The Apocalypse Adversaries

Part 11: Quill

Logan tried to stay awake all night to watch for anything dangerous, but he must've fallen asleep. When he woke up, zombies were practically on top of them. He yelled and shook everyone until they were all awake, then they all started running. Quill threw an arm over Logan's shoulder and Logan dragged him along as best he could.

The zombies continued tracking them for a while, though. They couldn't stop to get out their weapons, all they could do was grab their bags and run. They were surrounded by a swarm. There was almost no hope of escape. Quill could barely move, and Logan was exhausted from carrying him. The two of them collapsed to the ground.

Accepting his fate, Logan looked around. He saw his friends darting between trees, still sprinting for safety. Hopefully they wouldn't turn around. If any of them saw him on the ground, they'd try and help. He loved them too much to let them die here too.

As the zombies approached, he looked up. The sky was very blue, but that wasn't what he was looking at. The tree above them way tall, with sturdy branches. It was probably not the best idea, but it was all he had. He turned to Quill.

"Ready to climb?"

Quill looked back at Logan as if he was insane.

"Do you not see my leg, dumbass? How the fuck am I going to climb anything?"

"Fine," Logan sighed, rolling his eyes. "Ready for me to try and shove you up a tree?"

"Just GO, Logan. I'm a lost cause. You can still make it!"

"Not happening. You're my brother. I'm going to get you into the tree if it kills me. Which, by the looks of things, it might."

Logan stood up, grabbed Quill and lifted him as high as he could, which was not very high at all. Quill was pretty heavy, and Logan was pretty damn weak.

Fortunately, it was enough. Quill was able to use his upper body strength to pull himself up. He dragged his body out of reach of the zombies and clung to a high branch, safe. Then it was Logan's turn. He may be small, but he was nimble. He scurried up a tree like a squirrel and yelled out to Quill that he'd come back when it was safe, then moved through the trees to find the others.

It took him about half an hour, but he eventually found them sitting curled up in a cave. He climbed carefully down from a tree.

He ran into the cave, expecting to be welcomed with open arms, but everyone looked at him coldly. Casper was the first to speak up.

"Do you not trust us, Logan? You seem to have something against asking for help. We're a team, dumbass! Stop trying to do everything yourself." He snapped. The tone of his voice clearly startled Audrey, who had been curled up at his feet. She now ran to cower at the back of the cave.

Logan froze. He wasn't expecting that.

"I- I'm sorry. I do have a problem asking for help. I'll try and do better, but I can't make any promises. I've always been independent."

"There's a difference between being independent and being a FUCKING IDIOT!" Casper yelled. "I'M SICK OF IT! I worry about you. I need you to be able to ask me for help, or you're going to get yourself killed! You do trust me, right?"

"Of course, Casper. I'm sorry."

Casper nodded at him. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Finally, Cece spoke.

"Where's Quill?"

"In a tree, back where we collapsed. We can go back for him as soon as the zombies are passed."

"How the heck did you get him in a tree?" Cassie questioned.

"With great difficulty." Logan responded. "But he's safe for now."