The overbearing sun shines its unforgiving, bright glare into the cave. The group collectively groans as they turn their bodies away from the sunlight, desperately trying to elongate their deep, comfortable slumber.
They try to block out the sunlight in order to escape the start of the day. There's no telling what could happen once the day begins in this world. Your fate is completely uncontrollable out here.
Chris's eyes hesitantly open as he sits up. He rubs his head, covering his bloodshot eyes and stretches out his stiff body. His bones crack from nearly every move he makes. He's exhausted. He feels completely empty.
He slowly rises from the cold cave floor while his legs wobble. His entire body feels sore. He admires the beautiful scenery outside the cave. The rocks that trail into the cave like a river, are damp, probably from the light rainfall in the middle of the night.
"I don't wanna wake up yet! Maybe it'll be better if I just die like Jill," Simon mumbles groggily.
Chris ignores Simon's daring choice of words and focuses on the rest of the group. At least Simon is acting like his normal, humorous self.
Everyone seems to be awakening from their deep slumber. Skyy shakes Ricky's seemingly lifeless body, he finally responds with a simple grunt.
"I feel ya Simon. I'm close to unleashing my stand," Ryan says with a slight chuckle.
"Only you would wake up with anime on your mind," Chris says while continuing to stretch out his stiff body with a broad smile on his face.
The group forces themselves to get up as they prepare to continue their journey. It feels like they've been walking for months. This safe haven should only be a couple of hours away at this point.
Naturally, Myracle and Matthew are well rested as they eagerly wait on the edge of the cave's entrance. They have their weapons on standby, and they seem to be alert and controlled.
"We'll be leaving shortly, so please be prepared," Myracle says while scanning the surrounding area.
"Yeah we get it you entitled prick!" Simon says in an annoyed tone.
Myracle disregards Simon's harsh words and rolls her eyes. The rest of the group looks over at the hectic morning angst. They all try to ignore the hostility in the air, desperately longing for this uncomfortable tension to fade within their group.
Jeannie scales up the steep slope of the cave with a tenacious look in her eyes. She will protect everyone. She will lead them to this safe haven. They will all be safe again.
Everyone watches as their leader-like figures walk towards Matthew and Myracle, completely distracted from their preparation period. Chris shortly follows after Jeannie with Rosie behind him. They all look so committed, so determined to keep everyone safe.
Chris and his siblings all look down at the remaining group members while Matthew and Myracle remain in the background. They're lined up like marines with this strong and powerful demeanor. They display a fearless and hopeful look in their eyes. They're done fooling around.
"Obviously everyone has their differences in this group, but let's at least all agree on finally reaching our goal, surviving!" Jeannie exclaims.
The group looks up with a broad smile displayed on their faces as they witness a layer of confidence finally being unleashed. For the first time in awhile, the group is confident about their next step.
Chris steps out in the open like it's a stage. His nerves are showing, but he has a newly found layer of confidence displayed throughout his body.
In the past, getting on the stage was a challenge for him. The lack of confidence and his self deprecating ways would hold him back from his ultimate goal of becoming a singer.
However, he persevered. He got lost in the moment, and he finally found his true passion. Who knew that his time on the stage in the past at school could better prepare him for this apocalyptic future. He's ready for this. He has to achieve his goal of protecting his friends and family.
"I've known most of you guys for a long time. We've been through way too much, but you've all helped me persevere the hardships. Now let me help you! We need to do this for our future," Chris shouts excitedly.
Chris triumphantly thrusts his fist in the air out of pride. He's watched all of his friends grow up over these past couple years. He can't lose anyone else. It would devastate him.
"We'll be with you till the end Chris," Sarah says reassuringly.
Chris's smile widens at the amount of trust that his family and friends have for him. Sarah gives off an innocent and hopeful look in her eyes. She looks so trusting and hopeful for the future, a very uncommon trait nowadays.
