Zombies 5

And Found

Wynter had been tracking Walker's trail through the forest for an hour with little success. Though she felt she was getting closer, after tracking him through several areas of thick underbrush and across two small creeks, his scent was growing faint and his tracks were becoming harder to locate amongst the debri littering the forest floor.

Despite the growing difficulty of tracking Walker, one thing stood out to Wynter, she could smell that Wren was with him, but there was only one set of tracks. The size of the tracks also told her Walker had made them, but if Wren wasn't walking with him, that meant he was carrying her.

Wynter's stomach turned as that thought settled into her mind. If Walker was carrying his sister that could mean Wren was hurt. If that was the case, she needed to find them fast.

Wynter pushed through another patch of thick underbrush and found herself in a large clearing. She looked around and a strange sense of familiarity overcame her. She knew this place.

Wynter walked further into the clearing and that's when she saw it, a bare patch of wood with no bark on an old, dead oak tree. Wynter walked over to the tree and ran her fingers across the faded markings, three paw prints with initials carved into the center of each one, W.L.L. (Willa Lennox Lykensen), W.D.L. (Wyatt Dale Lykensen), and W.S.B. (Wynter Sage Barkowitz).

She remembered when they did this. It had been years ago, back when they were just pups themeselves, romping through the forest.

"Willa! Wyatt! Wait up!" 10 year old Wynter cried, running after them through the forest. It was a cloudy day so the forest was darker than usual, making it harder for her to keep track of her playmates. "You're going too fast!"

"Or maybe you're just going too slow!" 10 year old Wyatt called back over his shoulder as he continued to run. "You're gonna have to learn to keep up!"

"Yeah!" 10 year old Willa agreed, peering over her shoulder as she ran. "Hurry it up! We're almost there!"

Wynter groaned but continued to run after them. The two ran into a clearing then stopped at its edge. Wynter grinned and used the opportunity to get ahead of them, laughing as she ran past. "Who are the slowpokes now!?"

Willa's eyes widened as Wynter ran further into the clearing. "Wynter stop!"

Wyatt waved his arms for her to stop. "Come back!"

Wynter ignored their pleas and continued to run. Suddenly, her foot got caught and she fell forward, her ankle twisting as she hit the ground with a loud thud.

"Aaaaaaah!"

"Wynter!" Willa and Wyatt cried as they rushed to her side.

Willa dropped down on her knees beside Wynter as Wyatt kneeled beside her foot which was caught between two rocks that were poking out of the ground.

Wyatt grabbed Wynter's ankle to free it, only have Wynter jerk away in response.

"Don't touch it!" Wynter cried. "It hurts!"

"I know it hurts." Wyatt replied sympathetically. "But we have to get you unstuck. It'll only take a second. Just hold on."

Wyatt slipped one hand under her knee and the other under her heel before quickly lifting up on her leg, freeing it from the rocks. Wynter yelped in pain, sending a set of fresh tears down her cheeks as Wyatt laid her leg gently back down on the ground.

"Better?" Wyatt asked gently.

Wynter nodded, choking back a sob. It felt better to not have the pressure of the rocks against her ankle, but it still hurt. Alot.