Chapter 56 - Cracking Bones - Arthur

Her eyes shot up and she nodded.

"That's a deal, maybe you could really tell me where you've trained." she said as she looked at me.

"She still thinks I'm Spec Ops or something." I said in my mind.

"Well, you'll see later." I picked up the pistols and holstered them, then I cracked my knuckles.

"You like cracking your bones, correct? Please lay down, I'll do something." She said as she motions to the bed. I was curious on what she would do so I laid down.

She moved me in a position and then it happened.

*crrrackkk*

I feel several bones at my back cracking one after the other. I grunted with pleasure as each bone cracks with every change in position.

Olivia opened the camera and started on recording me. I never stopped her though since I'm enjoying the free massage.

"You're muscular but still very flexible, a perfect balance." She smiled as she traces her hands across my body.

"Kaley, you should try this…" I said with a euphoric smile.

Tatiana stopped moving her hands and she motioned for Kaley to lay down to take my place. I got up feeling refreshed while I pulled Kaley down.

She seemed reluctant to partake but Tatiana already got her in lock and she then started moving her hands. She felt it and then she let out m.o.a.ns that made Olivia uncomfortable. After a while, we noticed that Kaley is already asleep. Tatiana gave a proud look and she looked at Rin.

"Wanna try? I have a bed in my room…" she winked at her.

"Alright, Olivia, let's go down first yeah? Let's let them have their moment while we let your sister sleep. Tatiana stay here since we'll just be scavenging the other places and I need someone here yeah?" I dragged her down.

"But! Ah-" she tried to retort but I carried her like a sack of potatoes.

I just heard the door at Tatiana's room opening and closing then I went down.

"Sky! Let me down! She's just gonna give Rin a massage too, I just want to tape them do it since it's funny seeing your reactions!" Olivia said.

I sat her down and said, "You never had that talk yet eh? It's like this...". I carefully told her about the birds and the bees.

"I know about that! But they're girls, they wo- oh... I see..." her cheeks began to redden and she just nodded continuously.

"We just let them have their privacy, yeah?" I said as I ruffled her hair.

"Okay, stop ruining my hair!" she exclaimed.

I laughed it off and I heard Jared knocking on my open door.

"Sky? Everyone's ready now, you coming?" he said.

I just nodded and I got up.

"Where's Kaley and Tatiana?" Oscar asked. He's holding a new shotgun in his hands.

"They're resting for now; I think we could do the heavy lifting for them." I said.

We're driving past the house where Andrew's family was then Jonathan came out and decided to help with his sister. We passed by Alex's house and she also decided to help with his dad.

We reached the squatter area with the truck and the four who joined us were shocked at the scene.

"You guys did all these?" Alex said.

"Yeah, I'd like you guys to join us for the meeting later after we all eat with our families and friends. It's safe in this area now so you guys could walk outside without trouble." I told the four then they nodded.

"I'll tell my wife later. I believe my daughter haven't introduced us yet, my name's Arthur. I'm a PE teacher while my wife Amanda is a TLE teacher, we could contribute a lot to your group but we need a few days' worth of food. Can you help us with that?" he said.

"Absolutely, I can give you guys a few days of rations but I would like it if you could come it with us every day to save on gas and every other thing, resources are finite and it will be more efficient if we could prepare food at a single place and pool all our resources." I said.

The rest of the group started on piling the bodies and Oscar started on burning them with a controlled fire.

"That sounds good but I'd like it if we could just trade food and water for our contributions. Also, a gun for each of us would be good, for a start." Arthur said.

I raised my eyebrows and I looked at him sideways.

"This guy? A start?" I said to myself.

"Dad! That sounds like a great deal already, why are you being stiff? We already have guns at home though you wouldn't even let us use it." Alex said.

"This is none of your business Alex let me do the talking. We're talking business here." he said.

Alex gave a frown and she shook her head. She headed to the group searching the houses with Esther and Jonathan.

"Okay, business? Let's talk business." I said.

"Good. I can offer our services for food, water and guns." he said with a smug face.

"Asshole." I said in my head.

"Well what services do you offer?" I said with a straight face.

"I'm a PE Teacher, I could train you and your people. I know a lot of different exercises that could improve your physical bodies." he starts.

I looked at his potato body and I shook my head.

"What?" he said as he saw me shake my head.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I looked behind, it was Kaley pouting.

"Why didn't you wake me up?! Where's Tatiana?" she said.

"Oh, you were sleeping soundly, wouldn't want to disturb you. Tatiana is with Rin." I said.

"Hey! I'm still talking to you, aren't I?! Kids these days have no respect for the older people." he said with a frown.

"No." I said as I looked at him.

"No what?" he seems irritated now.

"We don't need a physical trainer; I can already do that for my people." I said.

"You have a degree for it too?" he said.

"No. I have this." I just pointed at myself.

"Laughable! I bet you're just a gym maniac who never does legs!" he shouted.

The rest of the group started on hearing our squabble and they are starting to gather a few meters away from us. Kaley has a frown on her face and she's looking at me seeing at what I might do next. Honestly, I'm starting to get annoyed by this guy. My friendship with Alex is the only thing keeping me from smacking his face physically.

"Gym maniac? That's new, look at yourself first before you blabber bullshit next time yeah?" I said.

"What?! I'm 50! I can't move the way I used to!" he tried to defend himself.

"I still don't think I need your 'service' for me, anything else?" I said.

He was taken aback, he said "M-my wife! She's a TLE teacher, she could teach you how to cook and plant and s-stuff."

He's starting to stutter as his bullshit is slowly crumbling in himself.

"Nah, we have a great cook and an awesome girl with a green thumb. Next?" I said.

He's shaking and his head is getting redder from anger, he looks at his daughter and he looks at me.

"How about my daughter? She could help you in many things, she's very athletic a-and she's smart too..." he said as he trails off.

"Asshole." I said in my mind again.

"She could help a lot; she beat me in basketball. I need able-bodied people in my group though what about the things you owe me?" I said.

"What things do I owe you for?" he asked.

"I made this place safe for your family, you could go out safely now. Kaley said you have a gun and you're willing to help our group last time in exchange for food, though where were you earlier when we cleared this small herd of zombies here? I almost lost a friend and though I doubt you could have prevented that from happening, you could have presented yourself to help us earlier if you're so eager to 'help' or is that bullshit too?" I said while looking at him straight in the eye.

"I-I..." he stammers.

Everyone was just looking at him shaking in frustration.

"Am I right? Did I hit the nail in the head? I extended my hand to everyone here so we could benefit each other. I get what you're doing, you're asking for 'more' help than what I've been giving everyone. I understand you're trying to give your family the best. I understand you trying to oversell yourself so you could get a bigger cut of the cake but that never works for me with what I'm seeing here. I never asked anyone here to thank me since we're helping each other and that's what family does. Some of them are not related to me by blood but I still consider them as such." I said.

The group was silent though they have bright eyes. However, he never stops shaking in anger.

"W-well, what the f.u.c.k do you need from me then?! I'm here aren't I?! How much do I owe you?!" he bellows.

"Dad! Stop being an asshole and apologize!" Alex shouted.

"SHUT UP!!!" he exploded.

"I really don't need much from you, I never really charge anyone for helping them. But for an asshole like you, that Glock 26 concealed in your hip will be fine, 'for a start'." I threw his words back at him.

His eyes widened and he almost choked. His hands are clenched tightly and it's slowly creeping on his hip.

"Dad?!" Alex shouted.