Clarkesville (Chandler Riggs)

Chapter 22

Thank you guys for more and more reads everyday! ❤ I hope you enjoy this chapter.
-molly

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The pine and soggy leaves peeled off of my sticky palms as I sat upward, leisurely opening my eyes to wake up. I cracked my neck and stretched out my legs while looking around my bed, made from Chandler and I's sweatshirts.

My vision was still shaky and blurry, but I could tell who was up and who was still sleeping.

Sean was peeling an apple, Luke was leaning against the same tree as yesterday, and Vincent was quietly guarding our little camp sight. I wondered how he could go so long without trying to go to sleep.

"Hey..." A voice groaned from beside me. Chandler sat up, fixing his hair with his free hand. "Hi." My reply was cut off by someone's coughing.

Earl was heaving huge gasps, coughing hysterically. One of his wrinkled hands grasped the neck of his button-up shirt, the other leaning against a tree. He was pale white, except for his cheeks. His old skin was turning almost purple. The old man was scaring me. "Earl, are you alright?"

He just kept wheezing, shaking his head roughly. By now, Chandler, Luke, Vincent, Sean, Joy, Daniella and I were surrounding him, trying to keep him up.

Walkers were beginning come into view, growling at the sound of Earl's hoarse coughing. More and more people were beginning to wake up.

I slid my gun out of it's holster, backing up slightly, pulling Chandler back with me who already bared his weapon. "Sean! Luke!" He yelled to the boys to help us out.

Chandler, Luke and I shot down some of them, while Sean used his machete to slice through their skulls. We were doing alright for a couple of kids.

Once all of the closer walkers were down, Chandler I headed back to the crowd of people; leaving Sean and Luke to stand guard.

Earl was curled on the ground now, blood trickling from the corner of his lips. He was clearly sick with a deadly disease. "Oh, Earl!" Daniella cried, wiping his blood off with a cloth from a first aid kit.

All of us were shocked and terrified for the old man. Brianna hugged closely to Sammy, both of them horrified. I thought it was quite odd that they were immediately so close, but I focused on what really mattered.

"Wait wait wait he's slowing down..."

Earl stopped his vigorous coughing very suddenly, but still curled over while clutching his stomach. He said a word but it was muffled by the sound of another sharp cough.

Daniella patted his shoulder. "What Earl? Are you alright?" She asked, shaking him gently. He nodded continuously, and raised his bony hand to his bloody lips.

He made the same sound again, but it was a little clearer. "Heemotisis..." I have never known of that word before, or maybe I was mis-hearing it because of Earl's clogged throat.

"Huh?" Daniella turned to the rest of us for answers to what the word meant.

"He means hemoptysis. It's a disease when you cough up different amounts of blood, either from lung damage or tuberculosis..." Sammy held shyly onto her elbow, explaining the meaning of this to all of us.

Earl glared at the girl, and nodded his head. "Yes, hemoptysis..." Although when he said the strange word it sounded more like 'heemotisis.' So the man was sick with a bad disease of coughing up blood. That was scary; the fact that he was going to die no matter what.

"It's incurable unless treated right away. Do you take meds, Earl?" Sammy continued, bending down to be eye level with him. The nodding of his head stopped, then began again after he thought about her question.

"Okay so you're treated but it hasn't wo-"

"I was treated too late." He cut her off, speaking out to all of those who were listening. "I'll die eventually."

"Yeah, eventually." I and quite a few others snapped their heads around to look at Vincent, who made a sneering noise. I'd had enough of this man - Chandler and I leaving him behind was one of the pros of our situation, just so we wouldn't have to be treated so cruelly by him anymore.

"Shut up for once!" Daniella stood from her crouch, balling her fists at her sides. "This is serious. Stop being such a prick!"

Daniella covered her mouth for her language, unlike anyone else that hadn't bothered to. "Excuse my language, but just shut the hell up!" She feared of the children repeating such a phrase; but in my eyes I couldn't help but slyly smile at the woman swearing and taking her anger out.

Vincent looked furious, with his lips pursed and his chest stuck out in anger. He thought he was so overpowering, but yet he didn't know what to say. "Oh so now you shut up." Daniella mumbled throwing her hands up. "Keep it that way."

I wanted to cheer for the woman and her bravery. But I decided to keep to myself after people started talking to Earl again. "Okay Earl we're gonna' move you into a tent."

Instantly, Bruno and Jay helped maneuver Earl into Daniella's tent. As soon as he was inside, Joy and Daniella stayed with him to aid. It was weird; I almost thought he was having a heart attack, but instead it was some other deadly disease showdown that he quickly recovered from.

"Can I talk to you?"

Chandler took my hand, pulling me away before I could say anything. When we entered a small clearing just outside of the group circle, he twisted me around to face him. "What?" I asked in the least-harsh tone I could manage.

"Do you like being with them?"

I blinked my eyelids, confused by his one simple question.

"I said, do you like being with them? With these people?" Chandler bent down slightly until he was eye level with me.

"Um, I don't know..." I said and he shook his head.

"Riley we have to leave. They aren't good for me; for us." Us? He considered our relationship, an 'Us'?

I was a little misunderstood. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? The two kids are sociopaths, Vincent's a total douchbag, and theirs not a single person there without a pursuing and or harmful weapon." Hadn't we been through this beforehand?

"Okay... Your point is?" I dragged. Chandler let go of my hand and placed his on my shoulder; again.

"Do you like being with them?"

I agreed with Chandler and his reasons, but what I didn't understand was why was he so desperate to leave? Yes Freddy and Anna were creepy. I have had enough of Vincent, and when I thought about the first time I met these people, even poor Sammy had a pistol in her hand. Anyone could be dangerous nowadays.

So I guess I enjoyed the most of this group, but the option of leaving Chandler behind and doing whats best for him and I'd survival was the only thing that would matter. We were only 14 and have known each other for... Almost a week.

But we were each other's weakness, and the thought of leaving him behind was unbearable. He had witnessed me screaming for my mother, to my first killing, all the way to me changing my clothes. It's crazy how fast you can become so attached to someone.

"I like being with you, Chandler. That's all there is to it - I can't leave you. We both know that." He moved his hands to the crease of my neck and shoulders.

Well shit, I thought to myself, as soon as I felt an unfamiliar pair of lips crash onto my own. It was the most uncomfortable but yet the most happiest feeling that I have experienced since that afternoon with Freddy.

Chandler kissed me, and I let it happen. I promised myself that I would never allow it. But yet I found myself smiling like I had a new secret to tell, as he pulled away mimicking my reaction.