Life's Test

Chapter Sixteen - No Avoiding It

     We spend about a week in the house, me and Sam slept in the master bedroom, David and Asher slept in Ashers bed, Alec and Kelly slept together in the other boys room, Luke and Connor slept in the girls room, and everyone else slept scattered downstairs in the living room.


     David and Asher have became really good friends over the last week, David even properly thought Asher to fight.


     We started running low on food yesterday and the house has started to become not so permanent, so we decided that today we would all pack up and leave the house, Asher wanted to burn it down so that he can say his final goodbyes. So that's what we do.


     We all scatter around the house looking for anything flammable, throwing it around the rooms, and before long the house stinks of chemicals, burning my nostrils. We managed to collect anything that could be of use before heading out the door, and with one last look and a mumble of a few words, Asher throws the now lit match into his house.


     Almost on cue, the house bursts into flames and starts to crack and pop, the heat reaching us faster then expected, making us all take steps back to the other side of the road.


     "We're gonna' have to go now, the smoke and sound will attract Infected from miles, we don't want to be caught in a shit storm again, what if the herd from the dock sees it? We're fucked." Alec says, having a point.

     "Come on, lets go, if we're lucky we can get a car or something before night fall" I say as I begin walking.


     "My friends dad always had cars locked up in the garage, it isn't far from here, I know where he hides the keys" Asher says, looking at me; "Well what are we waiting for" I say over the loud roar of the flames. We start jogging away from the house as Infected start to emerge from the bush, heading for the flames. Idiots.


     After a few minutes of running, we reach a house, with light brown siding and a overgrown lawn. The sight makes Asher sign, plastering a sad smile onto his face; "Do you guys mind if.. I go inside for old times sake?" Asher asks me.


     I kneel down and look in Ashers eyes; "Okay.. But take David, and if anything happens just holler and we'll come running, where did you say he kept the keys?" I ask with a smile. "Under the back seat of each car" Asher answers, taking off in a sprint to the house with David.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
David's P.O.V
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     As me and Asher reach the door, I stop him from opening it; "No matter what you see in there, if anything is to much I can take care of it for you." I assure him. Asher just nods and wiggles his knife in the door to break it open.


     We step inside the house, enter a porch that leads either upstairs or down. Asher begins to walk up the stairs but I stop him, nodding my head towards his gun, taking out my own and switching the safety off he does the same, repeating my steps.


     I take the leads up the flight of stairs and to the left is a large living room that is open with a dining room which leads to a kitchen, and to the right is a long hallway with four doors and a closet.


     I turn around scanning the area before I hear a rustle and a growl come from one of the doors in the hallway, making Asher's face fill with fear and sadness, I start to hope it isn't his friend.


     "Remember what I said" I say as I switch my gun with my knife and slowly pace myself to the door in which the sound is coming from. I swing the door open and look around, spotting a guy, looks to be our age, handcuffed to the headboard of the bed, turned.


     "Oh god Justin..." Asher says, turning his head away. "I'll get it.." I say softly walking up to the Infected.


     Just as I go to plunge my knife into the side of the Infected's head, Asher stops me, pulling my hand back and taking my knife from me.


     "No... I got this" he says with a frog in his throat like he is about to break into tears. "Are you sure?" I question, cocking my eyebrow. Asher just nods, and I take a step back, holding my gun up pointed at the Infected just in case.


     "I'm sorry buddy..." Asher says, pressing his hand to the skull of the Infected, who just growls and tries to grab him. Asher swings the knife around and closes his eyes as the knife finds a home inside the head of his best friend.


     He pulls the knife out and opens his eyes, and almost instantly breaks into tears, dropping the knife he turns away from his friend and continues to cry.


     I tuck my gun away in its holster and walk up to Asher, pulling him into a tight hug; "It's gonna be alright Asher... It gets better, you will heal from this. Death is a constant thing in life now, and there is no avoiding it, you just have to keep your head up and survive, find something that is worth fighting for.." I reassure him, stroking the back of his head, which fits just on my shoulder.


     Asher continues to sob on my shoulder, burying his head into my neck, I start to warm up to his touch and feel weird tingles throughout my body, and eventually when he pulls away I start to miss the touch, craving it more and more by the second.


     He grabs the blanket from his friends bed and throws it over his dead body, retrieving my knife and handing it to me; "Thank you" he says before walking out of the room.


     When we exit the house Lachlan has two cars lined up, along with a R.V, packed up with all of our supplies.


     Me, Lachlan, Sam, Alec, And Asher ride in the R.V, keeping ahold of all the supplies we start to head South-West, Sanford.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Lachlan's P.O.V
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     We start heading towards Sanford, at least that's where I think we're going because the map is kind of hard to navigate. And if we are heading to Sanford it will take about three hours, that is without delay, and these days there is always a delay.


     We still don't really have a reason to go anywhere, but sense the world fell into hell there isn't much to do except survive, so why not just travel, and at least try to find a safe place for everyone to hold up in for as long as we can, hopefully until the end. Coming to think of it... It's already the end of the world, so I guess I mean the end of the end? 


