TWDG//

THIRTY

AJ
"How far until we are there?" I ask.
"I dunno, AJ, be patient." Javi sighs.
"I don't like patience." I roll my eyes.
"We know." Gabe laughs.
The truck slows to a stop.
"What the fuck is going on? We're literally five minutes in the drive!" Gabe exclaims.
"Maybe we need to change the gas?" I suggest.
"We changed it this morning." Javi says. "Something else is probably wrong, maybe a herd."
I hear the door slam, and footsteps coming around the side of the truck.
"Clem?" I ask. The door rolls up, the day revealing Violet holding the door. "Oh, hey Violet."
Violet nods, her head somewhere else, as she stands up in the truck, and pulls the door down.
"What's wrong? What's going on?" Cian asks.
"Nothing." Violet says. "I...just need to sleep. It's not real comfortable there."
"Well make up your mind next time." Gavin says. "We can't keep stopping like this."
To that, the truck starts up, and I feel it moving along the road. I hear nothin from Violet after that, only the silence. Until Louis starts humming. I sigh quietly, and lean back against my pillow, closing my eyes to the metal ceiling. The song doesn't stop, not even when I doze off.
...
I jerk awake when the song stops.
"Woah" I say. "That was so relaxing, I dozed off."
Gabe laughs again. "Yeah, that was cool, Louis."
"Tfaaaanks," Louis stammers, and I giggle. I hear Louis laugh after that.
"Wow." Violet says, her voice wobbly and strange. "That's the closest you've been to the old Louis in a long time."
"Maybe because the old Louis had a tongue." Willy snorted.
"Willy!" Violet exclaims, and Louis laughs.
"Ish okay. It funnny acktuly." Louis laughs.
"You're getting better at finding your words." Javi says. "It's a little bit more clear now. We can kind of understand ."
Louis shrugs. "I usse to it."
"You know, I like...don't want to offend you, or anything, but my sister spoke similar to you." Cian sighs, and leans back, eyes close. "She was deaf, and her words were often slurred."
Louis thinks about this.
"Wha happa?" Louis says, not bothering to say the rest of 'Happened.'
"She died, obviously." Cian says, no emotion in her voice. "First few days of the apocalypse. Mum was driving us out of town, and Mum got out to examine an abandoned car in the freeway. She...got bit, and my sister got out to help her. I stayed in the car, trying to avoid the dead heads. My Mum turned and bit Nevaeh. I had to leave them both behind."
"I'm...so sorry." I say. I was getting a little better at supporting people without ridiculing them, since I was often too blunt. "You didn't kill them? To end their suffering?"
"Keep in mind that I was a twelve year old, with no idea what was going on in the world. I couldn't just kill a person." Cian reminded me.
"But they aren't people." Gabe said.
"They were to me." Cian replied. "At the time. Now, I see them as meat eaters, who ruins people's lives. But the living are just as dangerous as the dead."
Silence.
"I know." Javi said. "I lost my brother, sister in law and my niece. Gabe and I are the only ones left."
"I don't remember my parents, I was way too young. But a boy named Mitch took care of me." Willy interrupted the silence.
"Clementine is the only person I've ever know that's looked after me." I speak up. "And she's always been alone when she raised me. I don't really remember anyone else."
"Clementine is a good person." Javi said.
"So they say." Violet mumbles, quiet enough so no one can hear. But I catch it. I give Violet a hard stare. Violet flinches back, and sighs.
"You're her girlfriend." I say with a frown. "That's mean."
"It was a joke." Violet backpedals unconvincingly.
"Didn't sound like one." I say.
"That's enough." Gavin murmurs. "Now, with all do respect, can everyone shut up?"
I furiously close my eyes, and drift away into sleep.
I wake up to the heat shining through the gape of the truck. I sit up with a groan, and choke. Willy stirs beside me. It feels like there is a bit ball of mush stuck in my throat, as I continue to splutter, holding my neck. Willy leaps up, fully awake.
"AJ?!" He asks, and begins thumping my back with his fist. My stomach shudders everytime. I try to breathe through my nose, but instead it feels like I've sucked up a whole lot of sea water, and it begins to burn. I start to cry, unable to breathe well. Javi yells.
"Clementine! Stop the truck!" He yells, and the truck lurches forward with an immediate stop. Cian rushes to my aid.
"What's wrong with him? Is he choking on something??" She asks Willy, sitting me more upright, and pulling my hands away from my neck. I cry harder, and snatch my hands back, grappling through my skin at whatever is clawing there.
"No!" Willy said. "We don't have any food left!"
Cian starts shoving me forward, trying to obtain the object, as Gabe grabs a small canteen. He brings it to my mouth. I shake my head. I didn't want any water wasted on me.
Clementine opens the door, and runs toward me.
"AJ!" She cries, thrusting my chin to her  view. I gasp, and cry, as she starts trickling the water down my throat. I purse my lips close to swallow, but instead the water pushes back and spills all over my blanket.
"Shit!" Gavin yells, and I lay back, trying to restrain any more panic than I already have.
"It's...bile." Gabe shakes his head, staring at the white water on my blanket. "AJ hasn't had anything to eat in days!"
"Whys he doing this? Is he turning?" Violet asks.
Clementine shoots her a glare. "He's not turning! He won't!"
"Clem..." I cry. "Clemen--"
I wince, as I fall back against the blanket.