3 | We Who Survive the Apocalypse | ✅

Chapter 3 - Shadow

Snowflakes drift lazily down and settle on the window panes. There are patches of blue sky that peek through the white clouds, and the wind is less fierce, the flakes fewer and smaller.

Seth insists we need to move on, Izzy says he's stupid for wanting to leave such a secure location, such as we have here, and I want to stay here and wait for them to return to us.

I gaze out at the edge of the woods. It is nearing dusk, and getting hard to distinguish the trunks from the shadows.

I hear Mara and Hudson talking quietly by the fire. They've formed something of a friendship over the past few weeks.

Izzy is sulking in the other room, alone, because she claimed Seth was getting on her nerves. And I guess he was, because they were arguing about whether to stay or go.

I glance down at my foot for a second because I thought I felt something brush against it, and when I look back up - a figure stands at the edge of the trees.

In the same place that he stood in my dream. But that can't be right. Or....I stand up quickly, hurrying into the other room.

"Izzy! Come to the window, hurry!" She groans, but follows me anyway.

I lead her to the window, pointing eagerly in the direction of what I saw.

"What?" She asks glumly, "I don't see anything."

I take a closer look. And sure enough, the figure is gone. "But, it was just there...."

"It was probably just a shadow," Izzy tells me, "or your imagination. Now don't bother me anymore."

+++++

We sit in silence as we eat, and I stare at the fire, my thoughts traveling once more to the figure beneath the trees. I couldn't make out much about them, though I swear I saw the glint of red hair.

But like Izzy said, it was probably my imagination. My eyes are playing tricks on my heart because I want so badly to see something that'll probably never appear before me again.

No, I shouldn't say that. They could come back. There's always a chance. Always.

"So, who's gonna take first watch tonight?" Seth asks as he finishes the last of his rabbit and begins licking his fingers.

"Me," Izzy volunteers, "I'm too annoyed to sleep anyway."

"And why are you annoyed?" Seth asks.

Izzy scoffs. "Yeah, like you have to ask."

"Actually, I do, because I don't know why you're annoyed," Seth replies.

"You're annoying, Seth," Izzy tells him, smirking as she pops the last piece of rabbit into her mouth.

"Ouch," Seth winces playfully, clutching his heart.

Izzy laughs. "Good. Anyway, I get first watch, so everyone else, go to bed and shut up."

I shake my head. Izzy's a nut, to be sure. A bit extreme at times, but gives me a good smile once in a while, which Thor knows I need.

"And Hudson, you can take second watch, 'til dawn," Izzy says, "you need to stop being such a lazy-ass and pull your weight."

"Hey!" Hudson exclaims in defense.

"You can't deny it."

+++++

A loud thud wakes me, and I open my eyes to see the gray light of morning filling the room. I hear Seth stirring somewhere behind me.

A strange sound comes from the direction of the front door, and I sit up, turning toward it.

And there is Hudson, with a gun pressed against his temple and the arm of a masked person wrapped around his neck.

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So, new chapter! Awfully short though....I'm sorry 😬.

  Anyway, I'm getting my wisdom teeth out in a couple of days, so I'm probably gonna be out of order for a little while, unfortunately. (Just so you know)