An Unlikely Time

Chapter 10- Saving Me

"I think she's waking up!"
"Don't shout."
I groaned, slowly opening my eyes and looking up, seeing two familiar faces. An older woman and a brunette teen were looking at me closely. I slowly opened my mouth.
"Tancy...? Zoe...?" I saw Zoe smile. "Ash, what did you get yourself into?" Zoe's smile was always reassuring. I felt more comfortable and loosened up. I sat up, touching my chest with surprise. It hurt like hell. I had been shot in the chest, but I suppose with all of the clothing I had on, it hadn't gone all the way through.
I grabbed where the suit was slightly ripped, pushing on the spot, grunting. The spot wasn't as bloody as you would think it was. But that only meant the bad scenario that the bullet was still in my chest.
I walked over to the gun laying on the ground, picking it up and staring at it. I was lucky that my glock hadn't been stolen.
I gasped when I realized that Rachael and Stacey were gone. What if they were hurt? Or worse? I said I would protect them, and I was stupid to get shot. I felt the overwhelming feeling of defeat loom over me, and I held back the tears.
"Ash? What's wrong?"
I took in a breath and touch my chest, feeling a crumple in the pocket.
Confused, I reached into my pocket, feeling for the note, which was slightly torn, and pulled it out. I hadn't remembered having this in my suit.
I read it slowly, and showed no emotion outside, but inside I was crying. I felt an anxious feeling of anger, sadness and fear rise into my brain, all at once.
My heart was beating fast and I turned to them, smiling slightly. "Thanks for helping me guys."
Zoe tilted her head in curiosity. "What's that piece of paper?"
I glanced down at it and crumbled it, trying not to show my lie.
"Nothing... Just a piece of paper..." I put it back in my pocket. I could tell both of them were suspicious, but they said nothing more. I began to walk away, but was quickly stopped by Tancy.
"Where are you going?!" I glanced up at her.
"Uh... I gotta go home...?" She shook her head.
"Not with those wounds. You're staying right here!" I glanced at the road, then back at them.
"Um... Alright... I guess I have no choice." She nodded in agreement, and with that we walked into the darkened forest.
"So how did you guys make it out?"
Zoe said that Michael had been called to the army when they invaded, and that he had called them before any arrived at their house.
"You guys were lucky. Some of us went through worse." I looked at Tancy. "Where is Michael anyway?" She looked back at me.
"He's still trying fight them off." I nodded.
"That's good. I wish him luck." I took in a breath.
"So, uh, still teaching Zoe after all of this?" She grinned.
"Well, let me tell you..."

I sat up in my cot. I've been at their camp for a long two weeks, and I noticed the difference. Their camp was... cozier than mine. Maybe because it was more home-y... And they actually had useful supplies...
They had a radio, which they had used to record and hear everything that was happening. Suddenly I was reminded of my shock and anger in an announcement over the radio.
"We found two escapees that were wandering. Thanks to a younger female guard."
I growled, although I wasn't completely sure it was Rachael and Stacey, it still made my blood boil.
"How..." I stood up quickly. "HOW COULD SHE DO THIS TO US?!?!?!" Zoe looked over at me worriedly. "Ash?"
I growled, grabbing the pocket on my shirt where the note was, feeling it crumple through the shirt. I had never been more pissed off in my life. I felt so betrayed.
I wasn't even mad at Chloe, no, I was mad at myself. If only I had snuck my way into that facility before all this happened. Sure, the Brits fueled my anger, but I knew that their taking of Rachael's family is partially my doing.
Zoe sighed, looking at the horizon.
"This sucks." I noticed that pretty much summed up this shit. I nodded in agreement.
"No doubt." I looked up at the dull sky and stood, walking into the woods.
"I'll be back in a moment."

I ran into the woods, returning to the original place I had been shot. I only saw a few bloodstains about ten or twenty feet away, but didn't know if they were my own.
I grabbed the note in my pocket and held it in my hands, reading it again. I sighed, growling in frustration and grief. My fear and anger rising, I tore it in half, then in half again, and so on so forth until the pieces were small enough that there was nothing legible in the note. I opened a hole in the dirt, shoving it inside and burying it. I stepped on it harshly.
"No one can know..."
"No one can know what?"
My eyes widened and I turned sharply, seeing Zoe standing a few feet away from me.
"Z-Zoe!"
"Ash, is there something you aren't telling me?"
That question was familiar.
"N-no! It's nothing!"
"Then what's that?" She pointed to the pile of dirt.
"I... it's..." I swallowed hard, thinking quickly.
"...A note from the general..." I said through my teeth.
She grunted, irritated. "Don't lie to me, Ash."
"I'm not lying! I kinda challenged the general, and well, he put a note in my pocket warning me." I didn't make eye contact.
"Why would the general warn you?" She asked skeptically.
"Because he likes to mess with my head." I said, making eye contact for a few moments before turning away again. That wasn't necessarily a lie. He DID like to screw with me. I still hated lying to my friend.
"Why didn't you tell me? We can protect you!" She said with determination in her tone. I sighed.
"No one else is getting hurt by my means." I turned to her.
"Sorry Zoe, you're a good friend, and I love ya to death, but I can't stay."
She raised her eyebrows in worry and shock.
"W-what?" I walked a little closer to her, looking into her eyes.
"If I stick around... Well I'm going to get you killed."
She looked at me. "No Ash! What about you?!"
I chuckled sadly.
"Zoe, I'm fucked. And I've been that way a long time. Don't let me drag you down with me."
I choked up, knowing I would have to give this speech again.
"And if you are my friend... you will let me go."
I held out my small pistol to her. "Protect yourself and Tancy. And stay out of those god forbidden cities."
She took the gun, looking up at me. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" She asked me.
I laughed half-heartedly.
"Hey, I've been doing this for a year." She sighed, wiping her teary eyes as I grabbed my bag and began to run into the forest. We didn't exchange goodbyes. It was too painful.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes without looking back.
"But no, Zoe. I don't."