The End: Only The Beginning

[19] Ready To Run

We packed up our bags as we all quietly talked to ourselves about plans, and packing as lightly as possible. It was harder than it seemed, but it would have been much more difficult if I already barely had much to pack.

Of course I grabbed the basics. Two pairs of jeans, three t-shirts, a flannel tied around my waist, some socks, underwear, an extra bra.

However I found it hard for me to leave my books, and my mason jar of random things I had collected. Some spare change, a one-hundred-dollar bill I found laying on the ground. Not that the items had much value anymore, I just liked to have them. Maybe they returned some sense of reality to my life. I don't know.

The stuffed dog I carried around for almost nine years straight as a kid went to the bottom of my bag. I couldn't part with such an important childhood memory. He seemed to want me to bring him..

I urged myself along as I unbuckled the pocket at the bottom of my backpack and easily placed in the Polaroids I had taken. I was long out of film, but the funny pictures of me and my friends kept me laughing. They reminded me of the boring days inside the bunker with nothing to do except stare at the wall. I can't believe I used to think this would be over. The world will never be the same after this.

The tan leather combat boots I had been wearing on my feet were the only shoes I was bringing, so I was hopeful that we wouldn't need anything else. I was pretty sure we wouldn't.

I mean we could always go to a store and get other clothes if need be, but these were my clothes. They helped me to remember what it used to be like. They smelled like home still. (Not really. They stopped smelling like home after nearly a week. A girl can dream.)

"Ready to go?" My sister says with a smile. Kyle had been in and out of here. With nothing but a few spare articles of clothing, he was more interested in obtaining as many weapons as possible.

"Uhh. Yeah, almost." I look around at my disheveled things.

"I know it's hard. But once we're gone you'll barely miss your things." Her advice strikes me strange at first, but my sister was right. The only reason that I was so hesitant to leave was because I was in the moment. With everything sitting around practically calling my name, it was hard not to want to bring everything. I wasn't that lucky though. I should only bring the necessities.

As I'm tossing the bag across my shoulder, I realize I should bring a hairbrush for my rats nest of a head of hair. It was currently in a long braid down my back and out of my way, but I knew when I took it out I would appreciate the comb.

"I'm ready to go." I offered up a gentle smile even though I didn't mean it. I was just ready for this day to be over with.

"Good." She tells me.

"Now let's go load up with weapons." She laughs as she slings her light washed purple backpack across her shoulders. Her blond hair falls beautifully on top of the rain coat type jacket she wears and for a second I'm jealous that her hair looks this decent in a time like this.

-

Following the part where we tossed our bags on to the bed of Kyle's truck, we all squeezed inside of the jam-packed cab and defrosted our fingers with the warm heaters. Kyle drove, Calum rode shotgun, and I rode in the sorry excuse of a seat between them. Ali, Ryder, and Alyssa sat in the back, with Ryder awkwardly in between them. I could tell that he was highly uncomfortable due to the lack of space for his extremely long limbs and broad set shoulders, but he seemed to be taking the struggle in a quiet manor, which was just like something he would do. I still wonder why he and my sister are a good match, because while she is dramatic and complaining, he is quiet and well, quiet.

We pondered the blue address on the back of the map for what seemed like ages as my brother drove us back out onto the main roads. I practically imprinted it into my mind.

547 Oakland Drive, Lovell, North Carolina.

I knew that basically all camps or organized people in an alliance had some sort of a backup plan. Maybe the people who were members before we were knew about this plan, or maybe it was top secret for precautionary measures. Either way, this address meant little to nothing to us, and so did the map.

With our high dependency on our phones and the digital maps we carried in our pockets for so long, us teenagers could barely read the small map of the Western side of North Carolina. I recognized a few of the well-known cities from history class, but the majority of it was new.

A bold, blue line was tracing the way to a thick star at the bottom left corner. I assumed that the star represented where we needed to be, and the line was the trail we needed to follow to reach our destination. Which seemed simple, however I knew that once we got out there it would be much more difficult.

"Look outside!" Alison pointed out of the front windshield. When I glanced up, all different sized flakes of white were falling to the ground, and sticking to the roads, trees, and rooftops.

"Not only is it starting to snow, but look at the wind." Alyssa shrugs out the window as we turn around and face in her direction.

"We're going to have to stop somewhere for the night." Calum says, squinting.

"It's like, two o' clock." Alison says.

"Yeah. And I'm starving." Kyle adds, pursing his lips like he's all that.

"So we can stop somewhere with food?" Sarcasm drips from my simple statement.

"Let's just pick a house and stay there for the night."

"Ryder has a point. We can keep driving out a little ways and try to find a suitable looking house to sleep in and get some food since camp was pretty dry." I say, as the others agree.

"What about the one up that way?" I ask, pointing to a two-story house on top of a hill beside us.

"Or we could just stop at a few on the way there and see which ones have the most food." Ryder suggests.

We all nod in agreement as I feel my stomach rumbling in hunger.

When was the last time I'd even eaten a good meal?

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I'm soooo sorry for not updating so expect some nice surprises/ more updates soonnnn!!

I'm working on another story because the idea came to me so I'll post it soon plus I have 91828161 others that I've never finished lol.

Also if I published a book full of my poetry/writings/etc would you guys read?????