Status: Am still trying to write, but school is keeping me really busy
Hopeless Wanderer
Eight
I approached the clearing expecting to find water. I didn’t want to believe my eyes. Will gently tried urging me forward to investigate but my stubborn feet stayed planted into the dirt. “Will,” I whispered. “I can’t. Not again, at least not yet.” Eyes scanned for an escape route. I knew it was pointless to go back the way I came, but I also didn’t know how many more people there might be. The last thing I wanted was to accidentally stumble across their camp. My feet began their retreat well before my brain. My weight caused a fallen tree branch to nearly crack in half. I froze at the sound, and cringed. My eyes shot immediately over to the man and the boy in front of me. To the least of my surprise, I found two gun barrels pointed in my direction. How long would I have to stand here before they’d move on?
I watched them as they unknowingly watched me. The boy seemed too comfortable in this world. He held the handgun as if it were a natural extension of his body. Absolutely no fear registered in his eyes, despite the fact that I could be some flesh devouring rotter. Or worse: another human hell bent on getting my hands on what little he had. An overwhelming desire to cry for him came over me, but I fought it. Even if this whole mess were to clear up tomorrow and we all went back to living in our cookie cutter houses in nice, safe suburban communities, this world shaped this young man. Instead of of baseball games with friends, I imagine he’s been bashing in the heads of rotters. No school dances, no being grounded, no driving lessons in abandoned parking lots.
I couldn’t stand to look at him any more so I looked to the man at his side. He stood in a protective stance, slightly in front of the boy. He manifested confidence but it was still there in his eyes. That small amount of fear he will probably never completely eradicate. My eyes traced over his bright eyes and dark facial hair. I couldn’t help but wonder why Will didn’t look like that now. He always had trouble growing any sort of facial hair and no shave November was a laughable event, but even after so long his jawline remained perfectly smooth and clean shaven. Even the apocalypse wasn’t enough to stir his beard to grow in now.
After just minutes of waiting, the pair lowered their weapons and went back to whatever they were doing. They seemed to be looking for firewood. I tried again to back away, much slower than before. Despite my caution, the weight coming back off the branch only caused it to creak again. No way these two survived this long assuming everything is right as rain in the world. They won’t be so quick to pass me off as an animal again.
“Carl, stay here. I mean it!” Carl rolled his eyes, but appeared to take the order. His gun pointed right at me. He could kill me with one nervous twitch of the finger and he didn’t even know it yet. This man slowly, silently, moved in my direction. If I ran now, would he still be able to hit me? Surely he’d have to realize I’m alive if I’m not rushing towards a meal. Would that stop him, though?
Will made sure I knew I couldn’t keep standing there, waiting to be attacked, but I couldn’t decide which plan of action held the least amount of risk. “Shut it, Will, I know!” I hissed through a clenched jaw before I could stop myself. My eyes widened as I realized what I’d done. The man must’ve heard me because he faltered for a moment, his barrel lowered slightly away from me. “Now look at what you’ve done,” I moaned. Whether I was complaining at Will or myself, I couldn’t be so sure.
“Hello?” I froze, still hoping he might be willing to believe I was just a deer or something. “Who’s there?” His barrel raised defensively back up. I couldn’t just wait for him to find me first.
“I’m guessing you won’t believe it if I say nobody and run off?” I sighed. I took a couple heavy steps forward, hoping if he could hear me he might at least wait to shoot.
“Slowly,” he demanded. Don’t worry, buddy. I’m not in that big of a hurry to meet you, either. “Keep your weapon down,” he advised. I looked down at the axe and crowbar hanging in their makeshift holster but put my hands up in the air by my chest for added security. I could tell I came into view when he uttered, “Jesus, you’re just a girl.”
“Hey!” Although honestly, I’m not sure what I was exactly objecting to. I suppose I thought with the world ending the gender line wouldn’t matter any more.
