No place like home

chapter 2

Cora

"Run"

We don't hesitate after the words fall from my lips and we leg it to find somewhere safe.

"This way!" He yells though I'm right next time him. He takes a sharp left and up ahead I see a dark green Jeep type car parked on a deserted road.

He slows a little. Clearly he doesn't have to do much running. I overtake him and reach the edge of the Forrest. I turn and wait but he caught up and jumps in the back if the vehicle.

I stop when I notice two other people. I get ready to say a quick goodbye and run for it but he holds out his hand to help me in the car.

"No I have to go" I say pushing it away,  "just get in!" He yells causing the people next to him to scowl at me. It's obvious they don't want me to get in but I don't get much of a choice as Dan grabs my wrist and yanks me in the car.

He hits the car twice and it starts and speeds off. The people in the back are still giving me death glares like I've hurt one of their own. They can stare all they want, I was forced into this situation and I don't want to be here as much as they don't want me here.

"Are you hurt?" A boy with messy blonde hair asks Dan while scanning him for wounds of any sort, "I'm fine Cameron really" He waves him off and a girl with short blonde hair looks at me then him skeptically, "who's this?" She spits eyeing me down like a lion to its prey, "A survivor" He brushes of again.

Ouch.

I guess I deserved it for wanting to ditch as soon as I saw him. The car ride was silent and I had no idea where I was being taken. I focus on my shaking hands and try steady them so I don't look weak in front of them.

I feel Dan's gaze on my hands and it doesn't help in calming me. My breathing gets heavier and my claustrophobia kicks in as well as anxiety. "How far are we?" I blurt out not looking at anyone.

But as if on queue the car stops. I take the opportunity and get out as quick as possible bumping into a brown haired boy with beautiful brown eyes.  He looks at me like I've grown two heads and turns to Dan, who is clearly sick of people looking at him like that.

"A survivor" He blurts angrily. It hits me harder this time and I scoff gaining a few suspicious looks from the people around.

More people crowd round us clearly wondering why I'm here and who I am. I feel light headed and dizzy. How did I go from no human contact what so ever to having an entire crowd of people engrossed in me.

"Give her some space" Dan yells noticing the state I'm in. The crowd scatters slightly but many people still remain.

I turn and do what I wanted to do since the start. Walk away. I squeeze through a gap in the crowd but nobody moves for me, "MOVE!" I yell getting it through their thick skulls and they make a path for me to walk.

I don't turn back but I hear rushing footsteps coming towards me, "Cora?" A voice asks.

This isn't happening

This can't be happening to me

I slowly turn and his eyes stay fixed on me, I gulp. "Noah" I whisper meeting his eyes. He searches my face for answers I, yet again, don't have.

"You..." He trails of taking a step closer to me, "died" I say blankly, his eyes widen and he doesn't know what to say.

I take a few steps back still facing him and then quickly turn and walk away. I'm not doing this. He still remains quiet as I retreat and try and find my way out of this camp.

Nobody stops me from walking out. So I continue on my way. I walk through a few bushes and come to a cliff edge.

The city.

I didn't expect to see it this bad. Well I guess I haven't seen it in many years so I don't know what I was expecting it to look like.

Rustling from behind me takes me away from my trance and I turn at lightning speed holding my gun up.

"Woah" He exclaims holding his hands up in surrender. I lower my gun slowly from my aim at his head and he sighs with relief.

"What was all that about?" He asks getting straight to the point. I shrug, "what do you mean?" He sighs again with more depth, "I guess this is your character now... It's different" He states keeping his gaze on the city in front of us, "I had to change to survive... I couldn't stay a scared little girl forever" I say sadly missing my old life.

"Where's your group?" He questions moving his gaze to me, "don't have one" I shrug. He furrows his brows and thinks for a moment, I miss that face. "You've been alone? For how long?"

"Two years" I state blankly not shifting my gaze at all, "why didn't you look for a group?" He asks.

What is this 21 questions?

"I couldn't, everyone either evacuated or died" I say glancing at his confused face.

"I've been alone for so long... I don't know who I am anymore" I stare out across the entire city. if you can even call it that anymore.

"we all feel that way" he tries to reassure placing his hand Gentally on my shoulder. I scoff and roll my eyes, "you've been in group safe and sound since the beginning... I had to run everyday of my life and fight hard for even an ounce of water and survival" I say coldly shaking his hand off.

"your here now aren't you? safe in a group?" he questions mimicking the same cold tone I used, "I'm not staying" I remark with a dead expression. he's taken back and confusion pours into his face, "why? you'll be alone again and having to fight! here... here  we can look out for you" I don't know how to respond. I fear if we keep talking I'll change my mind and want to stay.

but I can't. I have to run before they catch up with us.