Days are Gone (Under Massive Editing)

Chapter 11 - Bandits

Infected can be heard growling all over the place after those gunshots earlier attracted groups of them. Now they're swarming the entire area, which makes this place unsafe for us.

Before we left the building, Steve gave me a hug that calmed me down. I also apologized for trying to stab him. He just patted my back with a smile and said that he completely understood why I did such things.

It's been a long time since I've had a friend who could look at me in the same way, even after witnessing my darker side.

You're a good man, Steve.

- - -

We wrapped Gian's body with a blanket we found in one of the rooms, and then we placed him on the back of the pickup truck.

"I never thought of carrying a friend's corpse on our way back." Steve mumbles as he opens the door to the driver's seat.

I let out a deep sigh and sat beside him. He then starts the engine and drives away from the area.

"What are we going to tell them?" he asked.

"The truth, what else?"

He hissed and bit his lower lip. "You want us to tell everyone he died because of our carelessness?"

"It's our own fault for not being cautious. It already happened, and we can't do anything about it."

"If it's not the infected, it's the people. Why can't all the survivors form a single group in order to reclaim the country these walking corpses took from us?" he muttered.

"Leadership and power." I replied.

"Humanity..."

The trip was peaceful. Half an hour had already passed when I decided to break the silence.

"I'm planning to leave the camp." I said, which made him hit the brakes.

"Whoa, what?"

"You heard it right."

"Wait a minute, that came out of the blue. Why are you leaving?"

"I have my reasons."

"Hold on, Cyra. The camp needs you, especially now. You can't just leave Trosta while the camp is in danger. We have old people and kids back there who need our protection," he stated.

"I didn't say I'd leave the camp immediately, alright? I said I was planning. Trosta's safety is my priority right now."

He lets out a sigh of relief and starts driving.

"Still, why are you leaving? Do you not like the comfy bed? Not to mention that you get to eat three times a day," he inquired.

"I don't want to tell you this, but I never planned on staying permanently. I came to your camp because Miya and Zack insisted. Also, I'm looking for someone, and I thought that person could be found on your camp. It turns out that not a single shadow of her was present."

"Her?" his brow furrowed.

Ah, I slipped. I only told them about me being a rejected subject. I never told them anything about Isabelle.

"Hey, who are you talking about?" he pressed.

I exhaled through my nose and shut my mouth.

It's been almost three months, and I still have no leads on where I could find Belle. Is she still alive? Is she in a safe place?

I shook my head and ignored all my thoughts.

"Well, you don't look like you're going to tell me your little secret, so..." he said, emphasizing the last word. "Instead, I'll tell you one of my - wait, what in the world?"