Chapter Text
DAY 11
Walk, eat, sleep, repeat. Walk, eat, sleep, repeat. Walk, eat, sleep, repeat.
It hasn’t even been two weeks and everything already felt impossible. Just the same old routine, over and over, not that Michael Scofield was complaining. He liked everything being predictable, everything analyzed without massive changes or rapid progression. But, unfortunately, this way of thinking wasn’t of much use in a situation like this, where everything really just depended on instincts to survive.
At least he wasn't alone, or he really would go crazy, he had his brother, Lincoln, and his cellmate from back in Fox River, who was really growing on him as a friend, Sucre.
Going back to the original point, everything was the exact same, if not for the occasional encounters of the undead, though that was dealt with rather quickly, not that it didn’t make him intensely paranoid of any sudden sounds or movements. Medical supplies were also extremely scarce and getting hurt meant becoming a burden, and possibly dragging everyone down. Long story short, caution was important to survive in such conditions. And boy was Michael cautious.
They had been walking for quite a while now, to no particular destination of course. But, everybody knows if you stop moving in apocalypses you’d wound up dead, and there really was no way of safe settlement in these times. Bunkers were hidden or occupied with people who were most definitely unwilling to let a bunch of strangers in, and plus, you’d have to leave eventually, resources aren’t infinite after all.
In fact, you’d think getting supplies were easy, but you’ll be lucky to even find an area that hasn’t already been scavenged before. And so that’s how everyday went for them, walking and walking, searching and searching, just hoping somebody hasn’t gotten to it first. Survival of the fittest, or in this case, the fastest. Half of the stuff they find wouldn’t even be good, just edible enough to live off of. You get what you get and you don’t get upset, if you even get anything that is.
After maybe a couple more hours of walking, or maybe even longer—Michael couldn’t really tell anymore, time always seemed to go way too slow, or way too fast—they finally managed to find a place that hadn't already been emptied.
A big convenience store or grocery store, it’s hard to tell really. The group stepped closer. “We’ll each go our separate ways, grab as much as you can, then meet out front in a bit, okay?” Michael instructed, Lincoln nodded and so did Sucre, but he seemed less sure.
Michael opened the swinging doors and stepped inside. He took a left and separated from the other two, while they went in other directions. Hopefully not too far so if there was danger they wouldn’t be alone.
Stepping into the place further, he took a whiff of the air around him and smelled the cold, fresh, and unsurprisingly sour air. Rotten. Expired. He hoped not everything had gone bad, there were sure to be cans inside. However one thing is surprising for a fact, how some of the lights and refrigeration still seemed to work. Barley, but it worked. There might even be a generator around here somewhere. Oh, how Michael hoped there was. He neared a shelf and noticed how much vegetation had grown in these conditions, without human interference, nature could sprout so far. Everything was so.. green. Even the undead were green. Green, green, green, for miles was all there was, he’d grown tired of staring at it.
Ignoring that thought, he hurried to check the contents on the shelf, he picked a small box of cereal. Yep, definitely expired. He carefully placed it back and moved to the next shelf, chips. Then the next, drinks. Then the next, and the next, and finally! A shelf with cans, hopefully ones that held out long enough, he picked one up and carefully examined it, the packaging had long faded, but he tried his best to read it nonetheless.
S.. P.. A… The last letter was missing, Michael tried to guess what it was, spa, spa.. SPAM! Meat! Finally, he smiled in what felt like months. Ever since he got thrown in Fox River, escaped, then came out to freedom only for it to be like this. It was obvious why he hasn’t been too happy. He took a look at the other cans on the shelf, mushroom soup, chicken, tomato soup, black beans, and even some corn! It was like a gold mine in here! He looked around to see if he could find one of those plastic bags that always seemed to break so easily to place the cans inside. He saw a roll lying on the ground and tore a bag out, placing the cans inside, careful not to make too much noise while the cans clinked and fell on top of one another. He placed the roll inside as well.
Michael moved away from the area, seeing as there wasn’t really anything else edible after what he had found, stepping further left, he neared a security room, the door seemed to have been initially locked before someone, or rather something broke in. He shuddered at the thought and tried not to think about it. He stepped inside and examined the room, flickering lights, mold infested walls, broken security monitors, and some unknown stains. He stared at one flickering monitor and could swear he saw Lincoln or Sucre. He smiled and looked around a bit more, noticing a water cooler sitting at the corner of the room. He immediately went over to examine it.
There was barely any vegetation inside the cooler, and even if there was, it seemed as though it wouldn’t bring too much trouble. He tried to lift it up, but to no avail. He was way too weak for this. He contemplated going to find Lincoln, but he didn’t want to bother his brother. So he did the next best thing. He carefully tipped the jug over, making sure to also not make too much noise. Once he successfully got it down, he decided he would roll it out and wait for Lincoln and Sucre to finish.