Ricky wipes away the occasional tears that drip down. Those comforting words are enough to reassure anyone. Will we make it out alive after this? Will we ever get a chance to live a normal life again? Can't we stop living in constant paranoia? Ricky thinks to himself curiously.
"I know everything will work out in the long run. You have made great decisions Chris," Skyy says optimistically.
Jess avoids eye contact as the words come out of Skyy's mouth. Knowing what she did with Ricky, this could result in mayhem. Will they be okay? Will Matthew ever find out? What's the right move for me to make now that I know this information? Jess thinks to herself worriedly.
Matthew watches as the group displays all of their loyalty and trust amongst Chris and his siblings. He grows a saddened expression as everyone's shows their true colors. He's completely useless.
Matthew clenches his fists as he watches all of his mutual trust go out the window. Should I be more like Chris and his siblings? Will the rest of the group ever trust me? Is it even worth redeeming myself? Matthew thinks to himself with a disheartened look in his eyes.
The group sets out of the dark cave, finally continuing their journey into the unknown once again. They may have their differences, but they also have a mutual understanding. They'll stop at nothing to achieve their goal to survive.
Ryan and Chris walk beside each other while Myracle opens up to them. They all seem so carefree and joyful. They're acting like they normally would. There's no paranoia or second guessing.
They've got each other to distract them from this grueling world. This world that encases their every move and makes every day harder than the last has now been set on the back burner.
Nothing will get in the way of their relationship with one another. They have each other, and that's all they need. They can let their guard down, they can laugh together, they can act normal again. Their moment of peace is just around the corner, they just have to earn it.
Myracle abruptly stops her hysterical fit of laughter as a realization crosses her mind. Why did Simon lash out at me this morning? Will we ever have a stable friendship? Is there a way to salvage our relationship? Myracle's thinks to herself worriedly.
Chris catches on to Myracle's sudden attitude adjustment. He turns her body around and locks his eyes with her. He gives off a comforting look as well as a radiant smile which is enough to calm her down.
He places his palm on her shoulder and pacifies her. She breathes away all of her troubles and meets Chris's glare once again. She intertwines their fingers for moment, but she quickly recoils.
Ryan gives off his signature smug expression as he watches the two get flustered. Myracle desperately tries to hide her blush while Chris fidgets with his own fingers.
"Kiss kiss fall in love!" Ryan shouts carelessly, earning laughter from his fellow group members.
Chris smiles as he watches all of his friends interact and form new bonds with each other. They truly are one of the only factors that's keeping him sane in this unforgiving world. Moments like these are rare.
Ryan has this remarkable ability to always incorporate memories from the past in order to increase the morale amongst the group. Back then, Ryan and Chris were practically inseparable.
Ryan would always lighten the mood in his own quirky ways. Half of the time, these two would normally be watching new anime series. It may sound basic, but those moments in the past will forever be a part of these two.
"Anyways, now that that's cleared up, what's going on with you Myracle?" Ryan asks with concern.
Myracle quickly transforms into her usual, serious self as her thoughts come back. The regret that she feels is so obviously portrayed by her body language.
"I feel like I ruined my relationship with Simon. I doubt that he ever trust me, and I don't think he ever will," Myracle says defeatedly.
"Simon definitely has trust issues. You just have to give him time is all. He'll come around," Chris says reassuringly.
"I sure hope so," Myracle's says longingly.
Myracle displays a broad smile as she witnesses Chris and Ryan express their full fledged support. They look so hopeful and confident whenever they look at her. It's as if they trust her completely.
Myracle chokes on her tears, trying desperately to prevent her emotions from showing. Back in her old base, she was alone. No trust. No support. Nothing. All she had was her wit and nothing else.
However, she finally has the chance to start over. She can finally be a part of a community once again. A community that has undeniable trust for one another. She can finally be herself. It's time to move on from the horrid past.
Meanwhile, Jess and Sarah notice their shared expression. It's the expression thats been displayed on their faces ever since they've gained alarming information regarding the groups well-being.
