When August Ends

Who Are You?

"My emotions are a mix tape but no one owns a casett anymore."
- Hurt Johnny Cash

Rachels P.O.V.

"We need to clear out." Troy says after what feels like an hour of silence, but no one moves.

"Where did you say Maya was again?" JP asks innocently and it sends a pang through my chest.

"She's gone JP." Gace whispers loud enough for him to hear.

"Gone where?" he asks and I shake my head.

"JP, I know this is hard. It's not going to get any easier either. But Maya has become an Infected and she is no longer with us. Now enough talking. We need to get out of this place." Troy says kindly but firmly. JP begins to tear up.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." KP sniffs as she stands up. Everyone begins moving except me and Grace. She is kneeling at Maya's cross and I follow her example. She is wiping tears away, and I pat her on the back. She suddenly flings herself into my arms and I awkwardly hug her back. We just sit in silence and I don't know what to say or think. This day feels unreal, I just want to wake up.

Grace and I don't do a thing over the course of thirty minutes but after this time has passed everything is set and ready to go. I notice Nikkos staring at Mayas cross. He looks broken.
Troy approaches us and offers Grace his hand and helps her up. She helps me up in return. "You two can ride with me." he says motioning for us to follow him to his car. We follow him. Grace takes the front seat, and I take the back. We are still in Georgia and I'm not too sure what the plan is now. I suppose we don't have anything certain to go on now. Maybe go to Oregon finally? But none of us know what we will find there. If we arrive and David hasn't made it... I don't think Grace will be around much longer. The sadness could kill her and we'd lose another dear soul to this hell. Too bad we haven't any other options.

***

     It's been four days. We're still in Georgia. The rim at least. Mace and Parker came across a crumbling house but there were tents inside so we've made a little camp and stayed in it the past days. It's not ideal but none of us really feel like travelling. It's too much to handle right now. Nikkos understood that more than any of us. I think that's why he left us two days ago. He didn't take anything but a pistol. No one was really upset except Troy surprisingly. I think he was like a link to Maya for him, and when he left that severed all ties.

     I'm lying in my red tent alone. Everyone else is out and about doing something. I don't have the energy. All I can think about is Chey lately. That girl was my other half. Chet. My special nickname for her. I miss my partner.

      After we lost Maya, Brandon, and Cat we started driving to Ohio but Troy had a breakdown. We had to say goodbye to his beloved red car Shiela. It topped everything off for Troy. That car was practically holding him together I think. Mace has actually been co-leading with him. No one really questions what Troy asks. They do what he says because it's actually the most reasonable I think. Pretty sure he's the reason our group has lasted this long. Even if it's not all of us. I twirl my brown hair on my thin white fingers as I think. My thoughts are interrupted however by someone unzipping my tent.

"Hey," Troy says poking his head in the tent. I sit up.

"What's up?" I inquire.

"Will you please help Grace do a perimeter check? Stevo and I are going to make a supply run we found a town little ways away." He says quietly. I look at him a moment processing what he's just asked. I blink slowly. "Gosh Rachel. The heat from your judging is giving me sunburn." He says with a straight face and I laugh.

"Give me a minute to change." I smile.

"Thanks," he smiles lightly.

      I get up and grab my blue duffle bag that is in the right corner of the tent. I dig around for a sports bra, shorts, and a blue Superman tank top. I change into them and then put on a pair of black vans. I go back into my duffle bag and grab my knife and pistol. When I step outside I see Grace waiting with a plate in her hand. She smiles at me halfheartedly. She offers the plate of crackers and eggs (I briefly wonder where they got them but I figure someone went scavenging) but little do they know I don't like eggs. I take the crackers and hand her the plate back.

"You can have my share." I say curtly.

"You need to keep your strength up." Grace retorts.

"Yes but eggs make me sick." I return.

       Grace looks at me a moment and then turns around to JP who is standing behind her and gives them to him. He readily scarfs them down. She turns back to me, reaches into a leather pouch at her hip and tosses me an apple.

"Let's get going." She sighs.

      We begin walking along the edge of the woods. The particular spot we are camping in is in a clearing that has an empty field flanking our left and a forest flanking our right. Grace wants us to check the forest area but not just the rims, deeper. So that if there are any threats near by they won't reach us with time.

Grace walks ahead of me clutching a knife with her two silver hand guns at her sides. I follow her in exhausted pursuit. I don't have the strength to go for long. My energy is constantly fading and even a few steps wind me. I pause and lean on a tree, breathing heavily. I put a hand on my forehead and look at the ground. Everything seems to be spinning which makes me feel nauseous. After a moment I take a step forward and look for Grace. Despite the spinning craziness I am able to see that she is no longer close by. I don't see her and I feel a little frightened but the majority of my fear is reserved for my insane vision. Everything won't stop spinning. My leg moved forward but when I place my foot down I lose balance and collapse. I hear a weird sound, like chattering teeth with growls. An infected is near by but I can't seem to stop the world from spinning. A dark form is standing over me and it isn't a sane human I can tell by the growls. My heart hurts I don't want this to be the end. All I hear are growls ringing in my ears as the dark form gets closer to me. Cold hands grab my shoulder and I feebly shake it off. Suddenly a gunshot goes off. I feel a warm splash on my face and chest. I think Infected blood has just been sprayed onto me. Then something lands on my middle and everything goes black.
       

      Cold. Sitting up I gasp and shiver, realizing cold water has just been poured on me. I look around and realize I'm not in the woods anymore. I'm in a gray room on a metal bunk bed. There's a barred door. Am I in a prison? I look to my right and see an unfamiliar face. I find myself backing up against the wall behind me as I sit. "Who are you? Where am I?" I say in a rushed and reach for my gun. "Where are my weapons?" I shout. I get a better look at the person and realize he's probably a little older than me. He puts his hands up in a calming way.

"Hey hey calm down. I found you passed out in the forest about to be killed by a biter. Are you alright?" He asks but I don't want to chat.

"Who are you!" I shout.

"Craig!" He shouts flicking his long blonde hair out of his eyes. "My names Craig."