Amnesia

Broken Promises

When we enter the bookstore together we see everyone gathered together and talking. Jose gives me a look of pure frustration. Anne is biting her lip, her eyes doubtful. Brenda seems to be contemplating while Johnny sits on the floor next to the group of people looking half awake. They are all speaking over each other with the other group of survivors and I begin to get nervous that there was some kind of argument of disagreement on something important.

"What did I miss?" I ask Johnny as I kneel down beside him.

"They want to join us," Johnny says. He shows no emotion on the matter. "I don't really care if they stay or go, but we need to go soon."

"Why do you say that?" Chris says nervously.

"Because your sister doesn't have much time." Johnny looks away as he continues to speak. "I don't think they killed her yet, but she's definitely being used by the men and I can't stand the thought of it. It's been biting at me while they've been arguing."

I hurry over to Anne, knowing that Johnny is right. I remember what they said to me. If I had lasted any longer there without the group, I'm sure I would have been going through some horrible experiences. "Anne!" I shout over the commotion.

Anne turns to me with wide eyes. "Alice, help us out. They want to come on the journey with us."

"Then let them come," I say. "We need as much man power as we can get. Think about it. We've barely had enough people to scavenge. If some of us get injured like we did before, we wouldn't stand a week with the amount of people we had. We came across these people at a time of dire need, so I say we take it. We might not be so lucky next time. Plus Naoto is a doctor, we need him."

Anne nods her head and turns back to them. "Okay, you can come."

Jose throws his hands up in anger. "We're going to let them in?"

"We need them," Anne says. "Now more than ever. Especially if we're going back to the neighborhood to get Kim."

Jose doesn't have any good facts to disagree with so he gives up. "Fine. Everyone get your bags. Keep a weapon out for safety. We're leaving now."

"Are we ready to leave now?" Brenda asks.

Everyone stands around nodding their heads as they retrieve their items.

"Then we're going now," I say. "Let's look for some cars."

Outside the sun beats heavily down on our heads and exposed arms and legs. I can feel myself extremely sunburned. The strap of my bag rubs against my burnt shoulder and chest, making every step uncomfortable. Anne helps me along the way as I limp. I'm on my way to recovery but the pain is still horrible.

Johnny and Chris also get help from Brenda and Jose because they are both as weak, if not weaker, than I am.

The other group moves along faster than us. They aren't as weak, but they aren't strong in avoiding danger. I get nervous every time they kill an infected because of how close they let them get. But even though it causes me great anxiety to watch, their moves are effective.

We roam around the parking lot looking for useful cars. Ten minutes are spent and wasted because all the cars are either locked, keyless, or contain a dead body or three. Looking into the cars make me upset because of the rotting bodies inside. It sickens me, making me want to stop the mission all together because I can hardly handle it. Though I should be used to it by now, seeing a poor child in the back seat of a car slumped over it's bloodied teddy bear will never be something you get used to seeing.

I turn away from the cars and ask Anne if I could sit down for a little bit. She allows me to go sit in the shade of a small tree and continues on looking through the cars. I watch as the two groups come together to search for a working vehicle.