Flesh Eaters

Confessions and Fear

Chapter 32 - Confessions and Fear

Murphy's POV

I stare at my boots wondering just how I'm going to tell her just what I'm feeling. Do I even know what I'm feeling? Why is it I felt guilty every time she gets hurt. Why is it every time someone hurts her I want to end them. My mind races with these questions and they all lead back to the same answer.

"I have somethin' ta' tell you, 'n' it ain't easy for me to say," I eventually find the courage to mumble.

Her brown eyes look up at me in concern but she remains silent.

I chew the inside of my cheek for a moment as I ponder the words to say. "I'm just gonna start from the beginnin'. When I woke up in that house 'n' found that Clint took ya', I was pissed off. I decided that he was goin' to die for takin' you, 'n' suffer for any harm he brought ta' ya'. I wasn't going ta' let anything stop me from savin' you, and when I found you, strung up and bleedin' I felt it was my fault. I felt guilty," I say running a hand through my hair. "I didn't understand why I felt guilty at the time."

"And now," Grey asks.

"And now," I sigh. "Now I know why. I felt guilty because I--"

"MURPHY," shouts a panicked Matt, cutting me off. His stands a few feet away from us hunched over, panting. His mouth works as he try's to talk but his breathing too hard to get any words out.

Growing irritated I painfully rise to my feet with Grey's help. "Out with it," I demand.

"Herd... eaters... there's a.. herd of.. eaters," he finally manages to say.

"Shit," I mumble under my breath. Without thinking I grab Grey's wrist and drag her with me. She doesn't fight or question me, just follows silently.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING," Matt shouts at my back. "YOU'LL BE SURROUNDED IF YOU GO BACK TO CAMP!"

I ignore his warning and keep moving. I know the chances of being swarmed are high but the chances of being swarmed while traveling without a vehicle are even higher, besides I need to find Baird. I keep moving as quickly as my injuries will allow, dragging Grey behind me. Before long, frightened screams and drawn out moans of eaters echo around us.

"What are we doing," Grey finally asks as we pass a women frantically running away.

"Findin' Baird 'n' getting us a vehicle," I answer before I pull Grey back behind a tent. "Two eaters ahead, stay down 'n' stay quiet."

She nods and peeks over at them while I check for an alternate route. As my eyes pan over the scene playing out in front of us I hear someone shout my name. Turning towards the voice I find Matt jogging toward us.

"What the fuck is he doin'! He's gonna get himself killed," I growl. He stops in front of us panting. "Get down, ya' dumb-shit!"

"Right," he pants before he drops down.

Grey looks at him as if he's grown another head. "What are you doing!?"

He laughs once and drops his head, "figured you guys must have a good reason going back into this hell, figured I'd tag along."

"Stupid," I mutter before I turn to peek around the tent.

What I find is a single, lanky eater blindly stumbling our way. It moves slowly, almost as if it's unsure what it's after. A jelly-like blob of blood clings to the corner of its gapping mouth, slowly rolling down its decaying chin. Its once white teeth are now chipped and stained red with fresh blood.

I turn back to Matt, "Ya' got a knife on Ya'?"

In response he pulls a blade out from the boots he wears.