The Beginning of the End (EDITING)

Chapter 15 - Farewell to Friends

AUTHORS NOTE: How do you do? Okay guys, it's time to... write this chapter. So difficult. :C

Never have I ever wanted to die before. Never have I ever wanted to reach out yet stay back at the same time.

Until now.

Max was distraught in every way a person who has just lost their sister can be distraught. He hasn't let go of her dead body once, just cradled her close like she was simply taking a nap. I sat on the other side of the camp watching with tears in my eyes and weariness in my heart. Connor lay passed out beside me and Scott had gone to find Demi and Jen after they had run off.

Max wasn't making any more noise, he wasn't even whispering her name anymore. Molly was gone, I knew that much. Her pretty brown eyes were open, glazed over in the pale lighting of one of the lanterns we had set out. I couldn't tell where her dark red hair ended and the dried blood began on her shoulders. Her throat had been torn open by teeth and her stomach sunken into by vicious, dead hands.

My head throbbed silently as I watched his thumb travel back and forth, caressing her bloodied cheek. My eyes then flicked quickly over to his right shoulder, where his purple NYU shirt was soaked in a dark liquid that I knew all too well by now.

Blood.

I heard small pats in the distance and looked up, toward the cereal aisle where Demi was just running out.

"Amy!" She sobbed when she saw me, a look of relief washing over her features.

She knelt beside me, hugging me tightly just as Scott walked out directly behind Jen. Jen's eyes immediately sought out Max in the dim lighting and she made a move to walk toward him, until she saw what he was craddling. Then, Jen slumped to the ground in a heap staring straight at Max and Molly in complete horror. Scott took up residence closest to Max.

"Max.." Scott started to say but stopped when Max looked up at him. They seemed to have a silent conversation but I knew what Scott was trying to convey; we needed to move on again.

Where though? What are we going to do? This is going to follow us everywhere we go and I don't want to lose more peop-.....family. These guys were my family right now. We had to stick together.

"I can-" Max started to say but his voice cracked,"I can't leave her. She's all I have." A tear rolled down his cheek on the last sentence.

I covered my mouth with my hand so I didn't sob again, this situation was bad enough already.

"I know, and I'm sorry you lost her, but if we don't move on.. we might lose even more people." Scott stated calmly, despite his reddening cheeks, which meant he was trying not to cry.

Max gritted his teeth and looked back down at his sister, taking her face in both of his hands.

"I'm sorry Molly. I'm so so sorry." He chanted the words and a couple tears splattered onto her cheeks. He used his thumbs to close her eyelids and then he kissed her forehead before standing up.

"I need a gun." He whispered.

Demi gasped,"Wha- Wh-"

"Somebody give me a damn gun." He yelled, cutting Demi off and making her snap her mouth shut.

I closed my eyes at the voice that spoke up next. Why him?

"Here." Connor offered, holding his weapon out to Max and meeting his gaze calmly.

After taking a few deep breaths Max stepped forward and took the gun away from Connor.

"Everyone leave, I'll meet you by the entrance." Max spoke again. His voice just sounded broken this time, like he just needed this over and done with.

Scott began,"I don't kn-"

"Scott." It was the first time I had spoken since getting back to camp and it got his attention,"He needs this." I told him firmly.

Max had to be the one to do this. She was his sister.

Scott simply nodded and started packing up the basics from camp; lanterns, sleeping bags, food, water, and some medical supplies.

I noticed Tucker safely tucked into the confines of Jen's sweater, sleeping and purring in his own little world.

I took one last glance at Max before we all started heading for the entrance, where we would wait for Max to catch up with us.

We sat at the door for ten minutes before Scott started looking outside.

"It's the middle of the afternoon, we need to go now or there's no point in going at all." He informed us all.

"Give him a minute." Jen fired back, even though she too was glancing into the store impatiently.

We heard the gun shot only a moment later, and we knew he had shot Molly. He couldn't risk her coming back as a zombie. He would have lost her in more ways than one if he had just left her to turn.

I tore my gaze away from the store and looked outside into the sky, Molly, if you're out there, I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Scott sighed, adjusting his duffle on his shoulder while we waited, patiently now, for Max to join us.

Jen screamed. Demi gasped. Scott stiffened. Connor cried out an 'Oh my God'.

Never have I ever been so shocked by a sound. Never have I ever accepted death so firmly.

Until now. As the second gun shot rang out.

My eyes closed slowly and a tear rolled down my left cheek and kept rolling until it dripped off of my chin and onto my pull over. Max.. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

A/N: sad things. ugh. bye bye Max =>

you're hot and we never really knew your story dude. rest in piece bro. xx