Atlanta 2015

"Luca did you see him!" Taylor exclaimed. I turned to my kid sister, she was beaming. It had been a long time since we had seen another survivor, a year or so actually.

We had been walking out of Atlanta in the woods when the girls spotted a boy on a large black horse he was followed by a black wolf looking dog.
The boy seemed very in tune with his animals the horse had sensed us and he picked up on it immediately. It concerned me that he was headed towards Atlanta there was nothing there no food, not even water bottles.
"What should we do? We can't just let him go get eaten. Luca" Morrison said in his southern accent he held a shotgun over his shoulder.
Taylor and I had found Morrison in Louisiana. He was an exceptional leader and my right hand man. The one person I truly trust to make decisions in my absence.

"Yes I know but we can't risk all your lives going back" I said although still in thought on what to do. Some one had to go back for the kid, the city was infested and he had no warning it wasn't right to let him go in like a lamb to the slaughter.

Penny sighed loudly letting her distaste for the situation known. Penny got on my nerves very quickly always second guessing me and always trying to find a way out of contributing to the group. A slacker is what my grandfather would have called her

"I'm not going and neither is Greg" she said icily snatching her boyfriend Greg's hand.

Her mother Myra was about to say something when I interjected "I will go" Taylor immediately protested I raised my hand to silence her -"I know the layout pretty well... ill be fine" I said as soothingly as I could to my sister.
We had lost everyone that meant something to us when the plague happened, for awhile it was the two of us until Myra and Penny; throughout the years we found the rest of the group. She would worry no matter what I knew my sister well enough

Quickly I grabbed my bow and quiver to defuse the situation "ill be back by sundown" were my parting words to Morrison and the group "If I don't return by then go on ahead. I can take care of myself if this boy needs persuasion" Morrison nodded turning his attention to the group.

I could hear him giving orders as I headed back through the low hanging branches of the path. As I neared the city I began thinking which way the boy would most likely have taken. The highway in was too open and exposed, the suburbs would be less dangerous plus the boy had a horse and dog.

"What would he do with them while he went into the city?" I thought.

I continued along a path that led to an old elementary school when I saw the black horse standing in the baseball field grazing. I squinted to try and see better, a few feet from the horse barely visible in the tall grass the black wolf rested; it seemed to be on guard looking around once and awhile. Getting closer to the fence I spotted the horse's equipment sitting on an old chair no bags were there so the boy must need supplies badly.

"You left them somewhere safe." I thought looking around the field and surrounding area "now where are you?"
Quickly I jogged to the front of the school looking down both streets, he made his way towards downtown. That was the obvious route since the boy was looking for food and supplies.

Hopefully he's a good shot. I shivered remembering a street the group and I came across that was full of zombies.

It seemed like a long walk when I came across the first undead corpse, I could tell it was a fresh kill, black blood splattered the ground and a perfect hole in the forhead added to the things already ugly appearance. Hope swelled in my stomach that I would find this kid alive and in one piece.

Honestly I hate the city in its day it was a bustling hub of human activity now the once alive city lay in shambles buildings crumbling, buses and cars littered the streets. Bones of long dead people and zombies were everywhere you look or stepped.

The hair on my neck stood up as I cautiously made my way through the cars, experience had taught me not to get too close to the cars. Once when the plague started I saw a woman get her ankle ripped open the fucker was underneath the car and grabbed her. So no going near cars unless I check them out first my sister needed me alive not dead.

Crash!!

Startled I aimed my bow in the direction of the loud noise slowly walking over to the building it came from, an old mini mart. Its doors broken and ripped off their hinges dust and debris covered the floor some of the isles where still standing others lay on their sides. I crept slowly peeking between each remaining isle at the last one I found the boy. He was crouched with one knee on the ground aiming a crossbow at me.

"He's alive!" All anxiety I previously had was now gone.

The kid was definitely not a boy he was masculine and broad shouldered grey eyes and black hair. He was wearing black jeans and a jacket with the sleeves rolled up. His eyes were wide with fear and confusion, crossbow still at the ready.

Slowly I lowered my bow before raising my hands showing that I was not a threat. "Its ok I'm not gonna hurt you. My group and I saw you headed towards town. We wanted to warn you that the city is overrun." I explained.

The boy seemed to process that information for a moment before he responded his voice gruff.

"Are you sure?" He asked disappointment evident on his face as he looked around "I need freaking food. Fuck." He swore loudly before brushing past me exiting the isle. "Hey! Aren't you gonna say thank you. I risked my life to come here and warn you" I said anger began boiling in my stomach as I grabbed the guys arm.

He seemed startled by my little outburst eyes glued to my hand wrapped around his arm "yea sorry thanks. My name is Seth. Where did you see me?" Seth asked quietly, voice laced with curiosity. He's rather cute to be completely honest from afar he didn't seem so spectacular hot guys are hard to find now a days.

"We saw you on the highway, now can we get out of here and somewhere a little safer?" I asked as he looked up and down the street, Seth seemed just as nervous as I was about the city. The only thing there were leaves, bones and old cars.

Thankfully

"My names Luca by the way"

"Luca, Nice to meet you I hate to be rude but I need to go get my animals and find food and whose we?" Seth said his voice was very thick like he was sincere but I could tell he already made up his mind. Got to love a man who knows what he wants.

"I'm the leader of a small group of survivors, I have food and water in my bag enough for tonight at least until we find them" Seth interrupted me eyes dark as he brushed strands of hair from his eyes.

"Survivors where are they? And who said I was going with you?" he had a look on his face that told me he was gonna be hell to convince to stay.

Sigh I can never get a break