The day we fell.

chapter 08: and then there was two

Lucy's POV:

Tom's left us, but we're managing. A day doesn't go by when I don't miss him. We stayed afloat, killed zombies, and Jay even taught me cool fighting stuff and how to kill zombies 'with sass,' he says. We have been eating well, I've been keeping Jay safe ever since Tom left us. 

Why did I miss Tom? He called me weak, he said my parents didn't love me. Why would I miss him? But he did seem to regret what he said after. Didn't he? I don't know. I like to think he didn't mean it but no one knows. I'm not even sure Tom knows. It was harder to gather food without Tom but we learnt and soon enough it was easy. Jace always says we never needed Tom, and I'm starting to believe it myself! It had been a week since the incident with Tom, and about two weeks into the apocalypse. Life didn't feel that bad, but I still felt like I was missing something. Someone. It couldn't be Tom but I still love him. "We are running out of clean water, we should raid a nearby shop" stated Jace. "I'll go, alone, I'll be fine don't worry" I replied. "Is this to do with what Tom said?" Asked Jace. "Not at all! You just need to stop badgers and while animals from ruining the camp," I replied, not showing a hint that he was right. He set out to the city trying to find a shop that wasn't already raided. I came across a shop that was mildly empty but might still have something in it. I searched around until I found a book on the floor, it looked like Tom's notebook from school. I picked it up and opened it. What I read shocked me.

 
"July 17th, 2023.
Dear Diary,
I've never kept a diary before as I thought they were stupid, but with my friends gone and me only to myself, I needed to talk to something. It's been a few days since the incident but my face has mostly cleared up, Jace has some force behind those hits and I respect that. I regret saying what I said to Lucy, I don't even know where it came from, but what's said is said and I probably won't survive much longer anyways. A local gang approached me yesterday, offering me a place so I could become a mercenary for them, I refused and they tried to attack me, I killed them of course but now the whole gang is after me, one escaped and told the rest and now gang members to surround the location I'm in, I'm going to try and escape tomorrow but I might not survive it. It doesn't matter though, it's not like I'm missing out on much, being alone in an apocalyptic world. It's not a way to live if you can call what I'm doing 'living'. It's more like surviving but who cares.". July 17th, that was a few days ago, meaning Tom has already gone through with his plan, being as there aren't any gang members, he must have escaped successfully.

 I grabbed some bottles of water and began heading back. What I heard next made my spine curl. Gang members. They're yelling and screaming scared the life out of me, I froze not knowing what to do. I felt something tug on my right arm. "What the fuck?" I said out of pure shock. I turn to see a masked figure tugging on my arm. "Come on! We need to escape the gang, follow me, I know these streets and this gang" said the figure. I couldn't quite make out their voice through the mask but it sounded familiar. "Ok, what's the plan?" I respond. "No time to plan, just run, follow me" replied the masked figure. He grabbed my hand and we ran, ran for our lives. We weaved over the right to go into an alleyway to sneak out quicker. "The gang have most of the city in their control, they call themselves 'The marauders'." The figure stated. We stopped to catch our breath. "How did you even get past the marauders?" He asked. "I didn't even see any on the way, I didn't even know there was a gang around here," I replied. I couldn't see what expression he was making through the mask but I could tell he was confused. "Which way did you come in from? That might be our safest bet to get back out" he replied. "I came from that way" I pointed back to the direction I came from. "You're talking as if you've been trapped here?" I started with a questioning tone. 

The figure stopped moving. "Doesn't matter about me, I'm trying to get you out, and once you're out we can go our separate ways." He replied. "I recognise your voice" I stated. "What's your name?" I asked. "Doesn't matter" he held my hand again. "Now just keep up." We began running in the direction I came from, the gang not spotting us. We managed to make it out of the city in between the patrols of The Marauders. We both stopped to catch our breath. I quickly grabbed the guy's mask and yanked it off. "Tom?!?" I yelled with surprise. "Yes, yes, it's me but don't worry, I'm going" he replied. "Fine, do what you want I guess, but before you go, can I ask you something?" I questioned. "Sure, I haven't got to be anywhere so fire away." He replied. "Did you mean what you said? About me being a disappointment? I read the weird diary that you dropped in the shop but I want to know from you" I stated. "I didn't mean a word I said, I don't know where it came from but what is said is said. Can't take it back now" he replied. "Guess you're right, anyways I guess I'll be seeing you" I stated. "Cya, and don't get killed" he replied. He turned to leave but then started coughing, he stopped and continued to cough, he grabbed his chest and coughed more and more aggressively, and he began to stagger as if he was going to fall. I jumped to catch him but he was unconscious. His face was bright red from the coughing. "I'm going to have to bring you back to camp" I stated. I began to drag him back to camp. He didn't mean what he said! That feels good, finally, all the doubt and conflict have gone. Most of it...