We got up around nine and ate breakfast a bacon sandwich with ketchup for me brown sauce for Earl. "We have a new companion as well as more supplies."

"what do you mean we have a new companion. The supplies I can understand straight away. But companion what."

"come with me. You need to meet her."

"ooh her what's her name."

"Jessie"

"sounds cute."

"she is very."

I knew I was getting him excited for the wrong reason. But it was too easy. We went out to the kennels.

"what's she doing in there."

Then the penny dropped.

"she is a dog." I couldn't help myself I started laughing. His face was a picture.

"sorry mate it was too easy. JESSIE COME ON GIRL."

Jessie came bouncing out of her shelter and up to the gates of the kennel. Earl stepped back away from the metal gate. Jessie was jumping around in circles barking happily.

"SID how do we know that she is safe."

"seriously look at her. Have you ever seen a dog so happy? I fed her last night and she didn't attack me."

I chose to leave out her little trick. He can find that out for himself. He stood back for a minute.

"OK, your right she is cute."

He bent down and gave her a stroke through the gate. I opened the gate and she jumped up at us both licking and spinning around in circles. I fed her while we finished getting ready to set off. We noticed a land rover defender on the drive. So we looked around the house for the keys. I found them in the kitchen draw with all the keys for the cars. Earl was waiting for me by the pickup. As I and Jessie walked towards him. I tossed him the keys to the defender.

"THINK FAST," I shouted and the keys hit him in the chest and dropped to the ground.

"what are these for." I pointed to the defender.

"your new upgrade."

"nice one." a big smile came over his face.

"you're going to need your own wheels and a four by four will be needed where we're going. Follow me."

We set off to the first farm on my list of places to try Jessie got in the passenger seat of my l200. I wound down her window as we were driving she stuck her head out tongue flapping in the wind. When we got to the first farm it was not what I was expecting. The road to the farm was rough. We had to drive slowly. Me because I had my Vespa on the back and didn't want to damage it. Earl because he was behind me. What we saw was devastating. The whole place had been burnt to the ground. The farmhouse and barns the milking shed. The diesel and oil tanks. All gone there was still smoke coming out of the ashes in some places. We pulled up side by side and got out I left Jessie in the car. I didn't want her running on the Ash and burning her paws.

"I think we have to look around to see if there is anyone here."

Earl started to walk to the left I went right. It looked safe and I couldn't see a reason to stay together. I had. Lost sight of Earl when I spotted a note on a tree about twenty meters from the fire. I ran to it hoping for some good news. I got the note it read this was my farm. My wife and boys turned my farm was all I had left. But I couldn't go on without them so I set my place on fire. If you are reading this I am dead I had the balls to walk into the flames and go to my family. Take nothing it's mine signed Allen Joan's. Poor Al he must have lost it. Shame he burnt everything though. I think to myself. I meet up with Earl and tell him about the note.

"right we have spent enough time here we need to get moving. I think it will be dinner time when we get to the next spot." I say to Earl.

"do you think that we will find anyone else that isn't sick," he asks.

"Yeah, definitely we can't be the only two. If we are I still wouldn't sleep with you ya ugly basted." on our way back to the cars. I spot a small herd of cows at a quick count I see around twenty to thirty. I gave Earl a nudge and point in their direction.

" well come back for them as soon as we can."

" do you know what you are doing with them? "

" nope. But I will work it out and learn."

We got back in our cars and set off again. We were driving on some tight country roads when I saw a bird flying but it seemed injured in some way. It came swooping down at my car and back up again. It made several passes before it made a mistake and I hit it with the front of my car. Out of curiosity I pulled over and got out to see what damage and what bird it was. First, there was no damage second the bird I hit was a wood pigeon. I have seen lots of these things in my life and never seen one act like this. Earl walked up to me.

"you OK boss. What was that bird's problem."

"I'm fine, not sure about the bird though come on let's keep moving. We have to find somewhere to stay today before night."

