"Never talk to strangers. That's what you're supposed to do. Right?"
~~~~~~~~
I need to go back. I can't survive out here. I can't leave Katelyn there by herself.
Why am I so stupid?!
I don't know where I am. All I know is that I'm avoiding large groups of walkers. That's the main objective. But I also need to find my way back to the shelter.
I hope for the best and turn around, in hopes that I didn't take too many turns.
~~~~~~~~~~
Celestia whines.
She's starving.
I am too. We only have eaten a small amount twice in the matter of 4 days.
Probably not smart in my part. And I'll take full blame for that. I'm just trying to save food.
"I know girl... Maybe... We can take a break and eat." I sit down on a near log. And take out the bag full of food.
I take out a can of beans, and stare at it for a minute. I sigh.
"We'll have to make a fire in order to heat this up." I set the can down and gather leaves, sticks and some rocks to make the fire.
After what seemed like forever, I finally got a spark to catch on the leaves. I wait until the fire gets bigger, then put the open can of beans next to the hottest part.
Celestia sniffs the can, eager to eat.
"Hold on girl. It'll be ready soon."
~~~~~~~~~
I feed Celestia half the can and I give myself the rest.
Celestia gets up from sitting and starts growling at a bush.
"What wrong?" I get up next to her and kneel down with her.
Everything gets quiet, with the occasional crackling of the fire. And the bristling of some bushes from a distance.
"Okay, stay low. It's probably a walker." I back away to my bag which holds my pistol.
"Bark Bark!" Celestia barks, and runs into the bushes.
I literally have a panic attack.
"Celestia!! No! Come back!" I run to the bushes, but don't run into it. "Celestia!"
I hear distance barks.
I look back at the camp then back into the woods.
"Hold on girl! I'm coming!" I run into the bushes listening for any sounds of a dog.
I eventually hear some barks and whines. My heart drops to my stomach.
"Celestia!" I clear out a patch of a bush and am greeted with Celestia on top of, and licking a person's face.
"Stop! Stop! Down girl!" The man said and trying to push the dog off of him.
It took me a second to process who it was.
"Aaron?!" His head shot up to look at me.
"Oh, hey." On queue, Celestia stops attacking his face and runs to me.
"What are you doing out here?!" He stood up and brushed himself off.
"Uh, just... Lookin' for resources." He nervously rubs his neck.
"Really? This far out? Do you even know where we are?"
"Yeah, just a few miles off the highway then walk up a few more miles up then you'll be there." He shrugs and I just look at him.
I was near it... The whole time?!
"Well, I'll be heading back tomorrow." I tell Celestia to follow me and we head back to my handmade camp. As I walk I hear footsteps behind me.
"Aren't you going to go back? And where's your bag with resources? I thought you were out here hunting?"
"Oh, yeah. I just realized I won't make it back before midnight, so..."
I shake my head. "Mmmhmmm..."
"What? It's true!"
"Alright... Alright." He keeps following me all the way to the camp. But something feels... Different.
We get to the camp on someone is digging through my things. Aaron quickly pulls me into the bushes and holds Celestia back.
"Who the hell is that?" I whisper.
"I don't know. I'll take care of this." He stands up, but I pull him back down.
"No! It's my stuff, I'll get it!" I push him down before he could say anything, and walk towards the guy. "Hey!"
The guy jumps and drops everything he had and puts his hands up.
"I'm sorry! I've been stranded out here for weeks! I'm so hungry!" The guy is wearing a worn out lab coat. I draw out my gun a little bit.
"Woah! Woah! There's no need for that! I just need a little food, and I'll be on my way!" He backs up.
I reach for my bag and grab 2 granola bars and threw them to him.
"This is it? This won't last me! Please! I just need to find my brother! He got lost in all this mess! I don't know if he's alive, I just need to have enough for a few more weeks." He walks towards me.
"Well, I need this just as much as you do. And finders keepers." I grab the bag and sling it over my shoulder.
"Please! Just a few cans I saw in there, and I'll be on my way!" At this point, he is within inches from me.
"I would step back if I were you." A gun cocks behind him and it's pointed up to his neck.
The guy slowly puts his hands up.
"Oh god, please! I just need to find my brother! I need to survive just enough to know he's okay. That's all I'm asking for!" I then realize his situation. And I was in the same place as him. Looking for my parents.
3rd Person POV
Aphmau draws back her gun and Aaron looks at her, confused with what She was doing. He still had his gun pointed at the stranger.
"I was in this same place once. I was looking for my parents." She pauses. Adding a small laugh at the end. "I eventually found their house but... I was too late.." the stranger looks at her with sorrow in his eyes. But Aaron doesn't let his guard down. He still has the gun up, pointed behind the man.
"It hurt to find out the truth, and I wouldn't want anyone else to feel what I did..." Aphmau grabs the bag off her shoulder and gives it to him.
"Aphmau?!" Aaron yells.
"Oh my Irene. Thank you so much. This will certainly last until I find him! Thank you so much." The stranger goes up to her and hugs her. And Aphmau, with slight caution, hugs back. Aaron just stares at them with a lot of confusion.
He pulls away. "Oh, I didn't get your names."
"Aphmau." Aphmau waves slightly.
They look to Aaron who is currently standing against a tree.
He rolls his eyes and pushes himself off the tree.
"Aaron."
"Well, nice to meet you all! My name is Victor. Oh, by the way.. do you guys know where that huge shelter is? I wanted to start looking there, but I can't seem to find it. I know it's around here somewhere."
Aaron's eyes widen.
"Yeah, it's—" Aaron quickly stops Aphmau from talking anymore.
"No! Uh.. I mean. Aphmau can I talk to you?!" He drags Aphmau into the woods. "Do you remember what situation we're in? We can't afford anymore people to just waltz right in!"
"Aaron, he's just looking for his brother. And then he'll leave! Just show the guy a little more respect then you have been. He's a survivor! He's been out here all alone. And we are probably the first alive people he's seen in months!" Aaron thinks for a moment. "Plus, I already have him my food so he won't need any of the shelter's food."
"Oh yeah.. Why did you give him all your food?!" Before she could answer a horrifying scream filled the air.
They both quickly ran back to the camp. That consisted of Victor and 3 walkers. Celestia was currently biting at the monster's feet, avoiding their grasp. And Victor was just swinging the bag of food at them, trying to avoid being bitten.
Aaron lifted up his gun to shoot. He shot 3 bullets and hit them all in the head. The shots' sound echoed through the air.
"Come on. We need to get out of here." We quickly packed our things and left the camp. And started towards the shelter.
Hoping we made the right choice with this guy.