Sarah goes through all of the possible scenarios in her head while looking around in paranoia. Should I talk to someone about Tamara? Is it safe for me to keep this information to myself? What would happen if Tamara figured everything out? Sarah thinks to herself worriedly before approaching Jess.
"Hey Jess, can I talk to you? Something has been bothering me and I need to get it out of my conscious for good," Sarah says while placing a hand on Jess's shoulder.
"Sure thing," Jess says with a dull expression.
Come to think of it, Jess has been acting peculiar these past couple of days. She's refrained from her usual gleeful self. Normally she'd be lively and calm under pressure.
However, she has shifted into being very anxious and stressed. She's lost her natural spark of sunshine and joy. It's now been replaced with fear and worry.
"I've been interacting with Tamara a lot lately, and I'm starting to believe that we can't trust her. Skyy and Matthew definitely know something. Supposedly, Tamara has two sides to her," Sarah whispers.
Jess's eyes widen as even more troubling information displays itself upon her. How can there be even more things to stress about? Wasn't Skyy and Ricky's kiss enough? Does this explain Tamara's odd attitude? Jess thinks to herself defeatedly.
"Damnit! Now we have another problem," Jess says angrily.
Sarah watches as the calm and collected Jess becomes quickly frazzled and frantic at the sound of a new problem approaching the doorstep. She rubs the temples of her head using her two thumbs in a swirling-like motion. She looks so stressed in this state.
Sarah looks hesitant as she watches Jess slowly deteriorate. Sarah wants to ask her something, but she doesn't know if it's the right time to yet. What's this other problem that I don't know about? Should I ask Jess? Would she lash out at me? Sarah thinks to herself worriedly.
"I can tell that your mind is racing Sarah. If you want to know my current problem, I'll just tell you. Skyy and Ricky kissed," Jess says quietly.
Shock and bewilderment rushes over Sarah as she turns her entire body to locate Skyy and Ricky near the back of the group. Why would they do that? Does Matthew know? Is this why they've been so close lately? Sarah thinks to herself while trying to maintain her focus back on Jess.
"We have to tell somebody about this. They have to know!" Sarah says in a serious tone.
"Yeah, but who?" Jess asks curiously.
Jess and Sarah look around frantically, trying to find someone who seems to be the most trustworthy. One wrong move, and this decision could blow up in their faces.
Jess notices Jeannie and Rosie's attentiveness as they take occasional glances back towards the group. They look so trusting and mature. If they've been trusted to lead for this long, then why can't they be trusted to keep this information quiet.
"Come with me," Jess says while she practically drags Sarah along with her.
Jess and Sarah runs up behind Chris's siblings while the light wind brushes off of their faces. If they leave this alone, then it will only end in disaster.
"Hey Jeannie, Rosie! Can we talk to you for a second? It's urgent," Jess says in a serious tone.
Jeannie scans both of their expressions and recoils in response. They look so shaken up, it's almost like they've seen a ghost. Their eyes are filled with fear as they eagerly wait for Jeannie's response.
Jeannie looks at her sister who's just as confused as she is. Why is this so urgent? Why are they acting like this? Did another problem reveal itself? Jeannie thinks to herself before returning to reality.
Jeannie looks off to her left and sees nothing but trees and wildlife. That's the only possible place where they can talk in private. Rosie and Jeannie look at each other with an intense glare. Rosie gives off a nod as they prepare to take a small pit stop.
"Hey guys! Let's take a small break," Jeannie shouts.
"Finally! I was about to kill myself," Simon proclaims before lying down on the pavement.
Jeannie and Rosie set off into the woods with Jess and Sarah following shortly behind. The forest feels so soothing nowadays. The sound of the rustling leaves below along with the occasional snap of a twig fulfills their ears.
Despite this forest being ever so tranquil, Sarah and Jess came here for a reason. If they don't tell Jeannie and Rosie now, it could lead to catastrophic results. Finally, the words come spiraling out of their mouths.
