Flesh Eaters

Talk of Safety

Chapter 34 - Talk of Safety

*Murphy's POV*

"Anything that sounds that good, isn't," Matt says sounding standoffish.

"How can ya' be so sure?"

Matt sighs, "A couple months ago Simon and his group saved us; me, Zoey, and Aaron. We were starving and trailed by eaters. All our energy went into just moving forward."

Matt pauses and Zoey pipes in, "just when we thought that we could move no more, Simon found us. He took us in, in exchange for... our loyalty."

"That isn't what he wanted and you fucking know that," Matt says cutting Zoey off. "He told us he'd save us if Zoey would, pay the price."

Next to me Grey stiffens and stares at Zoey. A look of fear and sorrow swims around in her eyes as she stares.

"Pay the price," I ask.

"He wanted her, Simon did, as his own personal, sex slave. He said that was the only way," Matt trails off. He stares off into the distance for a moment before he shakes his head. "We, me and Aaron, told him no. We told Simon no, we'd rather starve; but Zoey stepped forward and agreed.

And then there was a second part to this, agreement, that he had enforced. Me, being Zoey's brother, I had to watch. I had to sit in that same damned chair he had you in and watch him rape my sister. I had to see everything fucking thing he did to her and if I made so much as a sound, he'd punish me when he was done."

Matt's voice cracks as he holds back his emotions, "He'd cut me, he'd beat me, all after the mental torture of witnessing what he did to her." Matt stops talking and let's out a shaky breath, calming himself. "That's how, I'm so sure this, Safe Haven, isn't all it seems."

The air grows silent as we all sink into our own thoughts. My mind beings to fall towards that dark corner we all lock away in order to remain sane. I close my eyes for a moment and let out a slow breath as an image of Robby surfaces. Of him on top of Grey, hurting her, raping her.

Subconsciously my hands clench at my side. My heart rate quickens as an anger boils up inside me.

"Murphy," a soft voice whispers beside me.

I blink away the images swirling around in my head and look over. Grey stares up at me and forces a small smile before she lays a hand over my clenched one.

My eyes drop down to our hands. Letting out a breath I unclench my fists and take her hand. Meeting her gaze again I return her smile.

Next to us Zoey breaks the silence. "Oh no," she whispers as she slowly rises to her feet. "No, no, no, no.."

Carefully I stand and see what brought on her reaction. Thousands, if not more, eaters stand before us. They stumble blindly, turning as the sound of the truck reaches them.

"There's nothing left. T-They've whipped them out," Zoey whimpers as she sinks back down next to Matt.

The truck slowly creeps to a stop and Evans rolls the window down. "Now what," he asks as he leans out.

I look to Matt as he rises to his feet. He stares out over the mass of eaters before us. Sighing once he drops his head and runs his hands through his hair. A moment of silence follows before he finally raises his head. "I'm not cut of for this leading bullshit." He turns to me, "You seem to know how to keep everyone alive. You tell us what to do."

"You know what I'm gonna say then?"

Matt nods while looking over at Grey. "Yeah, I know what your going to say but she's been with you for however long and you've kept her alive and out of harms way. And you've got Baird up in the front, he's still alive."

"I haven't exactly kept her outta harms way. A lot has happened, a lot of shits happened ta' her since she's been with me."

"She's alive, and from the looks of the relationship between you two, I believe you played a roll in keeping her that way."

"I haven't kept everyone alive."

"Neither have I."

"You'll follow where ever I say ta' go? Even after what happened to Zoey?"

"I trust you. You'll do everything in your power to keep everyone safe and alive."

"Then we go west, ta' Safe Haven."

Matt nods once before turning to Evans, "you heard him, go west."

"On it," Evans responds leaning back into the truck.

As the truck begins to turn I sink back down next to Grey. Dropping my head down into my hands, I silently pray I'm making the right decision. I pray that I'm not directing us to another Simon or something worse.

Time passes slowly and soon night falls bringing bitter cold air with it. Next me Grey shivers. At some point she tucked her hands under her arms, hiding them from the icy air blowing across us. Her teeth lightly chatter as she stares straight ahead, looking lost in thought.

"Ya' alright," I ask.

She blinks and looks up at me. "Huh? Yeah, I'm okay. Why?"

"Your teeth are chattering."

"Oh, yeah. I'm just cold, I'll live."

"'N' catch a cold," I state as I wrap an arm around her. We sit silently like this for awhile before I say. "Get some sleep, it's gonna' be a long ride."

Grey sighs as she rests her head against me, "you need to sleep to. You'll never heal if you don't rest."

I nod as my eyes drift over to Matt and Zoey. Matt sits with his arms wrapped around Zoey in a protective brother manner, while Zoey sleeps with her head resting against his shoulder. It isn't the way they sit that catches my attention but it's Matt's eyes. They coldly stare back at me before they flick over to Grey. Jealously and frustration reflect in them as he stares.

"How long do you think we got, I mean until we reach Safe Haven," Grey suddenly whispers.

Tearing my gaze away from Matt I look down at her. She leans against me with her eyes shut. A single strand of her brown hair lays across her cheek, waving in the cold breeze.

"Day or two, a week at most," I mumble in response.

She lets out a yawn, "I hope it's soon."

"Yeah, me too," I mutter as I look back to Matt who's cold gaze is fixed on me. "Me too..."