Edit: July 3rd, 2017.
Jada's POV
"She was injured, right? Like you said? So it maybe-probably-slowed her down a bit." Ryanne inserts. She's somewhat right, Alex took a fall when we arrived at the cottage. But then again, this is Alex we're talking about.
"Before the apocalypse, even after, Alex walked really fast. Fast for her height, and in general walked faster than most kids our age. She probably made her way around without a problem." I butt in. "We just need to think like her. If we were Alex, where would she go?"
"To the rescue," Parker says, "but for all we know the rescue could be gone. If she made it, we'll never find her."
"Can you think positive for like, five minutes?" Ryanne hisses.
Alex left a month ago. I don't have any idea why we're still at this damned cottage when we should be out searching for our friend. I can't go, apparently, it's too dangerous, they argued. I don't care. I said. I got overruled, and they took over like there was no tomorrow. But we can't stand for this. We haven't heard anything about the rescue, or what not. But we need to get to Canberra. I need to get my best friend back.
"Okay, well we need to get going, like now, we've wasted way too much time." Rayne says. We all nod.
"She could be dead, though." Ryanne states. I roll my eyes at her.
"Look who's being a pessimist now, huh." Parker interrupts.
"Who's going to tell them?" Rayne asks. Probably nobody. And I'm right. Nobody is raising their hands to volunteer.
"We can leave when they're sleeping? That way no one has to say. Leave without a trace. And by the time they wake up, we'll be long gone."
"Sounds good to me."
___________________
"Everybody ready?" I whisper. It's around one in the morning, and everyone is out like a light. I get nods, and wake up Iko next to me. "C'mon baby girl, we're leaving." Her ears fling up, and she races over to the door and sits in front of it. I chuckle to myself. "Okay, let's go."
The road is silent. We're all silent. I don't know why, but we are. No dead bodies. Just us. The road's been clear for miles, and so far we've walked seven of them. You can see some of the buildings in the distance, meaning we're close to a town.
"Hey, hey, hey, do y'all see that? That right there? Ten o'clock!" I punch Parker's shoulder pointing at him.
"What was that for?" He growls. I give him a look and he stares in the distance. "I can't see anything. What are you talking about, Jada?"
"It's like a grain of rice in the distance. Look carefully, at ten o'clock."
"Still nothing." He says. I roll my eyes.
"Wanna borrow my glasses? They'll be your magnifying glass." I snicker. He nods, oddly, and takes the glasses off my head, places them over his eyes, and sees what I'm seeing.
"Ooh! That. Yeah, I see it now." He laughs nervously. "Wait, we're talking about the same thing, right? The white thingy?"
"Yes, Parker, the white thingy." He takes the frames off and hands them back to me. "We should check there. Maybe Alex is there."
"And what if she isn't? Then we're back to square one." Rayne huffs. She is right. But we can't lose hope. That's all we have, a little string of hope, no longer than a small eraser. This could be the actual time we may never see our friend again. Ever.
"Then we keep going. That rescue will come-if it hasn't already, and as long as we're in Canberra, we have a chance. Put your hearts into it, guys. We can do this."
___________________
The building is huge. More like a tent than a building, but it's the size of one. A large one. The fences are really tall, about six times or more, the size of me. I see people all around that base, like it's guarding the President. "Wow, this is huge." I breathe out. "C'mon, let's check it out."
We reach the entrance, and two bulky men are standing there with assault rifles in there arms. They point them at us, and we throw our hands up. "Please don't shoot, we're here for somebody." Parker says in surrender.
"We cannot let you pass." One of them tells us.
I furrow my eyebrows. "Why not?"
"You have not passed inspection. You could be infected. Do you plan on staying?"
"No, not long. We're looking for our friend. Do you know her?"
"Name, please."
"Um, I'm Jada, and these are Parker, Rayne, Ryanne, and our dog Iko. We come from New Zealand." I answer. Please let us in. The two guys whisper to one another, and one steps forward.
