Surviving Today

Chapter Five

*flashback*

Day 278

"Cal..." I began to say in a serious tone.

The four year-old orphan looked up at me with his large brown eyes and smiled.

"Yes, Amy?" he replied. He swung our hands back and forth.

"Cal we're going to leave now, okay?" I said staring out the front door of the market.

"Okay." he said nodding.

"Before I open this door you have to stay quiet, you have to stand close to me, and you have to not let go of my hand. Can you do that for me, Cal?" I ask trying to make sure he understands the importance of the situation.

Cal nods and with that I slowly inch open the market's door. I feel his hand squeeze mine tighter in fear.

As soon as it opens I run outside holding onto Cal.

At first we were okay, no zombies saw us, but then Cal yelled, "Slow down Amy, I can't run that fast!"

Almost instantly the corpses took notice of us and started to come closer.

I pulled at Cal's arm but he just kept walking so slow behind me. Before I knew it a corpse had made it's way right beside us.

If Cal didn't walk any faster we'd be dead, I'd be dead. So I pulled out my gun at aimed it behind me.

BAM!

The corpse fell down dead.

With the extra time I had bought for us I grabbed Cal's small body and hoisted him on top of my shoulders.

"Hold on tight, okay?" I say to the child on top of me. He giggles and I crack a smile so he doesn't see me worry.

He just starts cheering and saying things like, "Faster Amy, faster!"

"Shuuuush." I say to Cal kindly. "We don't want the monsters to hear us."

"Oh, okay." says Cal. He then whispers, "Faster Amy, faster!" I laugh at the little boy and pump my legs off the ground harder.

We bound down the streets to the way I came from until we find a safe-zone to rest at.

I sit on the ground catching my breath while Cal sits five feet away drawing something in the dirt.

Am I really capable of keeping this kid safe? I can barely keep myself safe.

Sure I've gotten pretty good with a gun, but I'm still relying on luck to get me through things.

Could my luck work for both of us?

"Amy." called Cal. I turned around to look at him.

"I drew a picture of us." he said wearing a smile on his face with pride.

I glanced over at his spot in the dirt. It was a stick figure drawing of me and him holding hands.

"Very nice, Cal. I love it." I said. The boy smiled holding his large drawing stick.

"You know what we have to do now?" I ask playfully. He shakes his head.

"No, what?" he replies.

"With every good work of art you need to sign it." I say tickling him.

He giggles and then says, "Only if you sign it too!"

I agree, and write my name next to the stick figure that's supposed to be me, and Cal does the same next to the small stick-person.