Left for Dead

The mud I had gotten caked all over the side of my face was now hard and irritating my skin. Sitting up straight in the middle of the boat watching the sky become lighter as dawn was only a few hours from happening, I picked the mud off from my now sore face. I wasn't focusing on the irritating dried mud as much as I was pondering the thought of what life will be like? Will we survive this? is the military still looking for survivors? Is there ever going to be another New Orleans? How much time do we have left? These multiple questions raced through my line of thought.

"Here... Virgil gave me this to give to you" Rochelle said as she sat down carefully beside me hanging me a damp cloth.

"Thanks, Row." I mumbled placing the cool damp cloth against my cheek, removing the remaining mud.

"Think of it as a mud mask...?" Rochelle winced trying to make the situation better.

"It's just mud... no biggie." I replied quietly setting the once clean cloth beside me.

Rochelle rested both arms on her knees and stared up at the sky. I could tell that she was deep in thought but I could also sense that something was bothering her, and not just about the zombies and hell on earth around us, but something more. I continued to look at Rochelle, unaware that I was staring at her. She sighed before looking back at me without saying a word.

"I'm sure he's fine Row..." I soothed knowing immediately what was bothering her.

Louis...

"I feel that he is too but what about the others back at that motel? those kids... those people... I just. I don't know. The thought of all of them still bothers me knowing that they refused to go on any longer, just stay there and make the best out of the situation." Rochelle choked out before placing her face in her hands.

"I think about them every god damn day..." Coach said joining into the conversation as he too sat down beside us.

"We need to go back and get them." Rochelle stated causing Coach's jaw to drop.

Going back after all of the shit we have encountered would be dangerous and we'd likely be killed. Life as we knew it was now dog eat dog. We couldn't go back. Not right now anyways. They've survived as long as they have, there was no doubt in my mind that they were okay. I'm grateful to have met the group that I did. When the virus first started everyone was against eachother in a panic, fewer and fewer people started to offer help to other survivors...I thought for sure I was done for after I was left alone, stranded in that safe room that I met the others at.

"We can't go back just yet Row.. not without help.." Coach replied calmly.

"Go back?" Sasha questioned as she overheard our conversation. Here we go.

"We can't go back. Are you nuts?!" She added.

"They're stranded there scared!" Rochelle defended as she stood up and raised her arms at Sasha.

"If we go back, were dead. Not happening" Nick joined in against Rochelle.

Coach stood up slowly and stood beside Rochelle. I slowly got up and made my way over to Ellis who's attention was now turned at the bickering group. Tension was building between Rochelle and the others. A few raindrops broke my concentration off of the bickering crowd. Great... Just what we needed. Rain. It didn't help that I had a headache forming from lack of eating and lack of sleep. The last thing I wanted to listen to right now was everyone argue.

"They made their goddamn choice when they decided to stay at that God awful motel." Sasha stated with a face full of resentment.

"They need help more so than we do." Rochelle said between gritted teeth. Coach placed his hand on Rochelle's shoulder, holding her back.

"Then they should have came." Sasha replied in disbelief of what Rochelle was argueing with her about.

"I think everyone can agree that we need to get to help in order to even think about going back and helping them as well." Nick piped up, trying to keep the peace.

"Worrying ourselves is gonna do nothing but make us lose focus." Sasha started but was cut off by Rochelle..

"Unlike you, we worry about each other. Maybe it was easy for you to leave all those people behind, but it wasn't easy for any of us." Rochelle spoke for the group.

Sasha scoffed before she immediately slapped Rochelle across the face. Within a split second Coach had pulled Rochelle back who was now about to lunge at Sasha while Nick scolded Sasha and tried to drag her back. The two girls managed to get through Nick and Coach's grip as they grabbed at eachother's hair and shirts, throwing punches and slapping each other. Before I could realize what I was doing, I was in between both of them. Rochelle was my first friend and I knew how it felt to be worried about if someone is alive or not. Short amount of knowing Ellis, I was in love with him and I know for a fact that Rochelle is in love with Louis.

I pushed Rochelle as hard as I could away from Sasha and spun around, pulling my arm back as far as I could, creating a fist and slamming it straight into Sasha's jaw sending her flying back into Nick. I had hit her as hard as i possibly could have hit her. Nick and Coach stared at me shocked as I officially lost my cool. I began to throw multiple punches at Sasha who surprisingly didn't even bother to defend herself by hitting me back. Ellis ran behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off the ground, carrying me away from Sasha.

"Have you guys lost it?! what the fuck is wrong with all of you?" Ellis yelled placing me down on the other side of the boat.

"Like the goddamn zombies aren't bad enough?!" Nick added.

"You're out of fucking line." Coach scolded me which I was taken back at considering he too was defending Rochelle.

"Like I care. None of you mean fuck all to me. Once we get to help I'm out of here. Those people are better off finding help besides any of us." I angrily spat as I pulled myself roughly away from Ellis who still had a hold of me.

"I hate to interrupt you folks... but we're gonna have to find some gasoline if you want to make it to the bridge." Virgil interrupted, silencing everyone.

"You don't have any?!" Coach asked in annoyance.

"I've been on this boat the whole time... getting gas is more of a job best suited for you folks... I'm a fisherman, not a killer..." Virgil replied.

I slowly turned and faced the dock that Virgil was slowly taking us towards. I could hear the moans and groans of the undead near by. The rain was now a light shower and it was evening time now. We only had a short amount of time to find some gas.

"Where the fuck do we find gas?!" Coach roared.

Gas... zombies?.. fighting... great