"The name's Paxton. Follow me, and we'll get you cleared and settled." He starts moving, and I nod. Thank the Heavens! We follow him inside, into a little room, and he says, "Rebecca will be here shortly to check you out. Stay put." before closing the door behind him.
After what feels like ages, the door opens and a small female comes inside. "Hello, my name is Rebecca, I'm the medical doctor and main leader of this faculty."
"Hi, I'm Jada, and these are my friends Ryanne, Rayne and Parker. This is our dog, Iko."
"Please sit here." She places a stethoscope under my shirt and touches it to my back, the coldness sending me shivers. "Long journey?"
I nod. "Breathe in. Out. In, out. One more time. In, out."
"Yeah, a really exhausting one. The water was the worst."
"Water? What do you mean?"
"We came from New Zealand. Our boat collapsed in a storm and we stuck out sea."
"That must've been tough. Luckily you're here and alive."
"What is this place?" Parker asks. "I've been here before and never seen this."
She chuckles. "This is what we call Athena. To answer your question, it was built when the infection started. It holds high security, and many survivors. It's a medical academy, treating those of the infection or the wounded." She says with a warm smile, checking the others, then making her way to Iko. "Does it bite?"
"No, she doesn't. She's scared and just misses her owner."
"What a shame. She's adorable. What happened to her owner?"
Everyone looks at me. Of course they won't say anything. I sigh. "She, uh, we don't know. She left our cottage and we don't know where she is, if she's alive or not. But we're searching for her."
"What was her owners name?" Rebecca asks. A lot of questions.
"Alex." I answer straightforwardly. "Do you know her?"
"There was an Alex that came by about a month or so ago. My son found her outside the walls and took her in. She had a leg injury and wouldn't make it much farther without the treatment." She answers. She writes on her clipboard, and sits down.
"Was it an ankle injury? Right side?" Parker interrupts.
"Yes, it was."
"That's her! That's our friend! She must've came here. Is she still here?"
"No, I'm afraid not, lads. She left a couple days after she came in. My boy went with her to help her and reach rescue."
"Has the rescue came yet? What's your boys name?" Rayne questions.
"No, it hasn't. We've been broadcasting for a while, and no word yet." She sighs. "His name is Freddie. I think he had a thing for your friend. We have seen many people stumble upon our camp, and Freddie escapes every day, and it's not usual for him to take in someone."
"How old is he?" I ask quietly.
"He'll be turning nineteen next month." She forms a frown on her face. Oh God, please don't cry.
"Any idea where they gone? Maybe we can catch up."
"She said there was rescue in Canberra, and that she needed to get there as soon as possible. I let my son go to be her medical partner and to keep an eye on that foot of hers. She had a fit about getting it casted."
"Yeah, she has a tendency to do that. She broke that same foot about half a year ago." I chuckle. It's definitely our Alex.
"How did that injury happen?"
"Well, um, we were drawing a really large horde away, and she wandered off and somehow managed to get her full ankle under a surfaced tree root." Rebecca nods. I clear my throat. "Um, speaking of medicals, have you a cure for the virus? Or have you not tried?"
"No, we've tried, and I am quite pleased with the results. It's confidential information, but I think we've found something. It's this needle we put into our patients, some have gone ballistic and had fevers and seizures, other's are now immune to it. I gave it to Alex when she came in."
"You gave it to her?" I ask worriedly. I really hope she isn't one of those who got the treatment and reacted badly to it.
Rebecca nods. "I did."
"And?" I press further. "Is she okay? Did she have a seizure?"
"No, you're friend is fine."
A huge wave of relief washes over me. "Okay, so if you have the cure, why are you still here?"
"I can't leave. I have patients to look after, I'm the only doctor here, and I already sent the reports away."
"What? To who?" Ryanne asks.
"It's confidential as well, but I promise you they're in good hands." Rebecca replies. "I have trust in the deliverer." This girl has done her research. Thank Goodness we may be able to put an end to this disaster after all.
"We need to find Alex, soon," I say to my friends.
"They'll probably be in Canberra already, if not about halfway or more, so if you wanna catch up you need to leave as soon as possible." Rebecca says. We look at her. "You can reach Canberra in almost three days, if you push it. If you run it'll be shorter."
