Insanity

Nine

I drop the bow and run towards the house, my stomach doing flips . I run up to the house as flames erupt from every door and window. I try to go inside, but Will pulls me back. "It's too late," he says.

Will pulls me back a safe distance from the house. "If they're inside it's too late... Its too late," Will says. "They can't be! They were the closest thing I had to having a family after Christian!" I yell. "We have to go," Will says. "The light will attract every mutant around," A tear slips down my cheek and I nod. Ivan emerges from the fire with Jade in his arms. "Ivan!" I yell. "Jade!" I get out of Will's grasp and run to them. "Ash," Ivan says. "We can talk later. We need to go," Will says. "What about Megan?" I ask. Ivan just shakes his head and walks off to the car. I frown. "Com'on Ash," Will says walking to the car. I go grab my bow first, then head to the car. Jade has her head on Ivan's lap. She has some burns, but it doesn't look too bad. I sit in the passenger seat, and as usual Will drives. I sigh and look back at the house. Megan. She hated you anyways, it's not like she was your friend or related to you in any way.

"Ash," someone's voice rings in my ear. "Wake up." My eyes flutter open to see Jade standing outside my open door. I smell a campfire. I unbuckle my seatbelt. I get out of the car. Will and Ivan are cooking some meat at the fire. "We're gonna camp in the woods," Ivan says cheerily. I half smile at him. I take a seat and stare at the fire. "Something wrong?" Will asks. "Oh," I say taken by surprise. "Its nothing," He looks up not quite believing me, but he lets it slide. "So," Jade says awkwardly. "What's the game plan?" Will and I look at each other. "Actually," Will starts. "Ash and I have to make a run. It'll take about a week," he says. "We are going to find another house to stay in, then Ash and I will leave for the run," Will says. Jade and Ivan nod.

The next morning, we head out looking for a new place to stay that's away from cities, but not far enough to make.it hard for Will and I to make our run. We decide on a small two bedroom house that has trees surrounding it. We all go inside checking the place out. Luckily, Ivan still had his gun from the house fire. Jade didn't have a weapon, so she stayed by Ivan as we checked the house out. Once we checked the house out, built up boards on the windows, and made sure Ivan and Jade were settled in Will and I left.

I got in the passenger seat as I always do and Will in the drivers. We pull out of the driveway and down the road. The CDC is only a day or two trip from the house where Ivan and Jade were.

Will stopped the car and shut it off. "What are you doing?" I ask. "Shh," Will says. I stay quiet. I hear the mutants outside. I look at Will. 'Stay quiet' he mouths. I nod. There are mutants scattered all over the road. They don't hear us luckily. We sit there for minute while Will thinks up a plan. He starts the car and the mutants stop what they are doing and look at the car. Will backs up and whips the car around. He drives back down the road as fast as the car would go. The mutants stopped chasing the car after we turned the corner. "What now?" I ask. "We're going to take a little detour," Will says. We drive down a narrow dirt road. "You sure this goes around?" I ask uncertain. "Well, we're about to find out," Will says with a light laugh. I just shake my head, smile, and look out the window.

   Will looked like he was about to pass out. "You want me to drive?" I ask him. He nods sleepily. He pulls the car over and gets into the back, laying down on the seat. I get out and get into the drivers seat. I pull off the side of the road and drive down the road.

  A deer bounds infront of the car. I slam on the brakes making Will fall off the seat. "What? What's going on?" Will asks frantically.  "Deer," I say. Will sighs, and you can practically hear him roll his eyes. I keep driving, but I can't help feeling tired. "You're tired let me drive," he says. I nod and stop the car. I climb into the back and Will gets in the driver's seat. I lie down on the seat and curl into a ball. I soon fall asleep.

   I wake up in the morning and the car is stopped. Will has the seat reclined and he's still sleeping. I poke his shoulder. He jolts awake. "Woah calm down," I say. "We need to find food today. I'm starving," I say. He nods. I get in the passenger's seat. Will drives, as always. We pull into a driveway and he stops the car. "We can just scavenge for food here and maybe the house across the street," Will says. I nod and grab my bow. I make sure I have my machete too. I throw my backpack on.
    Will and I approach the house cautiously, waiting for mutants to try and attack. We go up on the porch and Will kicks in the door holding his gun up. I have an arrow nocked just in case.

   "I'll take the upstairs and you take the downstairs," Will whispers. I nod and walk down the hall and into the kitchen. I look around in the cupboards for anything useful or edible. I find a box of crackers, some matches, a jar of peanut butter, and a stale loaf of bread. Jackpot. I put the stuff in my backpack. "Anything?" Will asks. "Yeah," I say back. I feel a gun being put on the back of my neck. "Who are you?" they demand. "Uh," I hesitate. "Who. Are. You?" they say angrily. "My name's Ash," I say. "Put your weapons down," they say. I drop my bow and machete onto the ground. They take the gun away from me. I stay still. "Turn around," they order. I slowly turn around to face a man that has dirty blond hair and blue eyes. His face has some dirt and grime on it. He kicks my bow and machete away from me. I catch a glimpse of Will. He nods at me. He comes around the corner, gun raised, ready to shoot. "So you have backup?" the blond asks. "I guess you could say that," I say. The blond puts his gun down. I look at him like he's insane. "I'm Tyson," he introduces. "Ash, but you already knew that," I say. Will lowers his gun, walks closer to us, but still keeps an iron grip on his weapon. "Will," he says plainly. I pick up my weapons. "You scavenging around here?" he asks. I nod. "Well, the other houses are pretty much empty. I picked them clean a few weeks ago," he says. "Why should we believe you?" Will snarls. I put a hand on Will's shoulder as if to say calm down. "Well, I guess you really shouldn't, but why would I lie? There are two obviously skilled killers infront of me waiting for me to make a mistake so they can kill me," He says. "We're not going to kill you," I state looking over at Will. He rolls his eyes. "You have group?" I ask. "No," Tyson says. "Had actually, our safe house burnt to the ground in a mysterious fire that no one seemed to have started. A few of us made it out just barely, but most of them died horrible fiery deaths," he says looking at the ground. Will and I look at each other. Mysterious fires? Someone must be lighting them. "You want to come with us?" I ask. "Ash-" Will starts to say. I give him a look that says shut your mouth before I do it for you. "Um," Tyson says. "I guess I could, but I'll be leaving soon enough," he says. "Why is that?" Will asks bitterly. "I like being on my own, but I'll stick with you for a while," He states.
  
   We boarded up all the windows and locked every door. I grabbed two blankets off the couch. I layed a blanket down on the floor and covered up with the other.

   Just as I start dozing off, I hear a smashing sound. I jolt awake. I hear the horrible sounds of a mutant. More like multiple mutants.