What Walks Among Us (book one)

Safe House

We all got settled down fairly fast after that, and I found enough stuff for us to all have canned chili and peaches for dinner. Beck found an old pot in the safe house and we used the fire to heat up the food. There was a small argument as to whether or not we should wake Abby up and give her food, but it was settled when the little blonde herself walked out of the safe house and asked about something to eat.

After this we were mostly silent. Having Abby up and walking around in an abnormally silent manner, was just a painful reminder that we still had people we cared for that had yet to join us. Beck was in a much better mood, but then again I couldn't exactly blame him. Every time we met each other's eyes we shared a small smile, but at the same time I felt guilty.

How could I be so happy, not knowing that everyone I have come to care about are safe? Chester's final silent words to me rose in my mind each time my mind went down this path, and I had to back peddle away from it, and take my train of thought down a different path.

As the embers of the fire started to die out, and the skies had nearly lost all light, Ben picked up Abby, "Come on sweet cheeks, time to settle down for the night," he said. The way he looked down at her with such care made me wonder how I had ever thought he could be evil.

The best I could come up with, was that back then I had a predisposition that everyone was bad. I watched as Abby yawned and looked up at him with all the trust in the world.

"Story time?"

Ben's face paled, "Do you have your book?" he asked, clearly not wanting to tell her no.

She shook her head, "No Michael keeps it," she said, eyes looking two seconds away from tears.

"I've got one," I volunteered, finding my old copy of Alice in Wonderland and handing it over.

Abby thanked me, and Ben threw me a grateful look before they both went into the safe house. I took a seat next to Beck on the log that he and Adam had found and brought over to sit on. Beck moved his arm so that it was around my waist, and I leaned against his side. I stared at the dieing fire while Beck and Adam talked about the plans.

"So, I say we stay here tomorrow night and head out the next morning," Adam was saying, as he wiped a cloth over the sparkling blade.

Beck's hand rubbed my side while he replied, "Sounds good to me, we have roughly enough food for that, and it gives them enough time."

I picked my head up from his shoulder to look at him, "What if no one comes?" my voice cut through the air like a breeze that brought nothing but chills.

Adam and Beck exchanged a look and they seemed to agree. I understood it without them saying anything, and honestly I hadn't actually expected anything better. We'd wait the amount of time agreed on, but if no one showed up, we were still going to leave. The most we would do would be leave a little bit of provisions, and maybe the direction that we had decided to travel. That way they'd have something to go off of.

I sighed and turned away, making it clear they didn't need to voice this.

We were quiet again, all of us lost to our own minds, and listening to the woods around us until Ben came back outside. He had ditched his ruined clothes in favour of a light blue shirt and some nice shorts. He had a gun holstered, and bow in his hands.

"Kodi, I heard you were pretty good with this?" he said, offering me the weapon.

I hesitated, but took it, looking at him curiously, "Thanks?"

He grinned goofily, "Don't mention it, I liked to carry it around because I thought I was a pretty good shot. Adam liked to tell me otherwise, but I didn't realize how stupid it was to carry around a weapon I couldn't really operate until today. I think you'll do better with it than I can," he winked at me.