When All is Lost

Chapter 48

Things took a turn after we left the highway. We made the decision to find a place to rest and warm up. The first building we passed was a pizzeria. It stood empty, looking almost unblemished except for a single broken window.

I was willing to give the place a shot until Neveah grabbed my arm, adamantly shaking her head. She pointed to the window and I noticed that on the unblemished part of the glass, underneath the pizzeria's logo, someone had written in white paint, "DEAD INSIDE."

Recoiling away from the building, I hurriedly waved for my group to follow me in marching on. I couldn't stomach seeing bodies in decaying states – not so soon after Gertie's place. Unfortunately, the next street guaranteed I wouldn't have a choice in the matter.

The first body I nearly tripped over as it had been almost completely buried by the snow. I had to swallow down my scream as I saw the back of its blood-caked skull.

What. The. Fuck.

Looking around, I could see dozens of mounds where bodies more than likely sat rotting right beneath the fresh layer of pure white snow. There were no signs of recent foot tracks in the snow which quelled the worst of my rising panic.

We're too far east.

My heart stayed in my throat as we moved down street after street, viewing the remnants of what were once homes. All that was left were the skeletons of what humanity had once been capable of creating. It was all overcast with what we had turned into – death and destruction.

I had thought that what I'd seen at the edges of Milwaukee had been bad, but it was nothing compared to what lay before us. The worst was when we passed by the town hall building. Outside, an odd structure resembling a gallows had been built. I only knew for sure what it was because of the two bloated bodies that hung from it, making the frame creak as they swayed slightly from the rising wind.

Get off the road.

Every fiber of my being was screaming for me to find safety, but it took half an hour to even find a neighborhood that didn't look as though it had been a part of a warzone. The house we found was small and missing a front door, but it was better than nothing. We all piled into the family room, sheltering in hopes of finding reprieve and warmth.

I took note that the teens huddled in a corner, grouping together slightly away from everyone else. Neveah had taken her sneakers off and was squeezing her toes through her socks, trying to warm them up.

Guilt pricked at the back of my neck. I looked down at my boots and had a choice to make. My body feared experiencing the pain of biting cold again, but I knew I had to face it.

Bending down, I untied my laces and tugged off my boots. My sock-covered feet then took me across the room to where Neveah sat, whispering to her brother. "Here," I said, holding out the shoes.

She looked at them with unmistakable yearning, but it was leveled by her distrust. "I'm alright."

I took in her discomfort and knew that no words would easily convince her. She didn't want to owe me any more than she already did and that was fine by me. I didn't want to burden her down with obligation or try to win her over with trinkets and goods. If she and the other teens were going to stick with us, then trust needed to be built.

Giving her a shrug, I walked away, leaving her with the boots to do with as she pleased. I still had my old pair of sneakers stashed away at the bottom of my backpack. I sat down on a footstool a dug them out to put them on.

"That was nice of you."

I looked up to see Misty smiling down with her arms hugged around herself. Her eyes looked tired and, despite the smile she frequently wore for Jamie, the corners of her lips had developed a perpetual downturn.