I watched Luke's silhouette disappear into the city beyond the camp. He was a strong boy, but I still worried. Luke seemed quite sad lately, not just because of Titan. I could tell there was something else on his mind, like he had lost someone. He and I shared this sadness. I had lost someone too.
"What are you doing out here so late?" Dash came up beside me,
"Couldn't sleep." I shrugged,
"You're worried about that 'Luke' guy, aren't you?"
"What is with you! He's part of our team!" A growl escaped my throat.
"I don't remember letting him join." Dash said,
"Quit it!" I hissed, and Dash sighed,
"Sorry.".
"I'm headed back to bed." Dash waved, before stopping.
"Oh, we're headed out together to collect supplies, as a team." My friend explained, "Okay, but what about Luke?"
"If he's not back by tomorrow morning, I'll help you look." He offered. I nodded, "Thanks.".
"I should probably get to bed too." I yawned, and headed back to the cabin.
-------
"Wake up!" A voice interrupted my deep sleep, and I felt my dog licking my face.
"Uh." I groaned, and opened my eyes, to see Apprentice sitting on the bed next to me. Melody was standing above me, hands on her hips.
"Sleepyhead," my best friend let out a sigh,
"Up!"
"Okay, getting up." I groaned again, and pulled myself out of bed.
"What time is it?"
"Seven thirty. We leave in ten minutes." I nodded, and went into the kitchen to get some cereal. I wolfed down my breakfast, and then began packing my bag full of food, water, the necessary. Melody walked towards me, and passed me some clean clothes. I quickly changed into the outfit, which consisted of a black hoodie, camouflage pants, and my trusty combat boots. My hand guns lay on the night table beside my bed, and I picked them up and put them in my belt.
"I'm ready," I smiled at Melody, and then looked at Apprentice,
"Sorry bud, you have to stay here. Be good." I waved, and Apprentice whined. Melody and I opened the door of the cabin, and I looked to see Lev and Dash waiting for us at the electric fence surrounding camp.
----------
The four of us made our way into the city as we traveled down an old, abandoned road. My gaze travelled to the sky, and I couldn't help but notice that the sky looked lighter than usual.
"I hate this place." Lev sighed,
"Me too." Dash agreed.
Melody looked up at the sky,
"You thinking the same thing?"
"Yeah, the sky is lighter, and even less cloudy?" My friend nodded. I looked down at Melody's mechanic arm. She used to have a normal arm, but it was ripped off by a mutant. Pretty gruesome. Though, her arm is used as a weapon now, and has enhanced strength. Lev suddenly stopped in front of me, causing me to slam into his back.
"Why'd we stop?" I asked,
"Mutants." Lev drew his throwing knives. I peered out from behind him, and noticed a few mutants minding their own business.
"We should attack them from both sides. Lev, Jaylynn go to the right, and Dash and I will go to the left side." Melody suggested,
"Why do I have to fight with Bubbles?" Lev said playfully
"Don't you even start." I growled.
"Stop it you two!"Melody giggled. I smiled, and then headed to the right side of the mutants.
"Aim, and fire." I pulled the triggers on both guns, and shot down two mutants. Three more noticed, but Lev had killed them before they could reach us. I shot at another mutant, taking off its head.
"Ew." I scrunched up my face, and Lev chuckled. Across from us, Melody was using her arm to kill and fight many mutants, and Dash was shooting some down with his rifle. "We need a team name." I nudged Lev's arm,
"How about 'mutant killers?'" Lev suggested,
"Come on, that's so creative." I replied sarcastically.
"I say we name it, 'Jaylynn is the best'.", Lev laughed,
"No way. What about, 'We have a wacko in our group'"
"Hey!" I hissed, landing a punch in his arm.
"Ow, that hurt!" Lev frowned,
"I'm not afraid to do that again." I growled, earning a laugh from Lev.
"Why don't we think of a team name later, it'll come to us."
"Ok, let's have a contest though. See who can kill the most mutants."
"You're on.". I giggled, and starting shooting many mutants, Lev growled and began throwing his knives at the monsters, like rapid fire.
"Fifteen!" I grinned,
"Seven." Lev groaned in defeat.
"Well, all dead." I put my hand guns back into my pocket, and stepped over a dead mutant. Melody and Dash waved to Lev and I, and we headed towards them.
"Hang on, anyone seen Luke?" I looked around,
"Nope. He wasn't in camp either." Lev frowned.
"Hm. We can go look for him, but I think we should check out this building first." Melody pointed to a building in front of us with gas pumps out the front. A gas station. I walked towards the building, and pulled open the door. Shelves of supplies lay ahead of me, and I smiled,
"Looks like nobody's been here in a while.".
A sudden gun shot whizzed by my head, and I jumped in shock and looked for it's owner. Behind a counter, I could see movement. I approached slowly,
"It's okay, we're not here to hurt you." I raised my hands. The person behind the counter, peeked out, and I was horrified at what I saw. They had no gas mask. It was a male in his late twenties with skin the lightest shade of blue, piercing yellow eyes, and messy dark brown hair. The male aimed his gun at my chest.
"Calm down." I took both guns out of my pocket, and laid them on the ground in front of me. When I stood back up, the male had aimed again. I didn't have time to react, when he pulled the trigger. A force threw me out of the wall and into the ground. My eyes widened when they met with Luke's blue eyes, and I realized how close he was to me. I blushed under my gas mask, and thanked it for hiding me. Luke stared at me for a few seconds, and then got to his feet. I got up after him, and looked at the counter to see the man gone.
"Thank you." I smiled at the back of Luke's head.
"Don't mention it." He said, and starting walking off.
"Hey, you should travel with our group." I grabbed his arm.
"Nah, I need some time myself." He explained.
"Oh, be-"
"Careful." Luke finished my sentence, and waved, before running off.
"Was that Luke?" Melody walked over to me.
"Uh huh. He said he needs alone time."
"Ah." My friend nodded.
"Hey, don't get candy!" Melody laughed and grabbed the pack of candies I was about to throw in my pack. My friend went to another shelf, and I snuck the candy back in my pack. Melody and I finished searching the store, and we left, to go find Lev and Dash. They were walking towards us, they're packs heavy with supplies.
"Where'd you get all that?" I blinked,
"Grocery store." Dash pointed down the road.
"I think we should head back to camp." Melody said,
"What about Luke?" Dash and Lev asked, I explained the story.
The four of us headed back to camp, and I told my team mates about the man in the store.
"He didn't have a gas mask? How was he not dead?" Lev blinked,
"Don't know. It could be the gas station, since it didn't have any broken windows." I explained.
"He was affected though?" Melody asked,
"Yeah, he was turning into a mutant."
"That's weird." Dash scratched his head.
-------
My team arrived back at camp, and I headed to our food building. When I entered, Kylen's team was sitting at a table. I approached them,
"Hi.". The four looked up at me,
"Hey Jaylynn." Kayleigh responded.
"You headed on a mission tomorrow?" I asked Kylen.
"First thing in the morning." He nodded.
"There are quite a few mutants out there, so be safe." I said,
"Oh, and I brought you all something.". I placed down four bags of candy and they all thanked me. Melody called to me from a table across the room, and I waved to Kylen's team.
"How are they doing?" Melody asked me, when I sat down with a sandwich.
"Okay, Fiona's quiet." I sighed,
"Poor girl." Melody looked over at Fiona.
I looked over at Dash, who was currently playing a game on his game pad, and Lev who was eating his spaghetti.
"I'm going outside." I rose from the table, after finishing my sandwich. I walked into the contaminated air, and shivered when it brushed against me. It was then I let the tears fall freely down my face.
