𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

Chapter 30

Cristine spent several minutes watching the sobbing Kathy. The mother cradled her newborn daughter against her breast while Jack coed soft and encouraging words at her side. A chunk of his long sleeved shirt was torn off and covered by a bandage that colored red. Deciding to keep the two some privacy for the time being and some fresh air, Cristine abruptly left the tent to come to herself. On her way out, she passed the white linen covered body on the floor. A single red dot smudged the center of the protruding head. She ignored it and tried to catch her breath and push down the tingling sensation under her nails and skin. Her stomach coiled at the idea of this tragedy and panic seized her senses, but she bit the inside of her cheeks hard, forced herself to push this down the same way she'd eventually done in the cabin and thought of the conversation she and Troy had in confidence yesterday.

"It's what I'm meant to do, just like you're meant to bring a baby into this world." And she did. She brought a baby in a world where death was better than this hell. Cristine knew how to be a realist, hope was all fine and dandy, but there was always despair lurking at the corner.

"It's bullshit." She whispered under her breath, ignoring the thought that had to be a product of her sadness over this tragedy with Jack, she began to weave her own idea over this sudden attack. Someone fucked with their carefully crafted plans. Before she could even second guess her intentions she went to her and her family's camper in search for her father.

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Cristine paused near the half-open door when she heard her father's stern question and peeked through the door. The silhouette of Vernon occasionally clear for her to see.

"I need to think of my family. You should do the same James," Vernon's response was as equally unbending and from the tone of it seemed to have made up his mind. Cristine's focused glower hardened, but she didn't want to interrupt the two men. There was this weird vibe between the Founding Fathers, her father had gotten colder, Vernon anxious, and even Jeremiah was less sure and ready as before.

"We dealt with the infected-"

"We lost one of our own and Jack was bit! Nowhere is safe!" The hiss was biting, it's acidity startling. "Listen, you know I love this place. I love what the five of us have set up for ourselves and our families. A place we could be safe and free, but a man's family comes first. And best I know is to leave and whoever is willing."

It was silent for a while before James asked, "what about Jeremiah?"

"He's unstable. I haven't seen him sober ever since we found out it was Walker who was behind the helicopter attack and Phil. I'm not going to wait until they do what they did to our people. We're already here and we can all go. Protect each other and-"