What a Man's Got to Do - Chapter Two (short story)

in Freewriters3 years ago (edited)

Be sure to read the first chapter if you have not already:

Chapter One

I'm writing this just one chapter at a time as an experiment to see where my ideas can lead. I don't know where this is going yet. Thanks for enjoying this story along with me.


I've killed a few people before. So has Danny of course. He wouldn't be alive otherwise. It would be nice if we could all just band together and be a community but it really is just every man for himself. And women? Well that's been awhile.

It's been so long since either of us ran into anyone else. I've been traveling with Danny for a couple months now. Or maybe it's been a couple weeks.. I don't really get why he hangs around still. He's not completely useless. But I don't need him. I don't think he needs me, yet. But he is weirdly trusting of me. Danny is a bit younger than me, in his early thirties I believe. He's a strong guy with a mop of dirty blond hair and a pock-marked face. I'm going to need to find a good weapon.

I leave Danny to his beer and decide to take a look at the place. The house is in remarkably good shape. The picture windows on the porch are blown out from the winter storms coming off the lake, but the windows on the main house are intact. Except for the front door windows, which Danny must have broken to get to the beer. There's a large open main room that comprises the living room, dining area and kitchen. There's a bathroom down the hall and two bedrooms. There's no way I'm living in this place with another person.

I assume there's no basement. There's a back door leading to an attached garage. The door is already open and it's mostly empty. There are no cars anywhere. I'm hoping for maybe a tire iron or some kind of metal rod. There are a couple cases of beer in the corner, one of them half empty.

I just can't take any more of his company, if that's what I would even call it. I've been on my own for so long now. I've been through at least three winters since I'd last seen another person, let alone actually traveled or lived with anyone. But I don't think it's possible to go back to living with other people. It was one thing to sleep in the woods knowing someone else was around. But to have someone in the other room, under the same roof. I'm not giving up this house.