Child Of The Future

Episode 7: Start Believing

               The impact already had my face stinging from the way we fell into the embrace of hunger for live meat, my heart racing like a machine, stirring up a new batch of adrenaline to make my brain send signals to the rest of my limbs so I could grab hold of what I'm pretty sure is Mark, and kick off the relentless walkers that are floating around in pieces now because we landed on them so hard.

               I actually expected more of a fight from Mark, but it was more or less the usual threat trying to keep me down and drown me to death if not maul first.

               All in one fleeting moment, quick and frightening, I almost see my leg get tangled in a what my imagination sees to be a thousand hands when really it's just about 5 walkers tops, stuck in some dirt, begging to be fed since they're so skeletal.

               It's more clear here, even though it feels darker, and I keep hold of my hat floating away from my gravity free locks of hair while sun manages to shimmer just enough that I can see how dangerous the lower level of this small swimming hole is.

               I'd think they had a mind to know what I am the way they're almost glaring at me.

               Not really sure how screwed I am for a moment, it's Mark's tug on my collar that brings me back from staring, and I take a final swing of my foot to break free and surface to the cool air.

               "Swim over there!" I furiously wipe at my eyes, blinking every two seconds so I can make out a tiny place to walk up and out of here from.

               Mark's already coughing his lungs out. I'm guessing he didn't have any time to breathe in before he fell.

               "Are you ok!?" I don't really care that much but if he's scratched or bit or something he's gonna have to be put down. I'm not sure how that'll roll over with Jesse. "Hey! Wait!" My knees drag a bit and I finally clear my eyes enough to slowly get the image of Mark's heavy blue jeans wet and somewhat close to his legs.

               His shoes are gone, I don't know where, and not giving much of a sh1t, unless he tries to take mine, I throw my hat down and begin to catch my breath when I spot his own cap near my palm...and off his head.

               "I-I-" Ok, what gives? Mark's voice is nowhere near as deep or weirdly presented as before when he stutters out something, his head still not visible to me, and he just stays shaky on his hands and knees, coughing up whatever else is stuck down his throat.

               He doesn't have his hat on...which means that, whatever he's hiding, I know it has something to do with this cap he refuses to take off...

               I take a quick look to make sure he's not already facing me, and dart to pick up his property. I must not have done it so quietly either, because my snatch makes his body react, his hand trying to get it before I do, but I'm on my feet and backing up, ready to yell at him for everything stupid he's said or done since I've met him, until I feel my tongue lose its ability to move, and my vocabulary goes blank at the sight of Mark's face.

               What?

               Clean from dirt almost, I see bright flawless skin glowing against perfect blushing lips that instantly remind me of pink orchids, and cat like eyes under short, dark but slightly thin eyebrows with sparkling, almost silver colored iris', and long hair that nearly reaches the ground wound and clumped in dark gray shades, wet and perfectly framing the face I just registered in my mind that actually does exist and belong to the kid I was just dragging out of the water.