The End.

35

"So, we're going to live at Walmart?" Alyssa asks. I close my eyes. Atleast they have food and a change of clothes and more things to stock up on. We finish bringing in the last load of supplies from the vehicles parked right outside the doors and we help my father and David close and lock them.

"No, we aren't living at Walmart. Just staying here a few days until we can figure out where to go." Wes pops out of nowhere.

After finally meeting up with the other vehicle, the adults decided that Walmart was a good choice, and I'm not complaining about that. It was pretty dark because of it being almost midnight, but after we set up a bunch of electric lanterns and flashlights, it wasn't too bad.

I could hear Katie and Marcus playing with their kids, and I smiled to myself. They were adorable children, I'll give the sticky toddlers that one.

"Carter! Wanna go to the book aisle with me?" Liam asks shyly, standing right beside me.

"Sure Liam, let me grab a bottle of water first?"

"Okay! I'll get a flashlight." He says, prancing off to find a source of light. I'm sure after we go over there that the kid will stock up on books. The sad part is that he is a lot like me; once he starts a good book, he physically cannot put the thing down until he is finished with it.

We start walking in the correct direction of the books when I hear heavy footsteps following behind us.

"Mind if I join?" The brown-haired boy asks. "Sure Cal." I respond.

We arrive at our destination, and Liam is like a kid in a candy shop.

We scan books and Liam finds about seven that he carries back to where everyone else is. I find two books and Calum just looks at them with me.

"I just never have really liked reading." He protested as Liam and I dramatically gasp.

When we get back, everyone has set up cots with sleeping bags and blankets we found in the linens.

"Liam! Good lord child, did you get enough books?" Ferra asks.

"I couldn't carry any more.." He says, shaking his head.

We all laugh a little bit before Liam trudges off to him and Ferra's beds.

"Carter? We figured you and your sister could set your own cots up. I'm so proud of you for being so brave today." My mom says out of nowhere. My dad agrees with her and I begin to walk back where the cots are.

I pull my sister aside and we go back to the camping supplies.

"Ali, you have no clue how much I missed you." I say once we get out of the ear-range of the others.

"I missed you too. There were some days where I would have done anything to see you one more time. Before Ryder came along and we met, they basically kept me like they'd keep a pet or a criminal. I began thinking I deserved every bit of it."

"No. Don't ever blame yourself. If anything it was my fault. I should have told you that you wouldn't even get cell service outside."

"You knew?"

"Kyle told me."

"Oh," She says. "So do you like Calum?"