The Apocalypse

Chapter 2

Once they had made it through the town, they found a spot to call it for the night. " Reilly and I are going to find some firewood, you guys make a pit." Chris paused, " We won't be that far away so if anything happens just holler." With quick nods from everyone they got to work, Reilly and Chris kept within line of sight of the camp while the others gathered small stones and put them into a circle. This took them about ten minutes to get a fire going. Reilly had came back with the last load of wood, " This should last us the rest of the night, but we can't make the fire very big for obvious reasons," he gave a smirk as he sat down next to the others. Jayda was to his right and Chris was to his left. Madisyn next to him and Maggie was over by Jayda. They were very close to the fire trying to get the most out of it.

" This fire makes such a big difference. I'm actually warmer than I have been in a while," Maggie looked at the others, this was the first time they had been happy through the whole trip. Everyone laughs at Maggie's remark.

"If you were cold, why didn't Ms. Chilly say something? You know I would gladly give you one of my jackets." Reilly threw his thicker jacket at Jayda who was shivering. " I have like three in this backpack, here take one." Reilly tossed another jacket to Maggie.

" You seemed to have your hands full with helping us every five minutes, you save Madisyn's life like three times and mine like four," Maggie gave a helpless look, " I haven't even helped at all..."

Jayda interrupted her, " Thats enough, you saved Reilly more than he saved you and Maddy combined, telling him to look out behind him, he would have been as dead as that Yeller Chris shot without all your warnings." Everyone laughed remembering how unaware Reilly was during the time they spent in the town. Madisyn cut them short.

" You guys quiet! I heard something," within seconds a zombie came within view. This one seemed to be injured and barely able to stand. It stumbled toward them until Reilly threw his hatchet into its head. He quickly recovered it.

" Ok you guys get some sleep I'll take watch for two hours and then we will all alternate." On his way back, Reilly got the sleeping bags and handed them to everyone " Maggie, I am gonna wake you next. Is that alright with you?"

" So long as its not in five minutes, I'm good with that." Maggie smiled, " Goodnight everyone, sleep well." Once everyone said goodnight, they passed out. Maggie was waken after about two hours and waited a while before waking Madisyn to take her shift. After two more hours she woke Chris.

" Sorry I can't stay awake much longer, looks like it's your turn," Madisyn let out a yawn and took Chris's spot. Chris went over to the backpacks and got his water bottle out. He sat on a tree stump nearby and took a few sips of the spring water with his machete in his other hand. It was barely dark out and the fire had diminished to a bed of hot coals. After about ten minutes he heard movement at the camp and turned around. Nothing had changed except for a sleeping bag was empty. Before he could tell who had woke up, hands covered his eyes. They were warm to the touch,

" Oh you think you're clever don't you, Jayda?"

"Wrong,"

"Maddy?"

"Wrong again, it's Maggie, stupid."

" That was my next guess," Chris let out a chuckle, "Why are you awake?"

" Mmm can't really sleep right now. I've been waking up when the others have been switching shifts."

" How are you feeling today?"

Maggie shrugged, " Another day closer to civilization,"

Chris smiled, " True, true, when do you think we should wake the others?"

"Now," Jayda had got up along with the other two. " and why did I get a whole nights sleep? We were suppose to take shifts,"

"Well , we went to sleep later than intended and you got the most sleep, that's just what happened." Chris grinned and walked over to them.

" I swear, you and Reilly both act like you are such badasses who can take on the world, that attitude will get us all killed," Jayda glanced back at Madisyn who had just put her backpack on and signaled her to slug Reilly in the arm.

"Hey now, was that really necessary?" Reilly rubbed his left shoulder. " I'm sorry for trying to keep us alive, my god"

"Well maybe you should stop acting like you're invincible!" Jayda was but inches from his face now, " The way you always be like ' oh don't mention it ' or ' just helping,' just stop!" Jayda backed away a little.

" I never realized protecting the only people I have left is acting like a badass," Reilly gave Jayda a confused look.

Jayda fell silent turned away and then turned back, "It's not what you do," her voice was calm now, " It's how you do it, Just stop putting us first, ok?"

" Sorry, but that's not possible," Reilly smiled, " You guys are always first in my book."

Maggie interrupted them, " You two just about finished over there? We need to get moving again,"

" Oh you think you are soooooo funny, don't you?"

Maggie smiled, "Yes I do think I'm funny,"

Reilly smiled as he walked over to her, " Well then, be that way," everyone laughed and continued their journey. After an hour of walking through the woods, they came to a highway. There was cars for as long as the eye could see. Jayda saw a sign in the distance.

"You guys look!" everyone looked over toward the sign,

" Welcome to California guys!" Chris shouted, " We are home free! We are going to make it!"

Madisyn in the back of the group had a scared tone to her voice, " Um, Chris you said that kinda loud," Everyone looked behind them with a bad feeling. About a hundred feet up the road, they saw a horde of about thirty zombies running toward them.

"RUN!" Chris yelled from the front of the group and they took off. Chris was leading everyone through the cars while Reilly kept in the back. "GO! GO! GO!" Chris signaled the others to a ditch and jumped in behind them.

"My god, that was close. Is everyone here?" yeses came from all around, and then silence for only a few minutes.

"Shit, Where is Reilly?" Jayda's eyes were huge, " Where the hell is Reilly?" Everyone exchanged the same worried looked. There was still noise coming from the horde but it was getting further away. Without thinking, Jayda jumped out into the open followed by the others. Reilly was luring the horde into the woods from which they had came.

"REILLY!" Maggie started to run toward him but was stopped by Chris.

"No, He's is giving us a chance to run we need to go while we can."

"But he's gonna die!" Maggie tried to get free but failed.

"He wants us to run!," Maggie realized that tears were forming in his eyes, " I don't like it anymore than you do but we have to leave him." Maggie got loose from Chris's grip but Madisyn grabbed her shoulder.

"Chris is right, we have to leave him,"she paused for a moment, "That is what he wants us to do." Everyone turned and ran further down the highway.