The Fallen Survivors

Chapter four- splitting up.

Before this chapter begins I just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and I hope that 2021 will be a better year than 2020. Have a great fucking day, love the author.❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤

Light streamed in through the broken shards of glass that were once windows, casting a golden glow throughout the room. With the lighting and the plants growing wild, the place looked like a forbidden paradise.

Looking around me, I found that I was not the only one awake. Elijah stood a few metres away looking ethereal in the morning light.

Noticing that I was awake he asked, "how are you feeling, did you sleep okay?"

I nodded, surprised that it was the truth considering how uncomfortable the floor was. "Guess I was tired," I said.

"We all were. I was kinda hoping that it was all a dream, ya know. A nightmare of sorts that I could wake up from, but I guess life can be cruel sometimes."

I hummed in agreement and went to stand next to him. "Watcha looking at?" I inquired.

"Nothing in particular, just trying to wrap my head around how," he paused for a moment, as if looking for the right word, "peculiar this place is. I mean, have you ever heard of having a jungle and a wood right next to each other?" He asked, looking at me, his face showing his confusion. "Now I'm not the best at geography, but it just doesn't seem right."

I nodded, "I'm not the best either but I've never heard of it, but I'm more worried about surviving than any strange phenomenon. It's not stopping us from doing anything and....." I trailed off, "anyway I wouldn't worry about it."

"Yeah, your right, it's.. it's just slightly jarring is all," he sighed.

"Yeah."

A groan from behind us prevented the conversation from continuing any further and alerted us to the fact that Killian was waking up. Bleary eyed, he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "morning," he said, yawning.

Everyone followed swiftly after Killian and together we made our way outside to a patch of relatively short grass and sat down to talk about our plan of action.

"We should split into three groups. One to try to find food and to explore the woods, another to do the same with the jungle and a third to stay here to find out the extent of the damage to the houses and set up sleeping arrangements," Elijah suggested.

"Yeah, and who made you the leader?" Alex asked sharply.

"No one but at least he has ideas unlike the rest of us and unlike you who only seems to know how to complain," Amelia deadpanned.

"Right, so who'll do what?" Elijah continued, seemingly unaffected by Alex's comment.

"I'll look for food in the woods," Jason offered quietly, "I enjoy camping and hiking in the woods so I can be of good use there."

"That's great. Anyone else?" Elijah asked, looking around.

Slowly Killian raised his hand, Katie quick behind. We all stared at her, shocked that she was willingly volunteering to do work.

"What?" She asked confused looking around at the group of puzzled faces staring at her. "Oh come on, big bro and quiet boy over here are the only bearable company here," she explained.

"Well that's group one, anyone up for group two, I'll volunteer for it," Elijah said.

"Well I'm staying here," Alex said, laying down on the grass, " can't be bothered to do much so yeah, ya know."

No one was shocked at this revelation and I immediately offered to go into the jungle. Unfortunately for me, everyone else wanted to get away from Alex. Reluctantly, I said I would stay here with Alex to even the numbers out more. I immediately regretted my decision, I was probably getting the easiest job but I was stuck with one of the mightiest bitches there is so I'll probably end up doing all the work myself.

Before everyone left, Milly and Jason wove baskets from tree leaves from the jungle and each group took one in order to keep any food they might find in. After everyone had left and after having a drink, I decided to get to work.

An hour in, I wanted to strangle Alex. Ever since the others had left she had spent her time tanning whilst I was busy checking each of the buildings to ensure they were safe. Overall there were twelve buildings: one hall, what I think was a small school, eight houses and two buildings so destroyed I couldn't tell. Out of the eight houses I deemed five safe enough to stay in and began sorting the sleeping arrangements. I put myself with Amelia, Killian with Jason, Milly with Katie and gave Elijah and Alex a house of their own. Both for opposite reasons

My next goal was to begin making the houses livable, which was going to be hard, very hard. In each of the houses, there were basic furniture: beds, couches, things like that but due to time, most of it was no longer usable. I also found a lot of yellowed unused paper and pencils that would come in handy later and a few sharp knives that seemed to stand the test of time and would help with hunting for food.

Finally having enough of Alex, I snapped, "Could you maybe help, instead of being a bitch and just laying there!"

"Fuck off, as I said before I can't be bothered to do much," Alex said bored.

"Well fuck you too, but it would be nice if you stopped being lazy and start taking this situation seriously," I replied, trying not to raise my voice too loud in anger.

Alex raised her middle finger at me, but before I could retaliate a loud scream echoed from behind me. A loud scream filled to the brim with fear, pain and anguish. Startled and panicked I began running towards the noise, praying everything was alright with our friends.