These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

35.

We're going to die.

That's all I could think as the two of us walked down the abandoned highway. We had joined up with the herd that almost attacked us, shuffling along beside them with the sun, as always, beating down on us.

Nick wasn't doing too good. His leg was obviously bothering him but he didn't say anything.

I kept my arm around his waist, doing my best to keep him steady but with the lack of food and water, I was struggling too.

"Nick, we should stop," I whispered, "You need to rest."

He shook his head, "No."

"Nick," I pleaded, looking up at the sound of a car engine, stopping slightly when I realised that it was the car from earlier. The men who shot at us.

"Keep moving," Nick said from in front of me, having seen them as well, "They might just drive by."

They pulled the car to a stop and I could feel him tense underneath my arm, "Walk behind me." I didn't argue, slowly pulling back so he was in front but I kept my hand on the back of his shirt, "Just keep walking, babe."

The big guy, the same one from earlier, climbed out of the jeep. Once again carrying his gun and I let out a little squeak when he shot one of the infected beside me, "Nick."

"It's okay," he murmured as I flinched from another gunshot and I could see another guy, the one who had been the first one to shoot at us got out the car, a large smile on his face at the prospect of getting to kill some of them.

Shot after shot was fired as we ambled closer, each one luckily not being aimed at us but still, it was scary.

The man in black, he dropped his bullets for some reason and as he hurried to pick them back up, the herd was upon him and his screams of pain filled the air. The other man yelled something, shooting at the infected that were chewing on his friend but really, it did nothing and he was soon overpowered as well, making the third and final guy, hightail it out of here.

As we passed by, I couldn't help but look down as the men were being devoured, seeing his lifeless eyes staring at the sky.

We started falling behind after that, the herd moving ahead of us as Nick suddenly collapsed.

"Oh god," I whispered, kneeling down beside him, "Nick?"

"I just need to lay down for a little bit."

"No, no." I said quietly, giving his cheek a gentle pat as his eyes fell shut, "Nick, don't you dare."

Looking around for anything, anyone who could help us, I spotted three figures standing on a hill at the side of the road but being so exhausted and such myself, I couldn't tell if they were alive or dead.

Nick had passed out and really, there was nothing I could do until he woke up. If he woke up. So I stood up and started making my way towards the people, who were still standing there but as I got closer, they disappeared and I didn't have the energy to chase after them.

Instead, I returned to Nick, kneeling behind his head to lift it onto my knees, running my hand through his hair. All I could do was wait until he woke.

**

It wasn't until rain started to fall that he started coming to. 

He stared up at me, blinking numerous times before opening his mouth to try and catch the raindrops. 

"Are you okay?" 

"You should have just left me." he muttered, slowly sitting up and I rolled my eyes. 

"Yeah and I should've probably told you to fuck off when you asked me out in high school. Would have saved me so much trouble."

He smiled and slowly stood up, "Hey, we were destined to be together. Our moms were best friends and everything." 

I rolled my eyes and started following him again, "We have to be a little more careful. The rain has washed the smell off us." 

He nodded, "I know. But look, we don't have long to go. What did you do while I was out?" 

"Just stayed with you," I murmured, "But...I think I saw people. People who were alive.

"Really?" 

I nodded, "I tried to move closer to them but they left and I was too tired to do anything else." 

"Maybe we'll run into them." he said quietly, "I mean, maybe they came from the city."

"Yeah, maybe."

We decided to walk through the night, making it to a town in the early morning. What it was called, I'm not sure. The sign was gone. 

It was obviously deserted but in the short distance, I could see a drug store and wordlessly started to drag Nick towards it.

"Sit down," I instructed, shoving him down onto an office chair, "And stay put while I try and find something to put on your leg." 

He watched me as I dug through the countless drawers and medicine cabinets, letting out a frustrated groan when I found nothing. 

In the bottom drawer, there was a roll of duct tape and knowing that there was nothing else, I grabbed it.

"What did you find?" he asked eagerly, "Painkillers?" 

"No," I said, pinning him with a glare, "Like I would give you any." 

"Oh come on, Tay. My leg is killing me." 

"I didn't find any!" I repeated, tugging at the tape in my hand, "Now, this might hurt." 

He winced and groaned as I tried to wrap the tape around the wound as gentle as I could, gently patting the tape down once I was done, "There. It's not the best but it'll do until we find somewhere else." 

We both looked up at the open door when we heard footsteps and I stood up. 

"What are you doing?" Nick hissed but I shushed him, moving towards the door and I picked up a rock that had been brought in from outside, raising it above my head as I crept closer to the doorway. 

I could hear talking, see shadows as three figures came closer and closer and for a few short seconds, I was worried that it could be the people we always seemed to be running into in this world. 

 I lifted the rock higher as they came around the doorframe, stopping when I saw that they were people that I hadn't seen before. 

There were two men and a woman and she looked at me, then over my shoulder and lowered her gun, "Son of a bitch."