winter coats that she figured would fit them.

Dodger took the coat Amy handed him. he looked at the coat then to her. "Thanks Amy. I appreciate this," he told her sincerely.

"Thanks," Dante said as he accepted the coat though a part of him was already estimating which of the Infernals might get the most benefit from it while the other part of his brain was busy on the logistics. "We have a system for longer moves. Do it in stages with overnights in protected places. Not an easy trip but safer, much, much safer than staying here." He shook his head slightly. "I lived on the streets for years and I know this type. It's only going to get worse."

At that moment, George entered the room. He had just finished doing a patrol, and had returned to report in. "Dante," he said softly, nodding a greeting to Dodger and Amy. "Street is clear of any gang activity. There are a few of those zombies out there, though."

"Church sounds like a good place for us as you said Dante at least temporarily until we can find something better." Dodger replied to the Infernals' leader.

"We'll leave at first light," Dante said. "And whatever happens, I want to thank you for offering us shelter. I don't when we'll see you again, if ever, but I want you to know, I'm appreciative."

Amy gave a small nod. "I have a fair amount of supplies, I" she waved towards the pile of clothes and blankets. "Don't need these. But you will. The younger ones will grow." She explained. "I'll... make sure you have food supplies as well. Excuse me" she headed back to her apartment to gather the food she thought they could carry. Even as she moved away her shoulders slumped slightly, she knew with them gone, she would not have any other connections.

"Dante." Dodger spoke to the Infernal leader as Amy had walked away, "Why don't we ask Amy to come with us? She, we can take her chickens and at least some of her vegetables and start a new garden. You said the church was fenced in. She won't be safe here."

George nodded in agreement. "We are stronger as a group, Dante. If she is amicable to it, we could run a few trips back and forth, to get as much of her stuff to the church." While it was true, he has started having feelings for Amy, he was resolute to obey Dante's rules of not becoming too close, romantically, with any one in the group.

Dante gave them both a measured, assessing look because he was not unaware and more than capable of picking up smaller clues. "It was never my choice that she leave," he said to them both. "She wasn't interested. But I'll ask once more to satisfy you both. Wait here."

Dante followed Amy out into the hall and stopped at her front door which she'd left open. "Alright if I come in for a moment? Or would you prefer I stayed out here?"

"come on in" She waved him in towards the lounge area, one area she had not changed much since her arrival. "Do you need more food for the trip?" She asked. "I have a few plants you can take as well" she was not sure what he wanted.

=The Next day=

The sun rose and Amy did a sweep of the top floor, and found that the infernals were all asleep except for Dante who had vanished.

A few moments later, George woke up, the first thing he saw was Amy looking over the group. The next thing he saw, was the empty spot, where Dsnte had had his sleeping bag the night before. He glanced around, but he had the feeling that something has changed.

Getting up quietly, so as not to wake up the other kids, and after doing his morning rituals, got dressed and moved out into the main living area. He stepped up to Amy and greeted her. "Mornin'," he glanced around again. "Have you seen Dante?"

Dodger was up and had been moving about. Unable to find Dante or George he went to the main living area where he saw George and Amy together. "Good morning. Either of you seen Dante? I can't find him anywhere."

Amy shook her head and frowned. "No sign of him." She moved towards the outside terrace. She made it to the fire escape and looked at it. "It has been opened. Secured from the other side."

"But where would he go? Why would he leave and not say anything? Do you think he went to check out that church he was telling us about?" Dodger rattled off questions and knew Amy didn't know any more than he or George did.

Amy shook her head. "Voice down" she hissed and pulled them both back from the edge. "Inside, lets not alert the others."

Dodger nodded, Amy had a point no sense to alert or worry the others until they knew more. Once back inside he spoke in a whisper. "I agree in not alerting or alarming the others but all we have is questions right now, lots of questions."

"We pack and wait" Amythyst said softly. "He could come back."

"True enough Amy." Dodger agreed. "Need to keep the younger ones occupied."

She nodded and checked the sky. "I am going to feed the chickens and then I will cook breakfast." She paused. "If you both want to get them up and moving, it will be ready in half an hour. I have been pretty lucky with the supplies that were in this area."

So saying she headed towards the apartment where she kept the chickens.

Dodger nodded and looked over to George, "We keep things normal, get them up and dressed like usual and then breakfast when Amy is ready."

George nodded. He had been silent during the brief discussion, as he tried to figure out why Dante would leave like that. In the short time he had known the other teen, he had gotten the impression that this group of survivors was tge most important thing to him. George wondered if the situation with the older group had scared Dante more than he had let on.

After a pause, he decided to put the the thought to the back of his head and focus on the present. The younger kids still needed protecting and care. He nodded to Dodger, then helped him with the task at hand.

Dodger went about with George's help, of getting the rest of the Infernals up, gently urging them to get dressed get their hands washed and ready for breakfast. Yet, in his mind he was thinking, where was Dante? Had something happened to him? If so, should they move or take Amy's offer of staying here? Hopefully they would know more soon. If not he, Amy and George needed to have a discussion.

Amy came back a few minutes later with a basket of eggs and she headed to the small BBQ area outside the green house and lit it. She put the eggs in water and set it to boil before slicing some tomatoes and some of the bread she had made from flour and such on the BBQ the day before.

Once all the kids had gotten themselves ready, George handed out dishes and silverware to each. While their breakfast wasn't gourmet, they weren't savages. At least, not yet.

Amy brought over the cooked tomatoes and Bread and from a stash, two jars of peanut butter and a bottle of honey. "Eggs will be ready soon." she said with a smile.

Amy headed back out to the BBQ and checked the eggs which were now boiling. At 3.5 mins she pulled the pot off and drained the water into another pot to save the water for the gardens. She then placed the eggs into cold water and then after cooling them she brought them over to the table in a bowl. "Two each." She said brightly.

Dodger helped the littler ones in preparing their breakfast getting the tomatoes and bread along with the peanut butter and honey to fix sandwiches to go along with the two hard boiled eggs.


After Breakfast, the younger children helped wash the dishes and then Amy told them to go relax. They had the entire top floor of the apartment building and NOONE was to go down stairs.

Then she gathered Dodger and George in the Largest apartment 16A. They needed to have a talk.

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