No Longer Saving Yourself

"They should be back by now," Rian mused aloud. Alex and Jack nodded, worried for their friend as well as the girl who offered them an opportunity to escape.

"What if one of them got hurt?" Jack's voice raised at the end in alarm.

"Or they could just be waiting to come back when it's light out. It's easier to spot them when you have full light," Rian explained. What was left of All Time Low had minimal encounters with the undead, but those were enough to terrify them.

"Rian's version is definitely more rational. I mean, we've survived here for months and Annie has been on her own a while too. For them to just end up dead now is unlikely." Alex sat back, feeling a little more comfortable with his explanation. There was a collective sigh.

It was nearing the time when the sun should be rising. However, they had no way of knowing time. Opening the window to check wasn't an option. If it wasn't light yet, the light from the candle would illuminate their location. It couldn't be done until the candle was out. But extinguishing the wick was wasting another match. They were low on supplies. None of them moved to do either task, deep in thought and paralyzed out of fear and worry for the other two.

"We're going to have to check them when they come back," Rian said sullenly.

"Naked chick!" Jack exclaimed. Alex just sighed, while Rian hit him upside the head with his palm.

"I think we'll be letting Zack do that. You saw how he was looking at her when she was explaining her plan for getting out of here. And he could probably vouch for her anyway. He would know and he knows how dangerous it could be," Rian said.

"But like you said, there is definitely something going on there. His judgement might be clouded," Alex countered. Rian winced slightly, thinking of his own girlfriend who was still out there. He was unsure of her state and wasn't sure how he would find her anyway. It had been so long and they had done some moving around too. He could only assume she would be doing the same.

"Annie doesn't seem to be one to lie though," Jack chimed in. "She wants out of here as bad as we do."

"True. Basically we do what she says until we think she's untrustworthy," Alex said. Her plan seemed the best option and she seemed to know what she was doing. She did say she came from somewhere else.

"Once it's light, I say we go looking for them." The three boys nodded in agreement, settling back against the wall and waiting for the sun to rise or for their friends to return. Whichever came first. All three were hoping they would return, bringing the sun with them.

**********************

"Merry fucking Christmas!" Jack exclaimed when Zack and Annie finally came through the door. It was around ten AM and the sun was already up.

"Christmas is correct," Annie replied. The date was twelve twenty five. The lack of snow made the five forget the holiday. Texas wasn't one for giving way to cold temperatures during this time of the year anyway.

"I think we need new cars for Christmas," Annie said, grinning enthusiastically. The rest of the room's mood raised with it.

"I say we pack up and don't come back," she suggested. Alex, Jack and Rian looked at each other, remembering their "follow her lead" plan.

"We don't have a lot, and there are enough of us. Let's do it," Jack said. Zack looked at his friends skeptically. They were ready to up and take off just because Annie was saying to; something very unlike them.

Fifteen minutes later, the five ventured out into the streets, careful of the noise their feet were making.

"It seems the most logically place would be North," Annie said. "But I have no idea which way North is."

"I do!" Alex said, excited he could contribute. Looking around for a moment, he pointed. "There!"