“Audrey!”
Her body was slowly mangled. Being dragged through the doors. Her bottom half was already gone letting her backbone stick out.
“Audrey please!”
This can’t last forever.
She spoke to me. Her fingertips were destroyed from her clawing at the carpet trying to get away. Her nails broken and blood filled.
“AUDREY!!” Carl grabbed my arm and pulled me down the flight of stairs following the already fleeing Conroy and Grant.
Carl held my hand and it finally settled.
She’s dead.
We burst out the doors into the snow and I struggled to stay on my feet, my legs shook so much.
In the middle of the parking lot, I fell and slowly got up.
“Audrey!?” Carl turned around and hurried over to me, Grant and Conroy continued to run.
I put my hand on a tire next to me and slowly got up. “We have to go back. Get her body.” I looked up at him.
“We can’t.” He frowned.
“We-We-We have to! We have to go back Carl!” I started to get hysterical and push away from his grip on my arms.
“No! We can’t!” His voice started to rise.
“We have to!!!” I started to scream and cry at the same time. I know this was, dramatic, but I couldn’t help it.
His hand opened and slapped my face making me go still. “She’s gone!!!”
I looked to him and he just hugged me.
“She’s gone.” He whispered.
I gripped his shirt and bit my lip repeating those words so they’d register. His hair brushing against my cheek.
…To those who have sacrificed, lost a friend, or a relative…Granny was both for me. In the two months I was aware of how secluded this place made each of us; Granny broke the fear and pushed me to hope.
The sum of her life, of all our lives…hoping and dreaming for it to end in peace…
I’ll mourn her. I’ll mourn everyone. Everyone I’ve ever cared for, for the rest of my uncertain life.
(Third Person P.O.V.)
Conroy stopped just short in front of Grant then turned to the 22 year old.
“All right. Hand em’ here.” Conroy panted.
“What?” Grant stood straight.
“The pills. Hand em’ over.”
“To give to Gabby right?” Grant heaved.
“Uh-uh.” Conroy slowly walked over.
“You’re not sick.” Grant mumbled.
“I have needs.” Conroy smirked.
“Granny died. I’m not gonna let you get high over her dead body.”
Conroy grabbed his shirt. “You never know what you’re going to do.”
Grant stiffened and looked to the side. Conroy knew…“Don’t tell anyone.”
“As long as we have an understanding.” Conroy smiled.
And with that, the exchange was complete. Hidden truth in exchange for the pills.
(Audrey’s P.O.V.)
Gabby wept and wept. “I shouldn’t have told her!”
“Granny!!!” Roy rocked back and forth. “Want Granny!” He coughed next.
“Shh.” Gabby cooed. “You need medicine.” Gabby wiped her tears away just so they could come right back.
“Gabby.” Grant squeaked. “We didn’t find any.”
Gabby turned to them, me too, and we all went white.
“What?” I walked over to him. “I thought you had some!” I didn’t see any, but…I thought…
“No. We were coming back for you when…” He hung his head and glanced at Conroy.
Gabby held onto a cold Roy and whimpered. “So…he’ll die too?”
I wanted to deny it. Make her understand that it’s possible he’ll live. That he’ll definitely live. But I can’t. Because, in truth, I don’t believe it at all possible. Roy should have died a long time ago. Or at least he was supposed to. I’m guessing love was the only thing that kept him healthy until this blood stained winter hit.
It was a week later when we found Roy’s body in some bushes.
That was also the day we found Conroy passed out and high. Gabby gripped the empty bottle and threw it to the ground when I found it and showed it to her.
Conroy slowly staggered over to the group slightly chuckling when Gabby pulled out her gun and aimed.
“You rotting son of a bi*ch!!!” She started for him when Vernetta aimed her gun at her. I held Gabby back and her nails dug into my skin out of pure sorrow.
“That…would fix so much…but it’ll only get you killed.” I ignored the pain.
We were outside, in the snow. Carl had his hand on his gun, ready and waiting.
“Audrey…” She let the tears fall but her face was as emotionless as a dolls. “I can’t do this anymore.” She pulled her gun down and walked back to her brothers limp body.
2 people, dead. Was there no end?
“All right. Audrey. You and Carl, come on.” She started to walk us out of the square with Stark and Conroy behind her.
“What’s going on?” Carl looked at them leading us down the slope.
“What do you think?” I smirked and looked at Vernetta. “You wanted Conroy to kill us in the college didn’t you? That’s it?”
“Yeah, and I would’ve done it to if it weren’t for Grant leaving Granny behind the way he did.” Conroy pulled out his own gun.
My face grew dark and I felt an odd lump in my throat. “Bastard.” I whispered to myself.
“So you plan to execute us now?” Carl called out.
“Of course.” Vernetta walked us down. I sighed to myself and felt nothing. For the first time in a long time, I felt absolutely nothing. Because I had nothing left. Nothing that was truly mine. It was just me. Ready for anything.
When we turned, a mass herd of walkers slowly trudged uphill coming at us.
“Audrey!” Carl panicked and jumped off the hill down into the bushes. “The college!”
I swallowed and followed after him. “I’m coming!”
“Kill them!!” Vernetta screamed at Conroy, but he was too doped to even shoot.
A few shots were fired as we made our way through the parking lot dodging all the walkers we could. “Hurry!” I screamed to Carl.
“Come on!” I heard Vernetta yell in the distance. I felt an odd pang in me next.
“Gabby…” I turned. “GABBY!!!” They’ll kill her! “GABBY!!”
No reply.
“We have to go!” Carl put his gun up and shot a nearby walker then turned to shoot another. “Ah. Audrey, they’re everywhere!”
“It could end right now Carl!” I looked back at him.
“What?” He turned to face me.
I hesitated then pulled out my gun. “It could end right now…all you have to do is say it.” I frowned. He just looked at me utterly confused.
I wanted more. More time with Carl. But, if he wanted it over, then I did too.
If that’s what he wanted…I wanted it too.
It can be over…right now.
This can’t last forever.