Stick Together

What's Happened and What's Going On

It had been a week since the group's arrival at the infested church and the basic start of the apocalypse. Jesse, whom had sprained his ankle from the jump, was lightly limping. His ankle would probably never heal correctly. Especially since they had been walking, not stop, for what seemed like a month. Elle and Dakota avoided conversation and barely even looked at each other. Even after Dakota's confession of his love for Elle, she was still fuming at him. Cameron was just a loner, going off on her own to kill a corpse in the woods. She drifted off in the middle of a conversation, and just stared off. Thinking. Just thinking. Lily and Andrea had created a friendship, making Elle mad at Lily for 'betraying' her. Kenny, much like Cameron, had become distant, missing the old, mundane world.

The group had changed, greatly over just a week's time. So had the weather. It was cold and frigid during the day, and even worse at night. There was just a few centimeters of snow on the ground, but that could change over night. The group was in desperate need of shelter, food and water. That's just what was promised at this Canadian camp they were initially questing for. So far, the lay of the land was exorbitantly barren of anything of the sort. Then again, they were still in the U.S.

Not only were they in need of necessities, but they hadn't see a single living soul at all. Everything was deserted. They had even gone through Chicago. Nothing but death. Now, they were somewhere on the coast of Lake Michigan. That's when the turmoil had begun.

"Wait, wait," Kenny squinted, looking at the snowy forestry ahead of them. "Hold up, guys. We may have a few biters." That's what they decided to call the killing machines.

"Ken, I don't think those are biters," Dakota adjusted his glasses. "Oh hell, those are other people!" He sprinted at the figments in the distance.

"Damn it, Dakota!" Kenny started after him.

"I guess we should follow them," Lily suggested.

"No, Lily, don't you see what this is?" Elle inquired. "Our chance to escape!"

"You were serious about that?"

"Hell yeah! I can't stand these assholes any more."

"Ahem. Right here," Jesse brought attention to the fact that he, Andrea and Cameron were still next to them.

"Not you. Them," Elle pointed in the direction of the two that had ran off. "We can all go! Leave them for whatever those things are they're so interested in."

"The hell I'm leaving," Andrea shook her head vigorously. "I have- no, we have a good thing going for us! The more the merrier. Plus, that Ottawa thing sounds legit."

"Thing?" Elle whipped her head toward Andrea. "What thing? We don't have anything to look forward to! Not with these guys. They mean nothing to us."

"Maybe not to you, Elle," Cameron interjected. "But I've known Dakota for years and I'll be damned if I betray that trust."

"Same here," Lily agreed.

"I second that," Jesse raised his hand.

"Oh, now you're turning on me?" Elle had a crazed look across her face. "You know what? Fuck you guys! I don't need you!"

"Jesus, calm down, Elle," Andrea looked concerned. "We can work this-"

"Shut the hell up!" Elle screamed. The local biters took notice. "I don't even fucking know you! You can just go screw yourself. Maybe I should just end you right fucking now." She pulled her 9 millimeter up to Andrea's head.

"Hey, put that down, Elle!" Cameron ordered.

"How about I shoot you, too?" she pointed the gun at Cameron, her life long friend.

Jesse ran up to her and tackled her to the snowy ground, making Elle pull the trigger on accident.

Everything within a 5 mile radius heard that shot. Especially Dakota, whom was running back to where he broke off from the rest of the group, Kenny and two new faces following close behind. When he got there, Elle was starting to stand up, with blood on her hands.

"Elle!" Dakota yelled, his voice cracking. "What happened?"

"Oh god. God, oh god," Elle whispered over and over to herself.

"Wha-" Dakota stopped in his tracks, covering his mouth. "No."