"Wait, three days? We came from Melbourne, and walked from there saying it would be five days. Where are we now?"
"You're in Albury. You're about half way to Canberra. The good news is, Alex and Freddie are probably in Canberra and just taking camp. Try searching for places among the highway and on the outskirts. Too crowded is not good."
"Thanks so much, Rebecca. I really appreciate it."
"Anytime, honey. Make sure my boy's taking care of your girl. Nobody crosses Mama Bears."
"That's what my mother would say," I laugh. "I definitely will, I hope to see you soon." I smile. She gives me a quick hug.
"Do you lads want those vaccine shots?"
"Are we going to die from them?"
"Worst you'll get is seizures. Maybe death. We've had only a couple deaths recorded, but they were allergic to the ingredients in the vaccine. Do any of you have allergies to any medicine?"
"No." We all reply in chorus.
"Then you should be alright. Worst case, again, just seizures."
"Sure, I'll take it. Better to seizure than die."
Rebecca looks slightly uncomfortable, but nonetheless nods and starts prepping. After we all got the needles, Rebecca sent us on our way with some supplies and water.
Two days to go.
Alex's POV
3 days later
Somehow, oddly, it feels normal; perfect. For some reason I feel whole, like a chunk that was missing was suddenly filled, and all I'm left with his a content happiness, which feels great.
The beating of his heart, the way his arms are wrapped around me protectively, his smile, his smell. Oh, God, his smell. It's amazing to smell something that isn't death or flesh or blood.
My arm is draped over his side, his hand placed over mine. I gently move away, and sit up, only to smash my head against the corner of the table.
"F-u-c-k me," I cuss, holding my head, biting my lips so hard I can taste the blood, and trying my hardest not to move or scream and wake up Freddie. "Oh my motherf-oh my God." I groan. Well that's going to leave a huge bump, I think to myself. Ah shit. I feel something warm slide down my mouth all the way down to my chin, and look down at the floor, and it's shining with a bright liquid. "Dammit,"
Freddie groans, and spins around, facing me, his eyes still closed, but fluttering. He's waking up. Clean up the blood! You're getting it all over the place! An easy explanation for this, would be that I would get nosebleeds when the air is dry, or just whenever my body hated me and wants me to bleed out of every hole in my body. Today is not my day.
I groan a sigh, and sit up, once again, but avoiding the table; not caring that I'm getting blood all over the place and myself. This looks like a mass murder scene. And of course, nothing near me to clean it up with. "Figures," I sigh once more and just let it pour all on me. A shower would be great. I stand up carefully, and hop my way around. Shit. My crutches were ditched back when I got assaulted. I scoff angrily, followed by a laugh, and immediately regret it afterwards.
"Alex?" Freddie mumbles huskily, opening his eyes and scanning the room. Great job, you woke the gorgeous sleeping boy.
"Yeah." I say in annoyance, biting my tongue. My nose is still pouring out blood like a waterfall, and I'm not even making an effort to control it.
Gross! I hate the metallic taste. Oh God, it's going down my throat! I probably look like a serial killer. Freddie turns to the sound, and his eyes bulge wide.
"I told you not to go out without me. Why are you covered in blood? What happened?" He says worriedly and what's that, annoyance? in his voice? I hide back a smile. He's cute when he's mad, isn't he, Alex? Shut up.
He scans the room more. Up. Down. Up. Turns his head, eyes wider than before. Down.
"There's blood all over the place!"
"Way to state the obvious." I grumble.
"Seriously, what went on?"
"Nothing. I'm just in a... messy situation." I say, trying to assure him there's nothing to worry about. He doesn't look impressed.
"Alex," he says, trying to get it out of me with a look and serious tone. I know that voice. And those eyes. I hate it when people use that look on me; it's practically blackmail with nothing to use against you but a hot look.
"Really! Everything's fine."
"Are... are you... um, you know, your um... your... uh, Satanic waterfall?" He stammers awkwardly. I don't know why, I mean, I probably do, but I burst out laughing. Ew! More metallic going down my throat. I wipe my mouth from the blood that's covering it.
