Death By Dawn

➽Chapter 12

"Your sister?"

Alexander slowed his pace, his face illustrating a mixture of confusion and fear.

What if he knows I shot her?

What if he plans to kill me out here?

"Not by blood but we're basically family, you know? We grew up in the same foster home. The th-," Scott paused and stopped walking suddenly. Alex watched him closely as Scott took in a deep breath and his gaze followed the tips of the trees.

Scott began to walk once again, continuing to speak. "Olivia was always the most resilient of us all. Even though I'm older, she always looked out for me, she's what I call real family. The foster home we lived in wasn't the best, but she made it bearable, and I'll always thank her for that."

Alexander noticed the clenched fist around the baseball bat and a wave of anger that washed over Scott's face. It was one that craved revenge, one that sought out justice.

"That's why," Scott gritted his teeth. "That's why I'll find whoever shot her and make them pay."

His resolve was terrifying to Alex. There was no lie in his promise, it was genuine. So much so that Alex's breath hitched at the thought.

His stomach felt uneasy and he felt every drop of sweat that trickled down his chest and dissolved into his boxers. His grip became clammy around the plastic bag and a faint tremble took residence in the brown pigment of his eye.

"Does she know who shot her?"

"No."

"What if they shot her for a reason?"

Scott turned around to face Alex. His eyebrows arched upward and his eyes squinted, hiding the blue in them. His jaws clenched and his head slanted to the left.

"Are you trying to justify their actions?!"

Alex could see the anger radiating from his body. Steam erupted from his ears and his face became a deep red. His fingernails etched into his palm, transforming his knuckles into a fierce white.

Alexander stepped back, waving the hand with the bat in front of him and shaking his head furiously. "No no! Not at all! I just meant humans can't be that awful to just shoot strangers, can they?"

The words Scott uttered next sent a chill crawling down Alex's spine. They hinted a story yet to be told, a story of the dangers this new world brought.

Zombies, the undead, whatever you wanted to call them, were not the only threat.

From the beginning of time, man's greatest enemy was always and will always be, man.

"You'd be surprised."

➽~➽

It was cold, yet refreshing.

The water warped around Alexander's waistline, splashing against the perfectly sculpted six-pack every so often.

Small droplets of water raced down his chest, competing for victory as they dragged the dirt from his skin.

With his hands clasped, Alex scooped up a handful of the freshwater and brought it up to his face in one quick motion.

It felt amazing.

It reminded him of a much simpler time. A time where humans had the luxury to take the little things for granted. Now he wished he appreciated them more.