The Dead Are Living

I fell back and leaned on a nearby tree. I crossed my arms and looked over at the two people laying down beside each other. Our new 'partners'. I shook my head at it and grabbed my shotgun and pulled it over my lap as I leaned my head back on the tree to attempt sleep. Until I heard Luke's voice. "It won't be that bad, ya' know?"

I sighed. "Fuck that!"

"Why you got to be like that?"

"I don't trust people, especially because of the shit we're in. That guy seems questionable and I bet that girl can't even hold a gun... Much less shoot one and hit an infected. She looks-"

"Don't be mean! Sure, I don't trust them either but-"

I leaned off if the tree and looked at him. "Then why in the Hal were you being so nice, open and immediately trusting of them?"

He shrugged. "If I were mean we wouldn't have gotten anywhere. You didn't make a great impression either. They probably think your a bitch..."

I shrugged. "I don't care what they think about me. I am who I am. I am tough, skeptical, watchful, and I don't trust people. The last time you and I trusted what we thought was a human we-"

By this time he came over and knelt down by me. He grabbed my hand. "Don't talk about that."

I nodded.

"Just give them a chance. Please? At least trust me. You trust me, don't you?"

"Yeah. Of course I do. Your the only one."

"Give them a chance then?" He said. "It would mean a lot to me."

"I'll give them a chance but I won't be soon to trust them and I won't be nice and inviting."

He nodded. "I'll take it." He walked back over and layer his head on our backpacks and closed his eyes. "Good night, Jade."

I layer my head back on the tree, closed my eyes, and said one last thing before I went to sleep and slept longer than I had in a long time. "Nite, Luke."

0o0o0

I woke up the next morning to see everyone was still asleep. I grabbed my shotgun and used the end to poke Luke with it. He grumbled and turned back over. I let out a small smile. "Hey, Luke."

He grumbled.

"We need to go find something for breakfast."

He shot up. "Food sounds great!"

I rolled my eyes and held out my hand. He grabbed it and I lugged him up. I grabbed my backpack from where he had his head laid. He grabbed his machete and a knife. He began to follow me but he stopped. "What about them?" He asked as he pointed.

"They won't wake up... Probably." He took the answer and he followed me through the woods. We shot a bird and a squirrel. I looked at the measly amount of meat in Luke's hand. "That's not enough."

"We'll find more. Look for bigger game."

I looked around and my eyes were sat on a rabbit. I reached into my backpack and pulled out a collapsible bow and a I pulled my single arrow from the side pouch. I aimed and shot. The rabbit was hit through the chest. I ran to it and pulled out my knife, slitting it's neck so it would die sooner, and not suffer as much.

I picked it up and gave it to Luke. "Let's go back and cook this. We have enough to feed the newbies too. See? I'm trying to be more nice!"

He nodded. "I'm so proud."

We made it back to the campsite to see Vector and Kennadee still asleep together. Luke started a fire while I skinned the animals we caught. We used some salt we found in an abandoned house to season and we used sticks to cook the food. We ten put the cooked food on a large boulder nearby.

"Go wake them up." Luke said as he put the last bird on the rock.

"What?"

"This is a chance to be nice."

"I'm not good with people. I hate people, except you."

He made a go motion with his hands. I groaned and got up from my seat by the fire and I walked over to the couple. I tapped on Vector's shoulder. "Man, wake up."

He suddenly shot up and swung his hand at my face. I grabbed it before he could make contact with my face and I twisted it, hearing an audible crack. What we both did was only reflex. He from being woken up by something during.a zombie apocalypse and me from doing that same move when an infected swung at me.

He grabbed his hand, and let out a moan. I let my draw drop. "Shit! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

He used his good hand to wave it off. "I should apologize, I swung at you first. Don't worry about it."

I grabbed his hand and flipped it over. "It's probably broken. We found a first aid kit yesterday. Let me help you."

He nodded and I led him over to our campsite. Luke gave me a look. "Just go wake up her! We had an accident." He left to do as I said.

We sat down on the ground. We sat cross legged in front of each other. I pulled the first aid kit out, opening it and pulling out the bandages. I grabbed his hand and began to twirl the bandages around his palm and finger.

See? This is why I shouldn't be nice! I'm terrible at it.