Walking Amongst Them (Among Us, Book 2)

Not a Contest

Days passed before anything interesting happened again, and even when it did, it was just the snow melting down to the pavement. There'd been a few zombie interactions, but nothing Sam or Michael couldn't handle.

I had stayed mostly in the church, only joining on a trip or two to gather more food so that our supply didn't dwindle down while we waited on the others to get back. With each passing day my worry for the others increased. I started to wonder if this wasn't going to be similar to when my father had left on his supply mission, and never come back.

Of course it probably wouldn't result with another sister.

I'd spent most of my time outside helping Clarke or chopping wood. I had an impressive pile of chopped wood that I used to replace what we'd already been using. Michael had been using his b.b. gun to teach Abby how to shoot in case of an emergency. Sam had been the one to convince him he needed to teach her someday, and that sooner would probably be better than later.

I stopped chopping wood to wipe the sweat off of my forehead, looking at the small pile of unchopped wood that was left. I could probably finish it today, but it was starting to get dark and I was tired.

"Well," I said to myself, dropping the axe with a thud, "not like it won't be here tomorrow."

"You know, you should really let someone help you out sometimes," Sam said as he walked out of the back door to the church.

"Want some help carrying the wood to the shed?"

"I was thinking about just leaving it out here."

"I'll do it myself," he offered.

"No, I'll help."

For a moment we worked in silence. Sam carried more pieces than I did, but I tried to make up for it by being quicker than he was.

"You know it's not a contest right?"

I shrugged, "Don't want to let you do more work than I do."

He frowned, "Kodi, what's up?"

"What do you mean?"

He dropped the wood onto the pile and placed his hands on his hips, "You're acting strange. Are you worried about the others? Because I am too."

I sighed, "It's not just that, it's also Cody and Chester, and I know it's been a while since Chester passed but it still hurts you know? And I just feel . . ." I raised my hands above my head and let them fall back to my sides, unsure even of the words I wanted to use.

Sam tilted his head, "It's okay to hurt, Sunshine. He was your friend. I miss him every single day."

I nodded, feeling terrible. Here I was whining about Chester when Sam had known him longer than I had. When Sam had more of a relationship than I had ever had with Chester.

"You were his best friend. He loved you."

I sniffed, feeling my body ready itself to cry, "I just wish we were doing something more than sitting in this church, waiting around."

"You wish you were out there, with the others."

He didn't say it like a question, and I knew he was right. I did wish that I could have been on that mission. To know exactly why they hadn't returned and where they were in this moment. What they were facing. But I wasn't.

"I think we should get inside," I said, choosing to not address his claim.

He smiled, but unlike most of his smiles, this one did not reach his eyes. It was more sad. I didn't say anything further as I walked around him and inside of the church.