At Ends

Chapter Four: I've Been Walking Along the Railroad....

We walked. For hours. Along the railroad track. Hopefully, by the grace of whoever was watching over us, we would come across another human being.
I kicked a rock, tired and frustrated of our situation. I kept kicking it, hoping to relive some frustration.
"Ade, what's wrong?" Marra asked. I sighed.
"I'm just frustrated. I don't get why shit always happens to us. I'm tired, I smell worse than a high school men's locker room, and im pretty sure I'm getting sun burned, because my neck and face burn like hell." She made a face, before handing me a bottle of sunscreen.
"I forgot I had it, I'm sorry." I took it gratefully and applied it everywhere I needed it before asking Chris is he'd like to use it. He took it and did the same.
"I wonder where we are. And I wonder where we are headed." Marra shrugged.
"No idea. I don't think we will know, at least not for awhile. " I nodded.
"I know."
We continued to walk in silence, trying not to think too much.
I started to softly hum a song we had sang in choir first semester, and Jeff and Marra joined in almost immediately. The three of us sang our different voice parts, me being the highest, and Jeff being the lowest.
We finished and I smiled softly, kind of sad.
"I miss that," Marra said quietly. Jeff and I nodded in agreement. We went back to walking in silence.
We continued walking until it got dark, at which time I asked if we could stop. My feet were killing me. And I was tired of the disappointment of not seeing another city, or another survivor. Don't get me wrong, Marra and Jeff and Chris, whatever was going on between us, it was great. But I needed to know if there were survivors. I needed to know, and it was bothering me to not know. I needed a break.
"Guys. Can we please stop. I'm about to fall out." I said. They all nodded and we stopped. I automatically sat down on the spot, sighing loudly.
"Do any of you think we will find anyone? Or find out what...," I held up my hands and signed quotation marks, " 'he' is? Or what he wants?" Chris shook his head slightly before stopping and thinking about it more.
"Maybe. You never know." Marra said. Chris and Jeff nodded in agreement.
I took a swig of water and laid back, not paying attention to the dinosaur like sounds coming from my empty stomach. Nor did I notice everyone digging out cans of food.
"Ade." I heard Marra's soft voice. "You need to eat." I shook my head, denying my hunger. I often lost appetite when I was stressed or emotionally off.
"I'm fine," I protested. She shook her head and pushed me a can of raviolis. I refused it.
"Ade, you've eaten less than any of us. You eat maybe every few days, and usually less than a single can. I have no idea how you're not thinner than you are. Eat. Now." She stuck the can in my hand, and walked away before I could say anymore. I rolled my eyes as someone was sitting next to me.
"She's right," Chris said quietly. "You need to eat. Its worrisome." I rolled my eyes again and stuck a ravioli in my mouth. So plain, but good. I chewed it slowly so I didn't make myself sick.
I swallowed it before saying, "worrisome how? Why would you be worried?" As strange look came over his face.
"Worrisome because we don't want you all of a sudden falling out, and getting hurt somehow. We don't want you starving to death. And I don't want to lose someone else." He said the last sentence with such sadness, I couldn't help but set down my can and hug him from the side.
"I'm sorry for worrying you guys. I just don't have an appetite lately." He seemed shocked that I hugged him, but kind of hugged my arm back.
"Well, that's why you have Marra, and Jeff.. And myself to help you with that. Now Please, eat. I've already eaten. " I nodded and picked my can back up, still eating just as slowly.
I struggled to get the can of food down, getting full very quickly. I guess my stomach had shrunk to the size of a bean while I was unintentionally starving myself.
I set the can down, and wiped my hands and face off, before laying back to look at the now star filled sky, listening to Jeff and Marra talk quietly, and the small fire Chris had made crack as the wood burned. It was soothing.
I yawned quietly.
"Awwhh, Ade, are you tired?" Marra teased. I flipped her off, playfully. Chris and Jeff laughed quietly. Marra pretended to be offended and I laughed. She crawled over and decided to tickle me until I couldn't breathe.
"What was that for?" I asked, panting after she was done.
"For you being a brat." She smiled triumphantly and crawled back over to Jeff's side.
I rolled my eyes and settled back down to where I was.
I closed my eyes, yawning again. "Fuck, I'm tired."
Chris chuckled. "Miss. Potty mouth here, maybe you should sleep." I nodded. He laid back and looked at the stars together, and that's the last thing I remembered.