Till Death Do Us Part (Danvid)

Chapter 9: Sacrifice

Author's Notes: 

You know what's worse than plotting out the ending to your fanfic? The fact that I really want to write a sequel to a really sad story (woops) but can't. It might make up for the incoming hurt BUT it takes time and plotting it all out. I'll have to dedicate my free time to it, if I wanna make the sequel just as successful

But hmmm ain't a bad idea too. I'll think on it once I get some air to breathe.
Keep in mind this is set in a zombie apocalypse. It's not going to be all sugar, spice, and everything nice. Just wanted to put that warning up before proceeding. Yeaaaah.
Sorry for postponing this chapter a bit. I'm trying to figure out how I'll separate the events on this chapter from the next. So uh.. sorry if the last chapter'll take a while.  

MAX

He runs as fast as his little feet could take him. The hard edge of the dagger he slipped on his person dug into his hip. Max knew to arm himself before going out of the mess hall—something David's forgetting to do lately. He's slipping more and more, he thinks. Because of that bastard, Daniel. David can't control himself around him. His disgust mars his facial expression.

He doesn't stray too far from camp. He can hear their voices from a short distance. He makes a sharp turn and hides. Max steadies his breathing as he waits for them to come. His stomach isn't faring any better. He knew—well, he's been told of Nikki's unfortunate accident. But to see her standing there, disfigured yet still walking on her barely steady feet, it dawns on him how cruel this virus is.

It opened his eyes to the world; what really was happening. This is some serious shit, he thinks. Anyone of them could get infected, only to be brought back to life. But they're not alive. They're fucking dead. He reigns in his tears as he reminisced about his friend. Out of all of them, he didn't expect Nikki to be the first to turn. She had so much energy and looked least likely to get caught by those rotting excuses of a human being.

If anything, he expected Space Kid to be the first.

"Max!" he's jolted from his thoughts as Gwen's voice rings out.

"Max, please!" David's desperate cry follows.

He huddles closer to the big tree, trying to squeeze himself into it. He clutches the handle of the dagger tightly, hoping it will provide him enough strength. Nikki could've cut through them with this. She would've learned faster than any of us. He shakes the thoughts of his friend away as his ears hone in on racing footsteps. He quiets his thoughts as if his mind was loud enough for Gwen and David to locate him.

"Do you hear anything?" David asks desperately. He hears Gwen sigh dejectedly.

"No," she says.

"We have to keep looking!" his footsteps run past his location. Max visibly relaxes. Soon enough, he hears Gwen follow, yelling at him to wait for her.

Max waits for several seconds. Everything mentally exhausted him. He doesn't want to live in a world infested with people trying to eat each other. He doesn't want to deal with the hurt that comes when he sees his friends inevitably meet their end. And to see Nikki... he was slightly grateful for David making it a quick and clean slice to the throat. He couldn't bear to see her more damaged than she already was.

The boy stands but stays completely still as his eyes focus on something in the distance. A silhouette of a man—no, two men. They were too far to see him and Max was too exhausted to contemplate whether or not they're a threat. He needed to go back to the mess hall before Gwen and David find him.