The words seem to be coming out a mile a minute as goosebumps formulate on their arms just from talking about it. Even in this peaceful, quiet forest, they still live in constant paranoia.
"Damnit this is bad," Rosie says while sighing in defeat.
"Yeah this could seriously end badly. We have to keep this under wraps," Jeannie says intently.
Jeannie sighs deeply as she looks up through the branches. The sunlight shines its way through the leaves and branches of the trees. Such a beautiful sight. At least it can somewhat dim this horrible situation that they're in.
"So, what are we going to do about this?" Sarah asks the obvious.
"We'll keep our eyes peeled for any peculiar behavior. Now let's had back before anyone suspects anything," Rosie says before walking back with the main group.
They return to the highway and watches as nearly all of their group members start to slowly drift off into a deep slumber. They already look so exhausted with the early wake up call.
"Alright it's time to get moving! Matthew I want you up ahead to take out any crawlers," Jeannie yells while walking out of the forest.
"Got it," Matthew says while scaling further and further ahead with Tamara on his tail.
The group collectively groans as they slowly start to get up from their comfortable position. Jeannie looks back at Tamara who seems to following Matthew.
Her mind races as she watches Tamara interact with Matthew. What could she be talking about? Why did she follow Matthew? Is this an example of her strange attitude? Jeannie thinks to herself while keeping a close eye on Tamara.
Meanwhile, Matthew walks ahead on this seemingly never ending highway. Now matter how comfortable he is with the apocalypse, it's always this same, plain sight. He's always walking. He's constantly moving.
"Matthew can you stop dragging me around like I'm a rag doll, and tell me why you wanted to talk to me?" Tamara says bluntly.
Matthew grunts to himself before letting go of her arm. He rolls his eyes while watching Tamara rub her arm from his tight grip. His body is filled to the brim with hatred whenever he lays eyes on Tamara.
"What did you mean when you were talking about someone deceiving me last night?" Matthew asks curiously.
"Are you worried?" Tamara asks with a smug expression.
Matthew grits his teeth and grabs Tamara by the collar of her shirt, lifting her off the ground. Her expression still hasn't changed. She's acting completely untouchable. Like no one could harm her.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You're already on thin ice my friend! Doing this would only hinder your relationship to your group even further you goddamn imbecile," Tamara mutters menacingly.
Matthew smolders at Tamara. He hates being completely manipulated by her. He hates everything about her. Everything. He hates her confidence, her fake attitude, her psychotic ways. He can barely keep his composure around her regardless.
He looks back at the group to see all eyes darted on to him. They saw everything. They saw the way he treated Tamara. He grows a sulky expression as his reputation further diminishes right before his eyes.
Tamara quickly shifts back into her innocent personality just before smiling wickedly at a broken down Matthew. She runs off, acting all scared and tormented.
He scoffs as he watches Tamara's attempt to further diminish Matthew's character. Just the sound of her voice is like nails on a chalkboard. Will they believe her? Will this further isolate me from the group? Should I just let this go? Matthew thinks to himself somberly.
Suddenly, he hears a familiar voice call out behind him. That's odd. Who would talk to him after what they had just witnessed? He turns around and lays eyes on a fearful driven Skyy who's moving around frantically with her singular crutch.
"Matthew! Behind you!" Skyy yells anxiously.
Matthew finally understands as he hesitantly turns around. His eyes widen, his legs shaking as his body completely freezes in fear. This is one of the first times Matthew has been completely taken back while on a mission.
A mini horde of crawlers scatter that one area of the highway that was covered with unusable cars and pieces of rebar. Crawlers pop their heads up one at a time over these cars. There's at least a dozen of them.
His heart stops. He's too far in to get out safely without using ammunition. Is this how I die? Why can't my body move? Am I stuck like this? Matthew thinks to himself angrily.
"Matthew! Run!" Ricky yells while dashing across the highway with a pistol in his hand.
