Perseverance ( completed! )

Lonely

And so we set off. Buddy took his rightful place in my arms, while Liam and Josh flanked me on either side. We kept lookout while searching for a path to lead us in the correct direction, but it was surprisingly difficult.

After about thirty minutes of walking, we came across a couple of bikes. There were only two, so I rode on the back metal poles attached to the frame of Liam's bike, after putting Buddy in my backpack of course. But don't worry, the little cuties head was pocking out.

After awhile of biking, we began to make it to the outskirts of town where the more old fashioned people lived.

Slowing down for awhile, Liam and Josh kept a slow pace, keeping their eyes open and alert for any signs of danger.

I tipped my head to the side as I looked at one of the houses. There was a very old fashioned looking car parked in the driveway.

"Guys wait." I muttered gently, an idea forming.

Liam and Josh slowed to a halt, both glancing up at me as I jumped off the back of Liam's bike and made my way slowly up to the house. Well, more specifically, the car.

I signaled for them to stay where they were and I dropped my backpack beside the car, letting Buddy jump out and shake off beside me.

Ignoring Liam's and Josh's confused looks, I tried the car door, hoping that it was unlocked.

Score!

It opening with a creak and I quickly jumped in the drivers seat, feelings around the front of the car. I vaguely remember reading something in a book in history class about these types of cars. They used something called a key to power them on.

Letting out a sound of frustration when I couldn't find any keys, I jumped back out and held my hand up, telling them to wait there still.

Liam seemed hesitant about letting me walk around this sketchy place alone but he obeyed silently with a gentle nod.

Nodding in return, I turned around again and walked up to the front door. Peaking in through the window, I let my gaze wonder the room quickly, praying that I didn't see a figure there. Luckily, there was no one. But I did find that odd, considering their car was obviously still there.

Nnnng, just do it Gabriel! Stop being such a baby, there's probably no one there anyway.

Sucking in a deep breath, I set my hand on the door knob and opened.

The first thing that I registered was the smell. I gagged, my hand flying to my nose to plug it quickly, forcing down the desire to hurl. It was like walking into a broken freezer and being surrounded by rotting meat. I squinted, the smell making my eyes water.

Death. It smelt like death.

Doing a quick search of the house, I found the keys I suspected to be for the car in a little pot like thing by his sink.

But that wasn't all that I found.

There was a man sitting in a chair in front of his holographic projector. It was off. The man was dead. There was a gunshot wound going through the length of his skull, a gun laying on the ground beside him. In that moment, my mind wanted to devour itself. To get lost in a sea of swirling thoughts and emotions. Anything to distract myself from the subject of the rotting smell.

I ran out of the house, slammed the door behind me and inhaled the clean oxygen like it was life itself. Which it technically is.

Liam, as if sensing my distress, sprinted over to me, dropping to his knees and setting his hands on my shoulders. Liam always had such a calming presence. It was like listening to the soft pitter-patter of rain on a dreary night, sitting in front of a warm fire. There is something oddly reassuring about listening to the beautiful sounds of something you're protected from.