The Buried Life

Chapter 8

Jeremy was at a loss. So much has happened within the past twenty-four hours he had no idea how he was still going.

Today they had lost three of their friends all because of the camp being compromised. How did they even get in? Jeremy knew he had secured the gate and there were no perimeter breaches so how did this happen?

Jeremy guessed it would be like life's many mysteries that will never get solved. As they made their way back to where Jeremy left Adam and Greg, Jessica spotted Henry and the others at the camp taking off like a jet towards them.

Jeremy saw that Adam and Greg were back and that Sasha was recovering well from her head wound. Henry was cooking some food the best he could knowing that Xavier was the only one that knew how to, but he thought he could get away with some squirrel and wild chicken he caught.

Before he could eat he motioned for Adam and Greg to follow him away from camp. Once he knew they were out of ear shoot from the rest of the camp, Jeremy told them what happened.

Greg's face hardened as he contemplated what Jeremy had told him. Adam sighed scratching the back of his head thinking of Henry and the sadness of it all.

"So...how are we going to break it to him?" Adam asked.

"We can't," Jeremy said. "Jessica and I vowed that we wouldn't tell him, not yet at least. If he knew now shit would get out of control and we need to keep going. Once we are all safe somewhere then we can let him know."

"Jeremy we can't hide this from Henry," Greg pointed out. "He will find out sooner or later what happened to Gretchen and he won't forgive you for not telling him. He has a right to know."

Jeremy knew Greg was right but he had to think about the group as a whole. If Henry knew now it would destroy him, make him uneasy. He could become a potential threat to them all. For the time being Henry had to be in the dark, even if it cost them their friendship it would be worth it to keep everyone who's left alive.

"Henry will know when the time is right," Jeremy stated to them. "For now we don't say a word. If he asks were talking about our next steps for our trek to the bridge."

Nodding in agreement the boys walked back to camp to eat Henry's horribly burnt chicken and squirrel. They continued the journey to the bridge taking the path Jeremy had found. Greg back in the led and Jeremy closely behind him, the group navigated through it without a hitch.

Jeremy knew that it wouldn't be long now seeing the bridge coming closer on the horizon. With the sun beating down on their backs it seemed almost like a normal camping trip, minus the zombies lurking amongst the trees and friends dying left and right.

About ten minutes later they arrived at their destination, the great bridge of doom as Henry liked to call it. Most of it was covered in rust and over growing vines causing the bridge to make creaking noises. To most people the noises meant the bridge could collapse, but that didn't stop others from going over it with their cars, bikes, or whatever else they could use.

At least one good thing came from this; they were all-safe for the most part and now back with the rest of the group. Xavier and Penny were in a midst of a conversation when Jeremy and the others dropped in. The reunion was cut short though as Penny saw someone was missing.

"Where's Gretchen?" Penny asked.

Before Jeremy could answer Jessica blurted it out. "She's dead okay! Gretchen is dead."

Well, there goes the neighborhood. So much for secrecy and compassion, then again what was Jeremy to expect from the one person who used to spread around the most atrocious rumors in school.