Clarkesville (Chandler Riggs)

Chapter 26

"I should ask you the same fucking question!"

Luke's words toward Vincent didn't surprise me one bit. If anything, I was shocked that he hadn't said that before.

"Now stop acting like such a Goddamn prick, and protect these people like how you're fucking supposed to!" There were multiple gasps from all those who were listening in, including Luke's mother.

"Lucas! Watch your mouth." Daniella snapped at him, letting go of Sean's arm.

"No." He sighed. I could tell he was hurt by the sight of her and Sean talking quietly again. "You're not going to tell me what to do anymore."

I wasn't smiling, but I was proud of Luke.

The look on her face was so appalling. Her mouth was open, her eyes were wide, and her cheeks were stained red.

It was hilarious on the inside.

I wondered how in just a few days Luke could go from a secretive Momma's Boy to the child who despised his mother.

"Let's go!" Bruno yelled to the rest of us who were too busy gathering their things while listening to the group's fight. Chandler and I needed to get out of here.

Freddy and Anna were clinging to Joy who was waiting for Vincent to help them get going. Craig was flipping out, shoving everything in sight into his business suitcase.

The others were running out of the campsite, including Daniella and Sean. She left Luke to fend for himself.

And I thought my mother was bad.

All of the sudden the now familiar sound of shuffling and growling grew into my earshot. I didn't know what to do.

"Riley!" I snapped out of my thoughts and turned back to Chandler. He was tugging on my arm and gesturing me to get going. Funny, how I was the one reminding him to realize what was happening at the moment.

My body's nerves were steaming, my thoughts were in slow motion, but I managed to nod my head and begin running before the walkers could get too close.

***

There were only four of us.

We ran for the longest distance, occasionally shooting down walkers as they passed. The tree leaves whipped my face, twigs clawed at my ankles and mosquitos bit my arms and legs. But most of all, the pain of losing that perfect moment made my heart want to crumble.

I guess it would have happened - when him and I left the people we were just starting to get attached to.

Leaving was what I was prepared for.

Not running out of such an unexpected 'evacuation.'

But soon enough, as the hours went by, I learned that what just happened would become a lot more often until we were so used to it.

Before my mother said that we were moving to California, and before this disaster happened, I would never of thought that I would know the drill of leaving behind my loved ones and moving on to the next part of my life.

As I spaced out once again, Chandler tried to cheer me up by shoving chips and water bottles at my face and hands.

"Riley, you have to eat. C'mon." I glared at him as he put about five cinnamon flavored pita chips onto a napkin, that was patterned with Christmas trees and a cartoon Santa Clause.

I rolled my eyes and nibbled on one of them. Chandler did the same after smiling the happiest smile he could fathom.

"It's gonna be dark in a few hours." Luke said flatly. "We should set up somewhere and try to clear the area to make a fire. We can take turns keeping watch."

I could tell how upset he was.

Neither of us saw which direction Brianna ran, and we didn't see anyone pick up Sammy.

None of us were crying at the fact.

Bruno was loading his massive army gun, and reorganizing his camouflaged back pack. Him and Jason were so military, the way they acted. But Jason wasn't with the four of us now.

Neither was Earl or Craig, Joy or Freddy, Anna, Vincent, Daniella, Sean.

And they were all just a phase that would soon be forgotten in a matter of weeks, thought about but never spoken of.

"Okay." Chandler spoke. He was clearly the calmest, even out of this emotionally unstable young boy, and a very quiet, bulky, young soldier.

"You kids get some rest. Not like I'll be able to fall sleep anyway." Bruno spoke up.

I nodded, Luke sighed, and Chandler wrapped his arm around my shoulders and set my head into the crook of his neck.

We didn't start a fire, but luckily Bruno was kind enough to spare the battery of his lantern so we could see what lurked near us at night.

Like we had done at the camp, Chandler and I used our extra sweatshirts to make an unsuitable pallet on the leaves and dirt. Luke laid out a small blanket for himself beside us, so the three of us kids could share the larger top one.

Bruno leant up against the trunk of a tree with the nuzzle of his gun pointed to the sky.

The image of these three guys protecting me helped me feel more comfortable with sleeping for a while.

But I couldn't keep out the monster who was called Tomorrow.