In the middle of an apocalyptic outbreak, Alena is rescued by seven strangers. She's no damsel in distress, but learning to survive in this new world won't be an easy feat. Trapped where the undead rule, this group of eight will fight for their live...
Taehyung was completely out of it, taking all of my strength to help lift him out of the water and over the tree. It bent with our weight and I let out an exasperated sigh, letting myself fall backwards against wood until the shuffling of footsteps in the high grass pulled my attention.
Jimin and Jungkook were the first to reach us, able to see our exhaustion in the way Taehyung lay limp across the tree and my chest heaved with every huff of air. There was a crack as Jungkook attempted walking to us, the tree dipping so that my feet dropped further into the water. I looked over my shoulder, watching him retract and allow Jimin to test his weight against it since he was lighter.
"Just give us a minute." I leaned over, putting a hand on Taehyung's back to see if he'd respond to me. His head lifted slowly, hair hung over his face so that it was difficult to see his eyes. Through the curtain of black I could see them droop with tiredness, Jin next to beckon us to start moving again as the rest of the group caught up.
"We need to keep moving. More undead are headed this way." He panted, putting his hands on his knees to catch his breath after fighting and running.
"That river kicked my ass." Taehyung ignored them to speak to me, pushing up on the metal covering over his arm to sit up. "Did you get bit?"
I shook my head. "I just lost my bag." I placed my hand right over my heart, frowning at the small tear in my dress. "And the broach from Hoseok." I sighed, disappointed that the butterfly pin I kept tacked to the inside of my clothes was gone. It was the only thing I had of him, my eyes welling with tears at the absence of the gemstones against my skin.
I noticed that he winced as he reached out for my hand, the pain more intense with his efforts to save us from the raging water.
"Let's get back so we can look at your arm." I wrapped my fingers around his in gratitude, letting go only to start the crawl back to land.
It took another minute for Jin to rewrap Taehyung's shoulder, checking on its movement and shaking his head at the lack of mobility. Jungkook managed to maintain gentleness in his touch, a deep line etched between his eyebrows that showed his worry as he checked my back and shoulders to make sure I hadn't been scratched or bitten.
I trembled from the cold as he squeezed some of the water from my skirt and hair, Taehyung and I soaked from head to toe while the others remained dry above the waist.
"It'll be easier to get away from the pack if we go through the woods." Yoongi used his katana to slice through some of the thin branches that stuck out from the edge of the treeline for a better view. It would be harder to weave our way through on this side, trees bunched together so tightly that we needed to hold hands in a line to keep up with one another.
The sky grew darker with every crunch of old, browned pine beneath our feet. Tired and exhausted didn't feel like big enough words to describe the need for rest, the ache in my legs numbing so that my entire body was on the brink of giving out.
Yoongi let out a single whistle from the front of the line that captured all of our focus. I'd kept my eyes on Jungkook's heels that trudged in front of me, sticking my head out to look past the four bodies ahead me in line.
There was just enough clearing so that the small aluminum camper tucked perfectly between the thick of trees came into view. It looked abandoned, rust coating the few places the sun could reach and two wheels on either side completely flat.
"It's quiet." I observed, a whisper of wind the only sound as we stopped walking.
"Jin, Namjoon." Yoongi urged the two of them forward. They stepped out to flank his sides, Namjoon using the perimeter to sneak behind the camper for a view through the back window.
Yoongi was soundless as he approached the front door, pulling the handle with a small click and a gun crossed over his wrist to aim inside. The door jerked open and I waited for a noise, someone startled by the sudden intrusion, the groan of the undead, or gunshots fired without warning. There was nothing outside of the creak of metal as Yoongi got a better look inside, waving a hand to signal that it was all clear.
The air inside was dry and the floor groaned as the eight of us piled inside. It was nearly empty, the two kitchen cabinets filled with cobwebs and a tiny bed at one side, so small that it looked more like a bench. On the other was a table with booth style seating where two could sit.
Shelby was quick to spot a single pillow on the bed, handing it to Taehyung to tuck behind his shoulder as he took a spot at the head. He breathed slow and heavy, like he was already on the edge of sleep while Shelby looked wired, eyes wide with adrenaline and foot tapping incessantly against the floor as she took the spot next to him.
Jungkook reached beside her, nabbing a thin throw blanket to stretch around my shoulders. Yoongi's head rested against the wall and Jin's on the table from their seats at the booth while Namjoon and Jimin scrunched themselves on the floor with their backs against the stove.
I did the same, sliding down next to Shelby and putting a hand on her bouncing knee. She sat back with a long exhale, glancing over to Taehyung with a twinge of concern and longing.
Jungkook pulled his knees up as he sat in the space beside me, leaning fully against the cabinet behind us. I fought against the chatter of my teeth, the blanket over my shoulders providing little relief from the cold trapped inside my wet clothes. My hands quivered and I had to use the inside of my sleeve to wipe the dribble of mucus off my nose.
"Come here, let me help." Jungkook spoke just about a whisper.
I wasn't sure if I'd turn my head to find him offering a rag for me to clean my nose on or the thin t-shirt he still wore. Instead his arms were outstretched, balancing on his knees in an offer to act as a second blanket.
His body stiffened at the chill of my skin as I maneuvered myself over, nestling between his legs so that he practically covered me, his chest against my back and thighs pressed against mine. His warmth radiated through every spot our bodies met and we relaxed into each other at the same time.
"You scared me today." He sighed, his mouth as close to my ear as our lips were in the second before our first and only kiss.
His hands remained on his knees and I wanted to reach out, to hold on to one of them. I didn't, recalling that every time we got physically close there was a reason attached to survival, the kiss clouded with the belief that we were seconds from death and even the way he held me now, to keep me warm.
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