     After about two hours of driving we arrive in Freeport, a small but beautiful city, with brick sidewalks and cracked pavement.


     We decide to pull over and stretch our legs, not seeing any Infected in view, a few people decide to wander off and 'use the bathroom' on the side of a tall brick building, I notice Steven and Luke walking to a different building, entering through the broken glass doors, what can they be up to now?


     Me and Sam just stand outside the R.V keeping watch when we hear a loud scream and three gunshots right after. I look at Sam and tell her to stay put, sprinting to the source of the scream. The building Steven and Luke went in. Shit.


     When I enter the building, gun at the ready, I see a dead Infected spread out hanging from the clothes rack, Luke breathing rapidly with his gun in hand staring at the Infected. Steven arrives at around the same time as me, just staring at the Infected we wonder why Luke had such a reaction.


     "Luke, were you bit?" I ask confused. Luke just shakes his head and puts his gun away; "I'm fine, just got a fright" He says.


     "What were you guys even doing in here?" I ask, and as Steven goes to answer a couple gunshots fire outside the store, and Samantha screams my name.


     I run out of the store, sliding on some glass as I exit the building I skid to a stop when I see what the group is firing at. A couple dozen Infected scatter the streets on each side, blocking us in, the gunshots that Luke fired must of attracted the ones lurking the city.


    "Do what you have to do! And do not get bit!" I scream to the group as I take my Katana from the holster on my back and start running towards the Infected, slicing through the crowd as more start surrounding me I switch the blade for my revolver. I pull the hammer back and fire a shot into the Skull of an Infected, watching as it drops.

     I watch as an Infected sneaks up on Lou, and before I can do anything to help it digs it's teeth into Lou's shoulder, and I watch as Lou's face turns into pure agony as the Infected rips away flesh. David comes up behind the Infected that is tearing into Lou, stabbing it in the back of the head, killing it.


     I start to run towards Lou before an Infected cuts me off, making me fall to the ground. My gun skids across the pavement and the Infected lands on me. I kick and punch until it gets thrown off enough for me to put my forearm to its neck, stopping it from getting to me I use all my force as the Infected gets closer and closer to me. 


     My cry's for help are muffled by the sound of gunshots and Infected, but as the Infected goes to tear into my neck, someone picks it up, grabbing it by the shirt, but it don't fall to the ground, instead it manages to keep it's balance and bite into the one that picked it up; Kelly.


     "NO!" I scream as I scurry to grab my gun, pulling the hammer and fire it into the head of the Infected that bit Kelly. I stand up from the ground and grab Kelly, who's face is wide with shock as her face becomes pale and blood continues to flood from her neck. "Kelly no.." I say softer this time as I grab her shoulders.


     Kelly looks at me and smile a little, letting go of her wound, I watch as her eyes become glossy and she falls to the ground, dead from blood loss.


     "Kelly..." I whisper. Then I remember that she can turn, so I take the weapons off of her, and with one last look I point my gun at her head, look away and pull the trigger, sprinting away with a few tears in my eyes.


     I reach David and Asher, Asher fires at the Infected while David holds up a pale, sick looking Lou. "I got him..." I say as I take Lou out of Davids arms. The two boys run off, joining the others in defending.


     "I'm sorry I couldn't keep you alive Lou.." I say to Lou who is now starting to pass out. I hear Lou mumble something before he grabs his gun that is lying in his holder, and with weak movements he points it up towards his head, and before I can do anything he pulls the trigger, and I watch as his head snaps back and he spins from my grip, falling to the ground I start to panic, staring at my dead friend as the Infected start closing in on me.


     "I'm sorry" I say before running to join my group. And when I join the group back to back I see Luke fall to the ground, and Connor stops to help, but the rest of us try to Ignore it and continue shooting.


     "He isn't breathing!" I hear Connor yell, looking up at us. I look down to see Luke's eyes wide open and twitching, his veins popping out. and when I notice his eyes are a pale grey I scream; "Connor move!" but it's to late, Luke plunges at Connor, taking a large bite out of his arm.


     Connor screams as Luke chows down. Connor continues to look at his arm and scream, just as Alec fires a shot into Luke's head, Connor stops, but begins panicking; "Oh my god, I'm gonna' die! I got bit! I'm going to turn! Please help me! Lachlan please! I can't turn! I can't become one of the monsters!" He continues babbling on.


     "Connor stop panicking, when the time comes we can stop you from turning.." I say calmly with a hint of sadness. "No.. It hurts, I don't want to suffer, please... Do it now." Connor pleads, tears welling up in his eyes. I sigh, knowing what to do.


     "Are you sure you want this Connor?.." I question one last time. He nods and closes his eyes, turning around and mumbling a few words before saying; "I'm ready...". Everyone exchanges words with him saying their final goodbyes, walking off to the R.V.

I sigh and lift my gun to the back of his head. "Thanks for being with us Connor, we will miss you" I say.

"Connor... I give you mercy"

    And I Pull The Trigger.