Last Chances (Sequal to Second Chances by cuteycindyhoney)

Loneliness that was what permeated his mind as the winding road slowly began to become a uniform picture in his mind. Tetsuyo’s bike was old, probably around from the 1960’s. To tell the truth, it wasn’t his. It had belonged to Dr. Tate. But Dr. Tate had passed away, yes that’s how Tetsuyo had to keep it; if he admitted he had died horribly, he himself would go insane.

What troubled him the most was the loneliness though. He was from a small town, tiny really, and in a place where everyone knows everyone, one death is enough to make the entire town mourn. When the town died and he was left alone, he mourned for the entire town. Now all that was left was survival, finding and scavenging off the remains of what had been the Eastern seaboard of the United States.

He had made some good distance in 3 years with only a bike to carry him. He had been to Augusta, Atlanta, Nashville, Raleigh, Richmond, Pittsburgh, and now he was headed for New York City. It was as best a place as any. Alone, he was utterly alone. The idea sort of depressed him. Now he always kept the chamber of the revolver at his hip full of blanks, just in case he got desperate one minute and didn’t have time to stop himself.

He would have kept the gun empty. The harsh reality was that earth without people was more dangerous for the individual. Once before he had reached Atlanta, an escaped bull had attacked him. He barely saved his life by climbing up a tree. Even then the bull had torn the tires off his bike. The scar he carried on his right arm had taught him that lesson. Don’t have anything that can kill him, but enough to scare off wild animals.

“GRUMBLE!!!” His stomach started to growl and remind him of the necessities of the body. He lightly slid to a stop. “I know I know. I need to feed you. Well according to the map we’re only a mile from a community college. There should be some canned food there.”

Libation Community College was founded in 1961 in order to continue the education of the population of Libation County. That didn’t matter anymore. The disease, the epidemic as Tetsuyo called it, hit the world like a mallet. It killed those who were touched by it, even going so far as to disintegrate the corpses into a fine pasty residue. That had disturbed Tetsuyo. He had wanted to at least cremate his mother; nature is the cruelest denier. Libation County had been no different; however, its esteemed Community College had thankfully carried much in the way of canned food.

Tetsuyo walked silently past the creaking open door; a backpack holding it open. He shivered at this and lit a cigarette to calm his nerves. Some poor student, probably the last of the school, had perished at that door.

The hall was quiet, dark, and foreboding as Tetsuyo’s lonely footsteps creaked down the corridor. “Cafeteria” He said as he read the sign. He would ignore that place; most likely all its food had rotted away many years ago. Storage was what he was looking for. The canned fruit would be most appreciated, fresh wild onions were beginning to wear on his stomach and he hadn’t found any fresh cans for almost a year.

“BANG!!!” The noise had jolted Tetsuyo from his search, making him swing around wildly, quickly drawing his revolver. He clicked the hammer back to put the fresh round in and slowly walked forward. The noise repeated itself. He knew wild animals or abandoned pets were well known to hang around in the remnants of civilization. He took a long drag on the cigarette. He slowly crept into the pitch black room.

“Dammit. Where are those peaches?” Tetsuyo jolted from hearing the human voice; especially a feminine one. “I thought they carried them. I’m so tired of those rancid apples.”

“FREEZE!!!” Tetsuyo jumped into the room, aiming his revolver wherever it went. “Who are you and what are you doing here? And um please stand in some light.” He sweatdropped and backed out of the room so that the light from an open window could flush in.

The girl did as she was told, walking into the light with her hands up. She had dark blue eyes, and was slightly shorter than Tetsuyo. She had a confused look on her face, as she tried to fix the ponytail on her head. Obviously the sandy brown, waist length hair, was not in the mood to cooperate with her. “Sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t realize anyone was here. Um my name is Julie.”

Tetsuyo was about to jump up for joy. Not only had he found someone els

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