Alone

Chapter 5

I didn't remember even falling asleep. I looked around for the others. No one. A million questions zipped through my head. Where are they? Did they leave me alone? Why would they do this? Maybe last night never happened and it was all just a nightmare...but then again, this whole life was a nightmare. Then something powerful hit me. The smell of the sick. I jumped to my feet instantly and was on full alert. Every one of my senses were awake and functioning ten times better than they would normally.

I scanned the room and found a pool of some gray-colored liquid standing where we had killed the creature. I had found the source of the scent. They must have disposed of the body early this morning after I had fallen asleep. What time was it anyways? There was no way to tell, but judging by the sun coming through the windows, it was approximately late morning early afternoon.

I then came to a realization that maybe, if they left me, it wasn't such a bad thing, being alone, after all, was my bliss. Then I started thinking that I kind of liked having other people's company...why would I want to die alone? Jack was tough, but I had felt safe. Stacy was smart and could make a decision on the spot if need be. Luke was quiet, he had this mysterious, uneasy feeling about him, but yet, it felt like home. Where did they go?

The only thing I knew was that I had to get out of this house. As I opened the door, the three musketeers were standing on the porch.

"'Bout time Sleeping Beauty wakes up!" Jack nearly shouts in my face.

"Why didn't you guys wake me up?" I question, but my voice sounds like I have a mouthful of cotton.

"We thought you could use some sleep after your little scare last night. That thing was...different, to say the least," Stacy says a tone quieter.

"I've never seen anything like it for sure..." My train of thought tapered off when relief struck me. I was oddly relieved that these people hadn't left me here, and I was relieved I hadn't died last night. My legs lost all feeling and I just fell to the ground, luckily Jack and Stacy were close enough to catch me before I hit. How could the thought of these people leaving me ever have crossed my mind?

The sun was bright and felt nice on my skin in the crisp fall afternoon. We hit the road once again after all our equipment was packed up. Jack led the way, of course, with Stacy trailing not far behind. Luke and I were a little farther back, and when he realized this, he quickened his pace to catch the others. I stayed back though. I wasn't used to having company yet, for six months I had been wandering alone, keeping myself safe, not three other people as well.

I started out like everyone else when the sickness first broke out. I stayed with a group for the first four months, until tragedy struck and one by one, the group fell ill with the disease, or was killed by an infected person. I never stayed long enough to find out what became of them, I had left after the fifth person was infected. For the following several months, I moved from settlement to settlement, never finding a place to stay permanently. Eventually, I just decided to go out alone, I figured it was safer that way, less likely to be easily spotted and easier to hide. So for the past six months, I had been traveling by myself.

My brain told me to leave these people, telling me that I'm better off alone, however; my heart told me differently. Deep down inside, I wanted to stay...but could I? I decided that I would stick around a little while longer. Hopefully this wasn't a mistake.

We walked for what felt like hours, and my feet were aching. I was used to taking my time by myself, no rushing and nowhere to go or be. I could rest whenever I wanted and camp out wherever I deemed safe. Life was what I would call simple...if you subtracted the sickly you had to fight daily when you had to go venturing out.