Jessie was snarling quietly. Earl was already inside the land rover.

"what is it jess. Easy girl, it's OK shhh."

I whisper to her gently stroking her head at the same time through the open window. A rustle came from behind me and she jumped. I dodged to one side fearing she has turned. I turned to see where she was and saw she had the pigeon pined under her front paws. I ran to her and saw the pigeon trying to peck her but the way she had it pinned was keeping her safe. It didn't take a long look to see the bird was infected. I walked over and put my boot on the birds head and squashed its skull.

"good girl come on back in the pickup." I opened the door and she jumped in we set off again slowly until we got back onto the road. We drove for another ten minutes until we got to the driveway of the next farm. I pulled over and walked up to Earl's window.

" We are going to have to go in four by four hear the hill is too steep not to. We will get to a very sharp bend about halfway not slow down or you will not get up the hill. OK."

"you go first and I will do exactly what you do." I got back in the pickup the road wasn't as rough as Allan's but it was tighter. I had put it in low box and was going steady around fifteen miles an hour. Earl was doing the same the drive was three-quarters of a mile long we both got round the bend and went up the rest of the way with no issues. At the top was a nice pebbled parking area. We both pulled up there were no cars about. I got out and went to Earl.

"let's see if anyone is home." we both went to the door after checking the windows. There was no sign of life. I knocked there was no answer so I tried the handle with no joy it was locked. I looked under flower pots by the door to see if there was a key, there wasn't. Earl asked.

" what now."

"I guess we wait they might come back." it seemed like the only luck we were having today was it wasn't raining I had packed a pack of cards and we started playing rummy on the tailgate of the pickup. We had been waiting for an hour when we heard the engine of a vehicle. We put the cards away. Jessie had been having the time of her life running around sniffing things occasionally crouching down and snarling softly at what I couldn't see. A Suzuki Grand Vitara came up the hill. I waved hoping that I would look friendly. I had all my get up on and so did Earl I had given him my spears. The car pulled up alongside me and the window wound down.

"Hi, sid you're a sight for saw eyes."

"gaz Lucy thank fuck you guys are OK. How did you know it was me."

"your pickup has your name on it dumb ass and your Vespa in the back. Who's the other guy."

"This is Earl." Earl reached in and shook hands. I got ready to ask the question.

"We don't have a lot of time if you say no."

"no to what."

"Can we stay here with you guys I think somewhere like this is going to be the safest place and we can all survive?"

"did you really have to ask?"

"is that a yes we can stay."

"no now get off my land" gaz left a pause. Then laughed.

"cause you can dick head. Let's get parked up." they parked up and we all went inside. After we had eaten and told our stories to each other we unloaded. Gaz and Lucy were impressed with the weapons. Earl was furious.

"WHY THE FUCK DO WE NEED GUNS. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THEM. I thought we were friends." gaz and Lucy exchanged looks with each other.

"can we have a minute please guys." they got up from the table and left the room.

"look Earl I know how you feel about violence. Would you have agreed with me taking these? No is the answer we have been attacked a few times now and we have had to deal with them up close and personal. With weapons like these, we don't have to every time now."

"that's not the point yes you might have had to convince me that they were for the best. What matters is that you lied to me. We have to trust each other. Without trust we have nothing." this hurt me more than getting knocked out.

"Earl I'm sorry. I let you down and made assumptions without giving you a chance. We are in this with me you gaz and Lucy. You did nothing to deserve being lied to and I know I'm in the wrong. Sorry means a lot to me and I will never forget how I made you feel. I know that it will take a lot from me to make our friendship work but I will do what it takes."

"pussy that was a long-winded speech just to say sorry. I understand why and I'm over it now thank you for seeing your mistake. Now let's move on." we shook hands and I got my weed and vodka Earl got four glasses and we went to the other room with gaz and Lucy and got pissed and stoned. Late that night we all went to bed.