Life with Hunters

Ch 7: Survivors?

I felt heavy. Like my whole body was made of lead. I couldn't see anything but I could faintly hear voices. I couldn't understand what they were saying, and I couldn't really tell if they sounded worried or unconcerned. Suddenly the voices started getting louder, like they were growing closer. The next thing I knew, I was coughing and hacking up water as someone rolled me onto my side. Weakly, I shifted and pushed myself up onto my hands and knees shivering from how cold I was and from coughs wracking through my body. I felt a hand patting my back in attempt to get the rest of the water out of my lungs. I spat out some water that got in my throat before sitting back on my knees and hugging myself in a futile attempt to warm myself.

"Thank god. We thought you were dead for sure." A deep male voice came from beside me making me look up. He was heavily built and brawly. Broad shouldered and tall with a light farmer's tan.

"Why did we save her again?" a woman's voice said behind me. She sounded irritated, and clearly like she would've rather let me drown in peace than save me. I looked over my shoulder at her. She was slim and about maybe a head or so shorter than the man. Her skin was chocolate brown and her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. The man, with a buzz cut of black hair, stood pulling me up to my feet with him.

"Because who in their right mind would just let a child drown even in a world like this." The man, from what I could tell from his combat uniform was in the marines. "And you didn't know CPR either." The woman glared at the man and clenched her fists.

"Because it's every person for themselves now and we don't have enough supplies for another mouth to feed. And don't go bragging that you did something morally right just because you know CPR and saved a random kid. Who could be infected by the way." With that said she stomped over to me and started lifting my clothes looking for bites. The marine didn't really stop her since she had a point. Even though her assumption was wrong. She backed up from me when she found not one single bite on me.

"You were saying?" The marine lightly pushed the woman out of his way and leaned down do eye level with me. "What's your name?"

I didn't answer right away but when I saw that the marine wasn't going to leave me alone until I answered I reluctantly replied. "Emiko..."

"Sounds foreign." The woman muttered still looking at me with distrust. I glanced briefly at her.

"It is... It's Japanese." I mumbled and the marine stood up straight but kept his eyes on me.

"You're coming with us. We're heading to a safe zone that's in the next state over. But first we're going to find you some dry clothes before you catch a cold or something." The marine took off his jacket and wrapped me up in it then put his backpack on and motioned for the woman and me to follow him. The woman was about to protest about me coming with them but one glare from the marine and she shut right up. I reluctantly followed the two of them while my thoughts wandered to how worried the hunters must be about me. I wasn't sure if they would be able to track me by my scent since I fell in the lake. And getting into new clothes might confuse them. But I don't really have a choice if I don't want to get sick or walk around in nothing but a really oversized jacket. I sighed as I shivered again, my feet squishing in my shoes with every step I took.

As the three of us walked, I thought more and more about the pack. 'I should take the first chance I get to leave and go look for my pack once I get into some dry clothes. But I think that'll be harder than I expect with that marine guy. He could easily catch me when I try to run away. Maybe I should try to run when they're asleep?' I nearly tripped over a dead body while lost in my thoughts earning a small chuckle from the marine and a rather haughty "humph" from the woman. I glared at her while she wasn't looking as her bad attitude was starting to really get on my nerves. True she had every right not to trust me, but she could at least make some sort of attempt to be a little more polite. The silence crept over us again as we continued following the marine.

"Where exactly are we walking to?" I asked out of genuine curiosity because I wasn't too familiar with the area we were in. The woman scoffed at me and I intentionally splashed some mud on her from a puddle I walked into. She growled at me and went to slap me but the marine grabbed her wrist.

"Will you get a hold of yourself hothead? If you two start fighting now you could put us all at risk of being overtaken by a horde. And you kid, just do what you were doing before with ignoring her." He let go of the woman's wrist and turned back around, resuming the walk to wherever we were going.

"You... didn't answer my question..." I sighed after trailing off and clutching his jacket tighter around me when the wind blew, giving me more chills to add to the ones I already had from my clothes being soaked. The marine ignore me and I went back to being quiet, letting the silence cover us like a large heavy cloak again. 'Really wish that if anyone had to save me from drowning, it was a different group of people. But unfortunately beggars can't be choosers.'