Cold, but Still Human

Chapter 11 - Olivia

[September 4, 2016]

Together the group packs up what little supplies they have and start walking towards the direction they were initially heading before. The boys break off into their own conversations while Olivia tries to start one with Toula.

"It's really cold in the morning. Would those monsters be affected by the weather?" Olivia whispers, trying to snuggle close to Toula's fluffy jacket. Right before the gas emissions the day before, Olivia was also in gym class but was situated in the guys' change room with the rest of her class. She never had the chance to bring anything warmer to wear so now she's wandering the unknown forest with who-knows-how-many corpses in gym shorts and a T-shirt. The two walk in silence for a few moments before Olivia notices that Toula completely ignored her question.

"Hey, Toula?" Olivia asks, slightly nudging her best friend. Toula continues to stay silent and stare off into the distance. After trying to capture Toula's attention many more times, Olivia eventually becomes irritated and tugs on Toula's arm until she brings her friend to a stop. "There are other people in the same situation as you. I'm not going to take any crap from you or let you walk away. You can't continue to ignore the needs of the rest of our group because you know that it's not going to get anybody anywhere." Olivia gives Toula's arm a slight squeeze. "And can't continue to ignore me."

Olivia waits for a reply. She stares at Toula with furrowed eyebrows but eventually, the wait is too long and Olivia loses her patience. She decides to walk away, too irritated to hear Toula out, that is if she had anything to say. Olivia catches up to the boys who walked in front of her and tries to include herself by listening to their conversation about basketball.

"You brought a basketball but not anything to eat?" John asks, shaking his head at Dennis along with Isaac. Olivia watches, giggling at the conversation going on in front of her. After a few hours of walking deeper into the labyrinth of trees, the sun begins to set and the weather becomes colder. Olivia shivers as she walks together with the boys, trying to absorb any heat the group managed to radiate. After a few moments, Olivia could see as Isaac turn his head and catches Olivia's actions. Olivia smiles as Isaac motions Olivia to the side.

"Are you feeling okay?" Isaac whispers.

Olivia sniffs, her arms pressed against her torso as she tries to warm up. "Kinda," Olivia whispers. Isaac chuckles, pulling out a sweater from his gym bag he managed to grab on the way out of the school, and drapes it across Olivia's shoulders.

"I'm fine for now, but I think you need this more than me."

Olivia agrees with a nod as Isaac smiles and walks back towards the other two boys. Olivia looks behind her, seeing Toula wiping the corners of her eyes. What's happening? Olivia thinks, finally decided it was time to talk to her friend about what's wrong. Maybe this time she'll say something.

"Ali," Toula whispers before Olivia could say a thing.

"Yeah," Olivia whispers back, causing a moment of silence, "That's what I thought."

"First Andrew. Now, this?" Toula sighs. Knowing Toula for so long, Olivia can tell that her best friend's been trying to block out her negative thoughts but at this point, it seems to be nearly impossible. Toula has always seen Ali as a brotherly figure. After feeling so confident in his presence for so long, seeing him volunteer to leave by himself to find food shattered Toula's shell and leaving her vulnerable to the open. Olivia sighs as she sees Toula's eyes seem so lost as she stares into the distance. The mentioning of Toula's real brother Andrew.

Olivia doesn't know anything better to do but wrap her arms around her best friend. It's not every day that you see kids running for their lives in a giant forest with zombie like creatures roaming the planet. "We're all frantic, but you know that we're all here for you, right?"

Toula smiles and turns to her friend, "Yeah. Thank you."

A few moments later Isaac turns around and runs towards the girls. Toula giggles and nudges Olivia. Olivia rolls her eyes as she sees Toula finally going over to the other boys to talk.

"Look what I took." Isaac grins with his phone in his hand.

"That looks pretty artsy to me," Olivia laughs taking the phone in her hands, "I'd never expected something this beautiful to be taken in a world like this. I'm impressed."

Olivia hands his phone back to Isaac. The two walk in silence for a while until she sees the people in front of her come to a stop. "What's wrong—" Isaac puts his arm up on instinct, keeping the two away from whatever is in front of them. "Isaac, what's going on?"

Before Isaac could reply Olivia hears a shriek coming from where the three in front of them are. "Isaac. What's happening? Let me go check." Olivia pushes Isaac's arm out of the way and sprints towards the rest of her group. She pushes Dennis and John aside. She looks up to see a wide-eyed Toula, silent. Olivia looks in the direction Toula's looking at and gasps at the sight.

"Oh. My. God."