Life After Death

Chapter 39

Sunlight streamed in through the nettles, branches, and tree trunks around them as the next morning's sunrise grew to tower over them. Any clouds from the night before having appeared to clear as they undoubtedly emptied themselves of all their water.

Jace had pulled over under an array of trees. The path he had taken to get them there was hardly able to even be considered a track, but he had deemed it suitable enough for them in the moment to just wait at. Sit and stare. Until they fell asleep as it was.

Well, all bar Vivian. Sat in between Javon and Jade, she mainly stared forward in a trance-like state for most of the night. The times she had almost been enraptured by sleep, the drop of her head, or movement of Jade beside her would snap her back into consciousness – and with it the gloomy thoughts and memories of the night just passed. The final yell of Nathaniel before the deafening silence that followed, the final yell being her very name. Pleading for help perhaps, or letting them know where he was, that at the time, he was alive. Until he was gone.

Hours later, in fact, it was Jade waking up that snapped her out of her haze, as she had fallen asleep with her head rested atop her shoulder. The streams of sunlight growing strong enough to bring them back to the realms of reality.

Jace was slumped over the wheel still, as Javon and Whitney had their heads rested against the coolness of the glass window beside them. The peacefulness of sleep that surrounded them, and the resting of their faces, contrasting the turmoil and devastation that they all had felt - and were feeling.

The two looked at each other but shared little more than a tight-lipped smile each. Jade battling her own grief, of course at the loss of Nathaniel, and all the other monstrosities they witnessed as they narrowly escaped. But also masking the frustration and sense of guilt she felt - her mind taking her back to every subtle clue that Austin wasn't who he appeared to be, and the idea that she could have prevented this whole thing.

Whether it was the brightening sun, or the slight movement of Vivian and Jade that had jolted the others - their senses on high maintenance - the other three began to wake up. With their own groans and grunts as they stretched their bones and sat up straight again, but still with few words.

Vivian decided she didn't want to wait for them to be stretched though. Her mind groggy, but desperate for distraction, and limbs screaming to be free from the confines of the back seats of the truck. So, she grabbed the handgun that rested on Javons lap - fallen from his grasp in his sleep - before he could even register her movements, let alone protest. Ushering Jade out her door.

"I'll check the vicinity," She deadpanned, knowing someone should make sure the area wasn't invested with Lurkers.

Jade tailed somewhat behind her, albeit reluctantly, figuring she probably shouldn't be checking the unknown area alone, and also making sure she didn't stray very far at the same time, as the others gained their own bearings.

The morning air around them was chill and sharp as they did so. As they each realised, they were all back to an unimaginable square one. One of death, and grief. Friends that had either died or been separated from them to who knows what extent. An air of isolation encircling them and trapping them within its tight, merciless, grasp.

Jace dismissed the feeling, pushing it and stomping on it with a determined set of his face. Rummaging through the bed of the truck, looking and searching for any supplies they might have pre-packed with them and they may be able to utilise. But besides from a few bottles of water, which they were thankful for, the majority of the rest seemed to be mechanical items, tools and empty gas cans mainly, from his volunteer job back at Serenity. None of which stuck out as useful, besides from the singular petrol can they had – and would have to use wisely.