Dead On Arrival~ Season 2- Episode 3: Food For Thought

Episode 3: Food For Thought

Another night spent on the floor of the entryway. Another restless sleep watching over the living while the dead lurked outside. As daylight seeped in from the windows, I stretched bringing to life my stiff aching joints.

“Good morning, Nathan. Breakfast?”

I looked up to see Lin standing over me with a plate. A genuine smile on her face for once. I sat up and took the plate gratefully.  “Yeah. Thanks. How are you this morning?”

“Fine. Wants some more syrupy? I did my best.”

I then looked down at my plate at three scorched medium sized pancakes. I forced a smile on my face looking up at her. “Um… sure…they…they look delicious?”

“I know they’re bad, but you could at least lie!” she fumed.

“I did lie! I mean they aren’t that bad!” I spluttered as I watch her storm off into the kitchen.

I sighed picking up my fork and poked at them begrudgingly. I then rose to my feet and made my way into the kitchen where Lin stood alone washing dishes. I inched closer to her coming up on her side.

“Get any closer and I’ll hit you with this frying pan”, she immediately spat glaring at me. “And don’t even try. Those puppy dogs eyes don’t work on me, mister.”

I smirked “Well, I hope they would work soon. It gets pretty lonely at night. All alone on that cold wood floor.”

“You have, Wade.”

“Very funny.”

“You also have your hands,” she said with a devilish grin on her face. Why don’t you use those?“

"Well, I was hoping you could join me, instead. Get both of our hands dirty,” I whispered getting closer.

“Hmmm…nope. I’m just not that type of girl, but I do know someone who would keep you company.”

“Oh, you do? Your alter ego?” I cooed.

“No,” she said dabbing my nose with suds. “Your little doctor friend, Aaron. I think he has a crush on you. I’m sure he can keep you warm and more.”

“What?”

“Ah, speak of the devil,” she cackled as the doctor wandered in.

The perplexed doctor looked from one to the other. He sat down still confused as I joined him at the table. He looked over at me frowning, “Did I do something?”

“No,” I murmured, blushing and staring down at my plate.

Thankfully, Madison entered the room as a welcomed distraction clutching a coffee mug. She sang skipping into the kitchen, “Good morning! It’s time for coffee!”

We both grunted acknowledging her. Then Wade followed. He grabbed a plate, slap at least ten pancakes from the platter on his plate, and began stuffing his face before he even got to his seat.

“A little burnt aren’t they?”, Aaron said watching Wade with a mixture of disgust and amusement on his face.

“I like them that way,” he mumbled looking like a chipmunk with pancakes in his cheeks. He then narrowed his eyes at me and glumped them down. “Where the hell your stupid face brother?”

“Um…Matthew?” Aaron pipped up. “He’s outside. I just saw him come downstairs. He went out front.”

“Good. We need to talk,” he said downing the rest. He got up and headed towards the front door.

I decided to follow and just as Aaron said he was out front puffing away on a cigarette. He was seated on the front steps. He looked stressed. It always seemed like he smoked when he was troubled or deep in thought despite claiming to quit years ago. Unfortunately, Wade would add to his stress. He rushed down the stairs and inserted himself right in front of Matt folding his arms.

He sighed, “Good morning, Wade.”

“Gas. We need gas!”

He promptly turned around and looked up at me ignoring Wade. “Good morning, Nate. You ok?”

Wade growled raising his voice. “We need gas, Matthews! I can’t run the bus without it!”

“I heard you the first time!” he shouted back surprising me a bit. He lowered his voice sighing again. “And where do you suppose we get that?”

“At the gas station”, DJ yelled over joining the conversation. He walked over holding a crossbow. “There’s one not too far from here. We could walk there probably.”

“You shitting me right?” Matt said in disbelief.

“Nah. I’m for real. Not many people hit that up when this shit started, because the owner wasn’t having any of it. Heard he had an actual arsenal in that joint, but he should be long gone by now. Might be some gas still there. I could take you there.”

“DJ!!!”

We looked up to see Jones sitting in his window. He yelled again. “DJ, get up here. I need your help.”

“I’m coming old man!” he yelled back grumbling. “Well, that ends that. You can take yourselves can you?”

“I’ll go!” Madison exclaimed practically leaping out the front door. “Sounds like a road trip!”

Wade scowled, “Fine, but I’m not coming. I’m staying here. Got to watch over Lin and the rest of the peanut gallery.”

“I’ll go,” I said shrugging.

“Fine,” Matt said putting out his cigarette sounding not a bit enthusiastic about it. “It’s a road trip.”

Just one chapter this weekend. I need to catch up with my writing and stay ahead anyway. Next Friday will be a nice surprise for those who haven’t put two and two together. ;)