safe

chapter 1

Will it ever go away? I haven't gotten a solid hour of sleep in a week. The nightmares; I wake up sweating and gasping for breath. It's always the same. I begin to remember where I have woken up, the room I am in is small and warm. I'm on a bed and there is a window to my right. I remember boarding it up yesterday. I stand up silently and start to creep towards the door (I check for walkers every time I wake up, I cant afford another mistake). Once i get to the door i lean my ear up against it. There is no noise. I knock on the door once as a double check. Still nada. I move back over to the bed and and in a small sleeping bag at the end of the bed rests the last of my family. His ginger hair is the only feature visible from outside the bag. I go to pick him up as he turns his head to me.

"Hi Rubes" he yawns.

"Hey little man, you better get your shoes on, we have to go wake the others up and get going okay?" I replied

"Aww but this is a house, it even has a garden!" Max protests. we've been on he run for ages now, but we cant help it. we never stay nore than three nights anywhere and it's really hard on Max.

In our group the is a middle aged couple with a 19 year old son, a young couple with a 8 year old, a 15 year old and his 22 year old sister, a 34 year old man and Max and I. I have never told he group that I was about 15 when the outbreak started. I pretend I'm 25, I am probably nearing 17 now. I lead this group now, as my mother and father did. Since their death I have been looking out for the group, and we have not had a casualty yet.

The group lost twelve members in one day, my parents, old nieghbours, randoms and Max's twin brother. Their mother died early on so I saved them and made sure they were okay. I slipped up once and it cost me nearly everything I had. I haven't felt safe since.

"Okay now Max you gotta stay back while i check the hall. Lock the door behind me." I instructed Max.

I walked out the door and into the empty hallway. I knocked on the others doors quietly and heard them waking up. The first one out was Kim, with her revolver at the ready, she looked around and acknowleged me but stayed alert. I gestured for her to wake the others as ilI went to the kitchen and living room.

The house was only small but it had three bedrooms; Max and I shared, the middleaged couple shared with Jack (the 34 year old man), their son stayed with them too and the young couple shared with Kim and her brother. I was always offering to share but they always let me have a room for just Max and I. Sometimes Lily (the young couples daughter) would come and share with Max and I but other than that we had only two people in our room.

As I entered the living room I walked over to the doorway. We had boarded up the window but had left a peephole to scan for walkers and, sure enough, there were some ambling around in the garden. It was a small herd of about ten. I turned and started towardss the kitchen which was also zombie-free. I put my pistol down on the bench and started going through our supplies. I got out 11 muesli bars and some bottled water, so we could eat on the go.the cars were in front of the walkers but it would still be very dangerous. I turned around and marched up the hallway, the group had started to gt ready and when I opened up my door Max was sitting on the bed with his sleeping bag already rolled up.

"The bastards are in the garden, we are gonna have to move fast okay?" I asked him as I picked up my back pack.

"Yeah its all good, whats for breakfast?" he replied cheerfully as he stuffed his sleeping bag into his own back pack.

"We have muesli bars and water today mate, but we can have a good dinner hopefully." I watched his face drop as I said muesli,

"Aww I hate breakfast on the go!" He saod as he walked out the door.

I felt bad, but he would be fine. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed the food. The group were gathered in the living room and I went through the usual plan.

"Okay the is a small herd outside, just behind the cars. Kim and I will take the front and the rest of you fall in behind us. We will hold them off long enough for the cars to get started and then we will hop in and drive away follow the road we were on yesterday, any issues?" The group shook their heads and I checked on the herd again. They had hardly moved, I walked over to the door and opened it a little. They didnt notice so I slipped out with finger on the trigger of my gun.

I walked towards the cars and saw Kim in.my peripheral vision. We got to the cars unnoticed and hid behind them. Kim looked at me questioningly. I glanced at the walkers and signalled for her to go. We started shooting at the walkers. As I looked back the group was about halfway across the yard, Max in front. Behind the group was another, larger group of walkers.

"RUN! RUN NOW GET TO THE CARS QUICK!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I turned my head quickly only to see a zombie take a huge chunk out of Kim's neck. I heard the click of the car closest to me unlocking, as I spun around to get in the car Max grabbed onto my leg.

"We have to go now!! Quick theyre coming Rubes they are coming!" He screamed petrified by the herds. i picked him up and jumped into the car. I locked my door and turned to find Jack turning on the engine with Lily, her mum Isabelle and Kim's brother Alex in the backseat. Max's arms wiggled around me,

"I didn't let them get near me." He whispers. All of a sudden I hear someone sobbing quietly. As I swing round to see who it is I see Alex hugging his knees.

"She d-died didn't she?" He asks through the tears.

"She was looking at the group and a walker got her." I confirmed. Alex began to sob louder and I put my hand on his knee. I turned to see the group's jeep start to indicate.