Don't Let Me Go

Grieving

"Damn it!" Nate groans, watching as another rabbit runs from him, hidden by the thicket as it escapes. He throws his knife into the dirt, "Fuck!"

Jack chuckles softly, "You really suck at hunting."

"Fuck, fuck!" Nate runs a hand through his hair, "That's the fourth one today.."

Jack shrugs, looking around, "Hey, it's getting dark, we should head back to camp."

"You can go ahead," Nate sighs, "I don't want to go back empty-handed."

"You're a lousy hunter with daylight," Jack replies, "I don't think you'll be any better by yourself in the dark."

Nate shakes his head, taking off his glasses to rub his eyes, "You're right.. Fuck.. Matt would know what to do, he knows how to make game traps. All that boy scout shit I used to tease him about.. Who knew we'd actually need it..?"

Jack crosses his arms, a wave of sadness washing over him, "I miss him, too.. I may not have known him all that well, but I knew enough to know he was a great guy.."

Nate shivers, "I feel so bad for Stephanie.. I see the way she looks at Felix and Marzia when they're holding hands, or just sitting together.. I can't imagine how horrible it is for her. I mean, I miss Morgan, but I have hope that she's okay out there somewhere. Stephanie doesn't get that hope.."

"I know what you mean," Jack sighs, "Signe's back home in the UK. It kills me not to know if she's okay."

Nate puts his glasses back on, "Well.. We can have stupid hope together, I guess. Let's just get back to camp, I want to check on Stephanie."

Jack nods and the two friends walk back the way they came as darkness blankets the forest. They walk in silence until they finally see the dim light of their campfire. Ken is the first to see them and he approaches them. Seeing their lack of game, he smiles softly, "We still have plenty of food from that convenience store."

"Yeah, and what happens when that runs out?" Nate mutters, making a beeline for Stephanie. She's sitting by a tree, just outside the camp and Nate sits beside her. He puts an arm around her and she leans on him. In the light of the campfire, Nate can see the tears drying on her cheek. When she speaks, her voice is a broken whisper, "No luck..?"

"Found a few rabbits," he replies, "But I couldn't catch them."

"Matthew knows th----" Stephanie cuts herself off as a shiver runs through her and she whimpers, breaking out into another sobbing fit, her words completely forgotten. Nate just holds her, whispering softly, "I know, sweetie.. I miss him, too.."

He would give anything to give Matt back to him, back to all of them. Matt was his best friend, and now he's just gone. Matthew Patrick was everything to them, he was the light in the dark, he could make them laugh when they wanted to cry. He knew so much about random stupid facts no one else would take a second glance at, he was quirky and amazing, and now they have to live without him. He knows how bad his death is affecting Stephanie, he expected no less, while he's trying so hard not to let it affect him. He can't stop thinking about the story Tyler told, and he can't help but to wish Tyler had been the one who died instead.

He can't stop thinking about Matt, about the day they met, about every single thing Matt ever said to him, every single thing he and Matt did together. Matt died last night, and they didn't even try to find his body. Nate wants to bury his best friend, Matt deserves a proper funeral. They don't have any shovels, but they did pass a shed that was locked. Nate's eyes narrow and he slowly pulls away from Stephanie. He smiles softly at her, "Get something to eat, I won't be gone long."

"Where are you going?" she asks.

"Hunting," he replies softly before standing. He goes to where Ken and Mark are sitting and he crouches beside them, "Hey, Ken, mind if I borrow your flashlight?"

Ken takes the item from his bag, "What do you need it for?"

"I want to hunt a little more before it gets too late, and I can't see well in the dark." Nate lies.

"Light could attract them," Ken frowns.

"Well, it'll help me see if they get close to me, too," Nate continues, "Please?"

"Someone should go with you," Mark says, "I don't want anyone going off by themselves, I can't stand to lose anyone else right now."

"I'll do better by myself," Nate urges, "Someone else will just scare off anything I try to catch. I'll bring it back, unscratched. Scouts honor."

Ken nods and hands over the flashlight, "I'm keeping watch tonight, if you're gone too long, I'll come look for you."

Nate nods and walks away from the camp. He takes a deep breath, turning the flashlight on. He keeps the beam pointed at the ground to help him see and help conceal the light. His fingers tighten around his pocket knife and he chuckles softly under his breath, "Oh, yeah, I'm hunting.. Just not animals.. Not the good kind anyway.."

He continues through the forest as quickly and quietly as he can. They hadn't moved their camp since the night before when Matt died, so getting back to that house shouldn't be that hard. He keeps a close eye out, and listens to the quiet of the forest, dreading the moment when the groans of the dead will reach his ears. He tries not to think that Matt is now a member of the dead. He doesn't know what he should expect or hope for more; that he'll find Matt as one of the infected, or he'll find the mangled body of the man that was his best friend. 

He holds his breath as the trees around him thin out and the house comes into view. He still doesn't see any infected around, but still, he approaches the house cautiously, turning off the flashlight so it doesn't draw any more attention to him. He gets to the front door and tears come to his eyes. He takes a another deep breath and fights back the tears that threaten to flow, then he opens the door and steps inside.