Just Survive (Complete)

Chapter 42

When Ashley woke up early the next morning, she sat up, stretching her arms above her head. Colby was already awake and dressed, leaning over and kissing her gently.
"Morning. Sleep well?" he mumbled softly against her.
She hummed contently, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing herself closer to him.
"Yeah."
"Good. We are gonna take a few days to rest up after everything that has happened and get Jenny ready for travel. Just think; in about a week or so we'll be safe in Jackson." he said excitedly. She laughed softly before kissing him again, moving her hand into his hair.
He kissed her again, his tongue brushing against her lips teasingly, then finally slipping into her mouth. They kissed lazily until they broke apart, both breathing heavily. He smirked.
"If you keep this up, I'll lay you out on this bed and ravish you all over again. How does that sound?" he suggested seductively. She blushed.
"Uh uh, that was last night, mister," she said teasingly, poking his cheek playfully.
He grinned, nuzzling her shoulder playfully.

"Come on, let me check on Jenny," Ashley said, pulling on her underwear and t-shirt and going over to the crib where Jenny was sleeping peacefully. Ashley smiled at her. "Hi, sweetie. Did you sleep well?" she asked quietly.
Jenny squealed. She was smiling widely as she reached her tiny arms out toward Ashley's face. Ashley picked her up and hugged her to her chest.
She carried her to the bed and lay down beside Colby. Jenny giggled and snuggled deeper into her.
After about half an hour of playing with Jenny, they decided to eat breakfast, going to the house of Kelly's foster parents. Shannon and Brian had woken up long ago and were sitting at the table, drinking tea. Zach sat down next to his sister, Colby and Ashley sat at the other end with Jenny in a high chair. Shane and Ryan walked down to the table and joined the rest.
Ryan hadn't eaten a meal at a table in a long time, and Shane noticed that he ate too fast.  He watched Ryan wolf down the food, chuckling to himself. He watched as Ryan tried his best not to spill any milk on the table with his clumsy eating. After finishing his pancakes and eggs quickly, he stood up and headed straight towards the door"
"Wait, Ryann what do say?" Shane tested.
"Thank you for breakfast, ma'am!" Ryan answered,  giving Shannon and Brian a smile before heading out to where Stanley was sitting in the sun. Shane smiled, hoping that he could give Ryan a safe home.
Once everyone had finished their breakfast,  the adults looked at the map to Jackson. They wanted to avoid any zones that were heavy with zombies. There was a strong possibility of raiders appearing anytime.
"Our best bet is to go with a larger group. We'll have safety in numbers and most likely Ryan and Jenny will be the only kids; so they'll be safe." Shane reasoned.
They discussed what would be the safest route for several hours. The plan was to stick to the trails and stay together as a group.
"We're looking at more than a week of traveling
to Jackson. This should work... but don't expect too much from the weather." Zach warned.
Everyone nodded.
"What time should we leave?" Shane asked.
"Well, we should be able to make it to the next settlement in four or five days. Then we can  go south to Jackson."

"I'm going with you all," Kelly said unexpectedly.
"Kelly, you haven't left this town in years! You shouldn't even think about coming along. You need to stay here where it's safe." Brian protested.
"Brian, she needs to be with her family! She finally found her brothers ..... anyone else would have been given up! We knew this day would come!" Shannon countered, trying to calm him down.
Kelly looked at everyone around her, seeing their concerned faces.
Kelly looked at her foster parents, Brian and Shannon, with determination etched on her face. She had made up her mind, and nothing they said would change it.

"Please, Brian, Shannon," Kelly pleaded, her voice filled with earnestness. "I understand that you're worried about me, but I can't bear the thought of being separated from Zach and Colby. They're my family, and I need to be with them."

Brian crossed his arms, a mixture of concern and frustration evident on his face. "Kelly, we've kept you safe here in town for years."
Kelly took a step closer, her eyes locking with Shannon's. "But you always taught me the importance of family, Shannon. And now that I've found my brothers, I can't just let them go without me. We'll be going with a larger group, just like you said. We'll have safety in numbers."

Shannon softened, understanding the depth of Kelly's longing for her newfound family. "Kelly, we love you as if you were our own. We want what's best for you, and that means keeping you safe."

"But being with my brothers is what's best for me!" Kelly exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. "I've been searching for them for so long, and now that I've found them, I can't lose them again. Please, let me go with them."

Brian sighed, his stern expression softening. He exchanged a glance with Shannon, silently communicating their shared concern. Finally, he spoke, his voice laced with a mixture of worry and resignation. "Alright, Kelly. We'll let you go with Zach and Colby. But promise us that you'll stay close to them, and you'll do everything you can to stay safe. Promise."

A radiant smile spread across Kelly's face as relief washed over her. She rushed forward, embracing both Brian and Shannon in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you! I promise I'll be careful and I'll stick by their side. You won't regret this, I promise."

Shannon held Kelly close, her eyes filling with tears.
"I want you to be happy, Kelly. Just remember to keep your eyes open and to try your hardest not to get caught. Keep safe." Shannon said, stroking her daughter's hair as she buried her face in the girl's neck.
Kelly chuckled softly and squeezed her tightly. "I promise Shannon. I'll try to contact you when I get to Jackson. I promise."
The three stayed like that for several moments, holding each other. Once they felt that Kelly was calm enough, they released her. She wiped away a stray tear from Shannon's eye.
"Let's go pack some stuff, okay?" Shannon suggested.
Kelly gave a nod and followed Shannon out of the room.
---
Colby went to the room he and Ashley shared, going through the supplies they had; he would have to restock before they left. Ashley was playing with Jenny, trying to make her laugh and cheer her up.
"There's a group leaving for Jackson in a few days. We'll leave with them. Let's restock and pack up our gear for the journey." he informed, making his way to the kitchen, grabbing an apple, and walking back towards their bedroom.