The art of survival (Maya Hart/joshaya)

Chapter 5

How?

"I tried to lead a herd of growlers away from them..." I whispered. I looked down. I hadn't lowered my gun yet. I don't know why I am telling her this. It just felt good to talk to someone.

"How long?" She asked. I looked up at her face. Her red hair was in a dark plum shade and her brown eyes pierced through mine. I sighed and looked out of one of the small windows. The sun was still shining.

"A year." I said and tried to ignore her shocked expression. Why can't people understand that you can survive alone? It's easier that way, no losses and no heartbreaks. She didn't say anything after that and that made me finally lower my gun. We just sat there and ate out beans. As much as I hated to admit it, I actually enjoyed the feeling of having someone there. I can't go through that again. I got up to my feet.

"I have to go." I said and tried to make a move to the door. She blocked it.

"Come with me, we have a community and you would probably fit right in." She said while trying to prevent me from leaving. She looked so innocent, like nothing of this world had affected her. She looked like Riley had.

"I am not like you. I have done horrible things in this world to survive. I can't fit into a community, maybe a year ago, but not now. I am sorry." I whispered while trying to put my walls up around my emotions again. I realized that it was a lot harder for me to build them up again than it was for her to break them down. She crossed her arms and looked at me. Suddenly I felt so small.

"You may have done those things but you aren't a bad person. I can sense that and our leader will too." She said, her brown eyes never leaving mine. I just shook my head. I pulled out my gun, pointed it straight in the middle of her eyes.

"Let me go." I breathed and her eyes got wider as she stepped aside and let me pass through the door. I ran as fast as I could when I got out back to the woods, my safe place. I hadn't noticed that it was beginning to get dark outside. I was just about to find a tree to sleep in when I heard the footsteps. It was a lot of them. More than thirty growlers and they were heading straight towards the cottage where I left the girl. I sighed at my own stupidity before I took the chance and sprinted back towards the cottage.

It was almost completely dark when I got there. The growlers were only maybe three hundred feet away and I knew that I was running out of time. The cottage was a secure place but the growlers would probably tear it down as soon as they got there.

"Open up! We have to go!" I shouted and knocked on the door. I heard footsteps coming from inside and the door swung open. The red head stood there and looked at me shocked with her mouth wide open. I understood her surprise, people didn't come back. We didn't have the time for any explanations. I took her hand and literally dragged her outside and pointed to the growlers. She nodded, she understood.

She pointed to what I am assuming is her car just a couple of meters away. I sighed of relief at the sight of it. We would be safe if we just got away. We sprinted to the car as fast as we possibly could. She opened the car doors while I was opening fire against the herd that was coming closer and closer to us. We jumped in and rolled away on the dark roads.

"Well blonde, I guess that you are coming with me anyways." She smirked at me.