“Where is Will?” I looked around, slightly confused for a minute. Did this man see Will, too? Was that even possible? “I heard you talking to him, where is he?”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about him,” I confessed. “Billy Boy is dead.” I don’t know why I used his parent’s nickname for him. I guess it was easier saying his parents’ boy was dead than admitting the man I loved had been torn open by a flesh desiring monster before my very eyes. His eyes scanned the trees, obviously looking for a rotter. My right index finger tapped against my temple twice. “He only exists here now.” That hurt so bad admitting out loud. I almost immediately apologized to Will for it, but assumed now wasn’t the time. My life had to come before my delusions right now. Surely Will will understand. Stranger scanned the trees again and put down his gun.
I watched them as they unknowingly watched me. The boy seemed too comfortable in this world. He held the handgun as if it were a natural extension of his body. Absolutely no fear registered in his eyes, despite the fact that I could be some flesh devouring rotter. Or worse: another human hell bent on getting my hands on what little he had. An overwhelming desire to cry for him came over me, but I fought it. Even if this whole mess were to clear up tomorrow and we all went back to living in our cookie cutter houses in nice, safe suburban communities, this world shaped this young man. Instead of of baseball games with friends, I imagine he’s been bashing in the heads of rotters. No school dances, no being grounded, no driving lessons in abandoned parking lots.
I couldn’t stand to look at him any more so I looked to the man at his side. He stood in a protective stance, slightly in front of the boy. He manifested confidence but it was still there in his eyes. That small amount of fear he will probably never completely eradicate. My eyes traced over his bright eyes and dark facial hair. I couldn’t help but wonder why Will didn’t look like that now. He always had trouble growing any sort of facial hair and no shave November was a laughable event, but even after so long his jawline remained perfectly smooth and clean shaven. Even the apocalypse wasn’t enough to stir his beard to grow in now.
After just minutes of waiting, the pair lowered their weapons and went back to whatever they were doing. They seemed to be looking for firewood. I tried again to back away, much slower than before. Despite my caution, the weight coming back off the branch only caused it to creak again. No way these two survived this long assuming everything is right as rain in the world. They won’t be so quick to pass me off as an animal again.
“Carl, stay here. I mean it!” Carl rolled his eyes, but appeared to take the order. His gun pointed right at me. He could kill me with one nervous twitch of the finger and he didn’t even know it yet. This man slowly, silently, moved in my direction. If I ran now, would he still be able to hit me? Surely he’d have to realize I’m alive if I’m not rushing towards a meal. Would that stop him, though?
Will made sure I knew I couldn’t keep standing there, waiting to be attacked, but I couldn’t decide which plan of action held the least amount of risk. “Shut it, Will, I know!” I hissed through a clenched jaw before I could stop myself. My eyes widened as I realized what I’d done. The man must’ve heard me because he faltered for a moment, his barrel lowered slightly away from me. “Now look at what you’ve done,” I moaned. Whether I was complaining at Will or myself, I couldn’t be so sure.
“Hello?” I froze, still hoping he might be willing to believe I was just a deer or something. “Who’s there?” His barrel raised defensively back up. I couldn’t just wait for him to find me first.
“I’m guessing you won’t believe it if I say nobody and run off?” I sighed. I took a couple heavy steps forward, hoping if he could hear me he might at least wait to shoot.
“Slowly,” he demanded. Don’t worry, buddy. I’m not in that big of a hurry to meet you, either. “Keep your weapon down,” he advised. I looked down at the axe and crowbar hanging in their makeshift holster but put my hands up in the air by my chest for added security. I could tell I came into view when he uttered, “Jesus, you’re just a girl.”
“Hey!” Although honestly, I’m not sure what I was exactly objecting to. I suppose I thought with the world ending the gender line wouldn’t matter any more.
“Where is Will?” I looked around, slightly confused for a minute. Did this man see Will, too? Was that even possible? “I heard you talking to him, where is he?”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about him,” I confessed. “Billy Boy is dead.” I don’t know why I used his parent’s nickname for him. I guess it was easier saying his parents’ boy was dead than admitting the man I loved had been torn open by a flesh desiring monster before my very eyes. His eyes scanned the trees, obviously looking for a rotter. My right index finger tapped against my temple twice. “He only exists here now.” That hurt so bad admitting out loud. I almost immediately apologized to Will for it, but assumed now wasn’t the time. My life had to come before my delusions right now. Surely Will will understand. Stranger scanned the trees again and put down his gun.