Life Isn't Fair

29

I climbed down the guard post platform aware of the moans and groans of the walkers, which only fueled my hate for the people who kidnapped my son. The smirk on my face as I thought of ways to kill these people alarmed me, and my expression instantly dropped when I saw everyone huddled outside of Rick's house. "What's going on?" I hear a stern voice ask. "There are hundreds of walkers out there. We need to think of a way to stop it. This is the most important thing that's happening right now. We all need to be able to be kept safe." He ends his speech, and I'm in tears, thinking of how Dallas could be dead right at this moment. Rick looks back at me and waves his hand gesturing for me to come forward to him. He dismissed everyone else before talking to me. "What's wrong?" He grabs my face gently and makes me look into his beautiful blue eyes. "Dallas was taken." I couldn't finish that sentence without a sob slipping past my lips. He pulls me in and strokes my hair, calming me and telling me everything is going to be alright. "Does anyone else know?" He asks. "N-No. it's just me. And you, now." I finish. He makes me look at him once more and wipes my tears with his thumb, lovingly. "Alright, how did you know he was taken?" Rick asks. "I found a note, and they said not to bring anyone with me. But I had to tell you or Daryl because I don't want my child to die." I sigh, and look up. "I hope that's not the case. If anything, we'll secretly follow you and you'll have to pretend you're alone. Did the note say anything else?" He asked. "Yeah. It said, 'Wolves'." A look of panic came across Rick's face as I muttered the name. "What? You know them?" I asked, quick and panicked. "Shh....Don't day anything out loud, we don't need anybody else knowing and freaking out. We already have one big problem we have to deal with but now we have this too." He lets go of me, and my brain racks for something to say. "So this isn't as important. Got it." I started to walk away, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me back to him. "That's -That's not what I was saying." He stutters. "Really? Sure as hell sounds like it." I yank my hand away from his grip, and he calls for me but I continue walking away. I know it seems ridiculous that I'm acting like this, but my child is out there and not to mention he's only four. Only four. Rick would feel the same way I am if Carl was out there. I stomped my feet all the way to my house to let him know I was mad, just so he got the gist. I swung my door open and let it slam behind me, causing Aiden who is sitting on the couch, to snap his head up at me. "What's the problem?" He asked, obviously quickly getting annoyed with my behavior. "You don't know shit, that's the problem." I spat back. "You NEVER pay attention to anything! I needed you for one thing and- And you failed." My eyes were watery, and I was playing with my hands in anxiousness and anger. "What are you talking about right now?" Aiden's voice was laced with impatience, and he was standing there with his arms crossed. He had gotten closer to me, now to where he was only five feet away. "Aiden, Dallas is gone! And you didn't even notice?" I was probably as red as a tomato right now, considering Aiden didn't watch the baby like I asked him to. "I checked in on him every ten minutes. Is that such a problem?" Aiden was close to blowing up, I could tell. "Yes it is! Because people are threatening to kill him! And you don't care do you?" He grabbed my arms and gently tugged me towards him, bringing me into a tight, warm hug. I burried my face into his neck and just let tears fall. "I'm- I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I thought you just wanted to pick a fight. I'm so sorry." He kept repeating that he was sorry and that it was a big deal, but I was still upset nonetheless. "You can't- You can't. I can't bring anyone with me. You can't help save him." I bit my lip, rubbing my hands together quickly. It bugged me that there was absolutely nothing I or Aiden could do to get Dallas back, except risking our lives. But I was fine with that as long as my child would be alive. It hadn't dawned on me about how ready I was to accept death to save Dallas, and I didn't wanna think that way. That child needs a parent, and I am determined to stay alive to keep him and my family safe. It doesn't matter if you're put into danger as long as you get the other person out of it. That's how I think of it nowadays. No matter what you do or say it will always be the person you love first. That's just how it has to be. "No. You need protection and force against these God awful people." He hugs me tighter. "I don't