One Survivor

7 'I hoped it'd be me'

"Paige!" Ava yelled as she chased her to the back of the fields where Paige stood under a tree, "Hey" Ava said clearly out of breath as she stood up straight and walked over to her.

"I didn't realize it at first, I ignored it. But seeing you with him just confirmed it" was all she said as she hid in the darkness.

"What are you talking about?" Ava moved closer to her.

"I have feelings for you. And I know how stupid that is because I barely know you, I've known you for what? Three months? Yet I hoped it'd be me. That you would feel the same" she finally stepped into the light and stood face to face with Ava.

"I'm sorry Paige. I didn't know and if I did then I—"

"Then what? Not be with him. That wouldn't be fair. Look, I'm happy for you. But I'm just disappointed" she walked past her as Ava sighed and looked up to the sky.

"I'm trying, you guys" she whispered as she heard her parents' voice in her head.

Ava tossed and turned in her sleep, gagging and choking came from the mouths of those things. She watched as they tore apart everybody she loved; she couldn't move. It was like she was frozen in place as she tried to scream or yell.

Ed woke up startled as he looked to Ava's bed and saw she was flinching and crying, he stood to his feet and sat in bed beside her, calming her down as he cradled her in his arms, kissing her forehead while she calmed down.

"I got you Ava" he whispered and calmed her down.

Ed hammered the last nail into the board, kicking it to ensure its sturdiness and smiling when it held up firmly, not even shaking in the slightest.

"Looking good" Ava smiled as Ed turned around, "The fence, not you" she teased as she handed him a bottle of water.

"Thanks" he smiled and took a long sip, "If we're lucky, these walls can hold off hundreds of DR's should the time come" he sighed as Ava rested her head on his shoulder, clinging onto his arm.

"Have you talked to Paige lately?" he asked her.

"No... She's been avoiding me" she sighed, this felt just like high school. All people wanted to do was avoid Ava and this was just like that, except the world has ended and there are things out there that want to open her up and eat her.

"Don't think like that" Ed wrapped his arms around her, she must've said some of that out loud.

"I didn't realize she felt that way, had I known I would've—"

"She can't help it if she's attracted to you" Ed interrupted and walked away, running his hands through his hair.

Ava let him walk away as she looked at the tall fence, "This is home now" she smiled to herself before going off to find Justin.

"Hey Ava" Justin smiled and finished loading a gun.

"Any sign of those guys who attacked Paige and I?" she asked him and placed her hand on her hips.

He sighed and dropped the crate of vegetables, "I sent out a few guys last night. Its been quiet but there's another community not far from here. You think they might be a part of it?" he picked up the crate again as they both started walking together.

"I'm not sure. But my best guess is that they think we got lost in the herd of DR's" she shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Agreed" he grunted and handed the crate to one of the guys in the storage hut, "But we're still gonna make sure that these guys are a onetime thing" he smiled as they both walked out.

"Yeah... This isn't a onetime thing. I've seen them before" she confessed as he stopped in his tracks and faced her, squinting with the sun in his eyes.

"What? When?" he stared at her and folded his arms.

"When this all started. I saved Ed from them. I don't know why they had him, but I think they're after him" she bit her lip nervously.

"Did he say anything to you, has Ed said why he was being held there that day?" he asked her as she shrugged her shoulders.

"No. I've asked myself the same question, he didn't write anything down about it when I read his diary.

"Okay, try and ask him about it, tell me when you get an answer" Justin told her.

"Hey, I can't be your little snitch. I want to know too, but Edward isn't someone I can spy on he's my boyfriend" she punched his arm.

"Are you sure you even know what love is?" he began walking away from her.

"I'll find out what I can" she muttered.

"SHIT! HELP!" Ed yelled as Justin and Ava exchanged looks before they ran over there.

Dead Runners began to climb up the least reinforced part of the fence as Ed tried to fight one off, Paige was the only who ran to help as well.

Justin fought with two of them as Ava stabbed the one Ed was struggling with, she helped him up as he kissed her cheek and ran to the fence. Stabbing the DR's in the head and pushing them back over the fence.

"Give me that!" he yelled and pointed to a wooden board on the ground.

Justin grabbed it and held it in place as Ed stood on the ladder and nailed it in the place, making the fence high as he hammered more nails in.

"We got it" Justin let out a deep sigh.

"Hey, Paige you did grea—" Ava stopped when she saw Paige already walking away.

"She'll come around" Justin placed a hand on her shoulder before walking away.

Ava woke up to the sounds of a truck engine starting, she sat up and looked to the bed next to her. Ed wasn't there. She didn't even bother to put on her boots as she ran outside to see Justin and some other men getting into the truck followed by Ed voluntarily getting in the back.

"Eddie?" she asked as he saw her and threw his bag in the back, he gave her a sympathetic look.

She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, "Where are you going" she felt tears fill up in her eyes.

"We need to go make a peace offering with those guys who keep trying to kill us. I'll be back I promise" she pulled away as she gripped onto his cheeks and pulled him into a slow kiss. He wanted to stay the minute their lips connected but he knew he needed to go.

He set her down before holding her briefly, he let go of her and climbed into the back of the truck. She wrapped her arms around herself and watched them drive away.