Santiago Rising

Chapter 23

Josh and I were getting ready to leave for home when I saw Julie at our borrow room door. She smiles at us and ask for a moment of our time, she wanted to ask us something. "I would like to send my rookies with you just two of them I don't think they are cut out to help anyone if they are scare of their own shadow," she said to us. I look at Josh to see what he wanted to say. "If we can teach them sure why not," he said, and I just agreed with him. If we can help her out then we will, after all we can only help ourselves now. Josh went to look for the two-extra people we were taking while I pack the remaining of our things with two more bags of supplies. I put on my pack and left Joshes bag where it was and went outside to feel the morning sun of my face. My snitches itch but I left them alone and then I heard a voice that annoyed me. "hey cutie," said Vince. "hey Haley, sorry about my dumbass brother," said Katie. "it's no problem I should be used to him by now," I said but I knew I wasn't going to get use to someone like her. "I got an idea for you," said Katie. "I know we just met and just showed up out of the blue here, but I was wonder if you can take Vince with you and some kids," she ask me. I look at her wondering why she would ask me to do that when we barely know each other. But I find myself saying that I would help her.

"Yes, I'll take them back with me, we are about three hours away by car from the city," I told her. If she ever needed to find us I told her the address. Then Joh came out with two young looking men while I had Vince and three kids with me. He looks at me asking an unspoken question and I answered him. He seems to understand what was going on but didn't fully understand why people trusted us. But looking back on it I could see why. We help them when no one else would risk it and Josh and I risked it all and I made the most dangerous risk of them all and got bit by it. But I did it for those who couldn't do it. For those who needed me to do it and if I was given the chance to make a different choice, I wouldn't. I would do it all over again if it means to kill that thing and coming back to warm people.

After a while of talking to Julie and introducing her to Katie and Vince, we left them. We didn't want to make it home too late into the night, so we left a bit before noon. We set out to the city limits where we hid our car and the gear we took for the fallen soldiers. Josh took the front of the group while I took up the rear of it and voice was on top of the shops running ahead for anything that could stop us. I had three kids with me. Their names were Maya, Kelvin, and Jose. Jose was the youngest at being right years old, he lost both his parents and Katie find him hiding in a dumpster. While Maya being the oldest at fourteen handing onto Jose's hands and keeping an eye out for anything that could hurt him. Both of her parents were overseas on their wedding anniversaries and her older brother is in Texas at school. She is all alone over here but she won't be for long. Then there was Kelvin, he was ten and lived with his grandparents, both of his parents died just after he was born in a car accident. He left his grandparents when a growler got to them. He doesn't speak much but I understand why he wouldn't. Soon these kids will be far from the city, but the dead will still be there. I just wanted to help them in any way I can.

Up front with Josh are the rookies, Nate and Zack. All I knew about them was that they were twins and both eighteen and were saved by Julie's man. They didn't say much to me, but they quickly cling to Josh like he knew what he was doing when in reality I told him what to do and he followed my lead. Whenever there was a problem up head Vince would radio me back to let me know. So, for there was nothing wrong and that bothers me. I kept a close eye on the kids and Josh moved at a pace that was fast but even in watching the area for anything. One can never be too sure until it's too late.

W were halfway to the city limits when a horde of growlers walked into our view. I told the kids to hide and went for Josh to tell them to flank them. There were too many of them for us to move around and we had to take them down. "alright Josh I need you to set up shop for a kill zone and ill draw there attention, Vince is on the rooftop ahead making his way back to us to provide cover from up top cool," I said, and he nodded and I went to kill the first one with my knife. I tried to pick off as many as I can with my knife until I had to us my postil, that was when Josh opens fire from the side of the street and I saw Vince set up his hunting rifle. Nate and Zack were no help whatsoever had they ran away. They were useless, and I needed to whip them into shape if they were going to survive. There were about ten more left from the horde of twenty-five growlers and one ticker. I was cover in that black blood and sweat. I was a mess but glad that we killed them all. These things were once people and nothing and no one should have to be turned into this. I look at the bodies that were laid out in front of my taking down but three people, this shouldn't be happening, but it is, and I wish it wasn't. life was hard and now its nothing.