The Path We Take

The encounter

I've been wandering around for quite some time now, I'm not sure how long it's been. All I've focused on is survival. There are some that have gone insane from starvation, thirst, fear. They're not good people. They ravage whatever they can find, and steal from every person they see. Luckily I haven't had to kill any; that seems like the ethical thing to do. Like putting an animal that has been suffering to sleep. In my mind, anyway. I'm not the only survivor, I've met people who have a slither of sanity in them, and have aided me in my travels. I think they're long gone, though, it feels like forever ago since we met.

All these thoughts are echoing in my mind as I walk. I'm on a railway, I can see the tracks leading to somewhere. I decide to follow it, hoping it leads to somewhere I can rest. I'm tired and weak, but that doesn't stop me. It never has. As I walk I notice my surroundings. There's a forest nearby, I can see the trees blocking the sun. In a clearing, I notice something red moving. It kind of resembles a person, so I decide to run towards it to check. I believe it's a person. I slow my steps in suspicion. She walks away, and my instincts tell me to run to her. The figure has now turned their back, and bends down before turning around with a gun in their hands. At this stage I'm in front of a girl, and see her features clearly. Her hair is the scarlet I could see, and she has eyes that are as green as the trees. Her face is set into a scowl, and the gun is pointed right at me. She looks pissed. "Take one more step and you die. I'm not afraid to shoot." Her voice is strong and gives off the idea that I really shouldn't mess with her. I casually place my hands behind my head and close my eyes. "Alright, policewoman. I didn't commit any crime-" My remark is cut short as I feel a stinging sensation in my calf. I look down to see she's shot me in the leg. "Ow, fuck! I didn't think you'd actually do it!" I crouch down and inspect the wound. It's bleeding pretty badly and seeps through my pants. I wince in pain and I see her crouch down and literally yank my leg up, making me fall to the ground. "Lie completely still and don't move. It'll make it worse." I can see her pull out a metal teaspoon and a pair of tweezers from a pocket. "Why do you have a spoon in your pocket?" I ask. "You'll find out." With that, she pulls my pant leg up and finds where the bullet is lodged. With the spoon she moves it around the bullet, trying to centre it out. I try my best not to, but I shout in pain. After what seemed like an eternity, she got tweezers and pulled the bullet out. Placing it next to her, she fishes in her bag for a bottle and squeezes the liquid in the hole. It stings even worse; I think it's antiseptic of some kind. She then finds a roll of gauze and wraps it around my leg and helps me to my feet. "It's gonna hurt for a while, but you'll be okay. Damn, I didn't think this thing had any bullets. Guess I was wrong." She inspects it before putting it in one of her jean pockets. "How could you not tell the thing had bullets in it?" I ask her. I try to walk, but my leg just gives out. I end up sitting on a log and stare at her. She stares back and shrugs, then throws the gun to me. Somehow it doesn't go off again. It looks like an ordinary handgun, with black leather on the handle. I try and find the magazine, to find she has no bullets left. I close it and pass it back to her. "You've run out of bullets." She looks angry for a moment, then sighs. "I'm sorry, I really am. I didn't mean to shoot you. I usually have it on safety but..." She trails off and I smile. "It's okay, you didn't mean it. Anyway, you said my leg would heal. I'll be fine." She manages to smile back. "Alright. The name's Lily, by the way. It's nice to meet you." She holds out her hand, which I shake. "Caleb, it's a pleasure."