The Madness That Rose

School

Chapter 24

Alia

"Miles!" I cheer as I look at the map.

He looks up as he lays down from running.

"What is it?" He questions, looking annoyed.

I grumble but replied, "Look at this map... This has to be Abella."

I crawl to him since I was too tired to walk up and hand him the map. Miles looks at the map I was holding and takes it away from me. He eyes it.

"That's a high school." He informs me.

I take the map away from Miles and look at it again.

"Why would she tell us to go to a high school?" I question.

Miles reply as he hovers over me, "I don't know. Maybe she's living there, but I do know where the school is at."

I jump up.

"Take me there, please!" I beg.

He looks into my eyes and smiles, "You don't have to beg. I love you way too much, so I'm taking you there no matter what."

"Thank you!" I cheer as I hug him, "You're an amazing friend!"

I let go of him and look back to my map.

"We're maybe a few miles away from the school." Miles informs.

As I eye the map, from my peripheral vision, I see Miles pick up the duffel bag.

"Let's go Alia. The day just started." Miles told me.

I look up and grabbed my rifle beside me. We begin moving forward.

"First," Miles said, "We need to go forward until we find the other highway beside the highway we just came from."

I look at the map. He was right because there was a highway that lead around Boston than out of Boston.

"After that," Miles continued, "We follow the highway until we get to the gym. There, if we go right from there, after a couple of buildings, the public high school will be there."

I examine the map to find out that he was right.

"How do you know these things?" I ask him.

There was a silent pause until Miles finally spoke after a minute.

"My older brother used to go there..." He replies.

"Did he get infected?" I question him.

I respond quickly, "Oh! you don't have to tell me! I wonder a lot and get into people's business and-"

"Alia," Miles interrupted, "It's fine. He drowned when I was ten. Nile, my brother, was drunk and went partying in a house with a pool with his friends. All I know was that he was about to go swim and passed out. He hit his head on the ledge and fell into the pool. No one noticed him until the next morning..."

I look down to my shoes.

Miles' life was tragic before this outbreak. I just wonder how he managed to be so strong.

"I'm sorry I asked..." I somberly reply.

He was in front of me, so I followed him like a lost puppy. I think he is mad... I shouldn't have asked that question. I'm so stupid.

"I know it's gonna be okay..." Miles finally broke the silence, "Because now, I have you."

He turns around and starts walking beside me.