Blu Blood

Chapter 4

Chapter 4
163 days after infection

When I was fourteen, I gave something up. I regret not keeping that one thing.

I used to party hard before the infection came. Drugs. Alcohol. Crazy and topless dancing on tables. Skinny dipping. Loud music.

I'm not proud of who I was. It got to the point where I hated myself everyday. The drugs almost took over my life.

And then Garret came. I looked into his baby eyes and he instantly made me want to change.

And I started to hate myself less and less.

But after that day when those men came and saved us in the Forrest, I wasn't heartbroken when Bear demanded I repay him. I should've known that the giant of a man was named Bear. He looked like one in a sense.

Marcus was the guy that Bubba liked so much. Over the month we spent together, he grew to be a sort of friend. I still obviously can't trust him, but I find myself wanting to be close to him, even if we mostly just sit in silence.

Jason is the one I strayed from. He is almost as silent as Bear, but he listens to everything. I can't remember how many times he would overhear something I shouldn't have said and I was punished. Jason is also Bear's right-hand man. Bear trusts him so much because they've been together since the beginning.

I started to write in a journal so I could get my thoughts down on a piece of paper. Everything in this world seems so broken. It's hard to remember what life was like, like a distant dream that keeps fading.

The one thing I miss is my mother's cooking. She was the chef of the family. I used to come home after school and a gourmet meal would be steaming on a plate ready for me to gouge in.

I miss my father's hugs. He would always know when I had a bad day and would take me into his arms and make me feel safe.

I feel like I need his hugs more now then ever.

"Blu!"

I raise my head from my journal, halting with my writing. Marcus pokes his head into the cabin, his eyes searching until they land on me. His dark hair falls into his eyes.

I smile at him, or try to at least. "You need to cut that shag again."

He blows the strands out of his face, but they fall right back where they were. He rolls his eyes. "No use. Bear wants you."

I take a deep breath. "Problem?"

At the shake of his head, I release my breath. I don't think my back can take anymore punishment. I follow Marcus down to the creak, where I see Bear pulling his pants up but still shirtless. I glance away even though I've seen more than I want to before.

"You wanted me?" My voice shakes, but I pretend that it's do to the cold.

"We need to go on a run."

"What for?" I press my hands into my back pockets and lean on my right foot.

"Doesn't matter."

"Okay. When are we leaving. I can go get my things now...?" Never command Bear to do anything. I learned that awhile ago when I said to hand me my clothes.

"No. We leave at nighttime."

I nod, wait for him to release me, then go and find Garret. He sits on a stump, a pencil in hand and eyes cast intently on the book I found for him about math. It felt right to reach Garret some things, like he would in school, and it would help me keep my mind off of some things. Things like Bear.