Plague #OpenNovellaContest 2019

Chapter 5

It's late, and we've been walking well into the night. Carter says he can see FTRD's camp in the distance.

The two times that we saw Reds since the first man, I've managed to stay calm. They were both scavenging, sorting through bins for food. Neither spotted us. We've seen a few bodies, too. But I turn away before the memories can consume me again. I owe it to Carter.

I push aside the tiredness urging my eyes to close and my feet to slow. My feet are sore and I'm exhausted, but I'm also so close to freedom. A few hours back, Carter suggested we stop to rest. In response, I silently shook my head and dragged him along.

He seems tired as well, and disappointed. In me. For opening my mouth and then going silent again. It must be exhausting, travelling with someone like me. But soon it will be over, and then he can forget about me and I can finally be safe and free from responsibility.

We're walking along a dirt path, because only part of the journey was through the city. Where we are now, I haven't seen a single person. Or a single building. This camp must be in the middle of nowhere.

There it is, coming up on the path ahead. It's a big tent, with 'FTRD' on a huge sign in front. As we get closer, I see other, smaller tents around it. Those are - I'm assuming - where people live. The place is completely silent. A chill runs up my spine.

Carter's feelings are written plainly on his face. His eyebrows are furrowed, and his lips are pursed.

After a few seconds, he speaks up, "It's night. FTRD- FTRD still functions, at night. Uh, I don't know what's going on, but... this isn't normal."

I have the sudden urge to cry. A sudden response, I know, but after all this hope and travelling, the thought of it all being for nothing is so awful. I can't stand it.

He clears his throat and continues, "And... look. Something knocked the tents down. It couldn't be the wind, because our tents are too strong... for that."

I stare straight ahead. I keep walking.

It'll be fine. We'll reach the camp, and everyone will be asleep. Or something. There could be a break today, and everyone went to sleep in their tents early. It's possible. It's possible, so why am I so worried?

And now we're here.

I shudder and pull my cloak closer to myself as the wind bites into me.

The tents. Check the tents.

I throw aside the flap of the nearest one. My eyes take a moment to adjust to the dark. The table is knocked over. And the cup that was presumably on it is lying on it's side, with it's contents strewn across the ground. Something red is dried on the fabric of the tent. I can tell it'll stain there forever.

And in the middle of the whole mess, is a girl. She's lying on her back. Her blood is all over her chest and in her tangled shoulder length auburn hair. Her clothes are tattered, and her eyes are open and glossed over.

It's as simple as this: She's dead.

And as I stumble backwards, out of the tent, my heart slamming against my chest and my panic rising in my throat once again, I see Carter. He's standing outside of one of the tents and he's sobbing.

And then I know. It's not just this girl. It's all of them. They're all dead. Every. Single. One. After all, if there are others around, a Red never stops at one kill.

It's like my hope was a fire in my heart and someone's thrown water over it and watched the flames sputter and die.

But my mind is still in refusal. I run to the next tent. A man, lying on his stomach. Dead. Blood everywhere. And then the next, and the next, and the next. And there are children and adults and every single one is dead, and the fire's losing this battle. The water keeps coming. And I know that I have no right to be so upset because Carter is the one who knew these people, but I can't control the flood of tears.

I sit against the big tent, waiting for Carter to return. By the time he comes back, shaking and shuddering, my eyes are strangely dry. I don't have any tears left in me.

He brings two others, a dark skinned strong looking girl, and a tall blonde boy.

I feel a slight weight lift from my shoulders. Someone survived. At least someone survived. And maybe... maybe there's more people coming.

But then Carter shakes his head at me, and the girl says, "I'm sorry."

It takes me a second to realize she's talking to me.

"I'm sorry," she repeats, "We're the only survivors. We're the only ones left."

The boy stays silent.

"Their all dead. But it's fine, it's okay."

I can tell that she's trying to convince herself just as much as she's trying to convince me.

I try to communicate with my eyes, How? How did they die? After all this, I can't bring myself to talk. I'm almost ashamed.

She seems to understand me, though. She says, "Reds."

And then she opens her mouth to say something else, but she's cut off when something dashes between me and her. I shriek and stumble backwards, but she just whips a knife out of her toolbelt.

I look over, and I see. It's another Red. Maybe the same one that killed the others.

Carter's looking in the other direction. He hasn't seen the Red. And - oh no - now he's turning to see what shocked me.

The Red is right behind him.

It's a split second decision. I'm too far away to push him away or communicate with my eyes. The girl and the boy are both in shock, too horrified to do anything. But me, I can do something. I just have to open my mouth.

The Red has an axe. He's lifting it. I open my mouth.

"Carter!"

He recognizes the husk of my voice, not used for so long, and looks up at me. He smiles and I scream. Then his eyes widen when he sees that I'm looking behind him. He turns to look at the Red a moment too late.

And then there's a spray of blood and Carter's head is split straight down the middle with an axe.