AJ's Story Continued

Setting Up Camp

"We've been at this for 2 hours and you still haven't even look into that stupid duffel bag to see what supplies we've been given" Skylar scoffs as she begins to kick up dirt with every step she takes. "Because we need to find a place to step up camp for tonight" Ruby says as she continues to walk not even bothering to turn around to meet Skylars eyes. "Sounds like a plan to me" Violet states as she joins Ruby at the front of the group, "Okay let's get too it" Kai says in agreement. I stay silent not waiting to interrupt the older kids conversation. "Oh cmon it will only take a second to check the duffel" Skylar says as she reaches forward to grab the bag. Ruby obviously didn't see what Skylar was trying to do and instead of grabbing the duffel, Skylar trips up and bumps into Ruby causing then both to floor to the forest floor. Me and Violet turned around and are met with the sight of Skylar and Ruby in a heap on the ground. "Really Skylar, couldn't you have just waited till we set up camp somewhere" Violet spits out of anger. "Jeez calm it I was just trying to sneak and peek at our supplies" Skylar scoffs as she gets back up onto her feet and leans against a nearby pinetree. I ignore Skylar and her moody self and go straight over to Ruby "You okay, Ruby" I ask as I offer her a hand to help her get back to her feet. "Yeah" She calmly says in response "Don't worry hun, I'll be just fine as long as people follow instructions" she says as she glances over at Skylar who only response with a anger glare as she stays, quietly mumbling to herself, by the pinetree. "Don't worry Ruby, I'll sort her out" Violet states.
"Vi you really don't have to" Ruby says calmly and trying to change the subject, but Violet doesn't listen. All she does is furiously marches over to Skylar and started to yell at her. "She we stop her?" Ruby asks me as we both look over at the loud argument. "Nah she deserves it for being a jerk to you" I state as I continue to watch Violet and Skylar agrue. "AJ!" Ruby mutters sounding quite upset "She might be abit of a brat and rude, but it doesn't mean that she has to be yelled at and called insulting names". I don't look away from the argue and continue to watch. Ruby, upset and annoyed at my comment walked over to a large rock nearby and sat down next to Kai.

After a few more minutes of Violet and Skylar arguing, it's gets abit to heated and loud for the rest of the groups liking. Kai gets up and walks over to tell them to drop it. They both give a look of disgusted at eachother and they both walk different ways, staying silent the whole time.

Clearly Ruby gets fed up by the silent as she interrupts to silent with "Okay you two stop sulking and let's do something productive".
"Like what" Violet scoffs still in a bad mood from the argument. "Well we have to find a place to set up camp" Ruby states as she looks between the two teenage girls who are currently acting like toddlers. Kai is just practicing throwing this knife into a nearby tree when he caustionly looks around "Urm where's Marco?" He asks as he continues to look around before he turns around to face the rest of us. "Oh god why can't we catch a fuckin break" Skylar screams out of frustration . 'That's it I've had enough of her, I don't care if Ruby scolds me' I think. "Hey. Stop yelling. You basically ringing a dinner bell for the walkers. Yes they might be brainless and slow but if there's another of them we're goners. So shut it." I state as I stare over at Skylar who just looks at me, first out of shock which quickly turns into a look of half anger. I feel like I'm looking straight into the eyes of a bear that's about to pounces at me. Skylar moves her lips slightly as shes about to say something but before she has the chance Ruby interrupts with "Okay let's stop yelling and arguing at eachother and focus on finding our lost friend" She says calming as she stands between me and Skylar. "Yeah, okay" I mutter as I back away from the now dying argument "I'll look over here" I say as I gesture over to a part of the pine forest. I don't even wait for an answer, I just walk in through the over grown bushes and begin my search for Marco.

I've been looking for Marco for around 15 minutes now and the sky is beginning to turn to a dark blood red colour, signaling that the night will be starting soon. "Marco where are you" I mutter under my breathe as I continue my search for my friend. I search around for a little bit longer until I came up of the idea to climb a tree to get a better vantage point, that's when I hear the rustle of dead leaves and plants behind me, which causes me to pull out my knife and point it in the direction of the noise. I'm ready for a walker to stumble out from between the trees at any second. But no walker ever comes. Instead Violet walks out from the trees and into the opening and is meant with the end of my knife. "Woah, AJ" Violet says, eyeing up the knife "I'm no deadhead you can drop the knife now".

