STAY (Completed)

Chapter 4

KEITH

How many?

How many people had I killed?

How many lives have ended because of me?

Leaning against a tree I closed my eyes and tilted my head back looking up to the sky.

I had taken out a lot of the living dead, but each time I had to choose between my life and another humans...I always saved my own.

"Keith you okay?" Lance's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Yes." I spoke in a voice unlike my own. I cleared my throat and pushed off of the tree.

Lance was sitting on a rock nibbling on a bag of dried fruit.

We were taking a two minute break. We had been walking for a while.

We should reach Pidge and Hunk before their time is up.

I checked my watch again to be sure we weren't taking too long.

"Hey Keith?" Lance's voice wasn't it's normal teasing, flirty, boisterous sound. Instead it was quiet, reserved almost afraid.

I glanced down to see him looking up at me.

"What happened back there- thank you." His cheeks burned pink as his blue eyes shifted away.

He's thanking me?

"I wouldn't have been able to do what you did. Not yet. I want to get stronger like you. I want to be strong enough to protect my friends." I noted how his hands clenched the bag tightly crinkling the plastic. I squatted before him with a heavy drawn out sigh.

"Making split decisions like that isn't something heroic. It's instinct to survive. It's not a bad thing to have, but later- well you have to deal with that burden when everything calms and you realize what just happened. There isn't anything heroic about taking another life." I patted Lance's knee as I rose. His blue eyes stared up at me.

"We should head out. We've been here too long. Pidge and Hunk will be moving out soon. We should try to catch up. The train station isn't too far." I brushed dirt from my knees as I slung my backpack over my shoulder.

As I turned to walk away I felt Lance's hand fall on my shoulder.

"You saved our lives from a maniac. You gave him a mercy killing when you could have let him turn into one of them. You knew what it would mean to just let him turn, and you didn't. You gave him his last wish. That is kind of heroic to me." Lance shrugged shoving his hands into his pockets as he took the lead.

I stared after him for a moment.

I'm no hero, but you Lance. You have potential.

After all you saved me too.

Following Lance we walked through the trees until we came to a main road.

"Should we follow the road or stay in the trees?" Lance asked.

"We'll follow the road from the trees. If there are any undead they tend to gather in hoards. The road is more spacious. Just keep your eyes open." I inclined my chin.

As we walked side by side my arm brushed against Lance's every now and then. I couldn't help the red that stained my cheeks.

Jeez Keith keep it together.

I snuck a glance at Lance to see a slight shade of pink dusting his cheeks as well. I quickly looked away and busied myself with counting my steps.

Why? Well it keeps my mind off the warmth coming from Lance.

Seriously is this guy like a space heater or what?

While I was lost in thought Lance's backpack started making a horrific sound.

"What the hell is that?" I snapped quickly searching the trees for any stray undead that might have heard.

"It's the walkie Pidge made for me. We must be close enough in range to communicate." Lance explained yanking out this ugly piece of junk.

"She modified it so the range would be higher." Lance added as he flipped the switch making the crackling white noise cease.

"Pidge? Pidge can you hear me? Over." Lance and I waited on our toes in the deafening silence.

"L-Lance. I'm here. Hunk and Cosmo too. We're still at the train station. Where are you? It's gonna be dark soon. Over." Pidge's voice reached us over the radio.

"We are on our way. We ran into some trouble, but we are okay. Stay where you are unless it's not safe. If it isn't safe move onto the next point and we will meet you there. Over." Lance gave me a worried look.

He hasn't been a part from his friends for this long. It's no wonder he's worried.

"Okay. I will call again in fifteen if you aren't here yet. Over."

"Tell them I said hi." Hunk's voice was picked up through the speaker.

The sentimental look that crossed Lance's face told me just how much his friends meant to him.

"Tell Hunk I said hey and we'll be there soon. Over and out." Lance shut off the talkie and placed it back into his backpack.

Without a word we proceeded farther into the woods.

"So Commander Shiro is your brother? That's cool. He's a really nice guy. Did you have any other siblings?" Lance asked.

"No. My dad died when I was in middle school, and my mom left when I was just a baby. I never knew her. It was always just me and Shiro." I shoved my hands into my pockets and stared up at the tree tops.

"I have a huge family. My older brothers Marco and Louis. I have older sisters Rachel, and Veronica. I miss my parents and my aubelita. I have a niece and nephew too." Lance's voice took on a dark tone.

"Do you think they are still alive?" He asked.

I felt a pang in my chest at the innocence in his eyes. I did not have the heart to tell him what I thought.

"It's not impossible." I quickly looked away avoiding his gaze.

"Yeah, I get it." His voice cracked before he cleared his throat.

We walked beside each other not saying anything. The air around us was thick with tension. Not for each other, but the burdens and worries we each carried.

We were almost to the train station when he broke the silence.

"We haven't seen anyone or anything for a while now. That doesn't seem right to me." Lance scratched the back of his head.

He's right. It feels strange to me too.

Suddenly that horrific sound blasted from his pack.

"Quick turn that down!" I reached into his pack trying to find the damn thing.

"L-La-Ce. -Elp. Dang-r. Ov-" Pidge's frightened voice cut in and out of the white nosie.

"P-Pidge? Pidge! Answer me! Over!" Lance frantically spoke into the mouth piece.

Only static met his reply.

We both exchanged glances before breaking into a run.