ONLY HUMAN [ROSITA ESPINOSA]

Chapter 33

Flashback: day of initial outbreak

“Maybe we should just get off the road,hunker down somewhere?”Samantha recommended as they were piled up with everyone else on the highway. When the military never came, everyone else bolted in their cars. Now, there was the most enormous blockage ever on the highway. 

“Where would we go?”Mikey asked as he was the one driving. 

“Can we try Daryl's? Maybe pickup Erica on the way?” suggested Sawyer, Sawyer had been worried about the blonde who hadn't answered him since that morning, and they always texted every morning. But he kinda figured she was taking care of her mother. 

“Shall we take a look at the map?” proposed Rocky. 

“How can a map help us?”questioned Mikey. 

The four friends’ attention soon turned to the outside of their vehicle. People were scattered about the bank of the highway, watching as helicopters flew in the air. Everybody soon stood in shock and fear as they watched the air force drop bombs on the city. 

Sawyer's eyes grew big as he stood in horror among them, watching as explosions and fire destroyed their home. That was the only thing he remembered that night, watching as the flames from the explosions destroy their home. Plus, the sound of sobbing women and crying children asking their parents when they will get to go home. 

But they could never go back home.

…………..

A week later, after the initial outbreak…

Sawyer and his friends managed to survive the first week and a half by camping out in the wilderness. Lucky for them, they hadn't come upon the infected yet. 

The boy had kept trying to get in touch with either Daryl,Merle, or Erica. But his phone had stopped giving services three days ago. Though he tried everything, it didn't even help at all. He even tried climbing the highest tree he could find. 

“Anything!?” called out Rocky as Sawyer climbed his way back down. Sawyer shook his head in disappointment. 

“Damn it! We should just go back to the city. I bet you we can rob a gas station or something.” he claimed kicking up the dirt. 

“Going back to the city is too dangerous. We don't know what's out there. We’re lucky we haven't even come across any infected yet.” Sawyer told him. 

“Yeah, but we can't stay out here in the middle of nowhere either. No food, barely any water. We can't survive off of berries and scrubs.” argued Rocky, he was starting to get on Sawyer’s nerves acting as if he was some type of survivalist expert and their leader.

“We should have gone to Daryl’s.” Sawyer commented. 

“What about the camp by the quarry? I heard there were some people there. Perhaps they’ll let us in.” suggested Samantha. 

Sawyer had given Samantha a look that read "thank you" and then glanced his way back towards Rocky. But Rocky didn't seem to like the idea and stuck to going back to the city. “Then what's your stupid idea? Stay here and starve to death?” Sawyer thought to himself. 

A small argument broke out between Sawyer and Rocky about whether or not going back to the city was a good idea or to go with Samantha’s idea and go to the Quarry People. It wasn't until Mikey getting their attention that they stopped. 

The two boys looked over to see an infected stumbling its way towards their camp. Their shouting must have attracted it. After all they knew, noise attracted them. 

“Mikey, get back! Let's just pack up camp and go. “ called out Sawyer. 

“Nah man, it's only one. I think I can handle it. “ Mikey called out. Another thing about Mikey is that he was completely stuck up. He was always thinking he was invincible or some shit. But in this new world, he wasn't. 

They stood and watched as Mikey struck the infected on its shoulder with his crowbar. Only for it to fall down easily. A small relief filled his chest for a tiny moment as Mike turned around, seemingly pleased with his first kill. 

“See!? Easy peasy lemon~” he started only for them to stare in horror as the infected man grabbed Mikey's ankle and bit into it. Causing Mikey to scream in pain as his pretty face planted into the grass. The infected man then bites Mikey in the neck, allowing blood to spill everywhere. 

“Mikey!” cried out the three of them as they raced over to help their friend. Both Sawyer and Rocky did their best to pry the infected nan off Mikey without getting biten as well. Only for them to have to kill it in the head using the crowbar. 

When they were finished, they looked over to Mikey dying in Samantha's arms. “What do we do!?” She sobbed. “We can't leave him like this to suffer!” She cried as she looked down at Mikey. 

Both Rocky and Sawyer had looked at each other as they turned away from them,trying to decide what was best to do for Mikey as Samantha did her best to try and comfort her dying boyfriend. 

“I'm sorry Samy, but there's nothing we can do for him.” claimed Rocky. 

“What about the Quarry People? Can't they help?”

“I'm sorry,no. He's been bit, and you know what happens when he's been bit.” 

During his last few minutes alive,Mikey managed to convince Samantha to leave him behind and that he would be alright. Even though both Sawyer and Rocky knew he wasn't. 

“Here pal, take this. '' Rocky claimed as he had handed their friend a small pistol they had found. It only had one bullet left. 

After saying their goodbyes, Sawyer led Samantha away from the camp. Rocky shortly followed. They didn't get about maybe half a mile when they stopped in their tracks after hearing the single gunfire in the distance. 

The group walked in silence that day.