The Diseased

C.9

Chapter Nine


"We're just going to chase after it? Then what?" Madeline huffed as she tried to keep up with the Ben, Greg, and I.
Greg slowed to a jog, then to walking, then he finally stopped, bringing the back of his hand to his forehead as he watched the car drive away.
"For Christ's Sake, Madeline, why didn't you ask that before we started running?" He shouted, flinging his baseball cap to the ground and wiping the sweat from his forehead with the top part of his shirt.
"It's not my fault that you forgot to establish that rule," She barked, and sat on the dusty road, catching her breath.
Greg looked towards me, an angry look plastered on his face. "Do you have any bright ideas now, Beth?"
His anger was obvious, so I had decided to not say anything, just purse my lips, shake my head, and look down, suddenly interested in my worn out combat boots.
"And you, Ben?"
Ben glared at his father. "Don't talk to her like that, or you can figure out a plan by yourself." He spoke harshly, defending me. It was impossible not to hide my smile as he stood in front of me, in a protecting manner.
"You better watch your-no. You're right. I'm sorry, Beth, Madeline." Greg apologized, but Ben still hadn't let his guard down around him.
"Sir?"
Greg looked behind Ben, at me. He still sort of blocked his view from looking at me, causing Greg to furrow his eyebrows.
"Jesus, Ben, I said I was sorry!" Greg hissed, shoving him aside. I jumped back, shocked that he pushed his son so harshly, but I figured that it was the effects of the apocalypse finally changing his thought process.
It still wasn't an excuse for him to treat others so poorly.
"I...I just had a thought."
"About?"
I bit my lip, thinking. "Well, um, maybe Ben and I, since we're younger, can bring some food to a car and say that we just want peace or if they have anything to trade or whatever, and if we get them out of their car, you and Madeline can come and...and kill them. Then we have our car."
Greg nodded, thinking over the idea. He then turned back to Madeline, and yelled at her crudely.
"Hey, did you hear that? Beth here, came up with a plan that doesn't involve any running! We do need to make sure you don't over exert yourself, huh?"
Ben's eyes widened, and his mouth dropped what his father just said. He strode up to his father, about to say something, when Greg turned around, raged like a wild animal, and punched him in his jaw. It sent him stumbling back, causing Madeline to gasp and run over to her son. I hesitated to sit with them, but the only thing that stopped me from doing so was the fact that Greg hung over the two, his eyes dark. I feared he would strike at Ben again, or at Madeline, so I pulled out the gun I held between my belt's loop, nowhere near gracefully, and aimed it at Greg.
"I, um...get back? Get back." I stuttered, worried that Madeline and Ben would defend Greg, but I silently hoped they would see I was defending them from this mad man.
Greg crossed his arms.
"What...what makes you think that you can overpower me?" He demanded.
My mind raced with thoughts, negative ones like, what are you thinking? You're going to get killed! , but there were the positive thoughts, too like if you don't do this, he'll hurt Ben and his hand was already shot and now Greg is going to do something so you need to do this. It was a massive, colossal mess of thoughts all jumbled into one, and I couldn't outweigh the pros versus the cons, so I did what I thought was right, and shot Greg's shoulder.
I meant to shoot his shoulder, it wasn't an accident. I knew it wouldn't kill him. I just wanted to make him realize what he was doing, and stop him from doing it.
Madeline was grateful, as she looked over at me with tears in her eyes and mouthed a silent thank you. When she scurried over to her husband who was on the floor, Ben stood, and ran into me with so much force that I almost collapsed, but didn't. He just hugged me tightly, and didn't let go after a while.
I stood there without hugging him for a moment, my arms drooped at my sides as I tried to realize what I had just did, and when I did realize it, I tried to remember what made me do it, and why I was such an idiot.
And then I realized it.
I just didn't want to admit it.
I thought this as I brought my arms around his neck to return his hug. Tears started to form in my eyes when I realized that Greg might leave me stranded here for shooting him, and that I probably wouldn't ever see Ben again, and we wouldn't find a cure.
I could've sworn I almost heard him crying, too, but it probably wasn't for the same reason. For all I knew, he was probably upset that I had just shot his father.
But nonetheless, I still hugged him.
When I thought of it, I hadn't hugged someone in the longest time, years, even. But up until a day or two ago, I hadn't socialized with another being. But the feeling of hugging someone was a feeling I hadn't experienced in the longest time, and I had missed it. I had missed the warm embraces from my parents, and I had forgotten the sloppy kisses that they would plant on my forehead. But what I think that I missed the most was when they would tell me that they loved me, and when they would list all the reasons why they loved me, and when they told me that I was the most beautiful girl that they had ever seen and that they were so incredibly blessed to have such a perfect daughter.
If only they saw me now. I wondered if they would still think that I was still perfect.
Ben made a grunting sort of noise, and I instantly pulled away from the embrace, thinking that I had hugged him for too long. As I did, I pulled the end of my sleeves to cover my hands and use them to wipe the tears that threatened to spill.
I knew he saw me, heard me crying. But he didn't mention it, and I was extremely grateful that he didn't. He simply just acknowledged it by doing nothing, but doing almost everything obvious to make me aware of it.
It was horribly confusing.
He stood behind his mother, staring at his father. The look on his face was unreadable, his expression was emotionless.
Greg, however, had his eyes shut in pain and agony, his lips pursed as he tried to mute his screams.
Eventually, he was able to calm himself down, yet he still felt that he was unable to move. But he was able to lay there calmly, and try to regain his strength. We all sat around him, Madeline continuously whispering to me, asking me if I knew for a fact that the bullet wouldn't kill him.
"It won't," I assured her. "He...he was going to hurt Ben."
Ben glanced over at me, and I instantly corrected myself. "And you. I didn't want that to happen."
Madeline smiled gratefully.
"Thank you."
We sat in silence for the longest time, until Ben had mentioned that we need to remove the bullet in his shoulder. They both looked at me.
I nodded, knowing that they needed me to do it.
"I need the medical kit, though, from the truck. It's not that far from here." I told them, and pointed to the a somewhat distinctable figure of the car further back down the road.
As they left, Greg made a coughing noise, and beckoned me to come closer.
"Beth?"
I felt almost embarrassed to look at him, like a shy, bashful little kid. But I looked at him anyways.
He didn't say anything, but even if he did, I couldn't tell what he had said. But his mouth moved, barely a whisper, and I could almost tell that he mouthed his gratitude towards my actions.





I apologize in advance if you're looking for a Walking Dead fanfic. Just so you know, I adore theWalking Dead, but none of the characters are in my novel. thank you for understanding & enjoy!x