Searching For Safety

Chapter One

The touch of the warm meadow I've long missed, the smell of the fresh growing flowers, the feeling of the warm sun soaking into my skin, the sight of the many wild birds slicing through the thin air.

All things I'll never be able to experience again.

-

Harry's POV:

Freezing, shivering and broken hearted I stand. Alana's arms wrapped around my torso, tears stream down my face. I watch as they finish throwing dirt onto the last grave.

"Why does this shit have to happen?" Alana mumbles out. I bite my lip and hold back the flood of tears I feel approaching. I step up as the remains of our group gather around the newly departed. I take a deep breath and think about what to say.

"Shit happens," I start off grabbing their attention, "good shit and bad shit. It seems living in a fucked up world like this, a lot of bad shit will happen and there's nothing we can do about it, except learn how to deal with it. And being we've been through this plenty of times, we're doing a pretty damn well job of it." I try to smile, and get a few in return.

"Anyways, we've experienced a great loss today not one of us ever expected to happen. And although I didn't know most the people in that bus very well, but the in the time I spent training them for this trip not to long ago, I learned they're damn good fighters. Little Tommy had a passion for learning to survive and be independent that I could only dream of. Now I could continue standing up here making a speech about each one of them who died in the bus accident, or I could face reality and tell everyone that again, shit happens and we have to put up with it, no matter how bad it seems."

I expected an argument back telling me I'm a heartless bastard because I'm making deaths of half of our friends sound like no bid deal, but no. They all just stand there and smile at me.

"Thank you." Liam says. He nods and I step back. "You heard him! Shit happens, now let's get to that safe camp." What's left of our group piles back into our one bus. Liam takes the wheel with Lauren, and everyone else settles down in the couch area.

"I think they needed to hear that babe." Alana says to me. I smile and kiss her temple.

"I do what I have to to keep the group together." I reply.

-

Alana's POV:

I lay my head on Harry's shoulder and I play with his long hair as he plays with my fingers. Although we've all just suffered a great loss, Harry makes me forget about everything. He makes everything better, just by the touch of his huge hands. It sends chills through my whole body.

"Hey babe?" He says rubbing circles on the back of my hands. "What were you and Caitlyn talking about before the accident?"

"Don't worry about it." I say trying to play it off as if it's nothing.

"Well if it's something you had to go tell Caitlyn shouldn't I know?" He asks.

"It's nothing, I promise." I smile at him and I can see the disappointment in his green eyes. He sighs and leans his head on mine. I really want to tell him about the baby, but it's too soon to even tell if I'm really pregnant and I don't want to worry him.

-

Harry's POV:

*FLASHBACK*

As I walk through the woods behind the school with Liam I notice something red on a far tree. "Liam," I get his attention and I point to it.

"Does it say something?" He asks.

"I don't know let's go check it out." We jog up to the tree and I read what I can now tell is red spray paint.

"There is no hope,

There is no safety,

There is no camp,

All that's left are lies and flies." I read to Liam, I look behind the tree and I gag at the sight.

There lies 2 suicidal bodies swarmed by flies. There's a gun next to the girl and a knife impaled in the guy's head.

"What do they mean no camp?" Liam asks.

"Do you really think..?"

"I hope to god it's not true." He says.

"I don't think we should tell them, it would ruin and crush all hopes of making it." I suggest.

"I agree."

*END OF FLASHBACK*

"Harry!" I hear my name shouted from the drivers seat. I get up and attend to Liam, who had called me.

"What's up Mate?" I ask sitting in the passengers.

"There's a mall up ahead, do you think we should stop at it? Stock up on supplies?" He asks.

"That'd be our best option since we're low on food." I say. "How far away is it?"

"About 10 miles." He replies. He looks down at me and sits in the passenger seat.

"What's on your mind mate?" He asks.

"The poster." I mumble. "What if there really isn't a camp? What if all our hope is just an imaginary painting we have in our heads of some glorious place that doesn't even exist?"

"Don't think like that Harry." He says. "Nowadays we live off hope, and if we lose that we could lose ourselves. Even if there's barely any there, there's still a chance. You and I of all people know to never give up."

"It's hard to keep hoping for something when I'm not even sure if it exists." I sigh. "But I guess you're right."

"We'll be alright Harry." He says looking over at me. "We'll be alright."

~

*IM FINALLY UPDATING YAY!!

I'm going to try to update this book at least every 2 weeks. My aim is to get up a new chapter every week but realistically, I don't know if I can do that.

This is a short chapter because it's just a starter, but they'll be longer in the future. Thank you for reading.

I love you all stay strong babies❤️*