"Oh... Yeah" I mutter still a little surprised that it's violet standing I front of me and not a flesh hungry walker, like I was expecting. I slowly place my knife back into my belt. "Kai found Marco and while I came out looking for you the rest of them started setting up camp in an old cabin just west of here" Violet states "Thinking about it they'd probably just be finishing up". I smile in response before saying "Okay well let's get back before it gets any darker out here".

It takes a few minutes for Violet to guide me to the rest of our group and by the time we get back everyone else is just about finishing setting up a few defenses and a camp fire. "Hey AJ" Kai says as he approaches us "I'm glad you made it back safe and before it got to dark otherwised you'd be stumbling around over your own feet" He says with a small chuckle, obviously trying to lighten the mood. "Yep I'm glad too" I say rather bluntly as I look pass Kai and towards the rest of the group. Ruby and Marco are sitting in a log tending to a camp fire and Skylar is leaning against the wooden cabin and sharpening her blade, I catch her occasionally look other at me. Violet must of noticed this aswell as she bends down and whispers in my ear "Best stay away from her for awhile" in a quiet tone. I only nod in reply before Violet and Marco walk over to the campfire.

'I should probably go and apologise to Ruby for making things worst with Skylar before' I think to myself 'Hopefully she's not too mad' I continue to think as I slowly make my way over to the campfire. I take off my backpack and slump down onto a log nearby the campfire. I look up towards the sky that is now a mixture of a dark blue-purple and is full of stars that are scattered around the darkness. I doesn't take long u til my mind begins to wonder.

'What would it be like without walker's...'

'Would I even be with my new group for friends...'

'Would I still be as awkward around other people...'

My thoughts are interrupted by a familiar voice swearing under their breathe. "Fuck...". I break my gaze from the starlight sky and look back down at the campfire to see Ruby is on her knees attempting to keep the fire going but is failing miserably as all thats left is an faint ember glow on  a few of the small branches. I reach down into my pack and retrieve my lighter and pull up some dying grass before nealing down next to Ruby. "Don't worry I've got this, I've seen Clem do this a thousand times when we were living out in the old car" I mutter as I flick the lighter until a part of the dead grass caught fire and then gently places it under a few of the branches. They begin to smoke and I softly blow of the small twigs that are beginning to catch fire, trying to ease the blaze up. Within a few minutes the fire has slowly grown back to just under its original height. "Thanks" Ruby mutters quietly as she starts to turn away. "Wait" I state as I grab her hand, stopping her from leaving. She stops moving but doesn't turn to meet my eye. "I'm sorry for making such a fuss back there between Violet and Skylar, I should of  just stayed out of it and left it to you... So please don't be mad" I mutter aloud, my voice begin to crack half way through me speaking. Ruby must of heard and thought that I was crying as the next think she did was unexpected. She turns around quite fast and pulls me in her a tight hug. "It's okay, pumpkin" She calmly states "Don't worry about it, I know you were just trying to help... I shouldn't of snapped just everything thats happened has just set me in edge..." She continues to speak as she pulls me in even tighter in the hug.

After we both pull away from the hug we go and settle down on a log and talk for awhile. Not about all that's happened. No about the apocalypse. But about the stars and woodland animals. We talk for a few minutes until I yawn and Violet buts in with "Guess that's a good sign that we should all settle down in the cabin" with a chuckle. Ruby takes out her canteen and pours a bit of water of the fire to shrink it in size. Then stamps out the remaining of the smoking embers. "Let's get inside and safe then" Ruby states as we all enter the small cabin, closing the door behind us and putting a board against the frame to prevent any walkers from wondering in. Me and Maroc settle down on a small singular mattress that's laying on the molding floor boards while Ruby and Violet take the chairs and laying their heads against the table, Skylar takes first watch and Kai slumps down against the wall with his head on his knees. It doesn't take me long before I drift of into a dream state.

It can't be a few hours time Marco is shaking me awake.