No Body No Crime

Today Was A Fairytale

I keep walking silently all throughout the night. I reach the next checkpoint by sunrise and I keep my face stoic. I don't bother thinking about Alice. When I do it consumes me. I fucked up, if I went for the kill then he wouldn't of been able to hurt her. I was too slow, too weak. The only thing keeping me going was her last words. She wanted love, she wanted the movies and now she can't have it. She wants me to love Less for her. I decide when I go home I'll get another tattoo for her. An angel seems fitting.
My wound has gotten infected as medical supplies seem scarce. Peeling the bandage away I look at the infection.
"Fuck!" I grunt noticing the surrounding skin looks odd. It looks like it's decaying. I retie it and continue walking with Marlow. Looking at the map I come across a bus stop, I search the area for anything that could come in handy. I notice a car that seems intact and I run towards it. Opening the door Marlow jumps into the passenger seat. I throw my bag into the backseat and search for a pair of keys. I open the glove compartment and relief floods through me when I see the set of keys.
I pick them up and pray the engine starts. Turning the keys the engine roars to life and I laugh happily. The CD player comes on and the music blasts out of the stereo. I turn it down but leave it on. I grin and look at Marlow, he pants also sensing the happiness. I lift my cap up and fix my hair in the mirror. I start to drive and I place the map just infront of me. I've been avoiding any hospitals ever since the hospital run when Timmy died and even though I really need the supplies I've also been avoiding it now. Having a car allows me to make a swift getaway if shit happens and it won't disrupt the distance I'm covering. I search for the closest hospital near the next checkpoint. Circling it with a pen I find, I turn the corner and drive down the main road. The sun is fully in the sky and I roll the windows down. Marlow sticks his head out the window and I laugh as he barks happily. It doesn't take long before I make it to the A&E. I park the car at the side of the road as I notice Ambulances littered with their doors flung open. I notice the building with walkers walking in and out. I avoid it and walk to the ambulances. I search for anything but come up empty. I search three more before realising that this was long cleared out. I sneak back to the car and look at the map, the next hospital is too far even with the car, the infection would be too bad by then. I scratch my chin. I could maybe try clear the building but I don't know how many are in there. I check my throwing knives, handheld knife and arrows for my crossbow. With everything secure I circle to the front of the building. It looks to be one large open space with no stairs. I deposit a couple of arrows into the heads of unsuspecting walkers. They fall but the majority of the walkers are banging on a wooden door. I search everywhere else before making my way up to it. That has to be where the supplies are. That and someone is obviously in there. I throw every knife I had into the skulls, my aim inch perfect. Even then there's still a large group of them. I use more than half of my arrows and finally there is no more. Collecting my weapons I walk slowly towards the door. Trying not to spook whoever is in there, I slowly twist the door handle open. For protection I hold my knife in my hand. Opening the door with Marlow by my side I move just in time for an arrow to stick itself into the door directly where my head was at. I watch as the arrow moves from side to side and look at the person who nearly killed me. Looking down I see a young girl with a bow held up and another arrow docked. I usher Marlow in and close the door behind me. On the table beside her is a baby wrapped in a blanket. I eye the children before moving to the metal shelves. Searching for anything that could help, I grab bandages and alcohol wipes, antibiotics and supplies that could stitch the wound. She doesn't lower the weapon and I don't blink.
"Stay back or I'll shoot!" She says her hand steady. I scoff and roll my eyes.
"Look kid, I just saved your life and I don't have the time to talk you into saving mine." She eyes my bandage and pulls the string back.
"You bit?" I shake my head and laugh at her.
"No kid just hurt pretty bad." The baby starts crying and the little girl tries to shush him.
"What's his name?" She lowers the weapon and sets it beside her.
"Nathaniel," she eyes me carefully. I place everything in my bag and my weapons are all clipped in place.
"And yours?" She lifts Nathaniel into her arms and tries to cradle him, he keeps crying and she answers me.
