One Survivor

33 'Some things never change'

"Over there" Lucas pointed into the distance and handed Ava the binoculars. Ava held them up to her eyes and looked inside, she turned to where Lucas was pointing and spotted an old run-down barn.

"You think we can camp out in there until the horde passes?" Ava turned to Justin once she finished using the lens on his sniper.

"We make it in there in time I'd say we have two to three days to get it secure it enough for them to pass" Justin sucked in a breath and clicked his tongue.

Lucas looked back to the direction they'd come from with fear in his eyes, "Will we be okay?" he asked them. Ava placed a hand on his hand and rubbed the top of his soothingly.

"We will. We just need to be really brave" she smiled, trying her best to reassure him, he nodded and tried to put his brave face on.

They looked over into the distance again, "Let me hang back, I'll stay here till morning and check how fast their moving" she told them.

Justin shook his head, "Mm-mm. No. Based on the info we've gathered over the last seven years, they're getting faster and more erratic. Staying here can—"

"Can make sure you guys know what to expect and how to prepare. It's only for a few hours, I'll be back on time" she interrupted him and gave him a serious look. Justin still looked uneasy, "I'll be safe" she patted his back and he let out a long exhale.

"I'm getting you at sunrise. And take this" he warned, handing her a radio and she let out small laugh.

Lucas and Justin climbed back into the truck, Lucas was staring and waving at her as they drove away, Ava smiled and waved back, watching the car disappear into the distance.

Ava had her bag with her, it had all her essentials in it. She set her bag down and rummaged through it, grabbing the lighter and half empty can of food.

She went into the woods to looked for some wood, "Shit, most of it's wet from the rain" she cursed and bit her lip, looking for something drier. She picked up a dry log and smiled. Her smile faded when she heard a twig snap.

She went for her weapon behind her back, but the holder was empty, she went for her knife, but it was too late. The Dead Runner behind the trees lunged at her, she dropped the log and fell to the ground. The DR growled and slammed his jaw shut repeatedly as if mimic biting her.

She tucked her arm under it's jaw to lift it up from her face, she looked to her side and saw a rock inches from arms-length. She grunted and tried to reach it just as the DR grabbed her arm and moved it form its neck, sinking it's teeth into her arm.

Ava cried out in pain; she felt the venom run through her blood instantly sending spirals of agonizing pain through her entire body. "Son of a bitch!" she grunted and kicked it off her.

She grabbed the rock and straddled it's hips, she raised it in the air and slammed it down on its head, continuing the action and taking her pain out on it watching the skull slowly break and thick read blood pour out of it.

The blood splashed over her clothes and scattered across her face, she breathed in deeply and rolled off of it. Standing up and hyperventilating as she glanced at her arm, "Shit, shit, shit, shit" she muttered and used her hand to cover it.

She instantly felt sick, her head pounding with pain. She grunted and cried out, gritting her teeth, trying to hold in the excruciating sensation plummeting through her. She stumbled through the trees and made her way back to her stuff.

She fell to her knees when she reached her bag and grabbed the radio that sat next to it. She picked it up and fell on her back, "Jus-Justin?!" she gasped and felt her head burning and the rest of her body following after it.

"Ava? What is it? We just made it to the barn" Lucas answered, and she could hear the worry in his voice.

"Hey kid... can you uh, can you please hand the radio to Justin and go play with your toys?" she asked.

"Why what is it?" he asked, and she bit her lip, trying o hold back the tears as she hid her pain best she could.

"Just need to talk to him about some adult stuff" she told him, she heard him groan and his footsteps, "Hey Lucas?" she asked into the radio.

"Yeah?" he sighed.

"I love you, okay? Always" she felt the tears becoming heavier and heavier, she lifted her hand of the button so she could let out a cry as the pain became unbearable.

"I love you too, here's Justin" he said back, and she heard the radio crackling before it started up again.

"Hey Small, what's up?" Justin asked simply.

Ava paused for a moment, the mention of her nickname made her heart melt, "I..." she stifled a sob.

Justin heard her cry silently and he dropped his hammer, "Ava what is it?" he asked in a serious tone.

"I... I got bit" she mumbled softly; Justin heard what she said though.

"Don't you dare lie to me. What are you talking about?"

"I'm... I'm not lying. I got bit and it—Justin it really hurts" she grunted and looked to her arm seeing blood start to pour out of it.

"Ava. Stay with me, we're gonna be there in a bit okay?"

Ava heard him yell for Lucas and then the doors to the truck closing.

"Ava?" she recognized Lucas' voice.

"Hey"

"What's going on? Why is Justin angry?" Lucas asked innocently, hearing the own fear building up in his voice.

"Nothing, I'm fine I just need a little help" she groaned and shifted uncomfortably on the ground, glanding at the gun poking out of her bag.

"We're almost there Ava, hold on" Justin spoke up.

"Why does she need to hold on? Ava what's going on?" Lucas panicked.

Ava took a deep breath, "I was attacked. I need your help and just to see you guys one last—I just need to see you guys" she bit her lip and tasted the blood trickling form it form biting so hard.

She looked to see the headlights appearing in the distance and she felt some reassurance knowing they'd be here... to take care of her. She felt herself letting go. The feeling of the pain suddenly ending, the feeling of dying.

Justin slammed the door as he climbed out the car and ran to Ava's side, she was pale, the bit on her forearm clear as day. He crouched next to her and lifted her head with his hand, "Hey, hey, hey. Ava. Ava!" he yelled and moved his other hand to her cheek.

Her eyes remained closed just as Lucas sat beside her with his eyes wide, "Why isn't she waking up?" he panicked and his hands began to shake, his eyes darting to her arm.

"She—she's bit?" he stuttered, hearing his own quivering voice as tears started forming in his eyes.

They both stared at her, "No, she's not—she doesn't die. Not like this" Justin grunted and placed both hand son her cheeks, "Wake up Ava... c'mon" he whispered and shook her head.

"Justin she won't—"

"Shut up!" he snapped at Lucas, "Don't you do this to me Ava, we've still got such a long journey together... I need you, okay? So you wake up. You wake up and you come back to me" he told her and felt the tears streaming down his cheeks.

Her face remained lifeless and cold, Lucas gripped Ava's shirt and sobbed, his cries filling the air. Lucas tried to be brave like she told him but seeing the person who'd saved and taken care of him all this time, was dead on the ground beneath him.

"Small...?" Justin gave her once last look before bursting into tears and crying out, all the pain and rage was eating him alive, if he had pushed harder for her to come with them, maybe she could've survived. Been alive. But now the girl he'd known form the beginning was dead.

Justin pulled out his knife and looked and Lucas' scared face, "I love you Small".