Those Woods

Departure

This chapter is dedicated to my awesome friend, @Kathythewriter14. Thank you so much for being my friend and letting me be your friend. Thank you for everything. Kathy, you make my day. Always be this amazing.

                                               "And we are coming back soon."

She was lost in her own world when they chatted. Suddenly a question popped up in her mind and her face darkened.

"What happened? Why the sad face?" Rick asked.

"I was just thinking about what your family will say. Don't you have to meet them?" She asked slowly.

"I can meet them whenever I want but I don't want to leave you with a bunch of strangers, Rose, I saw how you feel in a new place and I don't want a repeat of what happened in camp," Rick explained.

"Right, Rose, not everyone will look at you in a good way, and we don't want the risk," Ethan explained, "And our family is supportive, and this camping is just for 8 days, don't worry for us, we'll come with you."  

"You're coming too?" Rose asked widening her eyes. She didn't want them to come with her instead of going to the family.

"Is that even a question?" Ethan asked chuckling, "You are important Rose, and to us not in the way why they put you here who are responsible for your amnesia. You are special to us, and we are not going without you."

"You are so generous, thank you," Rose said sniffing.

"Wait, why are you crying, idiot?" Shawn patted her head, the misery of this poor girl really concerned him.

"What were you thinking? We are not that bad to betray you," Landon said.

"We are getting you home," Murphy said packing the bags.

"We are always sticking together no matter what," Shawn said wiping away her tears.

"Just know that we all are here for you, Rose," Rick reassured her.

"Right," Cooper said. They all shared a group hug, it was something that they did, but this time, Rose was also there.

"What are we?" Rick asked.

"Family." They all said in unison, this was new to Rose, She grinned, "Family." 

Family, was a big word for her, the same word that kept her sane and determined every single day.

"And what do we do?"

"Stick together," Rose said. "And eat brains when we become zombies," Shawn said.

"Shawn, Shut up." Alex chuckled.

"Okay, let's do it again." Ethan said," What do we do?"

"Limp together." They said in unison leaving Rose in confusion. "Why limp together?"

"It's what we always say, It has a meaning," Tyler said.

"What?" Rose asked confused.

"It means in the run in life, if any of us is hurt and have to limp for moving forward, we are not going to leave him for our own benefit, rather we will also move with him even if it means we have to limp, we would help him till the last breath because that's what families do, stick together," Rick explained.

"Wow," Rose smiled.

"So, we all are going," Cooper said grinning.

"About that," Rick scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "Sorry, but only 4 of us can go, they need 4 more people, I'm really sorry but some of you have to go back."

"What? But didn't we say we are going to stick together as usual? We also want to help her." Tyler said madly.

"Yes, we all are going to take her home but some of us are going to the camp, some of us are going back and we will meet you when we get a clue about her family. We all are going to be by her side, it's just for 8 days, for that time, you have to take rest and gather strength for the next mission." Rick explained.

"We are not children, Rick, but I support what you say," Zarry replied sighing, " Some of us also have to stay out of the forest and find out about her family,

"Right, you have to find out as much information as you can outside the forest," Rick replied.

"So, who is going?" Shawn asked.

"Of course, you are going," Blake said who just came in.

"I know," Shawn rolled his eyes.

"They need a chef, so Ethan is going and also someone who is specialized in nursing, so Murphy is going, they have some workers but I think they need Landon or Zarry."

 "Landon will go," Rick said," Zarry, you need to do something else."

 "Rick, you are going right?" Rose asked slowly.

"Obviously, I'm coming, don't worry," Rick said smiling.

"I said I'll go," Alex said, "Please."

"Sorry, Alex," Rick sighed," I need you and Zarry to take care of something more important." He motioned Alex to come outside, they went somewhere in silence.

"What?" Alex asked. Rick handed him over a piece of paper, more specifically the letter Rose found. "You are good in decoding. Please it's very important, don't let anyone else understand this thing or simply the fact that you have it."

"Okay." He nodded, " Take care of the others and take care of you, okay?"

"I will. And you too." Rick said, "Inform our families."

"Will do." They went inside and saw the tired people already sleeping finding their own personal space. They fell asleep.

The next day they were ready to leave. Rick and his group bid the others goodbye.

"Rose, although we are not there we are always in support of you, mentally we are with you," Zarry said to her, after a while Alex, Tyler, Cooper joined. "Take care." She said crying. "Will do. You too, Rose." Tyler said, " I wish you could meet my family, our families, they would love you."

Then everyone gathered there. "Alex, Zarry, Tyler, Cooper, and all of you thank you very much for being my friend, for helping me."

"It's okay," David said ruffling her hair,"It was a pleasure to meet you, so caring even to the person who didn't like you or thought you in some other way. Take care, kid." She nodded sniffing.

"I'm sorry if I hurt any of you in anyways," Rose said and then went to Beckham. "I'm sorry, you are in this situation, I'm really sorry." She said looking at the ground.

"It's okay, I don't know why I said that, it was just..... I don't know, I'm sorry too, I wish we could meet again and I could be your friend, I was not jealous of Shawn or Rick, I was just jealous of your so rich and pure friendship with them. I never saw that. Thank you, Rose, for saving my life." He said looking at the ground, "You are a good person. Beck, and of course, we are friends," she smiled causing him to smile too, "Okay, we are good now, right?" he asked grinning. "Yeah." she smiled. "Take care, Rose."

"You too." Then she went to Gally and the rest of his supportive team, "I know you may not like me, but I'm sorry for everything."

"Okay," Gally said shortly and some of the others waved at her.

Then she came back to Rick. They huddled together just like last night and shared a group hug.

"Goodbye, Take care" Rose cried. "Don't worry we are coming back soon," Alex yelled as the jeeps started to move. Her vision got blurry as she stared at the jeeps getting smaller and smaller and fading away in the fog slowly.

She hugged her knees and cried more. After so much time finally, she could call someone her family, why they had to go? Why?