The Apocalypse

Chapter 11

My leg was gone. From my knee down it was all gone. I looked over to Abby in shock. "When did this happen?" I asked. She looked at me and replied, "When you got knocked out." I looked back down at my half leg. Then I remembered Josh. I got up immediately and fell back down. I remembered that I only had one leg. Abby walked over to me and handed me something. It was a long stick, a walking stick.

I hobbled on over to the doctors office along with Abby, who was assisting me. As soon as we got there I saw Robert and Isaiah, both asleep, around Josh's bed. However, his bed was missing. I looked around for Josh and finally spotted him. He was outside on a chair looking up at the stars in the night sky. I walked outside to join him. "Beautiful stars, aren't they?" He asked. I looked up at the stars. "They are indeed very beautiful." I replied. I pulled up a chair and sat next to my brother.

He looked at my leg and then asked, "How is it? You know, having one and a half leg?" Then he laughed at his own joke. "I don't know. What's it like still having a bullet inside your arm? Painful I presume, yes?" I replied. Then he stopped laughing. He looked over to me and handed me something. It was a cola. "It's been a while, hasn't it brother?" He asked. I nodded my head and agreed.

"Hey Josh, what ever happened to Grace?" I asked. He continued to look at the stars. "Josh?" "Beautiful stars, aren't they? I wonder what it would be like. Just bein' in the sky, bein' able to roam freely with no worries." I looked back at the stars. I saw a shooting star. I closed my eyes and I wished for something. I could tell Josh did too. Though, we probably had different wishes. We had sat there, staring at the stars for hours. And not a single word was spoken.

I had stood up to go home, and when I looked at Josh again he was fast asleep. I picked up my walking stick and then started to walk. I overheard Isaiah and Robert talking. I went closer to hear what they were saying. I put my ear up to the window and listened. "We can't stay here, Robert. Grace is waiting for you and I back at the hotel." "Does Josh know she's alive?" "No, and I want to keep it like that." "Ok, so when do we leave?" Then it went silent. I heard the door open slowly.

I looked to find a hiding spot. I went around the doctors office and I watched Isaiah and Robert. They were about half way between Josh and the office, when I had emerged from my spot. I stood out and I yelled at them. "What in the actual fuck are you two doing!?" They looked back at me in shock. "Wh-What are you doin up, M-Manny?" Robert asked. I started wobbling over to them while slowly taking out my revolver.

"I heard what you guys said. How could you do that to us? To Josh? After all that we've been through and you're just going to leave?" They looked at me in shame. I kept walking towards them. "Look Manny, we were going to tell you guys wh---" "When? When Josh died? When I'm gone as well? Huh?" I said as I got closer and closer. "You guys look afraid, are you?" I asked. They were backing up slowly.

I kept walking forward, and every step I took forward they took one backwards. Until eventually, I stopped. I realized they were about to walk into Josh's chair. However, they didn't. So I kept walking until they walked into Josh. I still had my gun pointed at them, so they kept their eyes on me. Not looking at who was behind them. Then, they finally hit his chair. And you could tell a sudden chill went down their spines. They turned around to see Josh, still half asleep, standing up slowly.

Josh rubbed his eyes and then saw Isaiah and Robert right in front of him. "Oh, hey guys. Whatcha doin' up so late? And why are your backpacks on?" He asked. They stood there, staring at him. By the time they turned around I had made my way to them. "Go ahead guys, tell him." I said, with my gun on Roberts head. I felt Robert swallow hard. Robert took a little peek behind him at me, then looked right ahead back at Josh. 

Then before I knew it, Robert kicked my walking stick that was holding my balance and I fell over. Isaiah tackled Josh almost immediately. As soon as I hit the ground I looked up to see Robert and Isaiah were darting for the front gate. I had managed to aim for one of them, and I hit Robert in the foot. Josh was having a hard time getting up, and so was I. I had managed to get up before Josh, so I helped him up.

"You alright?" I asked. "You just let them get away like that?" "They won't get far." I replied. I had heard a scream on the other side of the gate. I walked on over to the front gate and I opened it. On the ground, I saw Isaiah. "Isaiah, I thought you knew bear traps are for bears." I looked around. Then back down to Isaiah. "Where's Robert?" I asked. "Right here." I looked up to see Robert hanging on a tree branch. Then he dropped and knocked me down to the floor. He took my revolver and pointed it at my head.

"We know who your parents are. We know exactly what they did. And now we ALL have to pay for it." Robert said as he pushed the barrel closer to my head. Then there was a loud BOOM. Robert fell over immediately. I looked to where the gunshot had came from, and it was Abby. I gave a sigh of relief. I started to get back up and then I heard a growling noise. I turned around to see a horde of zombies coming straight at us. Isaiah looked up at me and raised his hand for me to take.

I looked at him and I started to walk towards him. Was I going to help him? Or was I going to let him lay there and be consumed by the walkers? The things that were going through my mind were making it harder for me to make a decision. I had thought of how close we were. He had been one of my oldest friends. We had been through every year of every school together, and he was always there for me. However, he had tried to kill me multiple times. This would also be the second time he has tried to run out on us. 

So I stood there, looking at him then at the zombies trying to make my decision. I walked over to him and I picked up my revolver on the way. His hand was still outstretched towards me. I looked at him a little longer, then I stuck my hand out. He had grabbed onto my hand and tried to pull himself up. Abby had made her way to me, along with Josh. I helped Isaiah up and we looked at the horde that was traveling closer and closer. I put my revolver away and started to take out my knife.

I looked over to Isaiah and I wondered, Should I do it? Or do I help him? Do I give him another chance? He tried leaving now, what's to say he won't try again? Then, I made my decision.