chapter thirty-uhhhh

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sleep and determination tugged on my body like a war I had no control over, the woods around appeared to spin as I made my way threw unfamiliar paths. I felt my legs weaken and I shook my head, hopping back and forth on the trail I stood on

"Cmon Ethan, wake up"

I scolded myself before shaking out my limbs and picking up my pace, I tried to make sense of the area through the devastating tornado of thoughts and emotions that assaulted my brain. Finally my eyes landed on a familiar open area and a relieved smile spread on my face as I rushed towards the bags that were once laid against the tree but were now spilled everywhere from the horde walking through

Quickly picking and stuffing everything into the bag I listened determinedly for any signs of Scales or infected.
I had managed to get everything back into the bag when I heard the sound of leaves crunching, I froze and listened contently before voices broke out. I dashed behind a tree with the bags slung over both my shoulders and listened

"Dude, Sarah's gonna be devastated when she finds out what happened to David"

"Yeah, I'm not telling her though"

The Scales bickering voices got louder as they neared the area I gripped onto my bat tightly as I tried to steady my breath as to not give myself away.

"Remember those guys that stole our trucks?"

One scale asked, my heart pounded in my ear as I strained to listen

"Yeah? What about 'em?"

"Heard the tall one got what he deserved at the hands of one of the rookies"

She and the other scale laughed

"Man I was really hoping to gut him alive myself"

My eyes snapped open and anger consumed me like thick smoke on a campfire, I was about to tear them down when my senses kicked in and I mentally glued my feet to the ground. I knew I was not in any condition to fight something that could think, well....try to at least

I stood with my back pressed against the tree and my feet planted until there was no more signs of the Scales, I bolted out from behind the tree and used my last energy to rush myself "home"

I slipped through the door and blocked it off, leaning against the wall to catch my breath

Once I composed myself, with shaky hands I searched threw the bags for what I needed, finding just a little of everything I needed but not enough for more then two bandage changes.

I slowly walked towards his room with the items in my hand, I examined them for a long time really just distracting myself from the reality of the whole situation.

Finally I lifted my gaze towards where Mark lay, the blankets were a little disturbed as if he moved some while I was gone.

I tapped my foot on the door frame, seeing if his figure would shoot up with blood dripping from his mouth and glossed over dead eyes but he laid still. The only movement was a tiny twitch of his head as if I spooked him a bit, even in his coma like state I understood he was still kinda here.

Making my way to the bed I sat next to him, setting the medical items on the bedside table and removing the blankets from him. I slid his shirt up and stared at the wound

If he got out of this I'm never letting him go again

I began to work on his wounds, being careful with how much I used so I could have some left over for next time. I coulda swore I felt him flinch a few times but I pushed it off as being my imagination

My tired mind and body playing tricks on me as I worked my brain to its almost limits

After I had finished I pulled his shirt back down and covered him once again, and I leaned back against the headboard

Finally I let all the thoughts I had take what it wanted and slowly destroy me

He's not gonna make it
He's gonna make it

If I had just helped

I coulda saved him

Why am I so stupid?

If I had just listened to him we wouldn't be here right now
Why didn't I listen to him

He was right

If I had just went back with him on getting revenge we wouldn't be here right now

I wouldn't be here right now and Mark would be fighting for his life right now

He probably regrets ever finding me in the gas station, he probably regrets ever stepping foot in that place

He probably regrets ever meeting me in the first place

This is all my fault

This is all my fault

Not the Scales not the infected

My fault

If I had a plan then none of this wouldn't happen because we wouldn't be wandering around like idiots

I don't even have enough supplies to keep this going, I don't have enough strength to keep this going

He's probably already gone and I'm tending to nothing but a suffering soul

Would he want me to let him die?

He doesn't want to be here anymore

He doesn't really love me
He pities me
He feels bad

He think I'm weak

I'm fucking psychotic

I wish none of this ever happened

I wish I could go back to that day in the tree house and been the one to get shot

I wish I had stood in front of that window

I wish I had to die alone in bed in pain for hours as my friend got chased through a mall by a horde like an idiot

I wish I was dead and Mark was crashing on the couch in that gas station

I wish-

I was tore from my thoughts when I felt a cold hand be sat on top of mine, my eyes shot towards my hand where Marks much larger one weakly gripped mine

Tears began falling down my faces and a almost smile played on my lips

I scooted down to lay next to him intertwining our fingers, a small sob forced it's way from my throat and I felt his hand gently squeeze mine in response

I could almost hear his concerned voice asking what was wrong

"I'm-"

My voice whistled and rasped harshly, you couldn't even make out was I tried to say

But before I could try and say anything else his hand squeezed mine so very slightly once again, letting me know I didn't have to say anything

I curled into his arm and buried my face into his shoulder, breathing in his subtle scent that had mixed with a tangy copper smell and dirt

I could feel the warmth returning back to his fingers and for the first time in a long time

I felt genuinely okay

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