Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

Chapter 1114: Catching Up - I'mma need that hug, bro.

I just managed to have CK start talking but when we were right in the thick of it, some dude just came hauling a surfboard and in my head, I thought that was just fucking enough. It didn't take long before I had the same dude step on the other end of the surfboard—using it as a plank as pirates would—as I dragged CK over to the other side and threatened him with my katana.

All I was missing was an eyepatch, a peg leg, a hook hand, and a parrot to complete the look.

But yeah, I know that CK needed his time alone but he also needed time with the people he knows or close friends with at the same time. I've been too familiar with being alone and it was quite addicting, but as I said earlier, I just wanted to give my friend a hug.

"Arr~! You bein' a fuckin' bitch, matey! You either walk the plank or face with me and my blade!"

"This is all sorts of crazy, dude! Are you fucking insane!"

"You've been friends with me for a long fucking time, you should've known!"

"T-Then— W-What do you want, man?!"

"A hug? But before that, you didn't even eat breakfast, huh?"

"I wasn't hungry!"

"You haven't even smiled! I miss your lone buck tooth, bro!"

"I GOT IT FIXED, ASSHOLE!"

"WHAT?!" then I turned to the guy who seemed to be enjoying me torturing my friend for some reason, "Drop him—"

"BRO, I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD—"

"For real?!" the guy never looked so excited.

"No! I was just trying to spook his ass—"

"HEY! DON'T SWITCH LIKE THAT! ARE YOU REALLY WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE?!"

"You've read my emails, no? You fucking know this shit is coming, right?! I have a whole plan and everything!"

"I— JUST GET ME OFF THIS THING, MAN!"

With that said, it didn't take long before the two of us were sitting in one random spot with Kaley, and he had a bottle of beer in his hands with a pill for headaches or muscle soreness.

"..."

"..."

"..."

CK hadn't taken a sip or the pill I gave him yet but it had never been this quiet compared to earlier.

"..."

"..."

"..."

So I had to break the ice, again.

"So…"

"..."

"..."

"How's the weather?"

"..." CK never looked so disappointed in me.

"Pfft…" But Kaley thought otherwise.

"Kaley gets it."

CK shook his head, "You really were telling the truth, huh?"

"Yeah."

"And everyone from our friend group is in—"

"Besides Roi."

"What does your place look like?"

"Better than this dump."

"Can you really say that? I'm living here, you know—"

"I already told you that we'd take you with us. See the boys, at least. They'll smack your lonely ass too, if they see you like this."

"It's really better than this place, huh?"

"Well~ It's still a work in progress, this place, but comparing it to my compound that's been at it for a few years, it's just night and day."

"Now you're just bragging, man."

"It does have a power grid, to be fair, but we got everything else, so…"

Kaley then asked, "Are you okay, though?"

"..."

"..."

"I'm sorry—"

CK waved her off, "N-No, no. I'm sorry, Kaley. I shouldn't have ignored you earlier too—"

"But you have a lot on your mind, i-it's okay—"

He waved her off with a smile, "Nah~ You're my friends, that's on me. Besides, I should be on cloud nine right now seeing you two finally together. Am I right in seeing this shit or is the rest of the world still hoping for a miracle?"

"Well~" Kaley and I trailed at the same time.

"Heh, that's already the answer I was looking for. But yeah… I'm… I'm holding on…"

"Almira, right?"

"Wha— How'd you know?!"

"We're friends on Facebook, bucky! And it's only been a year!"

"That fuckin' memory of yours, huh? And don't call me that, I got it fixed already! Don't people mistake you for a stalker, sometimes?"

"When I looked like a tub of lard, yes. Now that I look a little presentable, I'm suddenly the observant one—"

"Presentable my ass! You look fuckin' great! You got the whole thing going on and everything! Kaley too! Any chance I could wear something like that?"

"Depends. Skills you have in airsoft could transfer over but recoil's the one to make or break ya. You just really have to get used to it first or we start you off with a .22—"

"C'mon! A .22?! Really?!"

"Heh. At least you're laughing now."

Kaley chuckled as well, "That's a good sign, no?"

"Hmm… That is true… So… So what now?"

"Riiiight… About that, we'll be here for a few more days—until the Admiral sets off again—but if you really want some time for yourself and see everyone else, I can ask for a heli to pick you up."

"..."

"Dude?"

"You're not really lying—"

"I'm not lying! How suspicious are ya, you fuck?!"

"Look… I've been through a lot and I'm not sure if I deserve to be sad at this point, because everyone else is experiencing the same thing, maybe even worse than me, but… Well— No, I'll finish whatever work I have here first and I'll drive with ya back to your place. I see you bagged yourself a Raptor—"

"That reminds me, remember your old 'colorful' house?"

"Yeah? We sold it off—"

"Ahh… Shame."

"Is it still there though?"

"We can check?"

"I'll take you up on that."

"You still haven't touched that beer—"

"Haven't had breakfast yet… or even dinner… or anything, really…"

"..."

"..."

"You two— Don't get quiet on me now what I've started talking! I'll rely on ya two from now on! What sorta type of job can I have at your place anyway?"

"You still have a new music reco for me?"

"Dude…" the motherfucker almost teared up, "You're fucking too much…"

"W-What did I do now?"

"I'm… I'm really gonna need that hug right about now— HOLDUP— HNGH! NOT TOO TIGHT! MY BONES! YOU FUCK! AHHHHHH!!!"