There's Light at the End of the Tunnel

Chapter 9

"There she is! 'Bout time ya came outta the shadows!" His brother shouts at me.

I keep walking until I reach the Sheriff. His brother walking behind me.

"So I hear ya sendin' me off"

The sheriff sighs, "We had a vote. Majority ruled, they want you out. I don't want to do this but I'm protecting us all"

With sarcasm I spit to him, "Very wise decision. Ya know, ya kick me out, he comin' with me"

"He ain't goin' anywhere" Douchebag says from the other side of the truck.

"Ya don't want 'em gone 'cause ya know ya need 'em. I don't even know y'all, but this group is fallin' 'part. Without him, y'all are nothin'!" I say to them with anger, I'm beyond pissed.

His brother pulls my arms behind my back again. I kick him in the knee and shove him off of me. Douchebag runs after me and so does the sheriff. I crouch as Douchebag goes to smack my across the face. I grab my knife from my boot and ready myself if they try to come after me.

"Y'all still don't trust me. Y'all never will neither. Y'all don't even know who I am. Y'all look at me like I'm the damn devil. I saved ya lil girl and this is how ya treat me!? I saved 'er from the damn walking dead! Y'all lost ya sanity, this group has no communication, ya can't even come to a civilized conclusion to a problem. Y'all plot 'gainst me. Last night I got jumped. When I was in the house recoverin' I got smacked across the face. I know how y'all work know. When ya took me from the woods, it was a fuckin' act. The only man who has sanity 'ere is 'im! He stayed by ma side while y'all plotted ta kick me out. Y'all don't give to shits 'bout new people. Selfish, all of ya!"

I'm pissed, I must have been yelling because I look around to see women holding children back with terrified looks on their faces. The girl and her mother know exactly what I'm talking about. The little girl wants to come hug me but her mother won't let her. These people can't keep a group together.

The old man slowly comes forward, towards me. He lays a hand on my shoulder.

"Come on, lets take your stitches out..." He knows what I'm talking about too. He sees it.

"Don't worry. Him and I will on our way, don't ya fuckin' worry" I walk into the house with the old man and lay on the bed.

"That was very brave of you. What you said is right. They are a mess. I knew it from the start but I couldn't say anything..." The old man says as he takes out my stitches.

"Thank ya, for everythin' I really appreciate it" I say to him with a warm smile.

"You are very welcome. Just remember if you or him need anything, you are welcome here" He cleans and wraps my side again.

"I really appreciate everythin'. There needs to be more people like you" I sit up

"Same for you. Strong, independent people who still have their sanity. People like you keep groups together" He says sincerely with a smile.

"That means a lot old man" I smile and hug him.

He smiles and hugs back.

I walk out of the house. All the men from before and two others I haven't seen before, are all gathered by the truck. As I walk past them, I feel a smaller person's hands wrap around my waist which stops me in my tracks.

"Thank you so much miss. You saved my life. I'm sorry you have to go... I won't forget you though. Maybe when I grow up I will be like you" She looks up at me and smiles.

Her words touched my heart, "You are very welcome. I won't forget ya either" I smile and ruffle her hair.

Her mother walks over, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I thought my little girl was gone forever"

"Ya welcome. If I was you, I'd hope someone would save my girl too" I smile and hug her.

"We won't forget what you did" She smiles and stands next to her little girl.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me" I smile and go back to the tent.

"What ya did back there..." He says to me

"I know I know..."

"That was brave of ya. Steppin' up to my brother and that douchebag like that. Ya might be a chick but a certainty got yaself a pair a balls"

"I jus' can't stand bullshit" I shrug and smile, taking his comment as a compliment.

"If they really want ya out, we leave in the mornin' alright?"

I nod, he puts his hand behind my neck and kisses me passionately. I snake my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss. A simple kiss turns out to be a small make out session.

Someone coughs, we break away. We turn to face the person, embarrassed.

"Sorry I interrupted.." It's the young blonde girl

"Nah y'alright" He says to her

"I just wanted to say good-bye, heard she was leavin'..."

"Nah, him and I both are" I clarify

"Oh well I guess good-bye to you both..." She seems really upset. I guess having another girl around is something she looked forward too.

"I'm sorry we can't stay..." I try to comfort her

"It's not your fault"

I hug her, "I know but still"

She hugs me back and she goes back to the house.

"I hate leavin'"

"So do I but we don't have a choice" He puts his arm around me

"I know. I don't even know why I have to go..."

"They wouldn't let me in on the discussion so I can't even tell ya why"

"It's alright I guess. Never got accepted much anyway"

"Ya got me now, so ya good, right?"

"Of course" I smiles and kiss his cheek

He smiles and pulls me close.

"Where we gonna go when we leave tomorrow" I ask

"Not sure. Guess we wander for awhile and set up makeshift camps each night"

"We takin' the tent"

"Hell yeah we are"

I laugh, "Good"

"That's new" He grins

"What is?"

"Ya laugh"

"Oh yeah" I smile

As night fell I set up a small fire, dim enough so we can still see the stars. I pick at the squirrel he caught earlier. I finish up and take off my shirt and jeans, leaving me in my underwear and bra. Didn't bother checking my surroundings since we are so far away from everyone else.

"Come on, we should get some sleep. Got a long day 'head of us..." He says coming from the woods, his sentence trailing off

"Yeah I guess we should..." I say embarrassed, throwing on the rest of my clothes.

"Check ya surroundin's next time ya hear?"

"Didn't think ya'd be back so soon and we are so far away..."

"It's a'ight. Just warnin' ya 'cause ya know who" Referring to douchebag and his brother

"Yeah..."

He puts the fire out and gets in the tent, I follow. I zipper it shut and he playfully wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close. I start giggling, he smirks and kisses my cheek.

"Night sunshine" He says

"That's the weirdest thing ever"

"What is?"

"'Night sunshine', if ya sayin' night, why sayin' 'sunshine' when the sun ain't even out" I tease him

He chuckles, "Ya need sleep sunshine"

"I'm goin' I'm goin'" I face him and kiss him sweetly.

He smiles and holds me close. I snuggle close to him since we don't have blankets, only body heat.