My legs hurt from walking. The station wagon was back a ways, blocked by all the stalled cars on the bridge.

Van stopped to stretch. I noticed that his skin was much darker than mine now. Hopefully in this new world, that wouldn’t matter anymore. We didn’t have enough people for discrimination, survival was our only priority. I shrugged at my internal lies.

“Ready?” I asked.

He grunted in reply.

We wove around abandoned cars, staying away from corpses that might attract feeders. Over the crest of the bridge, I could see a Seven-Eleven. We were finally going to bring back fresh water!

As we closed the distance between us and convenience store, the Seven-Eleven faded and a Bath and Body Works took its place. We didn’t need any creams or shampoo.

I was about to pass it up when I saw Van staring at his bare forearms. They were filthy and weather-beaten. Both of us were smelling pretty ripe too.

We were going to stop there. I didn’t even have to ask.

I needed him with me and he needed soft skin.