Meet Me

Chapter 20 - The Truth

 "No life is perfect without a little aloneness" - unknown

“Are you sure you don’t know where they are?” I questioned Ash. He shook his head the moment the words fell from my mouth. “Positive?” He nodded. “Are you going to speak?” He nodded. “So speak to me, Ash.”

“Okay.” He simply said.

We spent a lifetime searching for Katherine and Owen, but to no avail. I wasn’t panicking. I wasn’t calm either. Like I need to tell you though. Ash seemed to be acting the same way I was. The fact that I had known him for less than… I don’t know. As long as I had known him, he had showed signs of acting the way I would in each specific situation. Since Connor had done that too, even though he was my brother, it scared me to death. It scared me to think that somebody, who I could possibly get close to, like that was with me.

“Kate…” Ash started. “We’ll find them. That is what you’re worried about. Isn’t it? Kate?” I willed for him to shut up. Now wasn’t the time to tell me that everything would be okay. I was even more heartless than he thought. I wasn’t … worried about my brother. He was strong deep down and he would be okay. Those hours after Luisa died was when he proved it to me.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up just shut up!” I exclaimed. I calmed down a little. I wanted to cry, but I wouldn’t cry. Kate Farah doesn’t cry. I had to keep reminding myself that, but was so sure the words would wear off and I would show weakness. I saw that Ash saw though that.  It was something barely anyone had seen before. It wasn’t translucent, it was like a haunting night.

“Kate. I’m here. You can trust me. We can get out of these woods and go somewhere else. I know somewhere else. We have to look after ourselves now. They shouldn’t matter. They either chose to be alone, or they were kidnapped. I very highly doubt it was the second one. Owen explained to me that he wanted to get away from you. You seemed too close and he seemed too weak.  I didn’t believe it. Here we are.  I am not sorry for not lying to you about it. I am not sorry he left. It leaves you to think about you.” I thought for a second about what he said. He was lying; I knew he was. “You act all… bad ass and you’re not… people will destr-“ I cut him off. I had already heard this from Kyle.

“Kyle beat you to it.”

“Okay. Good. I don’t know you very well, Kate, but I want to get to know you and help you. We make a great team. We’re good for each other. Get to know me, Katelyn. I want to know Katelyn Farah as well as just Kate. I am better than Owen. He left you. With me of all people.”

Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me, Owen needs me.

I wanted it to go away. My head filled with nothing but Owen needs me and nothing else. Ashes eyes bored into mine and we passed a silent message for a second. The only question was, what was the message?

We were in a town of some sort. Ash had taken me here after our little conversation. It was so wrecked. Eventually, we found somewhere where we were able to side step our way in. I collapsed onto the floor and didn’t want to get up. First Luisa, now Owen. I was worthless without them both. I needed one person – anybody. Ash was here, yes that was true, but he wasn’t enough. I knew him from only what he had told me. I knew his name was Ash, he is a hot boy, he had been part of a large group that my brother killed, he was amazing at fighting off zombies and we knew each other previously. When you compare that information with comparing trusting your life? It was nothing!

“Kate, are you … fine?” He asked, carefully. I nodded and eventually pushed myself up.

“Yeah, I suppose I am fine.”