75 Days of a Zombie Apocalypse (Complete )

Chapter 12 - The Face Behind the Mask

Jess's POV:

I tried my best to keep going, my body really wanting to give up on me as my sore legs kept walking, almost losing balance from time to time. The weight of my backpack wasn't really helpful either, I changed straps from on arm to the other, but even when I had both straps on, it killed my back a lot. There was a few times were I did stop and rest, but only for a few minutes, I had nothing to do while I rested. I left the food bag accidentally, but I wasn't really hungry for anything; the rage that I had gotten built up, ready to release from me any moment when I got heated. And that's why I didn't take lot rests either, the thought that a killer could still be after my friends and family, and the fact that Cher isn't who she acts to be. 

Of course I knew that, I always did, just a part of me didn't really want to admit that something dangerous about one of the group members. But she showed her true self the other night, and I'm afraid she'll do worse to them. I shook the thought out of head and forced myself to think of happy thoughts. I than tripped over a log coming to the realization. The breath getting pushed out of me as my body hit the ground. But now, I was breathing heavy and coughing, using my arms to slowly push myself up, but my legs were to tired to give in any sort of help. I sighed and just put my head down, resting my forehead against the warm dirt. I let the light consume me as I laid there, my body feeling numb and my head going down a rabbit hole of fears. 

**********

Ross's POV:

"Any luck?" Dave asked

"Nothing, " Zedd said, "These woods just go on forever." 

We all agreed to just head out for Jess, thinking that it would be good if we all said goodbye, and Zedd didn't want to leave John alone in the company of sadness and heartbreak. Everyone was a little nervous on what we would find when we come across Jess, what she would look like, sound like or what she would end up doing. I tried my hardest to push the thought that she's gone out of my mind, but it came back every time. We were trying to find our way out of the woods to the side road but we kept getting lost and probably ended up deeper into the forest than on the out lines.

"We don't know where she'll be," John said, "She could be anywhere by now." 

"We'll find her, John," Zedd said, "I grantee we will." 

John looked like he was about to saying something, but he hesitated. He just opened his mouth and than closed it, I could tell he had hope for Jess, and hope that we would find her, but I could also tell that he was sick and tired of losing his loved ones and had almost given up on the situation. I wouldn't blame him really. I wanted to find Jess as much as he did, like everyone else did. I thought it would be nice to say goodbye and tell her things that kept me up at night, even if she turned.

"You alright, hon?" My mom asking, walking next to me.

"Yea," I said and looked down. I'm a bad liar and my mom knows that, she knows by just looking in my eyes. 

She just nodded and patted my shoulder with her hand before Rosey came up and took her other hand, smiling as she was running behind us. I did take a few glances at Dave, seeing him as upset as John, but he looked heartless, like he didn't know why we were even doing this. He just kept his head down and walking through the woods like nothing, but his body stumbling or almost falling over. Even though he was looking down, he wasn't really watching where he was going, and neither was I.  

********** 

I crouched down behind a tree and slowly looked around it. There wasn't anything at first, until I heard the branches rustling and twigs snapping. I swallowed hard as I watched the hooded man walk pass. He didn't seem as scary as he was in the dark, and he look like he didn't have any weapons like that night. I watched him until he was out of sight, and slowly went after him, keeping my footing steady and my eyes on him only. Ross wasn't with him or anywhere around and that made me nervous, does the hooded man have a camp site? Or did he finish Ross off? I slowly began to move quicker but stopped as I saw the hooded man stop himself, sitting down on a rock nearby and pulling down his hood revealing short brown hair. I slowly pulled out my gun and sunk up on me. I held my breath as I stood behind and shoved the gun to his head. 

"Where are they?" I asked, my voice low and filled with hate.

The man froze and didn't move for a minute, and that's when I struck. I moved the gun away from his head and him hit with it, causing him to fall to the ground and grab his head, a grunting noise escaped from his mouth and I walked to him fast this time, kneeling down and putting the gun back towards his head. 

"Where are they?!" I asked, louder this time.

The man still was grunting in pain but than it slowly faded off into...crying? Was he really crying? I got up and grabbed his hooded, pulling him up and facing me. 

"Are you fucking-" 

My eyes couldn't believe what I saw. The man than put him up hands, tears now a river on his face as he stumbled with his words. 

"I-I...Following them," he said slowly. 

I just stood there in amaze, my eyes wide open and huge as the figure went on.  

"Their this way..." he said, looking at me and pointing to the left of him.

"What the fuck Louis!" I said, aiming the gun at him as he began to sob harder, "What the hell were you thinking?" 

"Cher!" Louis blurted out, "Sh-She made me do it." 

"Why?" I asked

He just looked down and sobbed even more. I kneeled down in front of him and shoved the gun in his face.

"I asked a goddamn question," I said

"She Sh-eee never sa-id, said," he said, he voice shakily.

"She never said?" I asked, he just shook his head, "She too afraid to tell her lover boy?" 

"I promise, she did-didn't say why," he said

"And I promise you, you'll never find out." I said and stood up, grabbing him by his hoodie and stood him in front of me, putting the gun towards his back, "You show me where they went, or I'll fucking shoot right now, got it?!"

He nodded fast, "Yes, Yes-ssss" 

I pushed him forward with my hand that was on his hood. He began to walk as I followed him, quickly looking at my surroundings before I looked back to see where he was going. It didn't take long until I heard the sound of Zedd's voice. I felt a relief knowing that Louis was taking me in the right direction. We walked a few more steps and we could see them now in an open green field within the forest, a few more feet and their would be the road. I saw my dad's face turn in my direction as we took more steps. 

"Louis?" my dad asked, Zedd than looking this way, standing up from a log he was sitting on.

"Louis, what's behind your back?" Zedd asked, his voice deep.

Louis started to heavy cry again before I pushed him down, showing myself fully, my gun still pointed at him. The shook from my dad's and Zedd's face said it all that they couldn't believe what was going on or that they saw me.

"Jess?" my dad asked, tears forming in his eyes "Is that you?" 

I looked at him confused for a minute and than shook my head, "Where's Cher?"

"She went to use the bathroom out back," Zedd pointed, and than stopped, "Jess, let me go." 

"Not until I talk to Cher," I said, louder this time.

"What for?" Zedd asked

"For leaving me alone."