Homeward Z

Four

I found Tom and John in the clearing they used to split wood. "It's time to go," I said.
"What happened to you?" John asked. Disbelief warped his features and Tom's own were morbid as well.
"There's humans here, I killed two, two remain."
"We know, and there's a lot more than four. One shot me with the crossbow," John grumbled and I saw it now in the light. The side closest to Tom had an arrow sprouting from it, "better get him in the truck," I whispered. "They hurt you Bridget?" John asked.
"Not really, just a few blows to the face..." it was clear my tone didn't soothe the man. He gave me a look that said it didn't matter. He wasn't making it out of this alive either.
  We stopped an hour later on an abandoned road marked with no trespassing. The sky had darkened and Tom left the headlights on before helping his dad onto the ground. I didn't know what to do which made Tom a bit frustrated. He wanted someone to help him end no one else could...
"Tie me up son, we both know this is going to end in tears, when the time comes silence me."
My good hand clenched in horror, "don't make your son do that, I..." the little girls face flashed behind my eyes. "No, no he's my dad. It needs to be me Bridget," Tom said.
I nodded, sliding down the grill of the truck. John coughed for a bit before he managed to speak again.
"Try to get home Bridget, maybe... maybe your home is better and take my son with you. Don't trust anyone... humans are just as bad as those damn Z's."
It turned to a wheeze and I felt my coat pocket for the photographs I had kept with me all day. "Take the truck east to the coast... get away..." he managed before his chest seized. Tom didn't move for the longest time, watching his father turn. He stared into his eyes and closed his own eyes before plunging a nail into John's forehead.
I grabbed a shovel and started to dig long before he moved. I couldn't bother him yet and even after we had buried him and gotten on the road again. He hadn't spoken yet and I knew if I did it would only hurt him more. "Did you have to do that on the plane?" He finally wheezed.
"In a way," I whispered.
"That little girl... did you know her?"
"No, not at all, she just survived a bit longer than I thought anyone did. She was talking to me up to the point when she died."
"Was it as bad?" He asked in such a shaky tone I didn't know whether to answer or not.
"I don't think it ever compares... you loved your dad, I didn't know the girl. It's ok to hate yourself for a bit, god knows I bloody do."
"Why?"
"Because I survived Tom."
His shoulders relaxed and I didn't look back from the wheel. John had said East... and East is the way we were going, but the more I drove the more chaos I saw.
"Do you have anyone else Tom?" I whispered.
"No, so yes, I'm going to try and get you home."
"I can do it myself."
"I don't care," he grumbled and with that happy thought the car died and the boy I knew later to be 10k came to life.