Where is Home now?

Chapter 6

Soft music playing in the background as Brooks and Lyra laughed and talked softly. It was dark out but the cabin was lit by soft candle light.

"Come on. Dance with me." Brooks finally declared as he stood up and held a hand out to Lyra quietly. "It'll be fun!"

"I don't know how to dance you dork." Lyra laughed softly but gave in and grabbed his hand.

"That fine. Just follow my lead." Brooks smiled as he dragged her to the center of the room. Lyra couldn't remember the song, only that it was a slow song. They swayed side to side in a slow circle as Brooks smiled at her softly. She could see the love in his eyes as she pressed her head against his chest softly and listened to his heart beat.

"Lyra?" She heard a voice speak that wasn't the man above her.

"Huh?" Lyra shook her head softly as she looked over to the person.

"You alright there, Lyra?" The voice spoke again, only then did she notice that it was Karmela, her new travel partner.

"Oh... Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. I was just thinking..." Lyra brushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear as she looked away quietly. Karmela only nodded softly as she continued to stare out at the road ahead of them.

"We're gonna find Ryan, one way or another. There is obviously something wrong with him and I think we might be able to help back at camp." Karmela glanced at her quietly to see how'd she react, afraid she'd be angry.

"Yeah... Yeah. I like that..." Lyra spoke softly. "I know he killed Brooks but Ryan lost so much more then all of us... I just want to make things right."

Ryan curled up under a tree, quiet whimpers leaving his lips as he tried to stay silent. He could hear footsteps just outside the tree line, slow and intentional; living. Ryan finally made a move to get to his feet as silently as he could while drawing his blade from his boot. He slowly stepped into the clearing and looked around silently, worried that the person was a threat. He saw the large person walking slowly, looking around, an axe held tightly in his hands. Ryan moved forwards slowly to follow him but froze as he stepped on a twig, snapping it under his weight. The person spun around as he swung the axe, narrowly missing the smaller boy as he dropped to his knees to avoid the blow. Ryan stood his ground as he bared his teeth and snarled softly as he squeezed the handle of his blade a little tighter. The taller man rushed closer to Ryan, raised his axe above his head and got ready to bring it down onto Ryan but was stopped as Ryan kicked him hard in the knee.

"Ugh! Fuck!" The man cussed under his breath. Ryan got into a crowed passion, his blade drawn as he snarled under his breath.

"Back off." Ryan snarled under his breath. "Just leave me alone!"

"Wait..." The man lowered his axe and looked at the boy, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "You're not one of those fucks... Where did you come from, kid?"

"I uh..." Ryan took in a slow deep breath. "I was abandoned by my old group. I was deemed a threat..." Ryan spoke softly as he stayed low to the ground, blade held tightly in his hand. He didn't trust this man; he reminded him of William in a way.

"What's your name kid?" The man got down to Ryan's height and set the axe down to show that he wasn't a threat.

'Should I give him my real name?' Ryan thought softly. 'No!'

"M-Mathew..." Ryan lied. He couldn't bare this man knowing his real name though he wasn't sure why.

"Well Mathew, I'm Edwin." Edwin spoke in a tone that seemed to calm the boy down. "Why don't you come with me? It'd be safer if we traveled together."

"You're not... Scared of me?" Ryan asked slowly.

"Of course not. Why would I be scared of you, kid?" Edwin asked as he slowly got to his feet and looked down at the smaller boy.

'Because I'm a monster...' Ryan thought softly as he sighed. Edwin held his hand out to the boy slowly. If Ryan took it a partnership would begin and he wasn't sure he was ready for that just yet.

Weeks came and went slowly as Ryan silently followed Edwin from the treetops. He had decided that he liked company better then being alone.

"Everything look good up there?" Edwin called up as the trees began thinning out around them.

"There are a few, I think infected up ahead." Ryan called down as he go higher into the tree.

"You think or you know?" Edwin called back as he leaned against the truck of the tree.

"They're not moving like infected but it's hard to tell from here. I gotta get a closer look!"  Ryan spoke as he got ready to jump to the next tree over.

"Just be careful kid..." Edwin spoke in a worried tone as he watched Ryan, staying back so Ryan was less likely to be caught. He sat down silently and waited for his cue to come rushing in and help him. Ryan no longer carried a gun, not because Edwin didn't trust him but because Ryan didn't trust himself. Ryan stood in a tall tree, staring down over the people far below. There were three of them, all heavily armored males, standing over three dead infected. Ryan crouched down silently, hoping to get a better look when the branch creaked slightly under his weight. One of the men spun around and aimed his gun up at the tree Ryan was crouched into.

"Come out with your hands where I can see them!" He shouted.

"Q- Come on man it was probably nothing..." The second one whispered softly.

"No. I know what I heard. Something is in the trees." Q spoke as he approached the tree slowly. Ryan felt himself begin to panic as he quickly thought what options he had. Finally he cupped his hands around his mouth and very loudly made a Pidgeon call, hoping Edwin would hear him. A loud gunshot rang through the air, silencing the bird calls.