The End is Near

Chapter Seventeen

~Cassie's POV~

     I slow down as we come up on a hill, knowing that the horde can be around any corner. The car slowly rounds the top and I stop the car.

     "Well we found them." I say, staring at the horde of walkers covering the road. Ideas of how to get through start going through my head. We could go through the woods, but that could do something to the cars. Going around would take way too long. Maybe with all the cars we'd be able to go through them. "Keith, do you remember what type of cars everyone got?" I turn to him.

     "There were two trucks, an RV, a jeep, and this one. Why?" I nod, it will work. I grab my sword out of my bag and turn to everyone.

     "Stay in the car, I'm going to talk to the other drivers, I'll tell you the plan when I'm back. Just stay here." With that, I get out, ignoring the protests of Keith, Karson, and Cody. I walk to the truck closest and knock on the window. John rolls it down, looking at me curiously. "The horde of walkers is just over the hill, I'm going to pull to the side, I need you to pull up next to me. I'm gonna get the other truck to do the same on the other side of me. We're going to go straight through them. Got it?" He nods and I walk away to the other truck. I tell the driver the same thing and tell the other drivers of what's going to happen, then I go back to my car. Getting in, I pull to the middle of the road and wave my hand out the window, motioning that they can come up. The two trucks pull up on either side of me.

     "Cassie, what are you doing?" Keith asks. I turn to him.

     "We're going to get passed the walkers." He narrows his eyes.

     "How?" I smirk, looking back to the horde.

     "By going right through them. I'd buckle up if I were you." I look over at John, then the other driver, making sure they are both looking at me. I nod my head and we all speed forward, flying down the hill and right into the walkers. We ram into them, pushing them out of the way or killing them. We get through fairly easily and keep speeding down the road, putting as much distance between us and the horde as we can. We finally stop about a half hour later, finding a little town. I take a deep breath and look at everyone staring at me with wide eyes. "What?" I ask, looking at them, confused.

     "Why did you do that?!" Cody exclaims. I raise an eyebrow.

     "Do what?" He narrows his eyes.

     "Why would you just drive through a horde that big? We could've died!"

     "Are you dead right now?"

     "No."

     "Then stop complaining. There was nothing else we could've done and we got out just fine. No one got hurt, no one was left behind. Is there something else you'd like to complain about while I'm here?" I say, narrowing my eyes at him.

     "No." He says, avoiding eye contact.

     "Good." I get out of the car with my bag and walk over to the rest of the group. "Is everyone ok?" They all nod. "Good." I say, sending a look to Cody. He doesn't look at me.

     "So what now?" John asks, looking at me. I look at the sky, checking where the sun is at.

     "We find a place to sleep, the sun is going to go down soon. We'll keep going in the morning." We all start walking towards the houses, looking for one to sleep in. We find a house on the corner and clear it of walkers before settling down for the night. I set my stuff down near the door and push my hair out of my face. "I'll watch, everyone sleep." I say, looking at the group. They nod and lay down, soon falling asleep. Once I'm sure everyone is asleep, I put my head in my hands and take deep breaths, trying not to cry. I know I'm not the nicest person right now, that I put on a cold front with the group, but it's so hard. So hard not to break down, I have to lead these people, I want to. They wouldn't know what to do without me. But sometimes, I just wish I could have help, that I wouldn't have to carry all that responsibility alone. Even now, with Keith and Karson here, I don't expect them to help, they don't have to. But keeping everything away from them, Julia, Blake, everything, is just so hard. Sometimes I wish I could just end it all, I'd get to see Julia again, and my family. But I'd have to leave Keith and the group, and I don't know if I'd be able to. Sure, it's hard leading them, but they've become like family. And Keith, I don't think I'd ever be able to leave Keith. A few tears trickle down my cheeks and I hastily wipe them away, I won't allow myself to cry. I can't show any weakness, even when no one is watching.

     I take a deep breath, pushing my emotions away, and watch the door, listening. I stay that way the whole night, not sleeping, just thinking. I keep my thoughts away from Julia, thankfully. I mostly think about my parents and Keith. My parents would have loved him, anyone's parents would love him. He's just that perfect. My parents are the kind of people that volunteer at the hospital and host fundraisers for the school. Everyone loved them, there was nothing about them that you couldn't like. They both worked at the hospital as doctors, they'd always work long shifts, but they always made time for me and my sister, Charlotte. They'd take off every weekend to spend time with us, we'd make breakfast together and watch movies and play games, then we'd make dinner together and go to sleep. My sister was just like me, just without the red hair. She had dark brown hair and brown eyes. She loved history and reading just like me. She was two years older than me, but we'd do everything together. I had the perfect family. But then the accident happened. It was a Saturday, so my parents hadn't had work. We went out to dinner and to see a movie. But when we were on our way back home, a diesel hit the side of the car. It hit the side that my dad and I were on. I'm lucky to be alive. My dad got the worst of it, but I was in pretty bad shape. My mother had hit her head on the window too hard, killing her instantly, and Charlotte had suffered the same fate. My father had survived the accident, but died in the hospital. He had also suffered from a head injury, but that's not what killed him. When the diesel hit us, a piece of shrapnel had flown off and went straight through the window, going right through his chest. He had made it to the hospital, but had died during surgery. I was almost as bad off as my dad. I had hit my head on the window, and a piece of the diesel had hit me too, right through my stomach. I had broken my arm, a leg, a couple ribs, had metal impaled in me, and had a major concussion. But I lived, the doctors said it was a miracle. I wasn't supposed to survive those injuries. For years, I wished I hadn't. But I started getting better, slowly. I moved in with Julia, and we finished high school and went to the same college. She's a sister to me. My life was perfect until that day.

     I take a deep breath, forcing myself out of my thoughts and look around. Everyone is still asleep, and it's almost morning. I look over at Keith, watching him sleep. I don't know if we would have started dating if this hadn't of happened, but I bet we would have. I wish we still could. I don't know how it would work in this world, but I want to be with him. I know I can't though. I have too much baggage, I'm broken. He wouldn't want to be with someone as broken as I am. He's too perfect to be with me. He'd probably want to date someone prettier, someone happier, nicer. She'd probably be the perfect wife and mother.

     I shake my head, looking away. The sun is coming up, it's time to go. I walk quietly to Keith, wanting to at least talk to him for a minute before I wake everyone up. I lean down next to him and shake him gently.

     "Keith, wake up, it's time to go." I say, quietly. He stirs but doesn't open his eyes. "Keith, come on, wake up, we've got to go." I say a little louder. He opens his eyes slowly and once he sees me, a breathtaking smile crosses his face.

     "Good morning." I feel a smile trying to take over my face, my lips twitching up. I look away, pressing my lips down. Keith's warm hand cups my chin, pulling my head gently to look at him. "It's not a crime to smile, you know. I know something happened, but I know that it wasn't your fault. She'd want you to be happy, you know. Whatever happened wasn't your fault, Cassie." By the time he finishes, we are both standing, looking at each other. I stare up at him as tears fill my eyes. He pulls me to him, wrapping his arms around me. For the first time in a long time, I feel safe, protected, like nothing could hurt me. For the first time in a long time, I let the tears trail down my cheeks as I wrap my arms around Keith, pulling him closer. His arms tighten around me, and he buries his face in my hair. I pull back to look up at him, and for the first time in a long time, I smile. I smile up at him as a huge smile lights his face up. I wrap my arms around his neck and push my face into his neck.

     "Thank you." I whisper to him.

     "For what?" He whispers back.

     "For saving me from myself."