"Guys lets go!" Chris yells before pulling out his knife and dashing towards the action.
Matthew finally recovers and dodges the crawlers leap. It's razor-blade like fingernails nearly slit Matthew's throat. If he was just a second behind, he would've been dead in an instant.
He plunges his knife deep into the crawler's cranium. He attempts to yank it out. Doesn't work. He tries again. Doesn't budge. Finally, he abandons the knife and dodges the remaining crawler attacks.
He's surprised once he lays eyes on Ricky who expresses a tenacious look. He stops short and fires off three rounds. Smoke eases out from the gunfire while three bodies come crashing down onto the floor.
Matthew looks down at the corpses and is stunned at the precision. All headshots. At such a quick pace too. Ricky grabs onto Matthew's arm and starts to pull him into the line of safety.
They gain a couple of feet away before suddenly, a crawler leaps out towards Ricky's vulnerable side. He lets out a yelp of panic, but he's quickly reassured once Chris plunges his knife deep into the crawler's left eye.
"We gotta clear em all out! Let's get to work!" Chris shouts triumphantly.
"Hell yeah! I love this part!" Simon say excitedly while firing his desert eagle.
The group works in harmony as they all take over a certain station. Myracle and Chris take out the crawlers on the frontline accompanied by Jeannie while the rest call out nearby stragglers and intervene when necessary.
By the end of it, everyone's covered in black blood as their clothes start to tear from all of the close calls. Sweat drips down Chris's face as he pants from all of the excitement.
Suddenly, another crawler leaps out from the forest and trampled Simon. Simon struggles to fight back as the crawler's nails inch closer and closer towards his stomach. The crawler rugs on Simon's legs, dragging him through the dirt into the forest.
Chris dashes toward Simon while he gets reminded of his previous memories. Why is this happening again? Will I make it in time unlike with Sasha? Will Simon be able to fend it off until I get there? Chris thinks to himself as he picks up the pace.
He still remembers Sasha's bravery along with her last words. Her body grew pale as blood rushes out of her leg. This can't happen. Not again. Chris can't be reminded of Sasha's gruesome death. He will save Simon.
Chris gets closer and closer as the rest of the group members' voices slowly begin to fade. The crawler has dragged Simon so deep into the forest.
The deadly claws have made its way even closer to Simon's artery. It's almost like they have a mind of their own. He desperately tries to increase his pace, but he won't make it in time. He has to take a risk.
Chris takes a deep breathe, making him feel at ease. There's no room for mistakes. Simon's life is on the line. He flings the knife from across the way, knowing that if he fails, his friend will die.
The knife travels further and further until it makes contact. It's a direct hit inside the crawler's right ear. It's lifeless body falls onto the grass as black blood oozes out.
"You ok?" Chris asks Simon with a warm smile.
Chris offers his hand to Simon who still seems rather shaken up. His eyes are filled with fear as his body begins to tremble.
The waterworks finally start coming down as his life nearly flashed before his eyes once again. He pulls Chris in for a hug which is very rare for him.
"Are you guys okay?" Ricky asks worriedly in between breathes.
The rest of the group meets up with Ricky. They all sigh with relief when they see Simon to still be alive. He's just bruised up with occasional scrapes.
"I'm ok. We've gotta keep moving. I'm tired of experiencing all these near death scenarios," Simon says while brushing the dirt off of his clothes.
The group members' eyes all point to Chris and Simon while in utter silence. They all know how much this attack hurts to see. It's a horrid reminder of the past with Sasha.
"Chris are you okay? I know this is a hard experience to relive. Same with you Simon," Jeannie says, breaking the silence.
The group eagerly waits for a response from Chris. It's heartbreaking whenever you see someone that you care about in pain. Suddenly, Chris starts to chuckle.
"We're alive aren't we?" Chris says sarcastically.
Simon and Chris fist bump, knowing that they've finally changed a terrible memory for a good one. They finally persevered. They lived to survive another day! If they continue without any altercations, they'll reach the safe haven.
