Don't Get Eaten

Chapter Sixty Six

I fell asleep.

Not sure for how long but when I opened my eyes I could see the rays of the sunset disappearing from the window. It was starting to get dark and normally this would cause me panic, but I felt anything but that.

I was curled up on the bed surrounded by all the clothes that I had taken out of the closet. I felt stiff as I rise in a sitting position. It was quiet in the house, and I wondered if they all had left me here on my own since none of them really cared about me anyways.

But then...that wasn't true.

I scan the room as my eyes felt puffy and swollen from all the crying and jerked in shock to see Ezekiel and Tanya both sitting on the ground near the window, her head on his shoulder while his was leaned back as they were passed out.

Looking away, I scoot myself to the edge of the bed on the opposite side of them. I reach down where my pack was hastily thrown to the ground next to me. I open it up to discard some of the clothing I had in there and replace it with some of Zared's instead. My movements must have woken them up as I hear scuffles against the floor behind me.

I don't bother to let them know I heard them as I continue to stuff my bag with as much as I possibly could. I wanted to take it all, but there was just no way. I keep his favorite jacket out and slip it on after taking the one I was currently wearing off. There was a picture of him, Seth, and Mateo showing goofy faces and it made me crack a small smile.

Taking it out of its frame I shove that in my pack too, along with our second grade class photo. I feel like nothing has changed being here other than me wanting to leave this world behind. Standing up my eyes catch the object on the wall above the bed.

His prized bow hung on the wall along with the championship medal. I would have been royally pissed if I had seen this back in the day, but now pride just welled in me that he had been that good to win a championship. But the little note attached underneath took me by surprised as I read,

Jinsen should have won this.

My bow had snapped, causing me to be disqualified since I didn't have a replacement. But honestly, while it made my heart swell for him to think that about me I think he deserved to win. I go to turn away but stop myself.

Turning back around I don't think twice snatching the bow off the wall.

"Do you know how to use that?" Ezekiel asks.

"Yep." Was all I was willing to say on the matter.

They both head out of the room as Tanya snaps, "Fuckers left us here because they didn't want to wait for you. Good riddance is what I say, couldn't stand any of them anyways." Her voice fades as she walks out into the hallway.

Ezekiel shrugs and follows right after her, leaving me on my own in here.

Stepping up to the doorframe, my pack over my shoulder, the bow tightly in my hand, I scan the room one last time. I don't know if I'll ever come back here but knowing it will all still be here if I chose too gave me a type of comfort I didn't know I needed.

It was still hard to say goodbye, however.

Leaving this room felt like I was letting him go. I will never let him go, not even after death takes me. Instead of saying goodbye, I imagine his spirit standing in this very room looking at me as I softly say with so much emotion in my voice,

"I love you too."

And before I would start crying again, I gently close the door.

***

Before it got too dark, we found a place that was already partially boarded and stayed the night. Like I usually do I ignore the two that stayed behind with me, knowing that they didn't have too or that it wasn't warranted. I didn't care if they were with me or not. It wasn't like me to feel this way, but since Zared left me all alone I just didn't care about anything or anyone anymore.

I would try, but honestly I just didn't have it in me to even do that.

The next morning we had set out again only coming across a street that was worse than it had been the night before I was sure of it. Tanya gasped, holding her hands over her mouth with her eyes wide in horror. Ezekeil looked like he was going to be sick. I just stare at all the blood and pieces of human flesh and bones that were here and there.

The house we stood in front of was half gone leaving a trail of something in its wake. I look to one side of the street to the other, seeing a giant track that pretty much bulldozed through the houses. But whatever it was is long gone now.

Something catches my attention on the ground next to the porch. Without caring about what just happened here I briskly walk up to it and bend down to pick it up. Turning to face the other two I hold it up for them to see.

"That's Chris's lucky bracelet." Ezekeil whispers in dread.

Tanya gasps out again and quickly looks away. I drop the object that was covered in blood. The group that left us behind didn't make it after all. I don't say anything as I keep moving on, the others quickly following me.

See? What was the point of caring when they were all going to die anyways?

The stench of blood was thick in the air, and I knew that by nightfall this place was going to be overran by monsters from the foulness it was reeking. The others don't talk as we continue on our way. I wasn't walking in any particular direction since there was no direction I wanted to go. I felt like I was in an endless void forever walking to a destination that didn't exist.

After a few more hours of aimless wondering, before I knew it, I was surrounded by another very familiar area. I stop in my tracks can't believing where my feet were taking me. Even though my heart begins racing, anxiety hitting me and panic arising, I don't stop myself as I suddenly start running.

"Jinsen?! Hey, Jinsen wait up!"

"Where are you going?!"

Ignoring the two I run down the familiar road, breathing heavily, my chest tightly squeezing within me. Just to my left was the bend to the hidden dirt path that was covered in brush and trees. An unwanted feeling of desperation filled me for an impossible reason that wouldn't go away.

Not caring for the branches and twigs hitting me in the face as I pushed them out of my way, the pounding in my heart was getting worse as I turn on the path and come to a dead stop staring at what was in front of me.

I was desperately holding myself back, desperately trying my best to keep it all in. My breath comes out in large gulps just staring at the foundation of the old mill. I hear the running footsteps of the others come crashing behind me until they both come to a complete stop just to my right side.

"Where are we? What is this place?" Tanya breathes just as heavily as the rest of us.

I don't answer her. Instead I take a step forward, afraid of what I was going to find. But I had to know. I had to see it for myself of what had happened here after I was roughly pushed off the roof of this very building.

Because it didn't look the same from what I remembered. In fact, the roof above in the front was completely caved in now, leaving a giant hole for anyone to see through. And before I lost my nerve, I head straight for the opening.