The Road to Nowhere

Chapter 37: Isolated

Chapter 37

Layke and Scooter came back with a snake. A snake. Like for us to eat. How the hell am I going to eat a snake?!

They roast it over the open fire, and cut it up into small bit sized pieces. Each one of us gets two small bites. The snake was only big enough to feed one person, but sharing is caring right?

It tasted horrible, to be honest. Totally what I was expecting. It was extremely chewy, and bland. It has small bones hidden in the meat. It tasted like I was gnawing on a tennis ball. I could barely get my two bites down, but I knew I needed the protein. So I swallowed the meat without trying to gag. Once it went down my esophagus, I was relieved. But my gut wasn't, it gave me a stomachache that made the rest of the night miserable.

After eating our wonderful one course meal, with a side of self-doubt, the sky had gotten almost completely dark. There was no point in getting up, leaving camp, and trucking it through the forest that isn't visible five feet in front of you. Even though we had our flashlight, we didn't want to waste the battery when we could just start fresh in the morning. Trying to get some shut eye was our best option.

Having a fire in the middle of pitch darkness isn't the best idea. It's not like there are flesh eating monsters roaming the earth, that are attracted to light or anything. But, desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose. So we sacrificed a little bit of our safety for a skimpy little fire that we needed for light, warmth, and I guess you could say protection. Protection from the lions, tigers, and bears that roam the wilderness of the vast landlocked state of Kentucky. These last couple nights have been getting pretty chilly, probably dipping into the lower sixties. So, we needed a fire to keep us warm. I'd rather be warmed by fire then snuggle up next to any of these hormonal boys.

Since the flames will most likely attract infected, we decided to take turns taking watch. Scooter took dibs first, and in a couple of hours Layke said he would help, and then Cameron was next, and then it was my turn since Robbie isn't "well" enough to help. But, I was glad I was last in line. I could try and get a good amount of sleep. I dreaded the time when I'd have to wake up, and stay awake while everyone else snoozed away. There aren't any coffee machines to help me stay awake anymore. If I get sleepy I'd have to get up and walk around, or keep myself busy. Which gets boring nowadays.

I snuggle up against Brianna, who also didn't like the taste of snake. I asked her if it was too weird to sleep next to her because she doesn't remember me, but she agreed knowing it would make her feel safer. Wilbur lays next to Brianna's head, and her hand is slowly petting him until she passes out seconds later. Now it lays limp next to his tail. 

I stay awake for a while, listing to the crackle of the fire, the whooing of the owls in the trees above us, and the cicadas' loud chipping that makes it hard to sleep. My mind's seems like it's racing a mile a minute. Thinking about the military, the creatures, Brianna's eyes. What does that mean? Is she infected? Will it slowly eat her alive until she finally turns into one of them? Or maybe she'll just slowly grow eight feet tall with huge daggers for teeth and an extra arm. I hope none of that happens, but honestly would be pretty cool. Not her dying and all, but definitely the extra arm. I wouldn't look forward to killing her though, that would suck.

Finally when the night seems to get the darkest, my eyes become heavy and slowly drift away, hoping my nightmares don't come back to haunt me in my dreams.

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