The End

Chapter Four

We continued to walk, I felt numb. As we walked we walked in silence, the only sounds were the squeaking of the wheelbarrow and the constant complaints from my stomach.
When we woke up this morning Jackson had left and came back with water but wouldn't offer an explanation for where it came from.
Now we just walked in the dead quiet. We hadn't seen a truck of a helicopter all day and even the trees didn't offer a breeze, the world was dead.
The farther we walked the more destruction we found, broken roads, forest fires, ruined houses, I didn't recognize anything.
I looked up at the sky frowning, the grey almost looked tinted green.
"We made it!" Catherine said making me jump. I looked at her long driveway that hid her house from the road.
We started to walk and she ran ahead of us, probably to check on her mom.
We turned the corner of her long driveway revealing a small log cabin house with a old red Toyota truck sitting in the driveway, all untouched.
I opened the front door pushing it open for the next person to catch. The familiar scent of tropical room spray and cigarette smoke filled my nose making me smile.
Catherine stood in the kitchen reading a small piece of yellow paper that was stuck to the fridge.
She took a breath and opened the fridge getting all the food out and then went to the cupboard doing the same.
"Here, everyone eat, but make sure you save some, who knows what we will find in the city." She said before grabbing a bag of chips and ducking out of the kitchen to her room.
I looked at the food for a second before settling on a box of fruit snacks and began to follow Catherine up stairs when I hand stopped me.
I turned to see Ash. "Maybe you should just give her some time." He said. I sighed, I knew he was right but I wanted to help her.
We walked into the living room where Maggie was working on Emma's cut, Tyler was asleep in the chair next to her, and the others were gathered around the coffee table talking.
I looked out the window at the sky, it still looked dark grey but the greenish color was gone, replaced with the orange glow from the setting sun.
Two days on the road and I was done with it, I didn't ask for this. I sighed pushing those thoughts aside, none of us asked for this but we're stuck in it now so we just have to focus on getting through it together.
Ash walked up hugging me from behind. "Are you okay?" He asked.
I sighed, turning around to face him. He soft brown eyes were full of worry and love. I smiled a little bit standing up on my tippy toes and kissing him, "I am now." I whispered. He smiled a little kissing me again.
"All of you guys should get some sleep." Catherine said from the stairs.
I started to say something but was interrupted by Maggie, "No, no, no, oh my god no please!" We all ran over to where she was kneeling over Emma.
"Emma! No, no, no, Emma please!" She leaned over her chest listening for her heartbeat. Tears streamed down her face and she looked at all of us, we knew she was gone. 
Tyler helped Maggie up pulling her into his arms, "I tried to save her, I tried." She said between sobs.
I looked down at my friend feeling a sharp pain in my heart.
I turned around hiding my face in Ash and cried.

********

I laid in Ash's arms wide awake. From where we were laying on the couch I could see Maggie and Tyler on the opposite couch, Jackson who had taken a reclining chair, and Dylan's hand since he was laying on the floor next to us.
Catherine was up in her room so I wasn't sure what she was doing.
I sighed getting annoyed with myself, why couldn't I sleep. I carefully moved Ash's arm and stood up missing Dylan's head by an inch.
I cringed stepping over him quietly and walking over to the window, it looked so peaceful outside.
The sky still looked dark, almost if it was gonna rain. I sat down on the windowsill since it was wide enough and pulled my legs up to my chest. I rested my head against the window and watched the dark world.
When 4:30AM rolled around I woke everyone up since we said we would leave at 5:00AM.
We had packed before we went to bed so that meant there was only one thing left to do.
We all stood around the freshly packed down ground silently. There was nothing to be said. I wanted to cry this time, I wanted to greave my friends death but I just felt dumb.
We all got in the truck, there was just enough room.
Catherine drove since it was her car and Jackson and Dylan sat up front with her. I sat it the back with Ash, Maggie, and Tyler.
While we drove it began to rain making the gloomy darkness worse.
As we drove everyone began to fall asleep again. I rested my head on Ash's shoulder and watched everyone sleep.
I didn't want to lose anyone else and I would so everything go could to keep them safe but I'm not super human. I'm just, me.
It started to get lighter outside as the sun came up but there was no color, just grey and rain.