This Is How We End It

Chapter Twenty Five

The night made things so different in the apocalypse. Everything was dark, and hidden. Yes, it was more dangerous, but you couldn't see the world around you. The darkness hid it. The apocalyptic world around everyone was oblivious. Except for Andrea, Ethan and Brittany, of course. They had their flash light. They made their way through the woods, sighing. Andrea flashed the light around, seeing nothing but trees and bushes. The walkers hadn't reached the forest yet, or so it seemed. The three were quiet as they walked, but the silence was soon broken by Andrea.

"So how'd you all survive the beginning of this.. mess?" Andrea asked, looking ahead to where the light was shown.

Brittany was the first to answer. "My family stayed on the farm for a long time.. then I was in my room one day.." Brittany paused, feeling sadness. "My mom got bit. She was out feeding the horses, and one snuck up on her. My daddy killed it."

There was another bit of silence. 

"Then they were in the living room, and daddy told me to go upstairs. So I did. And then I heard two shots. Daddy shot mom." She spoke quietly. "I would've shot myself too if there were any bullets left."

Ethan glanced at Brittany, seeing the reflection of a tear on her cheek.

"I'm sorry to hear." Andrea mumbled quietly.

Ethan looked over to Andrea. 

"My dad was in the hospital.. in a coma. He got shot. So then our mom took us to visit him, and then some weird shit went down in the hospital. Soldiers and everything came. So we left, and Shane, Anthony, and Adam drove us home. We got a car, and left to Atlanta." Ethan explained as he looked around.

Andrea nodded.

"Me and my sister.." She was quiet for a minute. Amy's death had been a big blow for her. "We were on a roadtrip. I was driving Amy back to her college, and we got attacked by those things. Ran out of gas, and got stranded." She was quiet again. "Dale... saved us."

Brittany nodded to her, Ethan listening.

"He saved us.. and we found that camp." Andrea said, looking down for a second before looking up. She shined the flashlight ahead, seeing a small camp. It was very small, only a table and a small campfire. Everything looked abandoned. It must've been untouched for weeks. A small groaning sound made Andrea draw her gun, looking around. She flashed the light at the sound, to see a walker hanging by a rope in the tree above. It groaned, stuggling against the rope as it looked down at the three.

"Here, I'll kill it." Brittany said, sticking her hand out for the gun. 

Andrea shook her head. "I know you probably have a gun.. but no." She muttered, still looking up at the walker. "I will." 

"No, it's not hurting anyone. We can't waste a bullet." Ethan shook his head.

Andrea was silent, looking up at the walker.

"Andrea... why'd you want to stay in the CDC?" Ethan asked, looking at her, knowing it'd be a sensitive question.

She turned to look at him, a little shocked that he asked the question.

"I.. didn't want to live anymore." She muttered quietly. "My sister was dead. She was the only thing that mattered to me in this new world, and I.. I just couldn't cope."

Brittany listened, putting a hand on her hip.

"But now.. I want to live. I want to." She said before looking at the ground. "I have to."

She looked back at Ethan. "Can we go back now?"

Ethan nodded, Brittany letting out a small sigh.