Death's Playground

Chapter 15

When we arrive back to the others they are all waiting, backpacks on, ready to carry on moving. I pick up my bag and give Oliver a glare as I start my walk through the rest of the forest. This time Matt doesn't walk with me, he keeps his eyes on the floor, refusing to meet mine, and walks ahead of me. I know that I acted out but I was so mad that he would save himself and not think about the others. Although I'm not completely surprised by Oliver, I knew he would do something like this soon. He's just that kind of prick.

Chris and Ruby talk in hushed voices behind me, I can only make out pieces of the conversation but I know what they're discussing. They are talking about me, whether I'm right in the mind or a possible danger to the group.  Neither of them actually say that I've gone crazy, but they sound worried. Worried about whether I've completely lost it or that this world has changed me into someone they don't know. I've gone from not being able to kill a fly, literally, to threatening to kill someone. Honestly, I too am worried. That person pointing a knife at Oliver's head wasn't me. I shudder, I won't let this world control me, turn me into something I'm not.

I grip the straps of my backpack harder and walk faster. I don't want to hear any more of their conversation. I don't like feeling like I'm on trial for losing my sanity. And in all honesty, I feel like the verdict could be guilty soon. 

After about another hour of walking through the dull forest I hear a scream. My head jerks up and my eyes scan the area. I look from person to person in my group, I sigh in relief, the scream didn't come from them. We all look at each other, waiting for someone to lead.

The scream sounds again, it sounds like it's coming from a man. It's deep and low, my eyebrows furrow, we haven't come across a single adult yet.

I roll me eyes at everyone and start walking toward the scream. I hear someone run to catch up with me, their feet crunching on the leaves and twigs. Ruby grabs my shoulder and forces me to look at her, "You can't just go running off Bethany. We don't know who made that scream." Her voice is hushed, slightly stern but her eyes are caring. I keep my voice quiet like hers, "We need to help them."  She keeps my stare for a few seconds, deciding on what to do. She gives a quick nod at me and tells everyone to find where the scream came from.

We follow the distant screams that seem to echo through the trees. I try to hide a smile, the first person in our group to make a move to help this person screaming, threatened someone not too long ago. Oh the irony.

We reach the edge of the forest; we stay hidden behind some trees before we decide to make a move. Just outside the forest is a man, he looks to be in his late 20's. He's covered in blood, head to toe, but underneath all that blood he is wearing an army uniform.

Dead swam around him, he uses a large army knife to swiftly take out the dead, one by one. I whisper back behind me to the others, "We have to help him." Ruby shakes her head. Ignoring her I take out my bat and emerge from behind the tree. I take out one of the dead that were heading for the man in uniform. He whips his head around, seeing me.

Calmly, I fight off a few more to get just out of the tree line. I raise my hands in a surrendering gesture to tell him I am here to help. In one fluid motion he grabs a gun from his belt and aims it at me. I drop my bat instantly, eyes widening. I stutter, "I'm here to h-help, p-please, don't shoot." He clasps both hands around the pistol and looks straight down the gun. "P-Please..." I turn my head and close my eyes.

Bang.