Word: Ad Hockery

  

ad hockery

1. reliance on temporary solutions rather than on consistent, long-term plans.

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             Liz poked her head out just enough to look through the exposed window of the apartment building’s bottom floor. The city street smelled of decay, and were very nearly abandoned.  The only people outside at that moment chose to get around with a slow, awkward shuffling motion.  Liz kept a careful eye on the few she could see without risking them seeing her.

                “Ok, I think we’re safe here for awhile.”  She said in a loud whisper.  Her companion, Allan, lowered his backpack as softly as he could.  “Let’s find  place to stay for the night and get moving at dawn.  We’ve still got a long way to go.”

                “Why?”  Allan asked.

                “What do you mean, why?”

                “I mean, why do we need to move?  This is a nice, cozy little building.  We can hole up here and stay safe for awhile.  I be there’s lots of supplies left over, so we should be good.”

                Liz ducked away from the window and looked at Allan.  She simply could not believe he still wanted to do that. 

                “Are you kidding me?”  She asked, trying to make her angry voice as soft as possible.

                “Nope.  I mean, really.  One, maybe two points of entry.  Lots of barricade material.  High possibility of supplies.  Why shouldn’t we stick around?”

                “Because it’s not safe here, that’s why.”  Liz said.  “And there’s way more than two PoEs.  Every single window could let them in, and I don’t like our chances of boarding all of them up before they notice us.”

                “If we’re smart about it, we’ll be fine.”

                “Uh huh.  That’s what you said about the last supposed ‘safe haven’ we stayed in.  How’d that turn out?”

                Allan grumbled.  He didn’t want to admit it, but his last choice had not been the strong hold he claimed it would be.  They were lucky to get out of there in one piece.

                “Uh huh, that’s what I thought.”

                “Well then, what do you suggest?”  Allan asked.

                “You’re really asking?  How many times do I have to say it?  We get out of the city, find some people and set up where there’s food, water, and space.”

                “Right.”  Allan said, rolling his eyes.

                “It’s better than your plans.  You keep thinking all these short term, day by day things will work out forever.  At least my plan has the potential for long term stability.” 

                “Yeah, right.”  Allan grumbled.  “And how do we survive that long?  The only real weapon we have between us is out of ammo.”

                Liz cradled her shotgun like it was a child that had just been insulted.  She knew it was no good as a firearm anymore unless they got lucky and found some more shells, but that didn’t mean it was useless.  She had reinforced it with some metal plates so that it made a good, solid club.  It was why they had lasted as long as they had.

                “Here’s the way I see it.”  Allan continued.  “If we leave the city, we leave all the nice little hiding places we have here, and all the food supplies available as well.  Out in the open, we can be seen easily, and there won’t be places to hide.  Plus, out there the weather could be just as bad as they are.  So yeah, you’ll excuse me if I’m hesitant to take your supposed long term solution over my nice, cozy short term.”

                “Uh huh.”  Liz said.  “The sad thing is you actually believe that.  The only valid point you have is the weather thing, and we’ve got some nice, sturdy tents for that.  First of all, most of the deadies are here, I the cities, not out there in the country.  The few that are there may be able to spot us easily, but we’ll spot them even faster.  And we’re a lot faster on foot than they are, so it’ll be easy to outrun them.  Second, there’s almost no food supplies left here.  I mean, we practically had a party yesterday when we found that can of creamed corn.  Out there, there’s fruit, nuts, berries, and animals to hunt.  And yes, it is possible to hunt without a gun.  People used to do it all the time.  And those hiding places you love so much?  From what I’ve seen, they like to use them just as much.  I’d rather take the open ground where there won’t be any surprises than lots of cover where you don’t know what’s around.”

                “Ok, yeah, but what about the people thing?  You really think there’s anyone else besides us out there?” Allan said.  He peaked over the window sill, acting like he could see farther than he actually could.

                “You think there’s not?” Liz slumped down next to an overturned couch and set her gun on her lap.  “Listen, I have to hope there’s someone else out there.  We simply can’t be the only two real humans left.  I mean, neither of us has any real training in this situation, and we’re surviving, so imagine what those who actually know what they’re doing would accomplish.”

                Allan didn’t say anything.  He just sat and thought about the idea that the two of them were the only living humans left in the world. It wasn’t a very nice thought.  He had to admit, he wanted to believe in Liz’s idea that there were other survivors, but the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed.

                “Well, we have to stay somewhere tonight.”  Allan said after a few minutes of silence.  “Even if you don’t want to stay here for long, you have to at least give me that much.”

                “Yeah, I know.  Wait here, I’ll see if there’s any rooms available.”  Liz stood, grabbed her gun and headed up the building’s stairs.

                Allan watched her go.  He just hoped there wouldn’t be any surprises waiting for her up there.  He knew one thing, there was no way he would survive without her.  But, since he couldn’t fight, all he could do was wait and trust she would be alright.
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Yes, it's a zombie story.  What?  You got a problem with that?  I wanted to wright a zombie story, so that's what you get.  And yeah, I know there aren't any zombies actually appearing in it, but that doesn't really matter, does it?  I mean, you know they're there, and that's enough.  At least, I think it is.