know, something tells me that they have a plan B, and if that fails a plan C, and a plan D. These people are furious and they probably wanna take over this community. We need to be strong and mentally prepared for this." I inform him. "It's the only way." I say softly. "We need to go, now. They could hurt Dallas if we're not there at a certain point in time." He raises his eyebrows, waiting for a response. "I don't want you getting hurt." I hold his hands in mine. "But I will. To keep you safe. You need to be there for him...He needs to have a mom." He squeezes me reassuringly, and I nod my head. "Fine. But It has to look like I'm alone. Okay?" I glance at the watch Rick had given me and noticed that it was about 6:00 now, the sunset showing heavily, considering it's December. "We'll head out early in the morning tomorrow." I nod and walk away from Aiden. I had a lot of stuff to do. I jog up the stairs and into my room, searching frantically for the huge backpack I had for trips like these. I find it hidden behind a pile of clothes in the closet,and I yank it out, hopeful that it isn't ripped or damaged or anything. Good thing it isn't, or I would've thrown a tantrum right then and there. I pack three of my pistols and a few of my knives, along with a pair of clothes in case things get messy and four bottles of water. I grab a couple candy bars and I leave the bag on the bed, hoping that Aiden didn't hear the rustling of me packing. I skip out of my door, down the street, to the gates where Rosita is standing at the top. "Hey. I think it's my turn to guard. I'm not sure, but I'll let you take a break for a while." I say, a kind smile on my face. "Okay, I'll be back in two hours." She climbs down the guard post and when she's a far hearing distance away I mumble, "that's a perfect amount of time. Thank you." Knowing I had the perfect amount of time to execute my plan. I hurried back to my house and opened the door quietly, trying not to startle anybody. "Hey, where did you go?" Aiden asks as he's standing in the kitchen, his eyebrows furrowed and his bottom lip poking out a small bit. "I was...Uh- I'm taking the night shift for Rosita." I point my thumb towards the closed door and push my other thumb into my front pocket. "Okay- That's fine. Just be safe, okay?" Aiden had no idea what I was planning, and I felt a little bit of guilt. But I had to get this done. "Alrighty, I'll see you in a bit." I place my hand on the railing of the stairs and continue my way back to my room. I pack the last few items like a med-kit and I zip up the backpack all the way, securing it. I quickly make my way over to my window and pull the latch, causing the window to break open the slightest bit. "Shit." I hiss, when I prick my finger on the nail on the window sill. Tiny droplets of blood splatter onto the floor as I grab my backpack and look out of the window, observing around the area and making sure no one was watching me. Then, I let go of the backpack and allowed it to fall into the bushes below. I shut the window and quickly grabbed a few of my other weapons. "I'll be back." I said as I walked out of the door. I ducked my finger to get rid of the pain, and my face scrunched up in disgust when the iron-tasting liquid hit my tongue. "Ugh." I sighed. I grabbed my backpack from the bush and made my way back to the guard post. I climbed up and watched for ten minutes, until I decided it was a good time to go. Luckily when I looked down on the other side of the gate, there was a pile of rubble I could jump onto and not fall from ten feet in the air. I once again threw the backpack over, looked behind me, and climbed over the wall and fell onto the pile of tires and what-not. I pulled myself up just as the groans hit my ears. I swung the backpack over my shoulder, and took off in the direction of where the map they left me told me to go. "40 miles North West...." I read the directions out loud, making myself bored by the second. "If these people want me to trade myself for my son, so be it." I mumbled. It didn't matter as long as my child was safe and sound and in my sight again. I just wanted to see his face and to know that he was safe and not dead. My boots were making crunching noises against the gravel, satisfying my ears with something to listen to. It was dark by the time I had made it one-fourth of the way. Still, a long ways to go on foot. I had made it to a small abandoned town, looking for some food because I was running low. I had plenty of water, but food was a priority. The plastic bags that ruffled on the floor was a bit of a scare when they shook, and the light rain drops hitting my face stood out. I glanced up at they Grey