Crossbow Hearts

We’d been driving along slowly for the past 5 hours. I didn’t want to wake Caleb from his slumber, but I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I needed to pee badly. I pulled to the side of the road the best I could what with all the cars piled up on the highway it kind of made it hard.
“Caleb, sweetie. Caleb I need you to wake up.” He blinked his eyes a few times and rubbed lazily at them with his small hands.
“Why Jamie I’m tired.” He yawned curling back up again.
“Cos Caleb I need the bathroom and you know you have to be awake to make sure no Z’s come by.” He looked at me fear showing in his bright blue eyes. Before he would have screamed and cried, but know he was used to it. He pulled open the glove compartment and handed me one of the radios we had handing it me and grabbing one for himself. He wasn’t my child, but I was proud of him at only 7 years old he had quickly come to terms with the fact the world had ended. That he would never see his mom and dad ever again. And that I was the only who could look after him. We had stayed with a group for a while, but they were violent and when the group’s leader had tried to rape me I put a bullet between his eyes grabbed Caleb and fled. We hadn’t come across any other living humans since.
“If I’m not back in 10 minutes…”
“I know Jamie, I’m not to leave the truck. I’m to drive like you showed me. But you will be back. You always come back.” I smiled at him and his confidence in me. I kissed the top of his head and climbed out taking my baseball bat with me. I heard learned fairly quickly that the Z’s were attracted to sound and a gunshot out here with all these vehicles that could be hiding hundreds of Z’s was not a good idea. The top of my bat was covered in nails to make sure that I killed the Z’s with one good hit. I stepped into the woods as quietly as possible my ears pricked for the slightest sound. Once I had gotten a little ways away and checked I was alone I finally relieved myself. As I was zipping back up I noticed what quite possibly looked like a light. It was blocked by all the trees so I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. I grabbed my radio.
“Hey Caleb I’m going to be a little longer. Stay in the truck, I may have found something.”
“Ok Jamie, but hurry up. I don’t like it here.”
“I will.” I started to pick my way through the woods. I was making my way up an embankment when I heard the scream. It was a man and he was screaming blue murder. Instead of running the other way as would be sensible I couldn’t. If I could help I would. I ran bursting through the brush to see a single Z on top of a man snapping at his face and trying to claw at his stomach. I ran forward and with all my might I swung the bat into the Z’s face. A sickening thud that I had come to enjoy rang in my ears. I was aware that somebody was running towards us as I rolled the Z off the man ready to take another swing on the off chance it was still alive. It wasn’t and it seemed I had come just in time. The man’s chest was red raw and his shirt was ripped to shreds. The other man reached us a crossbow in his hand and trained at my head. I clasped the bat between my hands ready to defend myself. The old man on the floor shakily sat up running a hand over his chest.
“T-thank you.”
“You alright old man?” The other man asked.
“I’m fine Daryl thanks to this young lady, so if you could stop pointing that crossbow at her.” The man named Daryl let his arm relax still holding the crossbow but at his side. I looked between them, trying to figure out how much of a threat they could be. “I’m Dale are you on your own?” He asked me his hand out, but both my hands were tightly wrapped around the bat. I didn’t want to say if I was alone or not for Caleb’s safety. But before I could answer more people were running towards. I took a step back. How was it possible that there were so many people?
“It’s ok they’re our friends.” The old man Dale soothed. There was a man in a cop uniform he was the first to reach us.
“Dale are you all right? What happened? And who is she?” He asked pointing at me.
“I’m fine just a little shaken. Be dead if this young lady hadn’t appeared and dealt with that walker.” The man with the cop was glaring at me, it made me feel uneasy. I still had yet to release my hold on my bat.
“Well thank you ma’am. I’m Rick and this is Shane…” He went on to name the other people that had arrived men and women as well as a young boy about Caleb’s age. “We aren’t going to hurt you if that’s what you think.” He told me pointing at my bat. I let the bat swing to my side.
“I’m Jamie.” I said ignoring his offered hand. Static suddenly broke out from my hip.
“JAMIE Help!” Caleb’s cry had me high tailing it back into the woods. I didn’t care what was around me, I leaped over logs blasted past trees. 5 minutes later I was on the highway 10 feet from where I had entered into the trees originally, there were four Z’s pounding on the car. I didn’t hesitate as I ran forward my bat connecting with one Z, I turned to the next, but was knocked to the ground. I waited for the others to attack me. For my life to end, hating myself for leaving Caleb to fend for himself. But it didn’t come I managed to wriggle free the knife I had with me and drive it through the Z’s head. I rolled it off me panting and looking to see the other Z’s down. The trucks door opened and Caleb flung himself at me.
“Jamie did it bite you?! Don’t leave me Jamie, you can’t die!” He sobbed almost strangling me with how tight he held me. I looked up as a shadow fell over me to see the man with the crossbow, Daryl I think his name was. He was scowling at me and muttering curse’s under his breath.
“I’m ok sweetie, don’t worry. Told you I wouldn’t leave you, told you I always come back.” I smiled and kissed his forehead. I moved him so I could stand up while still holding on to him.
“You leave a kid to fend for himself?!” Daryl snapped.
“When there’s just the two of us at times I have to. Especially when food is needed.” Who did he think he was to judge me?
“Jamie! Daryl is everyone ok?” Rick the cop shouted running towards us.
“Fine.” Caleb had stopped his tears and fell asleep. He always fell asleep at the strangest of times.
“Come on we can all fit in your truck and go back to the farm. You look like you haven’t eaten in a while.” I was unsure, but Daryl was right I shouldn’t have left Caleb we needed to eat too and they couldn’t be that bad they had a child with them. The other group didn’t and they all dressed the same, they had a look that if in normal society you saw them would have you running in the opposite direction. But this group all looked different they were a mix match of people. Maybe it would be safe. I climbed into the passenger seat Caleb on my lap allowing Rick to drive. The man Shane and Daryl climbed in, Shane still glaring at me and Daryl eyeing me and Caleb curiously. We would soon see if it was safe to be with these people or not.