[Megan's POV]
I watched as the thief set up his camp near the stream. I couldn't figure out why he had done so, there was still a good amount of day light left. he put together a small fire and then had settled down against a tree and shut his eyes. Is he crazy!? Theres infected out here, and they won't take pity on somebody sleeping. I decided I would wait for it to get a little darker before going in and stealing the deer I had tracked down earlier.
I sat behind a bush and waited, studying his camp set up. The bag with the meat was a few feet away from him, which was a mistake, if he needed to run he would have to get up and go get it. A long sniper rifle was curled up in his lap though, the only safe thing I think he's done.
I got tired of waiting and quietly came out of the bush. the guy was still asleep and I crept towards his bag that was only a little bit in front of me. Creeping, my foot slid in the dirt and leaves making a tiny bit of noise, I looked up at the stranger to see he hadn't woken up. I took a small breath before continuing forward. I crouched all the way down and picked up his back pack. wow? it was light...
I heard a rustling in front of me and my head jerked up in time to see the man standing up, a rope in his hand. he quickly started to pull it and a net shot up from underneath me and soon I was a few feet off the ground tangled inside the rope, loose leaves falling on top of my. Immediately, I felt like an idiot and all the puzzle pieces had put them selfs together. why he stopped so early, the bag far away from him, sleeping in the open. The whole act was a trap... just for stupid old me. I tried reaching for my knife but I froze when I heard a gun load.
"I wouldn't do that if I where you," the man said. He voice was deep and serious, eyes locked on me watching my every move, my every breath. I put my hands up and looked over to him holding his sniper at me.
"you got me, now what are you gonna do, shoot me?" I asked.
"why where you following me," he interrogated me.
"you have something that belongs to me," I snapped at him. he looked at me with a questioned face waiting for me to explain. I sighed in frustration and put my hands down, he wasn't gonna kill me.
"the deer you stumbled on earlier, I had been tracking it until you came along," I told him.
"that's what this is about? the skinny deer I took down," he said in an obnoxious tone.
"that's the one," I said a little annoyed. he shook his head and walked behind the tree he had been "sleeping" on, and soon I was falling until I hit the ground.
"hey watch it!" I yelled. I ripped the net off me and got up off the ground. he came back around the tree and pulled out another back pack he had and pulled out a bandana. Tossing it to me, I caught it and unwrapped the deer meat he had carved.
"your just giving this to me?" I asked him, confused.
"it's not like it was much, I doubt it will taste good anyways," he shrugged.
"well food is food," I said, I guess agreeing.
"duck!" he yelled making me jump. I panicked and hit the floor right as a gun shot went off. I heard a thud and I turned around, laying on my back. A dead corpse laid there with a bullet hole in its head.
"thanks..." I said, a little shocked.
"don't thank me yet," he said as I heard another gun shot. I jumped to my feet and grabbed my bow off the ground holding an arrow on the string. the bushes next to me rustled and I spun pulling the bow back and letting it go. Another corpse came falling out, an arrow in its head. I ripped it out placing it back into the string. Looking around it seemed like more and more infected were pouring out of every crevasse.
"I don't know about you, but I'm leaving!" I hollered. I took off towards the river and ran down the bank back towards my camp. I heard heavy footsteps behind me, glancing back the stranger was following, part of me didn't want him to know where I was set up but another part thought what if it where me...
I ran across the stream, my feet getting wet and followed the warn path. I dodged and weaved zombies taking a few out along the way, the stranger still right on my heels making sure not to loose me. What finally seemed like for ever, we got to the safety of my tree.
"Here! climb up I'll hold them off!" I yelled pushing the rope hanging from the tree at him.
Looking up, he hesitated before swinging his gun over his shoulder and climbing up the knotted rope.
as he climbed a few Z's where coming my way. All the gun shots must have drawn them in. I haven't seen this many up here for quiet a while. I pulled my hunting knife out and stabbed a Corpse in its skull ripping it back out and tightening my grip. I had three more coming at me forcing me into a corner. A ringing gun shot went off above me and took the nearest Z out.
"come on!" the man yelled. I nodded and took my chance to start climbing up. I finally made it to the top and the guy was sitting right above my hammock, straddling the branch with his gun in hand. I did the same and pulled the rope up, infected can't climb but I don't want to risk them getting tangled in it. I took a deep breath and relaxed a little.
down below there was a good sized group of zombies below us, we would simply hope they wonder off in a few hours and then take the rest out quietly. But suddenly I found my self worrying about what the real threat was, the man I knew nothing about stuck in a tree with me, or the flesh eating monsters down below.
"I never got your name?" the stranger asked me casually.
"oh, uh it's Megan..." I answered him.
"Ten thousand," he said back. I looked at him confused, did I hear that come out right?
"Ten thousand? that's a number not a name?" I told him.
"That's my name, I made it up my self," he said proudly.
"Okay, well does it mean something?" I asked.
"It's how many zombies I'm going to kill," he confirmed.
"What are you at?" I asked.
"1,456." My jaw dropped a little, that's a whole lot of kills.
"Look I uh- I know we don't know each other, and I'm not much of a people person, but if you want to sleep I'll take a first watch. They can't get up or anything but just in case they build up," I offered. He thought about it a second, looking me over and back down at the ground before swinging off the branch and resting onto the hammock. It swayed for a second before he got settled and laid down getting comfortable.
"You know, this is smart, staying up here where people don't normally look and out of the infected way," he said.
"thanks,"I replied awkwardly. Soon he laid his sniper down next to him before laying his arm over his eyes and I assume going to sleep. I found it kinda strange how easily he trusted me not to kill him or push him out of the tree why he slept. But this is definitely strange for me as well. I've never let anybody else up in my set up. but then again I haven't talked to anybody in a few months. I had forgotten what my voice sounded like.
I sighed and leaned against the main part of the tree still sitting on the thick branch my hammock is tied to. I studied the boys face now that I had a moment. he was pretty young looking, had to be around my age, short messy black hair and dirt smeared skin. If the apocalypse did one thing it was kill the definition of hygiene.
I decided to stop being a creepy stalker and looked down below, it was dark and hard to see but I made out 10-15 figures growling at the base of the tree. We were high up enough where the noise didn't bug us much, but if you listened you could still hear them. I shut my eyes for a second letting them rest, gripping my bow that was in my hands a little tighter, it's been a rather strange day.
hey guys let me know if you are enjoying this story so far. shout out to all my Znation people!
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