A week.
It took us seven whole damn days of non-stop work just to dig the foundations for the root cellar and the lab.
Mind you, the first couple of days were spent mostly on marking up the digging locations with Glenn and getting the guys familiar with the bulldozers, but still, I totally underestimated how intense the workload was going to be.
Working under the hot Georgia sun all day, every day for seven days straight, using shovels on the areas that the bulldozers couldn't quite reach, was exhausting.
But the important thing is, the hard part is over.
Jacqui had already previously consulted with Jenner on the specifications of the lab that we could build using what available resources we have and what we could get.
She made use of an already available lab scheme that I had brought back with me during one of my earlier days of scavenging in libraries.
And what a fortunate find that was.
She made some simple modifications to it to make it achievable to us, and that saved us months of planning—months that would be spent doing other important things.
Now, all that's left is going out to secure the last building resources that we need, such as steel rebar, sand, concrete, and bricks.
I turned back to the guys, wiping the sweat from my forehead. "Good job, everyone. The hard part is over. Now all that's left is getting the rest of the materials back, and we can start building."
"Hell, about damn time," Merle rasped, leaning against a shovel.
Daryl just grunted from the side, spitting into the dirt.
Then, Rick asked the important question that was on everyone's mind: "When are we going out to get the materials?"
Silence fell among us for a moment.
I looked past them, glancing up at the setting sun dipping below the tree line.
"Tomorrow," I said. "We'll go tomorrow. I've passed by many construction sites on my scavenging runs, so we don't have to waste time sending Glenn to scout ahead this time."
Rick and the others nodded, the tension leaving their shoulders a bit.
"Work's done for today," I told them, raising my voice a little so the rest of the crew could hear.
"Go on ahead to the kitchen, get some food, and rest up. Tomorrow we're leaving early to secure the supplies."
The guys didn't need to be told twice.
They piled their tools next to the earthmovers, stretched out their sore backs, and chatted casually as they headed toward the house.
I watched them go for a second, feeling the faint ache in my own muscles before I followed suit and headed toward the temporary setup we had rigged for Jenner.
I found him inside the makeshift laboratory space, surrounded by crates and the equipment we had managed to haul from the CDC before it got blown to bits.
He was tweaking something on a countertop, looking as tired as the rest of us.
"Jenner," I called.
He looked up, blinking. "Zephyr? To what do i owe the pleasure?"
"Just wanted to tell you that the foundation for your permanent lab has been dug," I told him, letting out a tired breath. "Tomorrow we're going out to get the remaining supplies needed to start building, and the day after that, construction can officially begin."
A look of genuine relief washed over his face.
He actually smiled, the heavy lines on his forehead smoothing out. "That's fast work. Good. Soon I can finally start working on your blood, Zephyr. We need to see what we're dealing with, and if we can find out a cure or a vaccine."
"Woah, one step at a time, doc," I said with a smirk, holding both hands up.
Jenner let out a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that, Zephyr. I'm just too excited that we might finally have a way to cure this."
"I know, doc," I said gently. "But take everything one step at a time."
Jenner nodded, regulating his breathing.
"Get some rest tonight, doc. We'll talk later."
Jenner nodded, already turning back to his notes with a bit more energy than before.
I left him to it and made my way over to the kitchen for dinner.
The kitchen was already packed and noisy by the time I walked in.
The smell of hot food filled the room, and the loud chatter of everyone winding down after a brutal week of physical labor was almost deafening.
I grabbed a plate and sat at my usual spot at the head of the table, and waited for a moment when the noise died down enough for me to speak to the whole room.
I cleared my throat, getting their attention. "Listen up, everyone. The foundation of the cellar and the lab has been dug. It took a lot of sweat, but the groundwork is officially done. Tomorrow we're heading out first thing to retrieve the rest of the construction supplies so we can start the building phase."
The reaction was almost immediate.
People looked up from their plates, a collective wave of excitement and relief passing through the group.
They were excited at the idea that we're finally gonna have a permanent place for food storage, and the lab prospect gave them something real to look forward to.
The mood in the room instantly lifted, and people started talking loudly about the farm's future.
I sat back down and dug into my food, listening to the clinking of silverware and the renewed energy around the table.
We still had a long way to go, and tomorrow was going to be another rough day on the road.
But looking at everyone now, I knew we were moving in the right direction, and that was good news.
Because nowadays, everyone had one chance and one chance only to secure a future, and fucking that up usually meant dying, or at the very least, being under the mercy of another.
And to be honest, I don't fancy myself dying or becoming someone else's slave.
(To be continued...)