"My..." I say through laughs, "you mean my period?" Okay, not that much metallic.
"Yes! That!" He snaps his fingers and points at me. That-yeah, I guess it can be put that way.
"No, I am not on my period." I chuckle.
"Then what's with all the blood?" He asks, more normal this time. I clear my throat.
"I smacked-well, more toward smashed-my head off the corner of the table, and well, my nose."
"Your nose bleeds that much?"
"Uhm, yes."
"How can your nose bleed if you hit your head?" He squints, scratching his chin.
"Compact? I don't know, okay, you're the med, you should know this."
"Sorry, sweetie, but I was not here when the situation occurred."
"You were, though. In fact, you were right beside me." I point out sarcastically, and gesture between how close we are to prove my point. He smirks at me and snickers.
"Okay, smartass, I was unconscious when the situation happened."
"That was worded much better." I chuckle.
"When did it happen?" He asks, face and voice turning serious once again.
"Literally like five minutes ago. Why?"
"Just let me know how you feel after: headache, more bleeding, or if you feel really tired, okay?"
"Why's that?"
"You may have hit your head hard enough to get a concussion."
"Oh, right. Yeah, I will. Just keep an eye on me in case I pass out without knowing." I wink.
"Are you flirting with me, Alex?" He smiles, crossing his arms. I chuckle, then go straight-faced.
"I don't flirt."
"Then what was that back there?" He raises an eyebrow.
I shrug. "Simple communication with a slightly more appealing and infatuated tone of voice."
"Are you sure? Because I could have sworn it was flirtation you were using."
"Yes, Freddie, I am sure. Now give me ideas on how to clean this shit up."
"Paper towels?"
"Did you happen to pack any?" I snap. Little harsh there, don't you think? No. He'll get used to it if he's sticking around for a while. And to be honest? I think that was a little under-harsh.
"No, Alex, but I'm positive that your pretty face has not checked the bathrooms, correct?" He smirks once again. Stop doing that God dammit! You're killing me Freddie. My eyes bulge again. I didn't even think to even check the bathroom. For fuck sakes. Freddie catches on to my eye action reaction and begins to laugh about it.
"I know what you're thinking and might say, so shut up." I scowl, then roll my eyes and leave for the bathrooms.
My nose has simmered the bleeding down, but my clothes and the area where I was at are still drenched in blood, and looks like a really horrific murder scene. Like the killer has literally taken all the blood out of the victims body and left them like a shrivelled grape.
Okay, maybe that was a little overdramatic, but I'm sure it's close.
I grab the paper towel rolls from the bathrooms, and make my way back to my blood pool.
As I return, Freddie isn't in sight, and I look around for him. No sign of him.
I get down on all fours and lay out a million layers of paper towel on the bloody spots. I use my foot and moments later the white sheet is drenched in a glossy red colour.
"Whoa," Freddie breathes, touching my arm, and I practically jump out of my skin and spin around shocked at his sudden appearance. I was just about to drop punch whoever it was too.
"What the hell, Freddie!" I clutch onto my chest, catching my breathe.
"Ah, shit, I'm sorry I frightened you."
"It's fine. Just a-just a little self conscious, that's all." Freddie steps closer to me, scanning my eyes. He's looking for answers, I can tell. Jada gave me those looks a lot whenever I said I'm fine. I finish up cleaning my blood from the ground, and throw the bloody paper away. "Just give me a warning next time, would ya?"
"Alex, are you okay?" He asks, concern in his voice. I nod my head, and he rubs my shoulder. "You can talk to me, you know. I'm no stranger." I chuckle at this. No stranger my arse. Alex, you don't even know his last name.
"You aren't?" I smirk. "Cause last time I checked, Freddie, you were just someone who took me into a shelter, and walked out with me to help my stupid foot."
"Last time I checked, I thought I saved you from getting killed."
"We're really doing this?" I laugh. "You really wanna go there, mate?"
