OVERPOPULAS

Chapter 26

We were running for a good while, until we reached a ladder and climbed out of there into broad daylight. The empty streets are as vast as ever. Everyone made it out, rushing as soon as they stepped foot onto the surface and into the momentary darkness that is the alleyways that intertwine with the city. It was clear to everyone where we were heading, out of this god forbidden hellscape of a civilization. None of us really knew where we were exactly going, all that mattered was getting the fuck out of there and start a new chapter in our lives.

Winding down the twisty confusing alleyways we reached a point where it broke out into the bright sunlight and into the middle of the street. Peering my head around the corner, checking our surroundings thoroughly I concluded that it was safe and secure, leading the others out. To the left of me is where the road reached a dead end and the entrance of the woods that enticed me into coming forward.

I pointed at it and started booking it towards there, just wanting to get out of the open and into the secludedness of the forest, using the trees as a disguise to keep everyone safe. Surviving above ground will be basically impossible in a group this big, harboring this many people will surely catch the attention of raiders, basically seeing it as a payday for them.

We masked ourselves into the wilderness and hiked through it for a good hour or two, I honestly couldn't tell. During the trek, the crunching of the leaves beneath us drowning out the sound of our heavy breathing, we came across a river bed that sounded like a flowing waterfall. We all consciously decided this'll be a great place to take a rest.

All of us hadn't spoken a single word to each other since our campground was burned to nothing but ashes. The sound of rushing water filled in the empty noise that lingered in the air as we all sat there soaking in all of the events that happened.

"So what the fuck do we do now?" William was the first to speak up. "Once it gets dark out here, where would we go to sleep?"

"It does get pretty cold out here." Nancy added on. "Even without that problem, how would we get our food?"

"We should've just stayed in the city." Fred said as he curled up in a ball. "We should've never left it, why didn't we just camp out in an abandoned building."

"Think about it Fred, you know how many raiders would be eager at the opportunity of killing and robbing a group like us? Too many." Jesse berated him.

"We don't even have our tents or anything." I uttered. "Hell, even sleeping bags would be acceptable."

"Is there somewhere we can scavenge?" Alice looked up at me shyly.

"Sorry, we don't know this place well. Even going back to the city, all of the buildings over there already have people living in them, or have been ransacked."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"I don't fucking know Alice." I said agitated.

She hunkered down a little bit, I saw the fear in her eyes build up as she curled up more in her social shell.

"I'm sorry." I reached out to her and patted her head lightly, slightly caressing it. "It's just everything that happened, it's fucking bullshit."

"I understand." She said back, obviously holding back tears. "I just wish you didn't take it out on me."

"I won't ever do that again, I promise." I pattered her once more before I lured my hand away.

She whimpered a little bit before I turned back to face everyone else in the group.

"So what do we do?" Jesse asked the question that started this whole conversation.

"Anyone got a blade on them?" William looked around at all of us, eagerly awaiting an answer.