"Isabella, but I go by Izzy mostly." I nod my head and he still hasn't stopped crying.
"Where's your parents kid?" She looks down at Nathaniel and shakes her head.
"Mum got bit, turned last week, dad got bit and turned. I had to kill them both." She doesn't cry and I nod my head.
"I had to kill my girlfriend, she got bit too." She nods and I approach them slowly.
"Are you travelling on your own?" She nods and I close my eyes.
"Look kid, I'm looking for a friend of mine and if you want you can come along. I'm strong and can protect you both." She tenses up and turns to me.
"I'm eight and if I remember correctly I nearly put an arrow through your eyes." I smile gently.
"I know you did but if you come with me and we find my friend then I'll be going home. This place is really safe. Other kids are there, you have school and there's a movie place. It's a proper life, if you want it." She looks between Nathaniel who's still crying and me before nodding.
"He's normally pretty quiet. I don't know what's gotten into him." I gesture to hold him and she places him in my arms. Marlow walks over to Izzy and sits at her feet. She pets him and he licks her hand. I look at Nathaniel, his blue eyes look like Lessi's and his crying quickly stops when I coo at him.
"He likes you." Izzy states and Nathaniel grabs my finger.
"Well lucky for me I like him too." I aww at him and look down at Izzy.
"You got anything kid?" She rushes to pick up a necklace and checks the photo inside. I don't pry but she shows me anyway.
"It's a photo of mum and dad. It was mum's originally but I took it after everything that happened." I nod and hand Nathaniel back to her. I crouch down to look her in the eyes.
"I've got you now kid, I won't ever let you go through something like that again." She smiles softly at me and I run a finger over Nathaniel's small hand.
"You hear that Nate? We're going home." Izzy grins at me and I stand up.
"Wait, what's your name?" I smile at Izzy gently.
"Aurora but if you want you can call me Rory." She smiles and repeats my name nodding her head. My heart heals a little. I can see these kids becoming very close to me. Even now if something happened I'm not sure I'd be consolable.
I whistle and Marlow's ears perk up. Izzy gets confused.
"What's that for?" She asks curious.
"Marlow," I say pointing at him,"is a trained army dog, he responds to noises because I obviously can't talk to him. A whistle mean stay alert, a pat on the head followed by a point often means to scout that direction but most of the time he understands any sign I give in any circumstance." She nods and tries to whistle. A lot of saliva falls out of her mouth and she pouts cutely.
"We'll work on it," I say and she nods smiling at me. Nathaniel falls asleep in her arms and I make a mental note to find some proper things for him including a carrier that can attach to one of us. I get serious.
"Okay Iz I need you to follow my instructions now, you stay behind me and only ever use your bow if I say so." She nods quickly but asks a question.
"I can help fight, I'm not a baby like Nathan." I nod and agree.
"I agree kid, but until we can get a carrier for Nathan I need you to protect him." She nods understanding and I smile. I push her behind me a bit and walk out the front door. There's a few stray walkers out the front but I bypass them. We make it to the car and I open the back door for Izzy. She slides in and I open the driver door. Marlow climbs into his seat. The walkers are still making their way to us but I leave them. Turning the keys the music starts playing again. I turn around in my seat.
"Seatbelt," I say pointing at Izzy.
"You're such a mom," she says rolling her eyes.
"Live a little." I scoff and complain.
"Put your seatbelt on and you can live a lot instead." She does as she's told and I look at the map again. Not far away from here is a shopping centre that we can look for proper baby things.
"Ready?" She hums and Nate babbles. I nod and pull the car out of it's parking space. The walkers reach the boot and I leave them in the dust.
"This is gonna be fun." Izzy exclaims and I nod my head.
"It's gonna be something Iz, it's gonna be something big." I look in the rear view mirror to Izzy flashing me the cutest smile. My heart warms and I think of Less, she'll love them so much.