When the Sun Goes Down

I switched off my radio, cutting Zac Brown Band off rather quickly. Their cd had been playing for hours upon hours and I could only take so much. I looked back in my rear view mirror and smiled warmly in Mama's direction. Her hand was gently stroking Abby's hair, who's head lie sleeping in Mama's lap. Mama gave me a smile before looking back down at Abby. Abby had been upset, not specifically with me, but about her mother all day.

Her eyes had swollen severely from the tears and her cheeks were stained a bright pink. If I could have saved Matilda any faster, I would have. Abby seemed to have grown to Mama quickly, but then again, Mama had a heart of gold. She takes to her mother role very well. I wasn't sure if Abby knew whether or not I was the one to kill her mother, but regardless, I would have changed time to keep her happy. Just knowing that I shattered the mother - daughter love only put a pain in my heart.

I looked back up to my rear view mirror and watched as the dark SUV piled over dead bodies along the road. I knew Ryan was driving - there was no sympathy or care in the driving. I let my knuckles tighten over the steering wheel and growled lowly. If there was a certain person within this group that I could not stand, it would be Ryan. He seemed so arrogant and obnoxious. He clearly wouldn't care to put a bullet in between any of our eyes, with the exception of Sean.

I let my eyes fall back onto the road, in fear I might hit another car or person. I gasped slightly when smoke started to rise up from the hood of my car. Mama coughed slightly and asked, "What's the smoke from?"

"My car is over heatin'."I reached for the walky, telling the guys I had to pull over.

I found the clearest spot I could and stopped the car. I turned it off, waving the slight amount of smoke away from my face. I turned back toward Mama and the sleeping Abby before quietly saying, "I'll be right back. I'm goin' to check what's wrong under the hood."

We were so close to our destination. We were just along the Virginia border, but my car had to start over heating. It had been okay this whole time. I could only wonder what was wrong with it now. Ryan, Sean, the twins, Romeo and Noah escaped their cars to investigate what was going on under my hood. Romeo stepped over, gently pushing Connor and I aside.

"Watch out lady and gent, I got this."Romeo popped open the hood and cracked his knuckles loudly."I used to work on my Uncle's cars down in Mexico."

"Bet his Uncle stole'm."Connor whispered.

"No."Romeo glared."He borrowed them from junk yards."

"This should be good."Murphy smiled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Romeo stuck his hand in between multiple metal blocks. He poked and prodded certain wires before pulling back a burned hand. From what I could presume were Spanish curses escaping his lips, he looked in my direction and sighed.

"Your radiator shifted. Must have been from the hit. Tore a hose. I could cut it and put it back in, but you're gonna need radiator fluid."He shrugged.

"Where the fuck am I supposed to get radiator fluid?"I groaned.

"You can use water for now, but eventually that wont work anymore."Romeo suggested.

I tugged Murphy's coat closer to my body, afraid that it would blow open with the soft breeze. That was another thing on my list to get - a shirt, even if it was from a run down shop.

"Here ya go, lass."Noah handed over a water bottle and I thanked him for it.

Within a few minutes, Romeo had cut the torn part of the hose and squeezed it back into place. I popped open the bottle and poured it slowly into the radiator of my car. It sizzled and popped as it poured in, but according to Romeo, that was perfectly fine.

"You're going to need it soon. We can't keep filling it up with water. Your car should be cooled off by now."He stated.

"Thankyou, Romeo."I smiled.

"You break down again, I'm not stopping."Ryan growled.

I turned toward the hunky mass of anger and glared angrily in his direction. I crossed my arms angrily over my chest and spat, "You know Ryan, no one's makin' you stay. You can get on down the road if you very well please."

"Not without Abby."He commented.

"Abby is very well fine with makin' her own decisions."My eyes flickered to the backseat of my car, where Mama watched the commotion."I don't trust her with you anyhow."

"She's our survivor."Ryan said angrily.

"You don't own her!"Romeo eyes switched back and forth between Ryan and I.

Noah placed a hefty hand to his face and shook his head. The twins simply watched on, as did Sean.

"I do now. Matilda isn't here to say shit."He smirked.

"Matilda told me to take care of her little girl and that's what I'm gonna do."I let my arms drop and clenched my hands into tight fists.

"Matilda's dead."He rolled his eyes, only making me angrier.

"I can't wait 'til you're infected, Ryan. I'm gonna -"I was cut short by Noah's thick shouting.

"That's enough! There will be no more fightin'. This is a game of survival. We're all in it to win, so let's keep the peace."Noah growled.

"Aye."Connor said, nodding his head in Noah's direction.

"You're right, Da."Murphy sighed."We're almost there anyway. We can set up camp and you two can sleep far away from eachother."

I opened up my car door and hastily got back inside. I watched as the boys climbed back into the van, but I more kept my eyes on Ryan. I didn't like this man and most likely never will. I let my eyes scan down to the gun on my seat and I let out an aggrivated sigh. The last bullet in my glock had his name written all over it.