The Beginning of the End (EDITING)

Chapter 13 - Who Let the Cat onto the Bag?

I couldn't believe where we were settling down. Here? Really? I paused in my attempt to find a sleeping bag when I heard giggling. I rolled my eyes.

"Why are you even worried about your nails?" Demi's irritated voice drifted from isles away.

"Is there something wrong with looking decent?" Molly argued back.

I laughed when I heard Demi scoff,"No that's just fine! Go on! Worry about your nails so at least if you get eaten a zombie will really appreciate the 'flirty coral' decorating your nails."

I blocked out any further bickering from the two and yanked a large sleeping bag off of a shelf. We were in Target. The store. We found it around five o'clock this morning and we couldn't resist. The boys were off scoping out the entirety of the building while us girls decided to make a sleeping area that kept us close together.

"Jen, can you grab a couple lanterns off the next shelf so we can take it back to the camping site?" I asked politely, turning around to face Jen, who was sitting down with her back to a wall of fishing gear.

She nodded and stood up, wiping the back of her jeans off and grabbing three lanterns in her arms.

"How are you holding up?" I wondered aloud, but softly.

She simply shrugged and said,"I don't know anymore. I feel like I'm going crazy. I keep reaching for my back pocket to grab my cell, wanting so badly to call my dad. To tell him I love him. But.. I can't."

"I'm here Jen. If you ever need anything." I reasured her, the best I could.

"How are you so strong? Even through all of this?" She asked, stopping in front of me.

"I'm really not," I started, looking at the floor,"I broke down last night and you saw that. I was weak."

"That wasn't weakness. That was the shield of a strong and careful girl cracking. Letting some emotion out every now and then isn't weakness. It makes you human Amy and everyone here could use a little more human, especially when the only other thing out there are flesh-eating monsters."

I looked back up from the floor at her words. She seemed to be the ony one making any sense. I wanted to scream, to kick and fight. To cry until I was drained of energy. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare, that has quickly become my reality. Everyone's reality. **********************************

*Scott's P.O.V*

"Connor, Max!," I called over my shoulder,"I'm going to to get the gun bag out of the truck bed. Okay?" I turned around to see them and they nodded,

"Yes sir!" Connor saluted sarcastically. Little ass.

"You two go back to the girls, I'll be back." I told them firmly.

Connor nodded stifly,"Oh ladies..!" He called out turning back in the direction of the girls, Max following silently.

I had parked the truck directly in front of the doors of the store for easy access. Walking out the doors cautiously, I went straight for the gun bag. I hauled it over my shoulder and began walking back when something tapped against my hand that was holding the bag. I froze and looked over my shoulder carefully. Nothing. What in the hell?

I set the bag down, and peered down at it. It was probably around nine p.m that night so it was dark already outside. I saw a small glare and laughed when I realized what it was. A small, black kitten had managed to curl on top of the bag at some point and apparently had gotten playful when I picked the bag up. I gently picked it up, the little guy was about the size of my hand. How the hell had THIS tiny little thing gotten in the back of the truck? The world may never know.

I put it in my jacket pocket and grasped the bag handle again and made my way inside. Amy would love this. She needed something to make her smile. Even if it was only for a short period of time. I got back to the camping area the girls set up and set the bag down.

"Amy?" I addressed calmly, crooking my finger at her when she looked up at me.

I led her into an isle a couple feet away and pulled the ball of fur from my jacket pocket.

She gasped,"Oh my God! It's so tiny! And cute!"

She squealed quietly, smiling genuinely.

"You want him?" I inquired, grinning down at her.

She met my gaze,"Yes, so bad."

I tapped my cheek once, and her eyes widened before she got up on her tippy-toes and placed a warm kiss on the side of my face. I placed the kitten in her open palms and watched as it played with the ends of her hair.

God she was beautiful.

I swallowed,"We'll have to be careful with him Amy."

"I know. Thank you Scott. Thank you." She whispered the last part and walked back to the others, holding the kitten in her arms.