Evasion

Saving

Chapter Three-

Jodie groaned as they continued to walk through the deserted streets, cars, almost unrecognizable as man-made machines now, stacked upon themselves in piles. The sun was blazing down on them heavily as it casted itself just past mid way through the blue sky. The roads were uneven and seemed to kick up more dust than usual every time the wind swirled. The world was barren and empty, they walked through a dreamscape of solitude. Jodie agreed with the old poet T.S Eliot. Indeed the world had not ended with a bang, but a whimper, just as he predicted it would, and even the world's whimper was beginning to fade to blackest silence.

She knew Luke was behind her. But she was still angry at him. Leave him behind? For dead? That was idiotic thinking on his behalf. If he died- Jodie shook her head and sighed heavily, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear again for the fiftieth time in the minute. She didn't know what she would do without Luke. He was her rock. The one that kept her going strong. The one that kept reminding her that everything was going to be fine. She wondered briefly about how he was able to handle such situations with ease. How he was able to construct himself in such a manner, that he was always level headed in confrontation. She knew she could never do that. Because every time she saw a Runner, and infected, a lurker, or a shell, she was reminded of the moment she found her parents' bodies. Mangled and torn apart in the living room. Bodies slouched, if it weren't for the smell of blood and the visionary of guts and gore. She would have assumed they were merely sleeping. She grunted to herself, shaking her head and wiping the sweat off of her perfectly arched brow. She needed to stop thinking of the past. She didn't like it. It was a weakness. In this new age of the world, weakness was what got you killed.

Lucas trudged behind her; he kept looking over his shoulder to ensure they weren't followed. Wiping the dust from his green eyes, he scanned the land in front of him. Cars were rusted shells; some held the dead corpses of those who perished inside; other were torn and empty. He looked at Jodie and smiled, watching her stumble in the heat. He knew everything was going to be okay, it had to be. Lucas rolled his shoulders, getting out the harsh knots in his muscles. He kept his mind on the future, locking away the past, he had to for her. Lucas had to keep his hope and remain strong for her. He would do anything for her.

Jodie sneakily grasped the opportunity to take a look back at Luke, wanting to see how he was holding up. And when she did she was glad to see that he was handling this better than she was. He was always handling things better than she was. She was grateful but she was also sick of it. She didn't want to depend on him so much, so that when it came to the moment he needed her. She could be ready. And she could fight for him and win. But right now, in that very moment, fear of the past coming back for her reigned supreme in her mind body and soul. And she couldn't help it. She felt so weak compared to him. She didn't want to be one of those friends that let the other do all the work. She must be useful for something. And she was determined to find out what.

The road took a curve as they followed it, cars becoming less and less cluttered together and rather black smitten from an explosion that perhaps might have happened in the engine of the car. Or even through the leakage of oil. She held her breath as she walked past, the place reeking of burnt oil and intoxicating fumes. Her eyes burning slightly, making her vision of the falling and tilted buildings around her blur and become fuzzy for a while before the wave of dizziness past.

Lucas was oblivious to her glance, inspecting a Jeep on the road. When he saw how far she had gotten ahead he jogged to keep up, his shoes tapping the pavement lightly. Slowing down behind her again, he watched when she swayed as they passed the wreckage. Holding his breath and blinking rapidly he felt fine once they were a distance away. Lengthening his stride he walked beside her. "Jodie?" he asked quietly as to not shatter the peaceful silence completely.