"Well, we're already here, so why not." He says with smile. Awe, that's cute.
"I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I didn't need a babysitter before, and I still don't. Last time I checked, you were some boy who just wanted to leave a prison and used me as an excuse to do so." I snicker.
"Last time I checked, you kissed me." He crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow. "Your turn sweetheart."
"I did not kiss you! You kissed me!"
"Oh no, you got that all wrong, hun, that was all you."
"Was not."
"Was too."
"Freddie,"
"Alex?"
"Freddie, I'm right. So you're implying that I did something, when in all honesty, you're the wrong one. Fight me about it." I then cross my arms too. This thing we have going on is wildly entertaining for myself, and it feels weird to be so comfortable around a stranger. I went from cleaning up my own blood, to chirping a smoking hot dude. Who is shirtless. Cha-ching!
"Is that a challenge, miss?" He asks, straightening his posture. You're not going to look like the bigger man just cause you grew an inch by stretching you spine, Aussie.
"No. Don't give me that look! I'm serious, Freddie. Ask any one of my-" my laugh and smile fades immediately. I gulp, and now my eyes can't focus and are running around looking at the surroundings like a mad dog. So, I clear my throat and finish my sentence. "Friends."
I'm not crying. I don't cry. I can't.
I don't miss them. Well, maybe a little bit, but I'm more angry at them than anything. I have a very good reason to, right?
I mean, they all knew I wanted to run and get away from that stupid group. My group in the beginning and the group before I left. They let me, and they didn't try to stop me whatsoever. They didn't treat me like a friend, they treated me like a sick animal and I left when I had the advantage to.
I have no regrets.
I do what's best for me and me only; I have no room for anyone else in my life right now. I don't have my best friends, I don't have my dog. I don't have anything.
But I have what I don't need.
I have a beautiful man in front of my face who I kissed and can have a stable friendship with, and we help one another through the virus. I don't deserve him, yet I have him. He can do better, yet here I am. Maybe it's because there probably isn't any other girl alive, maybe that's why he wants to have a thing going, if that's what he wants. Maybe I'm apart of his plan to use me to get to the rescue, then leave me like everyone else did. I brought them to Australia and now they're gone. Maybe that was mine and Austin's groups' plan: to use me till I'm not needed anymore.
I'm a doll who was everyone's favourite, then another new doll is made and I'm forgotten and thrown away.
I look at Freddie, who opens his mouth to say something, but I beat him to it. "Um, I'd excuse myself to go for a walk and get fresh air, but you wouldn't let me, and I don't have my crutches anymore." I bite my lip, and take a deep breather. I want the rescue to hurry up. I want to just give their stupid science department the cure to the virus so I can move on with my life and try to act like everything is alright when it clearly is nowhere close.
"Have you been here before?" I ask him, changing the subject and sitting down on one of the chairs.
"I was here for a soccer and hockey tournament before the apocalypse. I don't know it very well, but I know a bit; the basics."
"Okay. Where's the closest drug store?"
"Up the road, it's in town somewhere," he answers. I stand from my seat and flip my hair.
"Great! Let's go." I grab my bag and head for the door. The only footsteps I hear are mine, why isn't Freddie moving? "Are you coming or not?" Turning around, Freddie gives me a worrisome look. I sigh. Of course we're going to argue again. why can't he just be a regular guy and let the woman win the argument? "Look, it's not like I'm going alone, right? I said 'great! Let's go.' Not 'great! I'm leaving I'll be back soon!' Freddie, c'mon, I need this to happen. You said a couple weeks yourself that I'll be fine and walking good. Canberra is only a couple days away! We'll miss it if we don't do this."
"I do not think this is a good idea, Alex. Not for you to go. Those people can still be out there and looking to harm you, I cannot see you getting hurt again. I can go in town and get the crutches myself, it's no problem."
I clear my throat. If he says what I think he's going to say, then he has no say in what I do. "Freddie. Have you been in Athena since the infection started?"
He looks at me weird. "Yes."
"Then there you have it. You are inexperienced around walkers, therefore I have to come with you. I've been on the road since the infection began, I know what it's like out there. What those things do, what they're capable of."
