The Arising: The Finale

Chapter 8

SAMANTHA

I walked back onto the railway. I was probably quite far away from Jonah. I should try to catch up. I saw that he cleaned the railway lines. I started to pick up the pace. But then as I kept walking, the railway lines slowly had more rubble and sticks on them. Jonah must of turned around and gone back to his crew.

I continued walking down the railway. I cleaned off all the sticks and rocks. Soon we will be able to use the trains. I'm so excited. I've never been on a train. Neither a plane. Gabriella told me that apparently when I was really young I was driven in a car, but I don't remember it.

As I was walking I saw someone riding into the woods. It was strange because there was nothing out that way. As I got closer I saw that it was Hayley. I quickly started to jog over. I ran into the woods. As I ran in I saw Hayley's horse run by me.

"Woah" I said.

The horse stopped at me. I grabbed its leash and hitched it nearby. I continued walking into the woods. I came across a large drop off with a small river flowing down below. I looked around and I saw Hayley standing on the edge. She looked like she was about to jump. I walked behind her.

"Hayley. Can you step back please" I said.

"You should leave" Hayley said.

"Just step back" I said walking up to her slowly.

"I can't" Hayley said.

"I'm not leaving till you do" I said standing next to Hayley.

Hayley looked at me. I took her hand and held it tightly. Hayley turned around and hugged me. I slowly walked away from the edge while hugging her. We both sat down. I looked at Hayley.

"I'm sorry. It's just, I miss all of my friends. Alice, Taia and Erin. It's hard to forget them. What we all suffered. What we all went through. I have flashbacks. It's like I'm still in that room. I can't get it out of my head. So, I thought the best way to get it out was to jump. Get it over with. Because I can't take it anymore" Hayley said crying.

I patted Hayley's back. She wasn't doing too well.

"I'm going through the same thing. I can remember the Whisperer horde. I can remember slowly walking through it. I remember it like it was yesterday. I can hear the moans from the dead. Then I can hear my dad yelling out to me. Saying that he love me. Telling everyone to look after me. Then his voices vanish. After a few days of it. I was going to kill myself. I wanted to. I thought I had to. It was the only way. But then I thought. We never found my dads body. What if he was still out there? So I stayed strong. For my dad. I know he's most likely dead now. But there's always hope. I just, really miss him" I said crying as well.

Hayley went silent after hearing what I had to say. Maybe she doesn't feel so alone anymore. Hayley started to cough quite badly.

"You good?" I asked.

"I'm good. It's just a fever. Thank you. For what you did" Hayley said.

"It's ok. Why don't we both ride to the Adelaide Oval together. I'll drop you off and I'll stay with you for a while" I said.

"No. It's ok. You need to get the railway done. I can get back alone. I'm fine" Hayley said.

"Ok. I'll see you soon then" I said hugging Hayley.

Hayley walked down back towards the railway. She saw her horse and got back on it. She then rode off towards the Adelaide Oval. I stood up and walked to the edge of the mountain. I looked down at the long drop. I then slowly walked back to the railway.

I continued walking down the railway, alone. I cleared rubble and sticks on the tracks. I looked up and saw a medium sized tree was on the tracks. It must of fell over. I walked up to it and looked at it. It was slightly on an angle because it was still sitting up on its stump.

I walked over to the end of the tree and took out the axe Jonah gave me. I started to cut the tree down. It may take a few hits. The tree was about thirty centimetres thick. I swim at the tree again, again, again. I got halfway through. I swung again. On my next swing I took a small break.

I caught my breath. I looked at the tree. It was almost chopped off. I was about to chop it again when I started to hear the horde again. I dropped the axe and held my ears tightly. It was louder this time. All I could hear was the horde. Then I could hear Stella crying. It pierced my ears. It was so loud. Then I saw my dad. Taking off the poncho covered in blood and guts. Then I heard the loud gunshots. Three in a row. I leaned against the tree as I saw my dad yelling out to me. As that was happening I felt the tree was cracking. As I was about to walk away from it my dad looked at me.

"I love you" He said.

The tree cracked fully and landed on top of me. It hurt. It wasn't completely on me but I couldn't move. I was stuck.

"Argh!" I yelled in pain.

I looked around. No one was anywhere. I was alone with a tree on top of me.

"Help! Please someone help me!" I yelled.

I tried roiling the tree off of me but it wouldn't budge. I tried harder and harder. I pushed as hard as I could. But the tree wasn't moving. I laid down and looked down the railway. I saw a man walking towards me. He had a prosthetic foot on his left foot. Just like my father did.

"Help me! Please!" I yelled.

The man got up to me and knelt down. As he knelt down I saw his face. It was my dad. He was young. He looked the same from when I was three.

"Hey honey. You need some help?" My dad asked.

"I do. Please. Please help me" I said.

My dad took my hand and held it tightly. I looked up at him. He smiled.

"I love you baby" my dad said.

I blinked and he disappeared. I looked around and he was gone. There was no one around.

"Dad?! Where are you?! Where did you go?! Dad?! Please come back! Dad?!" I yelled as loud as I could.