HUMAN

Chapter Fifteen

A/N: Rated R for sexual themes

A POV chapter you say?!?!? I'm just going to sprinkle these in whenever I deem absolutely necessary ;) 

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A Little Death – The Neighbourhood (These lyrics are overwhelmingly on fucking point.)

Kirstin's POV:

It was beginning to get dark and the sun slowly descended below the picturesque, grassy landscape. My feet were becoming numb from hours of walking and my arms were sore from fending off the dead. To make matters worse, my mind was constantly racing. I was mentally exhausted. I couldn't even remember which images overwhelming my brain were real. What actually happened in the last 24 hours alone? What traces of the eventful day were made up in my imagination? A sting ran from my right hand and shot up my arm. I hissed in pain and touched the source. I had cuts all over my knuckles from using my knife against the dead. I clenched my fingers, making a fist, as if I were denying that my wounds existed. The pain only intensified. I knew I would need to use some alcohol swabs when we arrived home. So, THAT was real. The fighting was real. The dead walking were real. 

Another sting trembled throughout my arm, coming from my left hand this time. I looked at my fingers and I was reminded of it... and him. My finger was wrapped in plastic, fresh ink hiding from the open air. I glanced at his hand as he walked next to me. He had the same plastic wrapping. We had found a tattoo shop to hide in together, we got matching tattoos, and... we kissed. It wasn't in my imagination. I can almost still feel his lips on mine. No, that was definitely REAL. 

We approached the front gate, as distracted as we might have been the excitement to surprise our friends with an early return home had not faltered. I was also dangerously ready for a home cooked meal. Without hesitation, Avi climbed the fence. When he reached the top, he looked back at me and smiled and suddenly butterflies were replacing the hunger in my stomach. I felt ashamed for it, but as he turned away I desperately wanted to see him smile again. I turned, facing away from the fence, looking out for any approaching signs of danger. I waited... and I waited... *click*.

Thank God.

We walked in together. No less than 30 seconds after locking the gate, we were greeted by our favorite tall, blonde baritone. His eyes were watery and the biggest smile was gleaming across his face. He embraced us and wrapped us both in a tight bear hug.

"You're home already! We were so worried you'd have to stay out there overnight!" He exclaimed, hoisting our tired bodies off of the ground. Avi and I were pressed between Scott's arms, literally forced together. We didn't make eye-contact, but I could feel the warmth of his skin and it made me blush. The hug ended and we both stared up at Scott, our oblivious buffer.

"There was another abandoned development a few miles away. It made it easy... easier," Avi said.

"Great!! So what did you get?" Scott said with a singsongy inflection. 

"We'll show you when we get inside," I let out in one breath. "I need rest my tootsies first. Please and thank you."

Scott nodded his head, clearly not absorbing that anything was different. He grabbed the pack right off of my back and we both followed him inside. I was afraid to look back and make eye-contact with Avi again. I feared that the moment his eyes looked into mine that warm feeling in my stomach would return and he would be able to sense it. What if he could tell exactly what I was thinking with just a look? He does have intimidatingly thoughtful eyes. They could probably see right through me, right into my soul. I shook the thought off. The moment we got inside and said our hellos, I collapsed on the couch. I hoped that my mind would be clearer after some rest. I closed my eyes and started to drift off, not aware that Avi had done the same at the other end of the couch. I drifted off into a dream of an enticing Marie Antoinette style dessert spread. There were cakes and pastries, all with beautiful, pastel fondant and buttercream. They loomed over me and I could almost taste their sweetness.