sky, hoping that it didn't rain on me before I got into a building, considering I only had two pairs of clothes, and this would probably be a four-day trip due to the 40 miles I had to walk to get there. "These people are hidden well. Damn children, that's what." I speak to myself aloud to elude any haunting thoughts that I may have in my head. I finally came upon the grocery store, or what used to be one, and I carefully trudge over to the back door. I didn't want to alarm anybody or anything that could be inside that I was here. I pushed the door open, slowly grabbed my pistol and aimed it in front of me. My feet stepped slowly in front of each other as I was brought to the staff room, clearly unlocked when my hand turned the door knob and it popped open. "That was easy, a little too easy." I squinted my eyes and furrowed my eyebrows, scanning the hallway I was standing in front of. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary so far, or so I thought. This place was huge and probably stock piled with stuff, unless people came and raided it. I carried myself to the door that actually let to the store, and pulled it open, trying my hardest to open the damn thing quietly. When the door was a little more open than a crack, I stuck the front of my pistol out and pushed the door with my foot. I heard shuffling, not a very nice sound when you are alone and in an apocalypse, but I stayed very still and quiet to listen in on what it could be. "Everyone, stay calm. We will find a place to stay. Mom, be careful." I heard a young girl speak to her mom in a sweet voice. I then heard a toddler giggle, and they all shushed him at once. I pushed the door fully open, and the group looked at me, startled with weapons pointed at my head. "Who the hell are you?" The dad asked me. "Who the hell are you?" I repeated, my gun pointed at then as well. "Lower your gun, and no one gets hurt. Got it? Lower the gun please." I lowered mine, showing he could trust me and I put it back into the holster. He began to lower the gun and I let out a sigh of relief. "You guys look like you've been out here a while. How long have you been without a home?" I ask, curiosity getting the best of me. "Since it all started. We've been on the move forever now. You got a place?" The daughter suddenly asks, and I nod. "Alexandria. Electricity, water, food, people. My good friend Rick, the leader will let you in. All you have to do is say you know me. My name is Skylar." I stick out my hand the dad grabs it cautiously, waiting for me to do something. The group of six watch as I gently pull my hand away. "This is Autumn, Macy, Alana, Trey, Alexander, And I'm Mason." The order went like this. The little girl, the mom, the friend, her boyfriend, an attractive guy who looked like he was 26, and the dad. "Nice to meet you. Here." I grabbed a sharpie off of the nearby shelf and circled where to go on my only map, and the mom smiled at me. "Thank you. Hopefully, we will see you there soon." I wave as they walk off, and the engine of a car goes off. I watch out of the window as they pull away and head back into the direction of home. I turn around and now squeal in excitement as there is a whole store of stuff that I need to be collecting. I was pretty dark by the time I had grabbed a whole bag of stuff, canned goods, medicine, some junk food like cookies and chips, a lot of water bottles and jugs, soda, candy, anything to make the people back at home happy. There was a section with a Polaroid camera just sitting there waiting to be used, so I grabbed the three that were left and some unused blank, white pieces of plastic that are used for this sole purpose. I carried a bunch of stuff in a big sack, and I looked for a place to sleep for the night. I found a big, soft blanket and some things to use for pillows, and I chose the safest place I could think of. The janitors closet. I traveled there and pushed the door open, waiting for the groans of walkers to hit my ears. But nothing came, so I dragged the burlap sack into the room and placed it by my head where I would be sleeping. The makeshift pillows were quite uncomfortable but I had to get through with it. The floor was cold and it was dark, but I had a few flashlights to help with that. I clicked it on and finally grabbed the blanket, pulling it up over me to secure me and to make sure I was warm throughout the night. I clicked off the flashlight, put it next to my head, and then laid my head on the "pillows". "Today has been crazy. Let's see what tomorrow holds." I comment as my eyes slowly drift closer and closer to shutting. My breathing slows and I relax my body. "Goodnight." I say to myself just as I pass out.