"I trained at the facility, Alex," he laughs, "for a very long time. I'm a sharpshooter." Well, shit. More reasons to like him, I guess? Hot face and body, great personality, caring, and now he's a fuckin' skilled shooter. You need Jesus, Alex.
Damn right I do!
"I'm still going, whether you like it or not. We can leave to Canberra after we get the crutches. Please don't be an ass?" Okay. Think quick. You're a loser, and haven't had a lot of boyfriends, and your flirting is brutal. Um, let's think. Ah yes! Flutter your eyelashes and smile! What?
Just do it.
So, I flutter my lashes and shine my teeth. "Please?" You better be right about this. I argue to myself.
I am never wrong, after all.
"Oh, my-fine. Just-fine. Okay. You can come." He sighs. "Please don't give me that look again unless you want me to kiss you." I smirk. Unless you want me to kiss you. Awe. Haha. Maybe you should do that more often.
No!
"Yes! I love you! Okay, let's go." The words escaped my mouth before I could think less of it. I didn't mean it in a romantic way, but I was in the moment, and clearly I can't think straight after all.
"Wait, what?"
"Let's go?" I cover up.
"No, before that,"
"Yes?"
"Alex." He says in a dangerous tone.
"Oops, is that a walker I hear grumbling hungrily? Yes? Yes! I'm going to go kill it, I'll see you outside!" And I run off nervously.
Turns out, my hearing is magnificent and there is a walker grumbling outside. I smile to myself. Alex is never wrong, I whisper to myself, drawing the attention of the female walker dressed in a short skirt and crop top, her blonde hair now a gross brown and has more than half of her left cheek missing. "Someone wanted to party too much, eh?" I chuckle at her. She walks to me, and I grab my butcher knife and stab it into the right side of her head. "Hangover's a bitch, isn't it?" And she falls to the ground.
I snicker and clear the blood on the grass on the other side of the street.
I hear voices, faint voices, and look to where their sound is coming from. I close my eyes quickly and think: Please don't be the rapists, please don't be the rapists.
Their voices are closer now, and I squint in the distance to see who it is.
Four voices, and... a dog barking?
"Oh shit! This is a lot worse than the rapists!" I curse to myself. Their heads come into better view, and I get a quick glance before running back into the restaurant.
"Freddie?" I call out, shaking and out of breath. "Freddie get down here, now!" He comes into view, all our stuff thrown over his shoulder.
"What is it? What's wrong?" He asks. I take a few breaths.
"We have to leave," I pant, "like now."
"Why?" He questions. I grab his hand and drag him to the door, peeking a bit, before pulling him outside. "Alex, what's going on?"
"Come on, let's go! Run!" I say in a quiet shouting voice, and yank harder. I don't care, I'll break my cast right now if I have to. I just need him to run without questioning why.
"Alex, stop!" He pulls me back, almost making me fall to the ground. "I'm not moving until you tell me why we're moving. I mean, I get it, you wanna leave. But why are you rushing right now?"
"Freddie, can we just leave please? I'll explain once we're further away."
"Is it the molesters you seen? Is that why you're panicky?"
"No! Just please."
"Then please explain now." He crosses his arms. Oh no, the arm cross! So mature. I don't have time for this, I want to be as far away from them as possible!
I take a big breather, then sigh. Freddie, Freddie, Freddie. You're killing me here.
"Alex," he says. Impatient, the only con so far.
"Alright!" I give up. I could have fought, but then they would come inside and it would be awful. "I'll tell you."
"Thank y-" He begins, but stops wide-eyed. Jesus Christ. What now?
"What is it? Oh my God! Are they here? Shit! Hide." I exclaim, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of view, but he doesn't move.
"No, no, no, Alex! They aren't. Um," he stammers. "Your nose is bleeding again." Really? Gosh.
"Whatever. I don't care. You still want to know?" I ask. I can feel the blood oozing from my nose once again. Oh well.
"Yes."
"Okay." Another breath. "I think those people behind us are my friends."