Living for What?

Chapter 9

Hey guys! I really hope you guys have been enjoying it. The Walking Dead is so awesome, I couldn't help but write about it. I'm sure everyone reading would agree. Also, please review, I read all of them and take the criticism into account. It has been such a joy to write and I am not stopping anytime soon! I hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 9

Dinner was a delightful roasted deer with chopped onions and carrots. We ate in silence around a wooden table, furnished with chairs. We had made sure to wipe the table down. The blood from Roger's brain and blood was splattered here and there. It didn't make a difference. We hadn't eaten since that rotten breakfast of cold oats.

Never mind the cold oats, I thought the dinner was great. It filled my stomach, 'hit the spot' as they say. Mom felt the same way, I could tell. Her eyes glistened like that when she was happy. I could tell everyone enjoyed the food.

The walkers were still outside, but they were slowly filtering away. They had hunkered on the highway for so long, I would want to leave too. Unfortunately, Javier peeked out the window.

"They are heading North, right into D.C. Damnit."

"It's alright, as long as we stay a reasonable distance behind them." Gabe said.

"We'll have to cross them sooner or later."

"Well," I said. "We can thank Roger for one thing. Blasting at least some of them with ol' Henry." I nodded to the rocket launcher. Javier let out a chuckle.

Soon, we were all tired, so we set up out small sleeping bags. Javier and Gabe bunked next to the door. Clementine set herself up in the far corner. Mom and I had the corner nearest to the window.

Mom turned her sleeping to face me. "So... how are you doing baby?" Mom questioned me.

"I'm fine, considering. How are you?"

"I'm ok, thanks. Noah... I'm worried." Her tone turned to a whisper. "Are you really ok. You seem... debased from your normal self. Especially since you have met her." She nodded to Clementine, asleep a few yards away.

"What are you implying mom?" I burrowed my eyebrows.

"I am worried. Noah, you can't... you can't be so rash. She is rubbing off on you. Look at her, blowing up a base, shooting Roger with no hesitation. I saw you raise your gun Noah, and taking off like that at the highway. Not necessary."

"I would have drawn the rest of them right to you!"

"It doesn't matter! You are putting yourself and everyone else in unnecessary danger. It needs to stop."

"Sometimes you need to be a quick thinker. There is a difference between rash and quick. I think mom." She pulled a slight frown.

"Goodnight, Noah." She turned away.

"Goodnight."

I went to bed really full for the first time in a long time.

5 Years Ago

I sat in the smooth fresh grass, a thin blanket separating me from its texture. The dirt was a smoothly coarse rub, and it sat just centimeters below said grass. The blanket was white, weaved with expertise to incorporate flowers and whimsical waves that danced along the cloth. It felt as smooth and soft as a baby's bottom. That's something mom would always say.

My brother sat to my left, throwing rocks over our food and into the calm, crispy green-blue lake. It was a beautiful day, with the sky drifting along smoothly, and the water bouncing and waves lightly lapping against the concrete. The sun sat high in the distance, looking down on us with warmth and compassion, as if it was smiling. Small turtles and fish poked their heads out the surface, as if to observe us, and then bobbed down just as quick. Seth had to disturb those creatures.

Brooke sat across from me, staring down at her iPod as she slightly rocked her head to the music she listened to. Probably Justin Bieber, or One Direction. Ugh. Her light hair was pulled back and she wore an outfit that made her look like she went to the gym, even though she didn't.

My mom sat to my right, directly under the path of Seth's rock. She was happily munching on a sandwich she had packed. Her hair was laying down, blown slightly by the calm breeze. Her green eyes reflected the lake just behind us, peaceful, at ease, just enjoying life. It was great.

Mom had packed all of us turkey, lettuce and cheese sandwiches. We had brought apples and Ruffles as snacks. It was just a moment to sit back and enjoy nature.

"Noah! You want to go play on the rocks?" Seth asked me. He was a small child at the time, barely reaching my chest in height, but he managed to scramble up the rocks just fine.

The rocks sat behind us. They had a lighter gray color, and their faces we easily climbable. We slipped and got cuts and scrapes, and mom would always call out "Be careful babies!" But we just kept going. Seth always beat me to the top of the last rock (even though I let him win), and would always celebrate by jumping off the ten foot escarpment. He would have always landed a straight ten in the Olympics. Then Seth would yell at Brooke to throw the small yellow foam football we brought, and Brooke would half-heartedly toss him the ball. Her and Mom were talking about girly things. Psh, lame.

"So. you run off and then catch the ball in midair! Ok!" Seth would exclaim. We would fist bump after every round that I caught it. It was our thing. When he would hit a home run in Tee-ball, fist bump. I would nod my head, and catch a glimpse of mom smiling at me as Seth and I played.

I jumped, and Seth threw the ball right at me. I would catch it and he would scream with joy. I would throw it back to him, and we would repeat this over and over and over again, until he got tired or I got tired. Then we would sit back down and finish our sandwiches.

When all was said and done, we would rile back for the mile walk back to our car. That walk was always a peaceful walk, through the lightly blowing trees, providing shade and solace from the heat. There green leaves would rival the flash of the grass. They were a nice explosion of color. I loved those trees, and how their flat faced leaves would bounce in the soft breeze. They were smooth to the touch, with small blue veins popping out. The coarse chlorophyll would taint my skin if I rubbed it too hard.

The car was hot from sitting in the sun during the hottest portion of the day, so Seth and I would engulf our water bottles. The drive home was always a nice rest from the day's activities.

I would go to bed the night after and think, and dream about the time everyone had at that small, savory afternoon picnic.

Present

"Hey. Come on, wakie wakie Noah!" I groaned and wiped the sludge from my resting eyes. I opened them to find Mom smiling over me, tugging on my arm. "Come on! We gotta go! Gotta get up for school!" School? I pulled my sleeping bag off. But it wasn't a sleeping bag. I was in a bed. My bed. That was weird. Everything was as it was when I left, before the apocalypse dropped everything of our known lives on it's head. My nightstand stood to my right, and small lamp rested on top of it. My computer laid on my desk, and Seth was struggling to get out of bed. I looked out the window. The first streaks of dawn were shining in the crystal sky. My eyes widened as I opened the fridge. There was so much food. So much. It could feed me forever. Cheese, meat, lettuce and tomato's, leftovers, meatloaf, cold bread and tortillas. I glanced at the pantry. Chips, protein bars, Cookies, wafers, tea bags. There was so much I broke down.

"It's ok Noah. I know, I know. Why are you sad?" It was mom. I turned my tearful eyes towards her. I was greeted with a walker that looked just like her. Green eyes, dark brown hair, but her skin was a paler white, and half her jaw was torn off. She stood next to me, patting my shoulder before sinking her teeth into my neck. I screamed.

I jolted awake, taking a deep breath inward. All of my senses were on fire, and my heart was racing. Sweat poured from my face, and my back was soaked. I took a few deep breaths before observing my surroundings. Everything was quieter, peaceful. Mom laid next to me in her own sleeping bag, looking asleep, and definitely not like a walker. Clementine laid behind me. I wonder how someone could sleep with hat on. I imagine that would be uncomfortable.

But the small apartment was comfortable, and walkerless. That made me feel a bit better. I tried to lay down and go back to a fitful sleep. Of course, I couldn't.