Castaways

thirteen.

A s h t o n

"Ready, guys?" Calum asked us, one hand on the doorknob, looking terrified.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I gulped, trying to put on a brave face for my best friends.

"Now or never," Kayla said, and I could see she was scared out of her mind. I reached down, taking one of her hands in my own. She flinched at the touch, but when she realized it was me, she looked up at me, like I was her entire world, and my knees almost gave out from under me.

I never broke eye contact, and mustered up a smile, feeling a feeling that I've never felt before...at least with her. Or any other person, for that matter, except one. As I looked toward the only other person that could make me feel like this, I noticed Makayla's fingers lace with his. Calum gripped the doorknob tightly and slung the door open. The scene in front of us was unbelievable. Zombies, bodies, screams, gunshots. This is not supposed to be happening. We slowly walked out of the safety that was Calum's house into the nightmare the world is at this point.

Why would Mike make us leave?

Kayla was the first one to start making her way to Mike's.

"Guys, I know it looks...hideous, but we have to go."

Cal and I looked at each other and shrugged, not wanting to leave, but also not wanting to become his next-door neighbor's next meal. Makayla tugged on our hands, heading to the street. Calum stopped in his tracks, pulling her back.

"What?" She asked, looking around, trying to urge us on.

Calum put his finger up to his lips, silently telling us to keep quiet. He quickly pulled us behind his shed, which we turned into a playhouse when we were kids. We all crouched behind it and huddled together.

"We have to keep quiet and keep out of the main roads. We can take the dirt road behind Rosie's house, and keep going until we get to the city." Calum spoke in a hushed, hurried voice, and I nodded.

"Yeah, that makes sense. They're like wild animals. The Walkers-"

"The Walkers?" Calum raised his eyebrows, looking at me like I'd grown another head.

"Yeah. From what we've seen, Kayla and I thought they were most similar to the zombies in The Walking Dead."

"Ok..." He looked between me and Makayla, with confusion written all over his face. "Did something happen that I'm not aware of. You know besides the status of all my other friends' mortality?"

Makayla and I looked at each other, and mentally decided this wasn't the time to have this conversation, so we looked back at Calum and shrugged.

"No." We said, unintentionally in unison.

"Whatever." He said, standing up and leading us in the direction of Rosie's house, his neighbor a few down from his house.

-

The first couple of minutes of walking was rather uneventful....mainly because we were sticking to alleys and back roads to stay away from the action. All seemed as fine as it could be until Calum paled, subtly moving his head to the side, so he could hear behind us better. He steered us into an alley quickly. Makayla quickly freaked out, especially when Calum's hold on her wrist tightened.

"What's happening?" She whispered. Cal leads us to crouch behind a dumpster.

"I heard something. I think a Walker." He breathed out, trying to calm his heart rate.

"Why do you think that?"

"I heard little growl-like noises and ragged breath. I don't know, but I don't wanna take a chance." I peeked over the dumpster and saw the Walker Calum was talking about, and I quickly ducked back down, but it was too late. I could hear the pounding footsteps of it closing in.

"Come on." I grabbed both of their hands, dragging them away, and running around the corner. I didn't see or hear any others. I think he's just stubborn. We can just keep running until we lose him. I let go of their hands, so they could run alongside me.

But then, an oasis. A saving grace. There was a car, parked on the side of the highway that we somehow came across.

Thank God.

"Wait, guys, stop!" Kayla's voice immediately stopped me, and I looked behind me, seeing Makayla on the ground, with the Walker still running towards us.

"Kay!" Calum instantly ran toward her, but the Walker reached her first, taking a hold of her ankle. But before he could drag her off, Calum took one of her hands, and I ran, reaching for her other one.

I don't know what this dude's deal was with us, but he would not give up. I remembered I dropped the bat a couple of yards away.

"Keep hold of her," I told Calum, handing him her other hand.

"Where are you going?"

"Just trust me," I shouted, running towards the bat as if my life depended on it. I grabbed it and was making my way back, adrenaline rushing through my veins when a harsh CRACK ripped through the air, followed by the loudest, shrillest scream I have ever heard come from Makayla. I ran even faster, seeing tears just flooding from her eyes. I swung the bat as hard as I could at the Walker's head, sending him flying back.

"Let's go." I started gently gathering up Makayla.

"What are you doing? Kill it!" Calum said, pointing to the Walker.

"What? No!!"

"Fine." Calum set his jaw, walking over to the Walker, grabbing its head, and slammed it against the wall, and I had no doubt it was dead.

I couldn't breathe. What the hell did he do? My sweet, caring, let-me-win-at-video-games best friend? Calum turned around and picked Makayla up, carrying her to the car.

And I know it should be the last thing on my mind, but I was jealous. I should be thinking of anything else.

We almost died.

Makayla's ankle was broken.

Calum had just killed someone.

But I couldn't ignore the burning feeling in my chest.

And not jealous of her.

I felt like I should be the one carrying her in their arms. It should be my chest she was crying into. I should be the one comforting her and placing her in the backseat of the car.

What is going on with me?

"Ashton, start the car!" Calum yelled, snapping me out of my thoughts. I did as he said, and started driving to Michael's house.

"What the hell was that back there?" I finally said, a few minutes later.

"Me? I did what I had to do. What we all have to get used to. What about you, huh? Why didn't you kill that thing?"

"Because," I said, my knuckles turning white on the steering wheel.

"Because why?" Cal seethed through gritted teeth.

"Because that thing was a person!" I exploded, slamming my hand down on the wheel. "Once upon a time, he was a human being. And I'm sorry for actually having a heart and not being able to kill someone!"

"Ok, then what am I? The fucking Tin Man?"

"Might as well be the Scarecrow too, because you sure as hell don't have a brain!" I instantly shut my mouth, because I was this close to telling him. So close to losing my best friend.

"What the fuck does that mean, Ash?" Calum narrowed his eyes, looking at me through the rear-view mirror.

"Nothing." I cursed myself at how weak I sounded, as my voice broke. "Just forget it."

I knew I never would.

A/N Low key love this chapter. 

-A

You think the bad apocalypse is bad? Wait for the tea to spill.

-M