TWDG\\II-South State

SIXTEEN

Gabe
I shakily walked in the night, the stinging tears in my eyes making my head throb pathetically.
My face was already dry with tears, and whenever I sighed, or moved my mouth, the limited movement the dry tears enforced barely allowed it. I walked, on and on, to the familiar direction the lodge held.
Where the fuck am I?
My Mom, my sister, my Dad, my uncle...
They're all just fucking gone.
My insides tightened and stung, the memories as powerful and twisted as a punch in the gut. I forbid myself to think about it anymore.
Another blow would break my ribs. Or metaphorically, me.
The dark blue sky hung above me, the dimension feeling like it was so much closer...like its right above my head...
The winter climate somehow prevented a large mass of stars. Which is what I needed now. Those stars.
The tees beside me stood tall as I travelled in the night.
The gun tightened in my hand, one bullet in its chamber. I heard the rustle in the woods, and expected it to be a meurtos, but the ferocious creature never appeared. Why not? Everything is pointless.
The cold air felt like nothing...it should. Any person would feel the harsh wind against their skin. Any person would feel the tiny of droplets of cold liquid fall onto their face from the sky.
I saw a large silhouette in the distance. I walked towards it.
I need some time to think...to think about all of this....
Fuck, I just need some goddamn time!
I walked into the house, am every silence following when I shut the door.
There's no electricity, yet I found myself going to turn on the lights. Nothing happened.
Wow.
I guess it's hard to forget my old life. Forget the fun I had with my Dad. Forget the conversations I had with Javi. Forget the stupid little games of euchre I played with Mariana..
The moonlight provided a little bit of light that caught the edges of a living room; the couches looking more like deformed figures that a bit of furniture.
Everything is unreadable in the dark.
I fell onto the couch, the smell of dust arising from what I had just sat on.
I covered my mouth, and smothered a cry.
The gun felt heavy in my hand. I opened the bullet chamber, and let the one ammo drop to the wooden floor, the clatter frightening me. With all my effort, I chucked the gun across the room.
I heard it collide with another object, the impact possibly breaking it as I heard a crash.
I hugged my knees to my chest. Like a child.
I whimpered. Like a child.
I was so alone right now...
I then thought about the things I shouldn't.
How did Javi really die? Who was the bastard that killed him? Why did I run? Why the fuck did I run?!
It then occurred to me that my uncle's death was no ones fault...but mine.
The bitter tears began rolling down my face, and dropping down on my hands.
I was a snotty mess.
What did he look like? When he died?
I doubt he had a big smile plastered on his face...like before Marianna died. He was probably scared...he was probably shaken. I bowled my head further into my hands, and let out a grieving cry.

I walked around the side of the truck with Javi. I mainly just wanted to get away from the back of that car...Violet was coughing and spluttering her absolute guts out.
The big walls of Southstate stood in front of us. I glanced over at Javi, who smiled at me. We were here. Somewhere we could be safe. Maybe forever...
A shot ran out from the tall, timber gates. It felt so close, it shook the inside of my bones. I flinched, and Javi ducked, his gun gripped tightly in his holester.
"What the fuck?!" I cried out. My heart was racing, and my breathing became shallow and quick. Javi waved his hands to whoever was shooting from the city inside.
"Stop!" He yelled. He sounded so confident, and calm, besides the gun shot that rang out. "We don't want any—"
Another bullet lead out, hitting the dirt near Javi's feet. Again, we flinched again, the dust rising from the impact. We barely recovered before another bullet rang out, and then another.
I began to panic. Like a scared little boy.
I looked over at Javi worriedly. He shared a worried, and sharp glance at me.
"Gabe! Run into the woods, okay?" Javi, took out his gun.
I don't know why I listened to him that time. God! If I had just stayed...maybe Javi would've lived...maybe he would be here to help us. Maybe...
Without a second thought, I ran into the trees for cover. I heard a final gunshot.
Except that was the gunshot that ended Javi's life.