Roaming Of The Afterlife

Aurei's Big Step

All I could think about right now is Dakota, we've kissed....so much that I had to stop us both from tearing each other apart. It feels great feeling like this. How could Dakota only have one girlfriend??

That's right. His attitude.

It wasn't that Dakota was cruel...he just didn't give a damn what anyone thought. He always wanted someone to be straight up with him and he'd be straight up with you. He never tried to surgarcoat or bargain his words. All in all...he's blunt.

It amazes me at how destructive he is, but yet he's vulnerable.

Yeah he makes blank threats, and he's colorful with his words, but for some reason, I like that.

I open my eyes to see Dakota checking his glock.

"Morning." I said.

"It's the afternoon. Look at the sun you imbecile." Dakota said, rolling his eyes.

I quickly get out of the bed, then I walk towards him.

"Listen monster, no matter what you say, I'm still into you." I said, grabbing both of his broad shoulders.

"You should think about Aurei, how will she take this?" Dakota asks, looking down at me.

I facepalm. Aurei....she can handle the truth but I yet have no idea of what Aurei thinks of Dakota.

"You never thought about that did you?" Dakota asks.

I close my eyes. Where was Aurei???? Did she even come back in the room?!

"Keep in mind of what kind of a guy I am.....you should look before you leap." Dakota said, I sigh. Dakota studies my face, he rolls his eyes.

"She came in, I let her sleep in my bed while I took a night out." Dakota said without looking at me.

"Thanks," I said awkwardly, replaying everything that happened yesterday.

"I love that kid." Dakota said with a shrug.

"Then you have nothing to worry about." I said, Dakota smiles.

"Finally you get it imbecile." Dakota teases.

"Where is Aurei now?" I ask.

"Talking to some kids downstairs." Dakota said, I cross my arms.

"Look at you, you big soft teddy bear." I tease, lightly punching his arm.

"Take that back." Dakota said, with a glare.

"No can do Kota." I said, Dakota stops me.

"You know what?" Dakota asks me, I stay quiet. "You inspire my inner serial killer." Dakota said with a shrug.

"This isn't a action movie." I said as I roll my eyes. "Relax Avery I love seeing you pissed." Dakota said, I knit my eyebrows at him.

"I have to go find Aurei." I said, Dakota stops me, kissing me. I ruffle his hair, his scars touch my face since I'm only up to his chest.

"Go on." Dakota said, I leave the room, walking down the stairs seeing Jocelyn sitting at the end.

"Hi Jocelyn." I said with a small smile.

"Hey, what are you up to?" She asks me.

"I'm looking for my sister." I said.

"She's with the other kids." Jocelyn said, pointing her skinny finger at the group of kids sitting there talking.

I walk slowly up to them, the boy with a bowl cut raving about something.

"Then I jumped off the fence, one of those things tried to eat me but I just ran away." He boasts, rolling up his sleeve to show bruises and large cuts.

Aurei frowns, she looks at me.

"Hey what's up?" She asks, walking towards me.

"Before I talk to Fernando and Gordon...I need to tell you something." I said, taking a deep breath, Aurei furrows her eyebrows at me.

I pull her to the side.

"Me and Dakota...." I begun.

"Fought?" Aurei guesses, I shake my head from side to side. Aurei's eyes widen.

"I saw it coming." Aurei said with a shrug.

"What?" I ask.

"The way you look at him, I'm not stupid." Aurei said with a frown.

"Is this okay?" I ask awkwardly.

"It's fine." Aurei pipes.

"Now on a unrelated note....about keeping watch....I'll have you keep watch, but I still need to talk to someone so they can watch you." I said, ruffling her hair.

"Besides Aurei, I trust you to handle a gun, you know better than to point a armed gun at someone."

"Thanks." Aurei said awkwardly, scratching her head.

I nod, walking down the hall and into the office, I knock on the door.

"Avery! Good morning!" I hear Fernando call out to me. "I'm guessing you've talked to Gordon?" He adds.

"I did...." I said.

"So? Is it going to happen or not?" Fernando asks, raising his bushy eyebrow, I pinch the inside of my palm.

"My little sister Aurei....she wants to practice shooting with the lookouts." I said slowly, if I said she wanted to be a lookout he would immediately say no.

"I don't know...she is pretty young." Fernando said.

"And I get that, but Aurei is a good shot." I said, Fernando closes his eyes.

"I'll have Jocelyn watch her, if she's good and she behaves I'll have her be one of the lookouts, but if she doesn't, she won't be in use of a rifle again." Fernando said, I nod.

"You seem to let her in easily." I said, furrowing my eyebrows.

"I trust Jocelyn, and Aurei is your responsibility." Fernando warns, his stern voice radiating down the empty hall.

"Gordon must've also asked you if you're going to go scavenging, we're low on food if you didn't recognize yet." Fernando says, leaning against the wall.

"That's if you can handle the undead and the fact you have to work with others." Fernando says, pursing his lips.

"I wouldn't make it this long if I didn't." I said.

"Is this a yes?" Fernando asks quizzically.

"Yeah, is Dakota coming?" I ask.

"That's up to him. Gordon and a couple of others will come with." Fernando says.

"Thanks Fernando." I said before walking down the hall, I bump into Jocelyn she smiles at me.

"How'd you sleep?" She asks.

"It was like I didn't just see people eating one another and everything was normal." I said, Jocelyn smirks. "Sure....I have to go on the roof to keep watch, what are you doing?" She asks.

"Going on a run today." I said, Jocelyn frowns then pulls me into a hug.

"Be safe and no matter what happens, run." Jocelyn whispers in my ear.

"Jocelyn, the undead is always a threat, I'm going to be careful." I said, she pulls away.

"I lost a friend, she got bit....then Gordon had to handle her." Jocelyn explains.

I have to keep in mind....it's always the same. The corpses that were once parents, people that walked past us in the supermarkets, neighbors and the people we argued with about which football team was better now are dead, eaten or still wandering around in this world.

This world belongs to the undead now, they do nothing but rot, walk and eat people....repeat.

But I'm not giving up, not on the people that need me like Aurei, Dakota, and maybe even Jocelyn.

Even if I do go down, I want it to be my own way.