Before You

“Have you ever tried leaving the city?”

Ian laughed, “since everything thats happened, there’s only one way out and thats a bridge at the edge of town. No way you’d make it though.”

“He’s right,” Aiden added. “The bridge was destroyed in an air raid and because the water source attracts wildlife, it also attracts hungry undead. Its crawling with them, you’d never make it across alive.”

I thought this over for a minute, but it didn’t matter. I had no other choice, no other way. “It seems to me its our only chance. We still have some bombs left. We can plant them in a few nearby areas, set them off to draw them away. Should give us enough time to make it over.”

My plan seemed to be making sense, and the others discussed it together. Finally, Aiden said, “We’ll go tomorrow morning, use this time to rest up, gather supplies and anything else we need.” He said the last part as he looked at Taylor out of the corner of his eye. She looked worse today. Much paler, not very active. Slept more than usual. Her breathing came in erratic spurts. It’d be a miracle if she lived through another night. Of course, she won’t get the chance to. Earlier that morning, Aiden, Ian and Bree had the tough discussion about how they should take care of Taylor. Bree didn’t say much, but Aiden and Ian agreed it was best that they shoot her. Make it quick and painless. It would be done in a few short hours, after we’ve gathered supplies.

Everyone split up, carrying a bag of some sort. We were to get water, food, medical items, ammo, anything we’d need. Elexus walked over and sat down on the bed adjacent to mine, leaning in close. I could feel her breath on my skin and it caused a small tremor to run down my spine. She whispered, “Are we really going to drag this bunch along with us?”

Of course not. I don’t need baggage, extra weight, or drag along beacons for cannibalistic homosapiens. “We’ll leave in the middle of the night, be long gone before anyone wakes up.”

She gave a sleight nod to her head and walked back to her own bed, grabbing the small pack she had acquired sometime along the way. I grabbed my own and headed out of the sick bay. The cafeteria of the hospital had been cleaned out, there wasn’t much left. Anything that was, had been rotted. The few vending machines had been broken into, knocked over, glass littered the floor and bags of various salty and sweet snacks spilled out like guts from a wound. I started grabbing handfuls of whatever was there, cutting my hand in a few places in the process. The fridges, although empty, still held a few cases of lukewarm water. I threw a couple bottles in and kept looking around, opening one and letting the liquid slide down my throat.

After wondering down a few hallways I decided to head back, deciding there wasn’t much else to see when I bumped into Ian. Well, more or less Ian had bumped into me, on purpose, trying to get a rise out of me. To stir something, so he’d have a reason to hit me. Not that he didn’t have one already but he needed something to tell Aiden should he have to explain himself.

“Don’t think I’m not watching you. I’ve got my eye on you and that little bitch of yours,” Ian was practically spitting his words, giving me a good shove on his last word.

I smirked at him, deciding on whether or not I want to waste my breath or just knee him in the stomach when Ande comes around the corner with blood on her shirt and tears in her eyes.

“Taylor is coughing up blood. Aiden says its time. They are taking her around back. We are going to say our goodbyes,” she choked on the last word, trying her hardest to control her sobbing. Ian shoved past me to comfort her. I started walking back to the room.

Despite having nothing to do with this, I was keen on watching them shoot a little girl with tears in their eyes. I don’t know what that emotion meant. I haven’t cried since I was a Trainee, years ago. It was almost fascinating. Sure, I let other emotions seep through occasionally, but nothing but rage, hate and a little bit of cockiness. I earned it after all.

The atmosphere was grim, even though the sun was shining. It seemed peaceful, with the woods just beyond as still as ever. It was almost like the world stopped just for this one final event. From my understanding, Taylor thought this was a game. Ande gave her a hug, and said she wasn’t playing. Those were the only words she could get out with out losing her composure. Afterward, she walked in and we wouldn’t hear from her for the rest of the day. Bree was up on crutches against Aidens wishes for her to stay in bed so her leg would mend. She wasn’t having it, and he didn’t try to stop her. Elexus and I were there in case they couldn’t do it. We’ve done our fair share of killing. No doubt they have too, but I doubt they were prepared to take the life of an innocent child. Something we had no problem doing. Ian held the gun just behind him, casually as to not draw attention. Something about that scenario didn’t surprise me. Aiden was sitting with Taylor in the grass with a stuffed bear I’d seen her carry around a few times. He was whispering to her. I had no idea what, but I guessed it had something to do with the so called ‘game’ she was excited about. Bree decided to say her goodbyes last night, now she was watching like a masochist, witnessing the girls final minutes.

Part of me wondered if the girl knew it was coming. That she'd seen the ending of this particular story enough times that she wasn't scared, or even preferred it over the alternative. I guess I wouldn't blame her. Did I mention she would have made a good agent?

Aiden then spoke up, “Okay Taylor, look out there, at the woods. Pretend there’s an audience. Everyone you know is there. Your mom is smiling at you. They want you to sing to them. That song she use to sing to you. You remember?”

She shook her head and smiled before closing her eyes and she started humming the tune. Aiden backed away so he was standing with Bree and the rest of us. Ian held the gun up as she started singing the words. Bree couldn’t take it anymore, she turned and made her way inside. Aiden went after her, hearing her curse loudly as she pushed through the doors. It was just Elexus, Ian and I now.

“You mind?” Ian said, the gun in his hand was unsteady. His whole body was shaking and his hand trembled. I seriously doubted he’d be able to do this.

Elexus walked up to him and attempted to take the gun, but he pulled away, shoving her hand aside. “I said leave.”

With out another word, Elexus and I turned and walked through the doors back inside. Bree was on the floor in a heap, crying, Aiden holding her. Her crutches were strewn on the floor at different angles.

A moment later, a gunshot blasted through the hallways, echoing its way through the quiet building. It resonated in our ears, like a resounding absolution.

“It was for the best,” Elexus said breaking the silence that followed.

Bree stopped sobbing, and wiped her eyes. She took in a few deep breaths and started to pull herself up. Aiden tried to help, but she shrugged him off. When she was standing, she took two very unsteady steps towards Elexus. And slapped her hard across the face.

“You don’t know anything. I was like a sister, no, a mother to her. I feel like I just lost part of my family all over again and the only thing you can say is ’its for the best?’. You are a heartless bitch.” Bree started walking away. Aiden picked her crutches up with out saying a word and walked after her.

Elexus stared after her, a feint blush of red now marked her cheek. She knew Bree was angry and wanted to take it out on someone, and she had every right to take it out on Elexus. She wanted her to feel something. Remorse. Guilt. Anger. Anything.

Ian came in a moment later, gun in hand, face reddened and damp but blank, with no sounds escaping his lips. We watched him get into the utility closet a few feet down the hall and pull out a shovel and a bag.

Neither of us asked questions, neither of us offered to help. We knew he would be out all night digging deep enough to hide the smell of her bloody, rotting carcass. Why he didn’t just burn her like the rest was beyond me.