The Arising: A New Start of Life

Chapter 18

It got very late. I sat by the fire with the new group we found, thinking about the group that attacked Tungkillo and Underdale Safe Zones. Everyone else was asleep, except Hunter and I. We both stayed silent. Sitting together.

"Before all this started, my mum died in a car crash, and today I am truely happy that she died before all of this. If I had the chance to get her back. I wouldn't. She would hate this world. And she most likely wouldn't be strong enough to fight" I said.

"I'm sorry" Hunter said.

"You don't have to be. You're the only one I've told about my mum. I'm sorry for you loss as well. We've all lost somebody. We've just gotta push through it" I said.

"Haven't you told your friends?" Hunter asked.

"No. I wanted to keep it to myself" I said.

"Anastasia forgot to give you that kiss" Hunter said changing the subject quickly.

"Well that's a good thing" I said laughing.

"Well I'll remind her tomorrow" Hunter said.

"Great. Thanks" I said sarcastically.

We both had a little laugh together as we sat by the fire. I had a small flashback of Hunter crying on the floor of the supermarket. But seeing her like this gave me hope. Hope that there can still be people out there that are strong like her. Who can get through traumatising moments. We both slowly fell asleep next to the fire.

THE NEXT DAY

I woke up seeing Alleigh sitting next to me.

"Good morning" Alleigh said cooking something on the fire.

"Morning" I said.

"You were so tired last night that you both fell asleep at the fire" Alleigh said.

"Yeah" I said.

"Sam! You're awake!" Anastasia said running towards me.

She grabbed me and gave me a massive kiss on my cheek.

"That's for saving Stella" Anastasia said.

Anastasia then gave me another kiss.

"And that's for getting us here" Anastasia said.

I wiped my cheeks because there was slobber all over them.

"No problem" I said.

The rest of her group walked up behind Anastasia, except Stella who was still resting.

"We're going to follow you now. So we are going to be behind you the entire time" Josh said.

"Same with me" Alleigh whispered into my ear.

"Thanks guys" I said.

Anastasia sat down next to me, as the rest of her group walked off to do their own things.

"Thanks for making Hunter laugh last night. I've never really heard her laugh often. It's also good to know that you two knew each other before" Anastasia said.

"No problem. She's a good person" I said.

"She definitely is" Anastasia said.

The three of us. Alleigh, Anastasia and I all sat at the fire for a little longer, when I heard a car coming down the road. The car stopped in front of our gate. A woman around the age of twenty stepped out of the car. She put her hands up as I walked over to the gate holding my new revolver Alleigh gave me.

Her hair was in a small bun. She had brown hair and dark brown eyes. She had a birth mark on her neck and really white teeth.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" I said pointing my revolver at her head.

Everyone quickly followed close behind me.

"I'm Ana. I'm here to talk to you about the men who attacked both of your groups" Ana said.

"How do you know that we were attacked?" I said.

"I belong to a Safe Zone up in Mount Barker. We know of five Safe Zones including yours. The Underdale Safe Zone, The Tungkillo Safe Zone, The Adelaide Safe Zone, The Murray Bridge Safe Zone and the one I belong to Mount Barker. We are currently at peace with Heath's group. And he told us about you guys. I even took a trip over to your Safe Zones to see for myself" Ana said.

"Who's Heath?" I asked.

"He's the leader of the group that attacked you. He's not a good man. You should stay away from him. He will kill you if he had the chance to" Ana said.

"Are you here to kill us?" I asked.

"I'm here to ask you to come to my Safe Zone and join us" Ana said.

"Are all safe zones working together?" I said.

"At this moment. No not all. Both the Adelaide Oval and Murray Bridge are not in peace with us. But they know me. If you do come with me. I need to ask you to be very careful with the boss. This thing changed him. And now he's a maniac" Ana said.

"So your asking for help to kill him" I said.

"No, you can't. Most of you guys are just kids. He's an adult. He's to strong for you guys. I'm asking for you to join us so he or Heath doesn't kill you" Ana said.

"And who's 'he'" I said.

"Thomas" Ana said.

"What happens if it goes sideways" I said.

"I promise it won't" Ana said.

I thought for a while. This could be a chance to make a trade system between communities to have a life like before. But if it goes bad. Then it will be much of the same we are dealing with today.

"If I said yes. When would we leave?" I said.

"We can leave right now" Ana said.

"I don't know if I can trust you" I said.

"Heath was gonna pull something on Underdale a while ago. I pushed that date back by a lot. I helped you guys out" Ana said.

"But all the people that lived there are now dead..... let me frisk you" I said.

"Fine" Ana said putting her hands up.

I felt her pockets for any weapons. I found a pistol and a knife. Thank god I'm taller than her, because if I wasn't I would have less confidence and power. I handed the weapons to Alleigh.

"Take me there" I said.

"Ok" Ana said.

"Kiara come with me. Alleigh stay and keep this place safe just in case we get attacked when we are gone" I said.

"You have to come alone" Ana said.

"I'll feel safer with someone I know" I said.

"No, he likes to have only one visitor. When I took the leader of Murray Bridge to Mount Barker they took two people and he killed both of them" Ana said.

"She's coming. Else were not going" I said.

"Fine. Get in the car" Ana said.

Kiara and I got into her car and she drove us towards Mount Barker, which wasn't a very long drive from where we were.

Once we arrived I saw a massive fence surrounding some buildings and the whole of the Mount Barker shopping centre.

"We are here" Ana said.