Our Expiration Date

Chapter 2

Ponyboy yawned and hugged me tighter. I was giving him a piggy-back ride towards a small town on the horizon. We began out hike two days ago, and the sun was barely up. Sprite moaned and whined about how tired he was. I grit my teeth and took the complaints with pride.

Ponyboy had both his and my backpacks on his back, holding a good chunk of our food, weapons and ammo. Sprite had his own backpack on, holding our blankets, fire starters and the rest of our weapons and ammo.

"Dex, are we there yet?" Sprite asked. I sighed and pushed Ponyboy higher up on my back.

"We're getting close, Sprite. Just wait." I said. Sprite groaned and kept walking.

I kept my gaze up ahead. My eyes were fixed on the town, and I wasn't going to let the choppy fall wind dampen my spirits.

As I looked towards the town, I noticed people wandering around the buildings. I felt my hopes rise. I forced them to sink down to the fiery lake of hell. If these were bandits, we were about to be shot. And I wasn't about to let a single bullet even graze my brothers.

I stopped in my tracks and clicked my tongue. Sprite immediately stopped whining and stood still. He slowly walked behind me as I nudged Ponyboy awake. He stirred and moaned, refusing to wake up.

"Ponyboy," I tried to shake him awake once more. "Ponyboy, get up. C'mon buddy, wake up."

Sprite flicked Ponyboy's ear, effectively waking him up. Ponyboy yelped and fell backwards, taking me with him. We hit the ground and tumbled, him taking most of the fall. I got on my knees and crawled up to Ponyboy, who was holding his stomach in pain.

"Ponyboy are you okay?" I asked. Ponyboy coughed and looked at me with his dark green eyes.

"No! You landed on my groin!" He whined. I laughed nervously as I helped him stand up.

Sprite pulled out his pistol and looked up at the town, which was fairly close. Ponyboy took my backpack off and took out his hunting knife.

"What's the matter, Dex?" He asked. Sprite took Ponyboy's hand.

"There's people in that town. I don't know if it's safe. Stick behind me and stay close." I told him. Ponyboy held his knife close to his chest and Sprite did likewise with his pistol.

I put on my backpack and took out my rifle. The town itself looked abandoned. Houses were falling apart, graffiti covered the outer walls of the town, and all the cars were rusted in place. The only signs of life were the many hooded figures walking inside or around the houses.

I began walking towards the town with my brothers safely behind me. The people in the town hadn't spotted us yet. I began to think of a way to get around the town.

We could go around the outside wall, but we would have to crouch. There's also a fairly large gap in the wall on the route. Sprite and Ponyboy would be able to make it, but I might not. The other way around is completely demolished.

Just as I look up near a blue house to check out the streets, a bullet whizzes by my head and lands in the ground behind me.

"Oh shit!" I yell as I aim my rifle where the gunshot came from. I feel Ponyboy and Sprite grab me from behind.

"Don't come any closer!" I hear a woman yell. I stay still and looked up at the woman. She was black with corn-rolls. They were partially covered up by a purple bandanna. She had a large hunting rifle in her hands. It was aimed right at my forehead.

"Don't shoot!" I cried back. I lowered my gun and held up my free hand.

"Please, I-I just want to pass through," I can feel my legs tremble. I force them to stop, I have to be strong for my brothers.