Just Survive

Chapter Twelve

- Ashley Gray -

Cody pulls on my arm, desperately holding onto what's left (again) as I climb off the table he laid me on. I hold myself together, my arms wrapped around my torso, stapling my skin back together as it cries. My heart bleeds for Cody as his face distorts with distraught, clinging on to me for dear life. He begs for me stop but I keep walking towards Wayne, each step dragging against the floor with dread. I don't want to go but I have to. It's me or everyone.

"Good choice, Ashley." Wayne slaps my shoulder twice as I reach his side. I wince and gripe in pain, biting my tongue to stop myself from shouting out.

"Keep my name out of your mouth," I spit. Wayne chuckles, looking down at me with a face full domination. He thinks he's top-dog but he doesn't realise how strong he's made me.

"Please, don't do this," Cody begs, coming closer to me. Wayne's bodyguards block his path, aiming their guns at him or using them as a shield. Cody starts to breathe heavily, his anger and grief piling into his lungs. He tries to keep his cool, to keep the tears away from his eyes but he can't stop the saltiness from slipping out.

"You don't have to do this," Alex declares, his eyes pleading for me to back away from Wayne and sit back down. I shake my head at him, knowing I have to do this for them. Their lives and their safety are for more important than my own.

Cody can't speak any more. He stares with darkened eyes and a gaunt face that will haunt me - I've never seen him so distressed and it pains me to see it. I can't bear to see him this way but, I know it would be worse seeing him dead, six feet deep.

His face drops like a bomb as Wayne says 'enough, we're leaving'. As much as I want to turn and bite Wayne's throat out right now; I know I can't because his group (armed with rifles) would slaughter everyone last one of us. I can't risk that. This hospital has become this group's home, it's the only salvation that they will ever have, at least for this long. It's bad enough I've taken away their old lives, I can't rip apart their home and their lives all over again just to win some vendetta. I'll die for these people twice-over if that's what it takes to keep them safe and alive.

Frightened weeps escape from Jamie, terrified by the mass amount of weapons and the crowd of ugly, scary-looking men and women bearing said weapons. Even though we've lived in this new world for a year, maybe less, maybe more, you can never get used to always requiring a gun or always being on guard in case you're threatened for the thousandth time.

"Ash..."

"It's the only way," I confirm, taking one last glance at all the fallen faces. I mutter, just survive somehow, as the ass-holes drag me by the material of my shirt.

Alex holds Cody back as he kicks and screams, begging for them to bring me back. I can see the tears fall from his bloodshot eyes as Wayne yanks me out of the door. I push back my own tears; I can't believe I'm losing them again.

He pulls me recklessly out of the broken building and towards their crumbling cars. They blindfold me and tie my hands behind my back before throwing me onto a firm-cushioned seat. My head hits the car door, making my already claustrophobic anxiety sky-rocket. I groan in pain, my ears still ringing from the explosion. It's only now that the extent of the pain from my wounds hits me, the adrenaline wearing off. I lay down, taking in the pain instead of trying to reduce it in some useless way. There is nothing I can do.

"I'll take that car," I hear Wayne say, the smirk audible. I swear he couldn't get cockier even if he tried. The car door opens, rocking the car for a second before it settles in a silence. Darkness invades the space like a rainstorm hovering above us and only us. My chest feels heavy and I struggle to keep my eyes open. It's as though a demon has sat across from me and is attaching to my soul, draining any last dreg of good from me. I could fight, I could deny but the power is too strong, only another demon could combat this darkness.