Final Days (MCSM Fanfiction)

Chapter 20: Out in the Wilderness

13:45 – Day 2

"What do you think is going to happen?"

Petra lifted her head, looking over at Olivia who was walking beside her. She cocked her head to the side, the annoying strand of red hair falling down to dangle in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Olivia shrugged slightly, slipping her hands into her jacket's pockets. "Exactly what I said. How do you think this is all going to turn out?"

"I don't know." Petra admitted, trying to blow the string of hair out of her face. "Anything can happen."

"But what do you think?" Olivia insisted. "Do you think we actually have a chance here? To find the refuge we originally set out towards?"

"I don't know." Petra repeated as she gave up, using her hand to brush the strand of hair away. "I don't look at things the way you do. There is no point tearing yourself up over what could happen. Just hope for the best, prepare for the worst; that's my advice here."

"Oh." Olivia responded softly, nodding her head.

"Why? You think we're not going to make it?" Petra asked.

"You didn't see Redstonia, Petra." Olivia whispered. "If you saw your home town like that, dark, cold and with... well, bodies littering the streets... I think you'd be more afraid as well."

"Bodies?" Petra raised her eyebrows. "When you said some Redstonians died, I didn't imagine them to have literally dropped over the place like flies."

"Jesse has whatever took them down." Olivia said softly, looking down at the snow they were walking on. "I just have this terrible fear, what if she doesn't make it to the cure in time?"

Petra's expression slowly sunk as well at the mention of Jesse. She folded her arms for warmth as they walked, suddenly silent.

"So there are in fact wolves in the area then?" Olivia finally asked, breaking the silence. "I thought I heard howling yesterday night."

"Oh yes." Petra said with a shudder. "I can tell you that other than the one who attacked Jesse, I've encountered four- three more."

"Do you think we'll run into any out here?" Olivia asked, shuddering.

"Under normal circumstances I wouldn't think so." Petra responded, rubbing the back of her head. "But the wolves I've seen out here are underweight, starving and perhaps even sick. They're desperate for food."

"Dear god." Olivia breathed, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't like the sound of that. What if-?"

"If it comes to that, we'll have to hope the hunting knife does its job." Petra replied before Olivia could finish her sentence.

"How are you so confident?" Olivia mumbled with another shudder.

"Because I have a target." Petra responded. "I know what I want to do, and I'm focusing on working towards that. If you let yourself get too wrapped up in the bad things the future could become, it doesn't leave much space for focus on you want to make it."

"Since when did you become so wise?" Olivia asked with a chuckle.

"Not sure I even have an answer for that." Petra said, chuckling as well.

After that, it was quiet between the two of them again. Olivia returned to keeping her hands in her pockets and her eyes fixed on the snow. Petra kept out a constant look for... just about anything. Be it something in their advantage or even predators.