Hinder

Chapter 10 (Asher)

I couldn't believe Marissa was actually leaving the group. After all the things she had been through in this hideout. She had been here from the start. Supporting us, helping us survive. Now there she was walking slowly towards a new start. Where she didn't know if she would be safe or not.

Everything I had worked for came down in front of my eyes. All the search duties, all the fights, all the effort. The problems I solved, the people I saved, the Critters I killed for them. All of this I have done for them and this is how they repay me?

I couldn't do anything about it, just gawk at how many people changed from my team to Jennifer's team. Had she planned all this from the start? Since the day we brought her to our hideout, to protection, to safety. Her voice breaking through my thoughts.

"Anyone else? Are you sure you want to stay here with this lunatic? Last chance here."

We were only six left. Brent, Nick, Trina, Gordon, Sam and me.

My wound was still open and I didn't know why. The amount of people talking on the room was too much. I couldn't take it any longer so I started my way towards Brent. I was starting to get a headache, each step each voice making it worse by the second.

When I finally reached him I grabbed him by the shoulder to get his attention. I started speaking loud enough so he could hear my voice.

"Brent I'm going outside for a walk, I'll be back in an hour."

"Okay, hopefully all of this will have ended and everything will calm down, after that we will figure things out, don't worry Asher. Everything is going to be fine." He said.

I nodded and started to walk to the stairs leading to the city. The stairs were located in the far left corner, so I had to evade all of my tea... I mean Jennifer's team.

Sweaty bodies brushed mine, their bodies shining against the lights. I got bumped various times but at last I reached the stairs.

The walk of shame was over, now everything was peaceful. For once, the city felt safer than the hideout. Silence was the only thing out here.

It was only eight thirty a.m. I still had a lot of daylight. The sun casting shadows under the tall buildings. The clean air filling my lungs.

I couldn't walk as easily. Because of my wound I had to walk awkwardly, but that was the least of the worries. I decided I was going to take a walk to the park. It was near here so it was a convenient place to go to.

The buildings around me came down slowly. Day after day the buildings crumbled a little more filling the city with dust and giving a feeling of sadness.

A bird flew over me. That wasn't as common as you may think. I hadn't seen one in a long time now. They were either escaping or I was at the hideout.

Life was in front of my eyes. Survival was still possible. Life as we know it might have changed, but we just need to adapt. Maybe I had lost the majority of my team but we could always start again.

There has to be a lot of people out there waiting to be found. I know it has already been almost four months into the disease but it was still possible.

I wonder how will Jennifer's team travel? I had all the keys to all the cars we had, hidden in a place only I knew. Provisions were also locked up so there was no way they could take them away from us.

The idea of them failing brought a smile to my face. A cold breeze hit my body making me shiver. I should have brought a hoodie, it's freezing out here.

The park was now at sight length. An empty bench was waiting for me, it was a little bit broken down but that didn't matter. I walked up to it and sat down.