"Well, no matter what, we'll all have each other's backs. Now let's get back onto that highway and finally accomplish our goal," Myracle says reassuringly.
Everyone willingly listens to Myracle. Even Simon showed a sign of happiness. Together they're strong. Together they're unstoppable. As long as they have each other, this balance will never be broken.
"Let's do this for everyone that we've lost! For Sasha!" Chris shouts while thrusting his fist in the air with triumph.
"For Zach!" Rosie shouts, returning the gesture.
"For Hayden!" Ryan exclaims.
Everyone slowly starts to get involved, their hearts filled with pride and determination. They want things to go back to normal. They want to live the life that Sasha and the rest never could.
"For Jill!" Ricky says, finally opening up.
"For all of us! Let's finally achieve our goal in surviving," Sarah joins in.
The group chants their promise out to the world before continuing their journey. The group now has a mutual understanding. They've battled through so much emotional hurdles throughout this apocalypse. It's time for change.
They travel down the highway until they get to an encased area. It's cluttered in crashed cars and debris with a horrifying sound of mutants' snarls just beyond the barrier. This barrier wraps around all the way through the forest.
"It's gotta be around here somewhere. Let's head in the woods," Rosie whispers while looking around.
"Ok, but let's be vigilant. We don't know how secure this manmade barricade is," Ryan whispers, trying his best not to alert the mutants that lie on the other side.
The group heads into the eerie woods while the sun slowly starts to set. There'll only be sunlight for about an hour. It's important to get to the base before night hits.
They continue to walk through the woods, squinting their eyes in attempt to find a large area that looks even remotely close to the sanctuary described to them over the satellite phone.
"This is hopeless! Imma' bout to go sleep in the trees and become one with the raccoons," Simon says, earning a couple chuckles.
"Can I join you? I want to become feral!" Jess says, the exhaustion clearly taking control of their minds.
"Guys! I think I see it!" Ryan shouts
The group joins up with Ryan, finally feasting their eyes on the sanctuary. Their jaws widen as they lay eyes on the massive hospital. The hospital looks rather decrepit, but it's still functional.
A large iron fence topped with barbed wire encases the entire hospital. On first glance, it looks like a typical hospital. However, it's so much more than that.
There's a whole city of tents on the outside of the hospital as well as modern old games like basketball and a playground for the children. This is the first time the group has encountered a place that looks so lively.
Chris and the rest make a break for it, dashing towards the front gate. Is this real? Do they seriously have all of these entertainment factors? Can we finally live a normal life? Chris thinks to himself while wiping away the tears of joy.
They all start collectively banging on the fence, desperately longing to come inside. They can finally be apart of a well functioning group again. This is what they've fought for.
Suddenly, the gate opens, and Debbie comes rushing out. She frantically whips her head around, trying to find her children. She locks eyes with them and immediately starts balling.
"Chris? Girls?" Debbie calls out in between sobs.
"Mom?" They say collectively.
They practically run each other down, longing their mother's embrace. They want to feel safe again. They want to feel pure as innocent. They want to be a normal family again.
After they reunite through all of the tears and unspoken words, Debbie stabilizes. They're about to walk through the gate. Their normal life can finally begin. They can be teenagers once again!
"Welcome to our sanctuary!" Debbie says cheerfully before walking back to her children to prolong their reuniting moment even further.
Chris can't even begin fathom the fact that his mother is alive. He's fought so hard. He's been through so much. Every night, his morale diminishes greatly from all of those lives he lost.
He can't lose anyone now, especially his family. From now on, his ultimate goal will be to enjoy his time here. It may be limited, but for now, he's going to furlong this moment with his mother till the day he dies.
STAI LEGGENDO
The Aftermath
FantascienzaSeveral years ago, nuclear warfare was enacted upon the world which resulted in many of casualties. The lucky ones were able to be placed into bunkers. People had to learn to adapt to their new environment and try to go back to the way it was before...