Once outside, he felt a bit uneasy, an empty wasteland where people should be, he pushed that thought away, he decided to think about the huge amount of cans, water and.. wait. That was when he finally realized maybe he couldn’t take the water cooler with him. The sheer size of this thing, and the strength needed to carry it. How much they had to walk, how this would also, unfortunately, weigh them down. God, they needed to find a car soon. Or a backpack, a really, really, BIG backpack. Big enough to fit an entire water cooler.
He looked back inside the store to see if he could see Sucre or maybe Lincoln coming out already, but it seems he’d have to wait a bit longer. Michael sighed, when did things become like this again? He tried to remember, right. About a week and four days ago. Him, Lincoln, and Sucre were still on the run after escaping Fox River, and then the outbreak happened, and.. and.. although it wasn’t a lot of time, their old life seemed so.. foreign now. He could barely even remember how it all came to be. And he wished so desperately he could, in fact, now that he was wondering. Where could everybody else be? Where were the others he had escaped with? Where were the law enforcements looking after him? Where was.. Sara?
Suddenly, something had interrupted his train of thoughts, Michael panicked and quickly turned to look at who had touched his shoulder, it was Sucre, and he immediately calmed down. Sucre spoke first, “I’m done! I got a couple of things from the baking section, not that we could do any baking, but.. at least they don’t expire too fast!” He rummaged through his own bag and pulled out a can of what looked to be condensed milk. Michael smiled, “I managed to get a couple of cans myself.” He said and shook the plastic bag, “And,” he pointed to the water jug. “Water.”
Sucre practically shouted, “W-woah! I thought I’d never see this much water again!” He quickly went over to try and lift it up, but to no avail either, he let out a sigh of frustration and finally let go. “Man, this is heavy!” He turned to Michael, “How we gonna carry this?”
“That’s what I was worried about. But, I’m sure we’d find a way.” Michael looked back to the inside of the store, “Did you see my brother come out?”
Sucre shook his head, “Nah.”
Thoughts crossed Michael’s mind instantly, thinking of the worst, but he shook it off. Nothing bad’s gonna happen. At least, that’s what he hopes. “Are you sure?” He didn’t doubt Sucre for a second, but for some reason he felt that he needed some reassurance.
“I’m sure.” And added, “On my life.” The last bit was a joke, and it had worked, Michael chuckled a bit. Sucre smiled at that, glad he could at least ease the tension a bit.
The both stared intently at the doors of the store, waiting for it to open. Or rather, at least for Michael, hoping for it to open. It was kinda funny, it was always Lincoln looking out and caring for Michael, but now in turn, Michael was looking out for him, or better yet, worrying, a lot.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, but was probably only a couple minutes, Lincoln finally came out. He seemed pretty glad too, maybe this was a successful scavenge after all! “Find anything good?” Sucre asked.
Lincoln nods and pulls out a bullet cartridge, “Ammo.”
“Man, this is like Christmas!”
Lincoln smiles and begins to start walking again, when he suddenly notices the giant water jug just lying on the floor. He turns to Michael, “You brought this out, Michael?”
“Yea, I’m still wondering how we’re gonna carry this.”
Lincoln walked over and tried lifting it up. After a few tries he manages to lift it up the ground, but only for about half a second before dropping down again. “These things are.. huff heavy.”
“I know, I had to roll this out.” Michael says he used his foot to push it back and forth. “I think we’re gonna have to discard this.
Sucre sighs, “Awh man! Can’t we at least drink a bit first?”
“Good idea.” Michael kneeled down and sat the cooler up, he used both hands and managed to get the lid off. He moved forward and wondered how he was even going to take a sip out of the thing.
“How are you gonna drink that?” Sucre asked.
Read my mind. Michael smiled, “I.. don’t know.” He thought for a bit more, before finally coming to a conclusion. Closing the lid—but, without revealing what he was thinking he beckoned for Sucre and Lincoln to help him carry it. Sucre immediately, as if knowing exactly what he meant, went to help him lift it up.
They followed Michael back into the store carrying the giant jug, they turned left and carried it all the way back to the security room, where Michael used his back to open the door, guiding them towards the cooler. When they finally sat down, all three were out of breath. Sucre leaned against the wall, Lincoln just stood and watched while Michael went to work.
He first, using some strength, tilted the jug till it lay upside down, then, he grabbed the lid at the bottom and tugged till it popped open, water rushed out immediately, but he quickly connected it to the cooler before any drastic spill could happen. Then he looked around a bit, no cup, doesn't matter. He cupped both his hands together, creating a makeshift bowl, moving it close to the dispenser before pressing it softly and letting water spill onto his hands. Then he quickly lapped it up before it could spill out of his hands.
He wiped his mouth and turned to Lincoln and Sucre, smiling, “Ta-da.”