When All is Lost

Chapter 17

I couldn't imagine a child living amongst all that was happening. It was too terrible, but then I pictured Abby. Even Ray seemed fairly young. I had to stop thinking again. I couldn't afford to let my mind drift. The sun was setting too fast for my liking, the world itself seemed to darken more quickly than usual due to the overcast sky.

Just don't snow again.

I took in the last bit of warmth the sun offered before it dipped below the horizon and left me in a yawning darkness that enveloped me in its icy embrace. Without the sun's guidance and without a star in sight, I had limited time before I'd lose track of my bearings.

I'd been so careful during my walk, that I didn't even think I'd made it a whole mile, but I had to make every step count.

It might not even matter.

I still had no idea if my east was the right east. Bitterness crawled its way up inside me, but I did my best to swallow it down. My only option was to keep going. I approached another crossroads and was determined to keep going straight.

"Do we have enough for a fire?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. I didn't see anyone, but I heard the raspy, high-pitched voice clearly as it pierced the quiet night air.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask Jake." The deep voice responding sounded agitated but had no qualms about speaking at a loud volume. It helped me pinpoint the direction their voices were coming from. Panic tickled my spine when I realized I was about to collide with the people at the crossroad. I had seconds to act.

I hurriedly took my backpack off and held it to my front as I ran to the corpse on the sidewalk. Practically doing a nose dive, I threw myself down next to it and yanked it partially over me as I laid down. I gingerly moved my gun-holding hand under its body and froze as the sounds of footsteps finally hit my ears.

"I'm hungry," a third voice whined.

"We're all hungry," the high-pitched voice replied. "Shut up about it."

I could see little puffs of my breath escaping with every exhale. My heart thumped almost painfully in my chest. I could hear them getting closer. As subtly as I could, I tucked my chin down, moving it closer to the dead body's chest, and made myself only breathe through my nose, taking in the putrid smell of decay.

"I thought I saw deer tracks yesterday," the whiney voice said from just a few feet away. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"And? You're a lousy shot."

"What? No, I'm not!"

The deep voice seemed to laugh from right next to me.

"Yeah, you are. You couldn't even get that girl yesterday."

"She was moving too fast."

"And what? You think deer are slow?" Two voices seemed to laugh at that.

The snow on my cheek stung, but I didn't dare move. Their steps had almost slowed to a stop.

"Want to pick 'em over?" The high-pitched voice asked. It took me a second to realize that they were talking about me and the body. I held my breath.

"Nah, I'm cold," the deep voice said. "Let's just get back."

I heard them move on, their bantering echoing on the wind as they continued on their journey. I shook like a leaf from the cold and the adrenaline but didn't dare move for a few minutes. The stench of the body that was partially draped across mine invaded my senses to the point where I could almost taste it. I bit my tongue so as to not gag and vomit on myself with my face in the snow.