Maybe

Chapter 19

I looked back and forth between Ethan and his brother, not able to comprehend this sudden turn of events.

"I'll explain everything when we get to the place." Grayson said

Ethan was acting as if this was the most normal thing in the world; that his brother usually comes back from the dead every day. I fell behind the two as I tried to understand this. I gave up and started sprinting after them. Even though we must have ran at least 5 miles and I was loaded down with guns and ammo, I had never felt better in my life. Even though our plan was not perfect in any conceivable respect, we had still made it out alive. We all had a few cuts and scrapes, but we were alive.

Abruptly after running for hours, Grayson took a sharp left and we were at a storefront.

"What is up with you guys and grocery stores?" I asked

Grayson pushed open the door and we all piled inside.

"There's an office in the back we can sleep in." Grayson said as he led us to the office

We all walked in and took a seat on the ground, exhausted by the events of the day. Ethan and I looked expectantly at Grayson. Grayson sighed before telling us his entire story.

"The night that we got attacked by crawlers-" Grayson started

"Walkers." I corrected

"What?" Grayson asked

"Walkers...not crawlers." I said

"What does it matter?" Grayson asked annoyed

"It doesn't, but they don't crawl, they walk. So, just call them walkers." I said

"I can call them what I want." Grayson said

"Ok guys just stop, this is getting ridiculous. Grayson continue with your story." Ethan said interrupting us

"Ok. So the night that we got attacked by walkers." Grayson said pointedly at me "I didn't exactly die."

"What do you mean you didn't die? You made me leave you there, you were defenseless and I know for a fact you got bit." Ethan said

"I did get bit." Grayson said pulling up his sleeve to show his bite mark

"You're infected." I said standing up and backing away from him

"But that's the thing, I'm not." Grayson said

"What do you mean you're not, I can see the bite." I argued

"Don't you think I would have turned by now if I was?" Grayson asked, "That was weeks ago."

"So what? Are you saying you're immune or something?" I said laughing at the ridiculousness

"I mean, I don't see another explanation for me not being dead right now." Grayson said

"Ok, but, how did you get away from them, there had to be at least 15." Ethan said

"The group that owned the safe house came along and killed them all." Grayson said "I hid my bite so they didn't suspect anything and they took me with them. I guess they must have trusted me or something cause they took me on every search with them."

"How come we didn't see you at the safe house then? We were there for at least a week." I said

"I never left my room. A couple weeks ago I was on a search with a handful of their group. By this time I had a suspicion that they weren't the most trustworthy people in the world. While we were on the search, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I'm not proud of it, but I had to do it." Grayson said looking down at the floor

"Wait. You killed the group?" I asked in shock

"Grayson, that's not like you." Ethan said

"I know! I had to get away but they had at least 20 people on me. I didn't trust any of them and I knew it was what had to be done." Grayson said

"So, why didn't you escape when you had the chance?" I asked

"I needed food and weapons. I wasn't planning on making my escape that day, but I knew if I didn't do something, I wouldn't get a chance like this again. So, I went back to the house saying how a group of people had killed our group and I was the only one to survive. They all bought it and now they trusted me. That's what I needed most of all, their trust, that would be my escape." He said

"Ok... but, how did you find us?" Ethan asked

"That one's more luck than skill. I had heard that they had brought in two people about a week ago, but I didn't really think anything of it. Tonight was the first night that I had left my room in a month. From my window I could see the barn on fire and I ran outside. I had heard your name in passing throughout the week and it sparked something in my mind that you were here, Ethan. I saw them take you down to the cellar so I grabbed a gun and took my chances." Grayson said

"I thought you were dead." Ethan whispered as he looked at the ground "Why didn't you come to look fore me?" Ethan asked

"I thought you were dead." Grayson replied "But, apparently not. And, I think it's because of her." Grayson nodded in my direction. "Who are you?"

"I'm Olivia. The person who has been keeping your brother alive for the past few weeks." I said confidently

I don't know why, but I didn't trust Grayson completely yet. If I had the slightest feeling that my sister was alive, I would spend every waking moment searching for her, why wasn't Grayson doing the same?

"Well... might've been the other way around." Ethan said smirking at me

Grayson looked between Ethan and I, sensing a deeper relationship than we showed on the surface.

"How did he find you?" Grayson asked

"Kinda the other way around." I said "I was looking for water a few weeks ago and stumbled upon his camp."

"Really? I didn't think you would be found there E." Grayson said

"A grocery store? Are you serious? We really need to work on your hiding spots." I said

"So what? Are you guys like a team or something?" Grayson asked

"Yeah, we work together pretty well." Ethan said

After we were all caught up on each other's stories, we all tried to get some sleep. I curled up in the far corner of the office and closed my eyes. Before long, I heard the boys talking to each other again.

"I'm glad we're back together." Grayson said

"Yeah, me too." Ethan replied

"I heard what you said to her right before I killed that guy." Grayson said

"Oh." Ethan said

"Do you really feel that way about her?" Grayson asked

"Do I love her?" Ethan asked

There was a slight pause before Ethan responded

"Unconditionally."