We're Not Alone

Chapter 16

"No, Kyle, you can't! That's not possible!" Paisley says cuddling up to Kyle.

"I can prove it, look!" He shrieks holding his arm out and pulling up his sleeve.

"That's definitely a bite," Dad observes.

It's pretty disgusting. Twelve deep wounds in total from each tooth. Within a half centimeter radius around each mark is white with blood streaming from the center. A large area around his forearm is throbbing red. I wince for his pain.

Paisley lets out a small sob.

"Hey, Paisley," Kyle lifts her head so she is looking directly into his eyes. "I'm just a burden on you guys."

Now it's time for Trevor's eyes to fill with tears.

"No, you're not," Paisley shushes him.

"I was."

"Was?" Trevor asks.

"Go on without me. I'm not carrying on with you guys."

Another Connor. Don't make me do it this time though.

"We do need to keep going, before anymore surprises come following us."

"I'm staying here, go ahead. Paisley, you better make it Maine, or else."

"But..."

"But nothing. Go!"

We agree, say our last goodbyes and leave along the road of the house.

¤¤¤

(Paisley's P.O.V.)

"No, Kyle, you can't! That's not possible!" I plead cuddling up tightly to his chest.

"I can prove it, look!" He shrieks holding his arm out and pulling up his sleeve.

I can't look, I couldn't bare it.

"That's definitely a bite," Joey observes.

I unleash a small sob. It's typical, as soon as I get a boyfriend, he gets infected. Only Paisley luck.

"Hey, Paisley," Kyle lifts my head so I'm looking directly into his dominant eyes. "I'm just a burden on you guys."

"No, you're not," I shush him.

"I was."

"Was?" Trevor asks.

"Go on without me. I'm not carrying on with you guys."

"We do need to keep going, before anymore surprises come following us."

"I'm staying here, go ahead. Paisley, you better make it Maine, or else."

"But..."

"But nothing. Go!"

We agree, though I'm hesitant, but I have to do it for the others. I stand there, motionless, speechless, as the others say goodbye. Trevor is the last to give him a bro hug.

I move in hugging him tighter than ever before. He cups my chin in his hand and moves my head up. I stand on my tippy-toes and we lock lips. It's such sweet-sorrow. Sweet because it's like we've just re-met, and sorrow, because I will never see him again.

Our lips part and I say goodbye and catch up to the others who are already at the front of the house.

Jamila is walking alone behind the rest of them so I walk next to her.

"Hey, are you alright?" She asks.

I ever so slightly nod my head. "Yeah, it's only my luck though."

"What do you mean?"

"As soon as a finally get a boyfriend, he gets infected."

"That's not your fault though hun."

"Yeah, but it just sucks."

"You always have me, your Mum, Trevor. Trevor thinks you're amazing, not just because we're best friends."

"Best friends? I didn't think we still went by that term. You're more like a sister to me."

"Aw, that's cute," Trevor says dropping back and walking with us. "And, if for what ever reason you don't want to talk to Jamila about something, I'm always here for you."

"Thanks Trevor. I don't know what I did to deserve you two."

¤¤¤

(Jamila's P.O.V.)

We've been creeping around the suburbs trying to get back to the highway, and after three hours, we have made it.

We decide it might be safer to go through one of the sewers so Dad and Trevor lift the gate, Paisley, Nirvana and I squeeze through and we hold it open from the inside for the others to get through. We quietly shut the gate and tread through the layer of mud.

Although it's quite late we decide to get through to the other side before we have a rest.

It echos through here, so any noise we make I'm worried we will get bombarded by infected.

¤¤¤

Well, the end of the sewers and we didn't come across any infected at all. As we walk out I have no need to adjust my eyes because the night sky is filled by clouds and the moon cannot be seen. We are surrounded by pitch blackness.

We decide to rest in a small clearing guarded by shrub and trees.

I lay my bag down to use as a pillow, and cuddle up to Trevor. He wraps his arm around my torso and pulls me closer. I nestle my head into his chest listening to his heartbeat.

¤¤¤

(Paisley's P.O.V.)

We finally come to the end of the sewers. In the six kilometers we walked through layers of mud I discussed with Mum some baby names. With Joey we discussed what we can do for Jamila's birthday, since we should be in Maine by then.

We decide to rest in a small clearing in the vast forest. It is surrounded by shrubs and trees which means we are mostly guarded by the outside world.

Jamila lays her backpack down and so does Trevor. They both lay down and and they cuddle up to each other. I'm so jealous of them, I miss Kyle so much, even though we didn't really know each other long it felt like an eternity.

I rest my head on my bag and try my hardest to fall asleep.