Life After Death

Chapter 25

About a day had passed since the grand escape we made. Once we had all woken up to the sunrise, we decided to keep making as much distance between us and that place, well whatever was left of it, as we could.

We stuck to non-pathed areas, figuring it was best to try and stay out of sight from any Reapers that would most likely be using the roads to get away. So, we used the woody areas around them as cover, and made sure to keep a strong eye out for any Lurkers that might be roaming around the place. Especially with the hoard of them that had escaped just the same as we had.

Our plan was unclear from here. All of us were exhausted from our injuries healing and having little to no food or water around us. Where we were headed, and what we were going to do was not something we had planned, let alone thought about much. Focused mainly on keeping away from being recaptured by the Reapers and surviving the next few days.

"This place has good cover," Axel said as we came to an area sheltered by the steep hill above it.

"Yeah, and I think there's water over there," Jace pointed out as he looked around the wider vicinity.

"We should make a fire, when it comes to night, I think lack of food, lack of water, and the cold are all competing to see which can kill us first," I half laughed.

"I can keep a look out for a while. I'm going to go find some berries, or anything edible."

"How do you know what ones won't kill us quicker than the Lurkers?"

A look of sadness fell over him for a brief second, before it was replaced with some kind of nostalgic look, "Dahlia taught me the basics near the very beginning of the outbreak. Said it was the quickest and easiest way of feeding yourself, but also killing yourself if you didn't know how to distinguish between the good and bad."

We all smiled at the thought, particularly Whitney and Axel.

"At least she got to pass more knowledge onto Brooke before she died," he pulled something out of his t-shirt pocket, "I mean, the flower stuff anyway."

Everyone felt inside their pockets all at once, most of us still having at least one of the many flowers Brooke had bestowed upon us. Although fairly brown, crushed and long dead, it still seemed beautiful. The memory of it all disguising the ugliness.

I wasn't sure whether I hated or loved the fact mine was still tucked away in my trousers. It served as both a blissful reminder of what we did together, and a torturous reminder that now she was gone somewhere we may never see again. That there would be no more daily flower picking walks.

"You, okay?" Nathaniel asked me as everyone got on with their own thing.

"Yeah, I'm good," I said, somewhat unconvincingly.

"Viv, you really think that fake tone is gonna make me believe that?" He half laughed, noticing the flower still in my hand "We did the right thing, leaving her there, even if it does seem strange to admit. She's more protected wherever she may be now. If we tried to get her, we'd have probably died and then her too."

I nod my head, agreeing with him "You're right, you're all right. It just sucks you know. I was supposed to be like the big sister, I just wish I could've done a better job at it."

"The girl watched her parents get slaughtered, and yet you still made her smile and laugh every day. I think you did a better than okay job Viv."

. . .

Nathaniels words were comforting and did make me feel better about what we'd done. Finally admitting to myself and admitting it was the best we could've done.