Decaying Hearts

Fallen Angels

Groggily I followed the faint scent of coffee swirling around the air. I glanced over to Isaac and Jacob's bunk that was empty, they must already be at the campfire. I stepped out of the camper, the sun was barely peeking over the treeline. 

"Morning sunshine," Isaac beamed from one of the lawn chairs, a steaming blue coffee cup in his hands. Before he returned to his conversation with Jacob.

I stepped down onto the dirt before approaching Carrie who was pouring a packet of instant coffee into a black coffee cup. I was grateful for the pallet of instant coffee we found in the stockroom of one of the stores nearby. It didn't taste as good as normal coffee, but it is a godsend in these times.

"Good morning, Mouse," Carrie hummed. She held the cup out to me, "Careful it's hot."

"Thank you," I mumbled, before ignoring her warning, bringing the mug to my lips. I was not a morning person, I needed some caffeine to be a pleasant person this early.

"You know Lexi looks up to you right?" Carrie sat on the lawn chair closest to her.

"Hm," I vocalized, taking a seat in the chair next to hers.

"It's why she wanted to go out and scout with you guys today," Carrie said, grabbing her cup off of the ground.

I pressed my back against the chair taking another sip. "She told you that?" I pondered.

"Yeah last night," Carrie quietly spoke.

I had no idea Lexi looked up to me. I felt a wave of nostalgia hit me, remembering when my parents told me I had to be a good role model, because my little brother wanted to be like me. A small smile formed on my lips.

"I'm glad she has you. I couldn't imagine being that young going through this all," Carrie's muddy brown eyes set on the treeline above the campers.

"She has you too. She shouldn't have to go through all this, but she's strong. She will pull through," I nodded at Carrie.

"We are leaving in ten minutes Little Mouse," Issac called out from the other side of the fire, glancing at the black watch on his wrist.

I chugged back the warm liquid, needing all the caffeine I could get. I lifted myself from the chair, about to go get ready.

"Stay safe out there, dear," Carrie warmly smiled at me.

Hastily I brushed my teeth and braided my long brown hair that hung to the middle of my back. I knew I should cut it, it would be safer, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I can't control a lot of things in this world, but my hair was one thing I could control.

I made sure my 9mm attached to my hip was fully loaded. Grabbing my backpack off of the ground, I threw it over my shoulders.I grasped the handle of my hatchet that rested beside the table. I went through a mental checklist in my head, ensuring I wasn't leaving anything essential.

I did a mix between a jog and walk to the Jeep, both Isaac and Jacob were already inside the vehicle ready to go.

"That was fifteen minutes," Isaac jokingly scolded the back of his head against the tan headrest, his gaze fixed on the black watch on his wrist.

"Well not all of us have watches, jerk," I huffed, pulling the seat belt across my body.

"Mhm," he hummed.

Jacob shook his head before he turned the key, and the Jeep roared to life. I attempted to relax into the tan seat, trying to control my elevated anxiety. If we ran into the Fallen Angels it would likely be game over for us. We've had past encounters with them, even lost people to them. Luke and Marie. I had just joined the group when it happened, so I didn't know much about them. Both were savagely ripped apart by the Fallen Angel's bullets in their last raid, just for being spotted by them. They didn't need a reason to kill, they seemingly do it for fun.