Not Dead..Yet.

Chapter 3-Cut From The Same Cloth.

Photo: Ashton Hunt .

The cold metal felt awkward in my hand, at first. 

The Pistol was to heavy for me, but I didn't complain... I was to busy worrying about Maya. Her head was bleeding heavily, pooling on Brian's shoulder. I kept asking if I could carry her but he refused, backed by his brother. 

"You need a rest. You look tiered, Faith." Ashton commented, glancing in my direction. My body tensed under his eyes, even if they only fell on me a moment. 

My shoes lightly tapped the ground as I followed behind them, gripping the gun. "I'm fine. Is she going to be okay?" I motioned to Maya slightly with my chin as Brian chuckled, "Yeah, she seems fine. Just knocked out.. and well. I guess the bleeding isn't really helping." Ashton's eyes raked the street in front of us looking for god knows what. 

 His grip tightened on the gun as the scream of a smoker echoed off the buildings. "You hear that?" Brian asked, under his breath. 

Ashton nodded his head and scanned the roof tops. We moved in a tight group, always watching, ready to fire. 

My job was to watch the rear because Brian was carrying Maya. My worn shoes shuffled on the road awkwardly as the smoker let another scream out. 

Before I knew it, a wet rope like sliver wrapped its self around my waist. Confusion stung my brain as Hailey poked it lightly "What is this?"

I wrinkled my forehead as I tried to break free "I..I can't, It won't let me go-"

I was quickly jerked backwards with a great force. "Ugh!" I smacked the ground hard as my body bounced back up. The wet rope drug me violently as my heels dug into the concrete, trying to slow myself. The hand that held the gun was wrapped to tightly to shoot the thing apart.

"Ashton!" I screamed, kicking at the air, fear rising in my heart. 

"SMOKER!" Brian yelled as Ashton rose his gun, taking aim at the roof. A walker has me?

His finger squeezed the trigger as a few bullets shot out, followed by a puff of smoke. I dropped to the ground, the rope still around me. 

I heard to smoker die from the noise of a small explosion. I looked back to see a sickly green smoke on the roof as Ashton runs to my side "You alright? You okay?" 

I nodded in a jerking motion as he pulled the knife from his pocket, cutting away the rope. "They drag you away... try to get you alone. Ugh. I hate this tong." He scoffed as he threw it to the side. 

Its...tong? 

A shiver ran up my spine.

This. Is. Disgusting. 

I wrapped my arms around me and cradled myself. Ashton's eyes were on me, I felt it... Hailey was by my side patting my back. 

I dug my head between my knees as my skin crawled. It touched me. 

Brian called to Hailey, "Come on. Lets go set up and cook some dinner. I bet you're starving." She laughed and followed him, taking old of the pinkie he offered. 

 Ashton took a seat next to me and waited for me to bring my head up. "You sure you're alright?"

 My eyes trained on a broken and dirty tricycle sitting solemnly on the side walk across the road. "Is this ever going to get better?"

His response never came. We just sat there for a few moments, listening to the whispers of the wind whisk by us. His arm snaked around my shoulder as he gently pulled me in.