Oblivion {n.h.}

Chapter 4.

We reach what seems to be the closest log cabin and Jackson locks the door behind us and immediately goes to look out the window.

"We killed most of them," He speaks quietly, wether we had a choice or not, we could've just barged right into someone else's house or a dead infected ruin "no telling how far the shots echoed out though."

Alex lays Emily on her back as Josh does the same with Steven.

"She's unconscious; almost hypothermic." Alex says as he toys with his bottom lip, leaning over Emily mothering her.

"Everyone go around the house and find any blankets you can, we need to warm them up." Josh orders while on his knees by the two river bend survivors. "Keep an eye out though, we haven't even checked the place through."

A nasty cough escapes Steven's throat and he sits up, water splashing out in front of him along with his own saliva.

"I'm alright. Being warm would be pretty damn nice right about now though." Steven shivers, his lips purple and auburn shirt sticking to his skin.

By this time Jackson and Alex are back, a few old dusty blankets in hand.

I decide to sit down and catch my breath as I watch Steven's gaze fall towards Emily.

"Is she alright?" Steven studies her face just as Alex had before, his eyes gazing over her closed ones.

He holds her face by the cheeks, turning it both ways and feeling how cold she may be, meanwhile his hair still drips water droplets down just above Emily's head.

"She's probably just in shock." Alex tries to reassure Steven; which doesn't work.

"And how would you know that?" He grabs the sides of her face and he looks concerned as I've ever seen him before. "She's cold as ice."

"Yeah, and you are too! Now grab a blanket and-"

Josh tries to finish before Steven lowers his lips down onto Emily's and proceeds to giving her mouth to mouth.

"What are you?-" Josh attempts to speak again before Alex speaks up.

"Sh. Let him do it."

No one questions the scenario, I don't know how it works in America but pretty sure the other five of us took health in school; knowing exactly what Steven was doing at the moment.

The color drains back to her face and her skin lights up like a glow stick

Emily opens her eyes and is panting slightly, she looks around, a confused look on her face.

She gets wrapped up almost like a giant burrito and shivers under her skin.

"That was a close call back there." I cross my arms and push the hair out of her face.

"Yeah, but without Steven, she might not be alive right now." Josh reassures her.

"If Steven wasn't here we'd be rotting in our blown up high school right now." I scoff a bit, in the least rude way I could ever try to, looking out of the window at the campsite.

Steven sits there, a blanket draped over his shoulders and he just gives her a weak smile before taking out his knife to clean it.

"Why?" She asks Steven, still out of breath and panting heavily.

"Why not." I answer for him.

"What else would you expect us to do? Let you drown?" I laugh.

A rumbling echoes the area, and a vehicle in motion catches my eye slightly from the far side of the log cabin.

But before I could get a better look, the door of the log cabin is kicked open and men with heavy weapons and ammunition are fixated on my group.

"Hands in the air motherfuckers." The man in front's voice echoes throughout the big cabin.

His face is scarred and nose crooked, probably broken a time or two.

"Uhhhh–" I raise an eyebrow and look over to the rest of my group, my hands shaking and mouth agape wide.

Jackson, Steven, and Josh's hands are already on their weapons, while Alex, Emily's, and I's hands are all in the air as we've been told.

There's about 4 or 5 of them, and I'm sure we could take them down in a heartbeat.

Alex and I exchange a look of confusion, desperate fear cowering behind Emily's green eyes.

"I think you're messin' with the wrong people." Josh sterns, gesturing his weapon towards the intruders.

My gaze falls to the four men behind the one who seems to be their leader.

A blonde haired and blue eyed boy, looking about 20 or so stands their with a machine gun cocked and ready. Behind him is a curly-haired boy wearing a flannel, his green eyes piercing into mine. The other two have brown hair and dark eyes, stubble covering their lower cheeks and jawline.

"Hand over your weapons, or we'll take 'em from you." The man says

"Name's Luke. We have people up North, a lot of them."

Josh turns his head and exchanges a look with every single one of us.

And my hands still vibrate back and forth from where they cower above my head.

"That's exactly what we've been wanting to hear." Josh smirks and sets his weapon on the ground.

"Come on kids set down your weapons." Our unofficial leader calls out as we all follow instructions; no matter how much I hadn't wanted to.

Jackson turns to me, he's standing right in front of me and his eyes hold deep concern and worry.

"Can we trust you?" He turns back to the men in the doorway.

"We just offered to take you back to our women and children. I think that takes some trust." The blonde kid states from beside their man in charge; accent thick and Irish.

"Then I think we'll be on our way." Josh picks up his backpack from the couch on the other side of the room.

"You don't have any problem with this Josh? Any?" I call back as he already walks out the door.

"Why not."