One Survivor

28 'Reunions and funerals'

"Open the gates! They're back!" a woman from the gates yelled and they opened to let the four trucks pour in, people jumped out and ran to their family members.

Ava leaped out when she saw Lucas running to her, she picked him up and held him in her arms, "Aw man, you got ketchup on you" she motioned to the blood on his forehead from leaning his head on her shoulder.

"I missed you" he whispered, and she smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Miss you too, builder" she smiled and kissed his cheek again.

Luke climbed out of the truck lifelessly and went straight to the apartment, Justin was taken straight to the clinic for treatment. Ed met with Ava and Lucas, wrapping his arms around both of them.

"Home at last" he smiled, and Ava chuckled.

Luke opened the door to the apartment and closed the door behind him, heading into the bathroom and dropping his knife on the floor, removing all his clothes and turning on the shower. He stared into the mirror and looked at the blood on his hands, Sam's blood.

He turned on the taps and started frantically washing his hands, clenching his teeth, and growling lowly, seeing the blood run with the water.

He switched off the taps and climbed into the shower, letting it wash away the blood on him. He placed his hands on the wall and looked down at the drain, feeling tears stream down his cheeks, his heart aching. Still remembering Sam's face in his head, the feeling of finally kissing him, the guilt of not doing it sooner, it all began to rise inside of him as he let the tears pour form his eyes.

He banged his fist on the wall repeatedly and let out a loud yell, making sure everyone in the community heard his pain. He lost the boy he loved a few hours ago, and there was nothing he could do but watch him suffer. Because of him.

He saved him.

It had been two weeks since they attacked Davis' community and finally defeated the bastard. Ava and Ed lay in bed, tangled in each other's arms as Ava lay half asleep.

They heard some loud yelling coming form the room next door as they opened their eyes, "What's going on?" Ed asked her as they both started putting on their clothes

"No idea. Grab Lucas" she told him and ran out the room, grabbing her knife and knocking on the door next to theirs.

Ed appeared not long after with Lucas almost asleep on his back, she kicked open the door to see Justin yelling in frustration.

"Justin? The hell's going on?" Ava walked closer and placed her hands on his shoulders, he passed her a note and sat down on the bed.

Ava walked over to Ed and they both read closely.

Sam died and I feel like I have no purpose in this world. He was my best friend and I think that it is best that I leave this place and go out on my own. Thank you, for all you have done for me. But this is something I need to go through on my own. I hope you all find peace here and I hope I find mine,

Luke

They both exchanged looks, "He didn't say where he was going?" Ed asked Justin.

"I woke up and he was gone, this is all that was left" he sighed.

"Poor Luke" Ava sighed sympathetically.

"Should we go after him?" Ed looked to Ava and Justin.

Justin stood up and ran his hands through his messy black hair, "No. He says he wants to do this alone, we have to respect his wishes" he told them, and Ed nodded.

Ava, however, wasn't having this, "No. It's dangerous out there. With the amount of DR's out there and the number of them is increasing, he may not even make it ten minutes" she argued.

Both men sighed loudly, "Ava, we don't even know where he went. We can't risk it—" Ava cut him off as soon as she heard him talk about risks.

"Then I'm going after him" she turned around and walked out of the room, opening the door to her own home, and packing up her things.

She frantically threw them in her backpack, "Ava what're you doing?" Ed asked and walked up behind her, setting Lucas down and he ran to play with his toys.

"Going after Luke" she told him.

"I can see that" he chuckled lightly and wrapped his arms around her waist, forcing her to stop as she groaned.

"Fuck off, please" she fake smiled and resumed her packing.

"Let me come with you" he whispered.

"Well a few minute sago you didn't seem too keen" she grinned and zipped up her bag and throwing it over her shoulder.

She turned around, walking away but Ed grabbed her by the arm, "Let me come" he pressed. Ava glared at him then at Lucas.

"Who's gonna take care of him?"

"Guys! Come on!" Justin yelled as Ava and Ed walked out of the apartment building, Justin running after them, holding a laughing Lucas in his arms.

"You're gonna be fine!" Ava yelled back, smiling at Ed as they tried to contain their laughter.

The two of them walked out of the entrance and the second they did, something felt wrong. "You sure you want to do this?" Ed asked her and gave her a worried look.

Ava inhaled deeply, contemplating on what she should do. Luke said he wanted to do this on his own, but he shouldn't have to. He needs to be around us and needs our support with what he's going through.

"I'm sure" she smiled and squeezed his hand, getting a gentle squeeze back.

"How many?!" Ava yelled and stabbed another DR in the head looking to Ed who was finishing off his.

"Thirteen" he grunted and pulled his weapon out of its skull.

"Jesus" she muttered and placed her hands on her hips, "Where are you Luke?" she whispered and looked up at the darkening sky.

They started moving to a gas station, they saw the lights flicker on in there but shut off immediately after, they suspected it was just a faulty switch but the snide possibility of it being Luke still crossed their minds.

They crawled to the station and saw it swarming with DR's, they were banging their fists on the windows erratically, screeching and yelling at whoever was inside. Both Ed and Ava exchanged looks, "YO!" Ava yelled and the dead turned to them.

They growled at the two before running to them, Ava tripped one up with her pole and stabbed the one behind it in the head, before finishing off the one on the floor, Ed whacked one of the face as it crashed into another, he stabbed them both between thee eyes.

He was tackled to the ground by a DR and he yelled out in pain but ignored the stinging sensation form his shoulder when it hit the ground. He grabbed the DR by the neck and punched it across the face, it buckled off of him and he grabbed his weapon, slamming it into its head with a loud yell.

Ava finished off a DR and looked to Ed, "Stay there, I'm gonna check the inside" she warned and ran into the room, it was empty, they were after nothing.

She grunted and ran back outside to see Ed laying on the ground breathing heavily, "Ed—What? What is it?" she asked and sat next to him, helping him sit up.

He took of his jacket, leaving him in a grey vest that exposed his shoulder, and the bite mark on it.