Nobody Survives in the End

Four • Searching

Laura:

Foster didn't say much, he only spoke when he needed us to change directions or follow instructions. Emma stayed close to my side, occasionally holding my hand or belt loop. I contemplated giving her a weapon just in case but I hated to think about her having to hurt someone.

The morning bled into the afternoon, the sun finding its more permanent position above us. For a while, we walked through a more remote area. Few houses occupied the land, most looking completely abandoned.

Foster stopped to read a street sign. "See this sign?" He asks, pointing to it.

I nodded and read the sign, "Rutland."

Foster nodded, "We're going into another city."

I nodded, "What does that mean?"

He began adjusting his pack, "It means the risk of running into infected is more likely. I can almost promise you they will find us."

I swallowed harshly, "Can't we go around?"

Foster chuckled, "You're funny. Let's go."

I rolled my eyes and warned Emma to stay closer to me. She agreed and we began following Foster.

He walked briskly with his gun pointed in front of him, prepared to shoot anything and everything. The sight both scared and fascinated me.

Buildings started flooding our surroundings. Most of them tall and abandoned like all others. The difference with these was that they endured more damage than the rest.

"What happened here?" I asked, looking over the area some more. Black ash covered a few broken-down cars and most of the cement we walked on.

"A bomb."

Chills covered my body. Not even the best explosive stopped the infection and that gave me more reason to worry.

Emma yelped and jumped some feet away from me. This caused both me and Foster to turn around with our weapons raised. A few inches from my feet was a skeleton, one burnt completely.

Foster clenched his jaw and sighed, I could tell he was trying not to yell at her. I faced her, lowering my knife. "It's okay, it's alright."

She nodded and tucked her hair behind her ears. I held my hand out to her and she clasped it with hers. Foster's expression softened before he turned around and kept on the same path.

The city was eerily quiet, with no birds, no wind, nothing. I remembered visiting this town once or twice when we needed to buy more modern things. This city was usually bustling with cars and people, busy people. Seeing it abandoned after knowing how it was before made it sadder.

Foster checked his watch after some while before stopping in his tracks. "We won't be able to make it out of here before night, we need to secure shelter."

I looked around at the shell of what used to be buildings. None of them looked like good places to stay, not even for a few minutes.

"I don't think-"

A loud cacophony of screeches came from a parking garage down the street. A human scream joined them.