Oblivion {n.h.}

Chapter 3.

Fall

We have been walking in the woods for hours now. The past few weeks were all about going through all of the nearby cities scavenging for food and weapons; although our weapon supply is already pretty huge.

It didn't take long for Joshua to explain to us just what was going on around here; around anywhere for that matter.

People dying only to come back as a vivacious beast hungry for human flesh– right, no big deal.

Joshua calls them walkers, because, well that's all they do. Besides wanting to eat they just walk around and do nothing, boring life if you ask me.

Any Walker to come into the path of Jackson is for sure going to be cut in half by his red machete. Josh and Alex both have bows with arrows, great for sneak attacks. Emily carries knives just about anywhere she can fit them, and Steven loves his sweet, sweet ak-47. While I have a machete similar to Jackson's but it's more of a katana or samurai sword.

Of course we all had hand guns and much more heavy weight ammunition guns; but we prefer the quiet route of weapons.

It didn't feel good at all; killing people, at first. Not until we had too many close calls to not want to kill them, they weren't alive anymore anyway. So as long as you destroy the brain before they eat yours, you're good.

"How much fucking longer--?" Alex asks, holding out the R.

"Shouldn't be much further." Josh replies; still crushing the leaves that blanket the forest floor beneath his feet.

After not having anywhere else to go or even stay, the only option we had was to look for one.

Now on week three or four of the apocalypse, it's only been a month we've had to deal with this shit, and too many people have already died in such a short amount of time.

Alex had suggested we look for the nearest campsite with log cabins or secrete houses on a lake, or sumat. Being just north of Chutenglen, that was our best bet.

We decided to take the woods next to the road leading into the Camp towards the log cabins instead of taking the road. We've learned by now traveling in wide open space can get you seen by somebody or the dead.

Last time we walked through the streets of South London with no protection over our backs we were shot at by bandits from behind. This ended up in straight murder thanks to Steven, but like he said, "What can you do? Kill or be killed, right?"

I couldn't agree more.

"Sh sh sh." Jackson puts a finger up to his mouth along with Josh; who turns around to sternly look at us as he does this.

"We're getting close, I can hear walkers already." Jackson speaks quietly from up ahead, and the dread goes straight to my temples as usual.

"What are we gonna do just go kill them all?" I ask, my voice still lowered.

"If that's what we have to do then we will, stay close and silent." Josh orders gaining a nod from the other five of us.

I stayed near Jackson as well as I could while he was completely right; the grotesque moans and hums could already be heard from the woods where we were creeping.

Emily tripped a few times and Alex had been scraped by branches a few times over his face, but we carried on toward the noise of the dead.

Steven was in the back, making sure we weren't snuck up on or being followed by any walkers.

"There's a pretty good chance of survivors here who had the same idea, let's just hope they haven't ended up like our little friends we're hearing right now." Joshua explains to us wisely, not taking his eyes away from our march ahead.

The cold Fall air is nipping at my face and hands as I creep closer, the log cabins and tents are growing easier for us to see.

"Shit." Jackson whispers as he and Josh stop in their tracks.

The walker groans close as a rushing sound now fills our ears, and a river blocks us from getting to the other side toward the nearest log cabin.

"Look." Steven points from the back of our group, and I turn my gaze towards where his finger is detecting.

"There's a wooden bridge across the river right there."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? What if we're seen?" Emily jumps in, mid conversation.

"What's the other option?" Alex jumps in right after her.

"He's right." I agree with a nod in his direction.

His eyes thank me and I give a reassure him with the same; the boy becoming a lot less shy and covert as he used to be when we first met him.

"Come on." Josh orders and we now creep along the riverside toward the small bridge.

We make it safely and the only thing to be heard is the moan of the dead and all of our breathing in the Autumn, crisp, air.

The wooden planks creak beneath all of our feet as we go across, only Emily and Steven behind me before the whole bridge goes tumbling into the stream.

I was across just before I heard a crunch and a scream from Emily.

I turn in horror to see Emily and Steven now fallen into the freezing water.

Steven is spurting water out of his mouth as he grabs Emily and holds her close. The water is rushing and they begin to flow downstream.

"Behind you!" Steven choked out as he is drifting away.

I turn to see tons walkers coming in our direction; and we'll be cornered soon if we stay.

Jackson and I slice at a few of them and run downstream where Emily and Steven are being washed away.

As I run I swing my katana back and forth slicing walkers left and right, as I hear Jackson doing the same behind me; and I'm not even one hundred percent sure if I'm doing any good or not.

Alex and Josh have sprinted ahead shooting their hand guns at the nearing dead.

Adrenaline kicks in as I pick up speed towards the men, gaining up on Alex and I can still hear Jackson's paced breathing on my tail.

Steven and Emily are slammed against a fallen tree branch in the water and Steven's muscular arms are holding on for dear life.

His splintering fingers slipping as every second passes, even an idiot could know he can't hold on for much longer.

"We gotta help 'em out!" Josh screams at Alex.

Joshua runs to the edge of the water, Alex trailing on him as they both grunt with effort in order to pull both Emily and Steven up to safety.

The dead are nearing and I pull out my hand gun, shooting wildly out in front of me, probably only making contact with a third of them.

Jackson screams over his shoulder loudly before he stabs a dead, blonde woman between the eyes, his back to me as he stands just a little closer than I do.

Between the eyes, through the neck, off with the head they come. More and more, there must be only a few left by now.

Jackson is now getting more than one at a time and dodging every claw and bite one tries to take, while my efforts probably look like a child's compared to his.

The gunshots echo the area and I wouldn't be surprised if they could be heard in Australia by now.

"THEY ARE GOING TO FREEZE OUT HERE LET'S GO." Josh's American accent rings through my ear, the older man making me jump from behind.

I take off; Jackson by my side. All I can see in my shaky vision is Alex carrying Emily and Josh carrying Steven.

I have no idea where we are going but I run and don't stop until they do; the sound of the dead gone, but the fear in my gut remains.