The Overgrowth

Chapter 11:The Town

I collapsed about halfway through the sewers and cried out in pain.

"Ethan!" My brother exclaimed as he ran towards me.

"I'm fine. Just...drag me by my wrist or something," I said. I couldn't bear the pain any longer. Jason helped me up and took off his shoes.

"Here. Take 'em," he offered. I didn't expect them to help very much now, but what harm did trying make?

"Thanks," I said as I took them and put them on. "Jeez, you couldn't do that earlier?" I laughed. He grinned and we continued forward.

The town seemed like something out of a horror movie. Nothing but abandoned buildings, destroyed cars, and overgrowth. Trees grew through almost every building. Looters were bad after the chemical was released. The first week, nobody even thought of stealing or abandoning anything. It was like that for months, but in the November of 2015, people went crazy. The looters started looting occupied buildings and houses. It got to the point where people would be shot for 'trespassing' on other lots.

It felt as though we were being watched. It was just so...empty. I couldn't wait to get to the Anthropomorphics...if they even had a camp or something anywhere.

"Guys," Brian said from behind us. He had stopped in his tracks and was looking at a pawn shop to our left.

"What?" I asked. Now it seemed like Jason had seen it-whatever it was-as well. I couldn't see anything. "Hellooo?" I sighed. It was as if they were in a trance. Just staring at the old brick building. Trees growing through it and all the glass from the windows shattered.

I started walking to see if they would follow, but they just stood there. I looked closer. Still nothing.

"OK, guys. Let's go," I said. Just then, something jumped out towards me. I almost got out of the way. It was an arrow. Hit me in the knee, but surprisingly didn't penetrate the skin/fur. Then a person stepped out through one of the space where a window used to be. I looked over towards Brian and Jason's direction. They weren't there. Whoever it was, it was human. I couldn't tell if it was male or female because of the armor and helmet he/she was wearing. Nothing covered the hands which allowed me to see skin. Human skin. The stranger raised the bow and readied an arrow.

"Wait! Don't shoot," I said.

"Oh, and why shouldn't I?" A strangely familiar female voice asked.

"Wait. Who...are you?" I asked.

"Shut up and tell me why I shouldn't kill you right here and now," she replied.

"Because I swear I know you from somewhere. And...well, I don't know. If you want, go ahead. Do the deed." She stood silent for a moment. She put the arrow back into it's quiver and sat down on a curb.

"My name doesn't matter. Who I am doesn't matter. I will defend my territory until it is no more, and the flame in my heart is extinguished." The words spoken by the initiate defender. "But, my flame was extinguished. So, I came here."

"Wow. My daughter spoke those same words. I remember her initiation. What do you mean? What happened to you?" I asked.

 "I was thrown out. Supposedly, someone was envious. Tell me you have a knife or some kind of blade. Even some kind of blunt weapon? Please," she said. I laughed, reached into my pocket and threw my daughter's old switchblade to her. She examined it for a while.

"What the hell is this? Some kind of 'please come back' gift?" She said with a raised voice. I was shocked.

"Oh my God. Chelsea?" I asked. She charged at me and put the blade to my throat.

"Call me by that name and I'll open your throat, so help me God!"

"OK...OK, I'm sorry. Look, I know you...really well," I said. Probably not the best choice of words, but it was all I could think of at the time.

"You know nothing about me," she replied coldly.

"Your name is Chelsea Turner. You were born August 13th, 2001 to a mother named Amy and a father, Ethan. About three months ago, you disappeared from the Kansas quarantine zone and they told your father that you were ripped apart by the tree people," I yelled quickly. She backed off of me.

"How....do you know that?" she asked.

"It's me, honey. Your dad."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A/N: I surprised myself with this chapter :P *Laughs* Best ending to a chapter I've ever written. On computer or on paper. :D