Creepers
Chapter 21
We walk through the woods in
silence. The sun is just starting to rise over the trees as we
get closer to the campsite. We get to where the guards were last
night, but we don’t see them. All we find is a discarded
boot.
We give each other a look and quietly make our way to the camp. When we get there both our jaws drop wide open. The camp is a mess and as we scan the campsite we see creepers gorging themselves on what looks to be our fellow group members.
My heart jolts as I sling my gun off my shoulder and shoot down the creepers. Everett is beside me shooting, his eyes wide and scared and I wonder for a moment if I look like him too. The creepers eventually all fall to the ground and stop moving. I drop my bags and take a couple feeble steps forward.
“Everett…” My voice is weak as I look at all the bodies around us. One starts to move and I see that it is Chris.
“Chris!” I scream and run to him as quickly as possible.
He is breathing quickly and grunting, his face contorted in pain. Both his legs are gone, a pool of blood in their place. I focus on his face and grip his hand tightly.
“Chris, I’m so sorry!” I choke out.
“Where were you?” He pants and groans.
“We-we were in a town. We found so much food, Chris! A-and you’re going to help us eat it.”
He lets out a long groan and then laughs. “Don’t kid yourself Riley. Just shoot me now.”
I shake my head and whimper, “I can’t.”
I hold onto his hand as we stare at each other. Eventually his hand slackens and the glow leaves his eyes. I hang my head over his body and cry. I stay in that spot for at least another two or three hours, not moving or talking. Everett walks around the camp cleaning up some things, but I tune him out. I close Chris’ eyes and brush back his hair from his forehead. I think about all the times Chris has had my back; how many times he’s saved my life and I’ve saved his, and how all of that is gone now.
That’s when I hear him take a breath. Everett must hear it too because he is by my side in an instant and pulling me away and to my feet. I watch as Chris’ eyes open and he starts to crawl towards us. He gnashes his teeth at us and makes a sickening sound come from his throat. Everett fumbles for his gun and I close my eyes as I hear the gun shot go off. My breath catches sin my throat as I open my eyes. I try to suck in air, but I can’t.
“Everett…” I whimper again and start crying. I slowly lower to my knees and sob into my hands. I feel Everett’s arms around me as he clutches me tightly. I hear a low sniffle and a mumbled sorry come from Everett’s mouth. I cry into his shoulder and feel something wet drip onto my forehead. I look up at Everett and see tears silently sliding down his cheeks. I stop crying as best as I can and wipe away Everett’s tears. He watches me and lets out a long sigh. I wipe the tears from his face and he does the same to me.
“We-we need to… build a fire…” I murmur.
Everett nods and we slowly start to move around the bodies.
Once we get the fire going, Everett places a towel over every body’s face, so we don’t have to look at them. We pick up the bodies one by one and throw them into the fire. Afterwards we spend about an hour scrubbing our hands and faces clean. I keep murmuring apologies to no one in particular. Somehow Everett is able to fall asleep and I am left alone with my thoughts. What if Everett and I had been here? Would everyone still be alive? The guilt rises up in me and I realize I am shaking badly. Just as I’m about to scream Everett grabs hold of me tightly. I flinch, not expecting him to wake up so soon.
“I had a nightmare.” He mumbles into my ear as he tightens his hold on me from behind.
“About what?” I have to ask.
He pauses before answering. “About you. I lost you and I felt like a part of me died with you.”
I take a breath. “I am not going anywhere.”
“But what if you do? I don’t know what I would do without you,” he blurts out.
I bite my lip as he rests his head on my shoulder. “I won’t leave you, Everett. Not now, not ever.”
He tightens his grip on me and holds me firmly but gently. We watch the fire as the sun rises. It smells like cooking meat and I try not to remind myself that those bodies were my only friends left. We slowly gather our things and any important supplies that our friends cannot help us with anymore and head back into town, leaving the fire burning behind us.
We give each other a look and quietly make our way to the camp. When we get there both our jaws drop wide open. The camp is a mess and as we scan the campsite we see creepers gorging themselves on what looks to be our fellow group members.
My heart jolts as I sling my gun off my shoulder and shoot down the creepers. Everett is beside me shooting, his eyes wide and scared and I wonder for a moment if I look like him too. The creepers eventually all fall to the ground and stop moving. I drop my bags and take a couple feeble steps forward.
“Everett…” My voice is weak as I look at all the bodies around us. One starts to move and I see that it is Chris.
“Chris!” I scream and run to him as quickly as possible.
He is breathing quickly and grunting, his face contorted in pain. Both his legs are gone, a pool of blood in their place. I focus on his face and grip his hand tightly.
“Chris, I’m so sorry!” I choke out.
“Where were you?” He pants and groans.
“We-we were in a town. We found so much food, Chris! A-and you’re going to help us eat it.”
He lets out a long groan and then laughs. “Don’t kid yourself Riley. Just shoot me now.”
I shake my head and whimper, “I can’t.”
I hold onto his hand as we stare at each other. Eventually his hand slackens and the glow leaves his eyes. I hang my head over his body and cry. I stay in that spot for at least another two or three hours, not moving or talking. Everett walks around the camp cleaning up some things, but I tune him out. I close Chris’ eyes and brush back his hair from his forehead. I think about all the times Chris has had my back; how many times he’s saved my life and I’ve saved his, and how all of that is gone now.
That’s when I hear him take a breath. Everett must hear it too because he is by my side in an instant and pulling me away and to my feet. I watch as Chris’ eyes open and he starts to crawl towards us. He gnashes his teeth at us and makes a sickening sound come from his throat. Everett fumbles for his gun and I close my eyes as I hear the gun shot go off. My breath catches sin my throat as I open my eyes. I try to suck in air, but I can’t.
“Everett…” I whimper again and start crying. I slowly lower to my knees and sob into my hands. I feel Everett’s arms around me as he clutches me tightly. I hear a low sniffle and a mumbled sorry come from Everett’s mouth. I cry into his shoulder and feel something wet drip onto my forehead. I look up at Everett and see tears silently sliding down his cheeks. I stop crying as best as I can and wipe away Everett’s tears. He watches me and lets out a long sigh. I wipe the tears from his face and he does the same to me.
“We-we need to… build a fire…” I murmur.
Everett nods and we slowly start to move around the bodies.
Once we get the fire going, Everett places a towel over every body’s face, so we don’t have to look at them. We pick up the bodies one by one and throw them into the fire. Afterwards we spend about an hour scrubbing our hands and faces clean. I keep murmuring apologies to no one in particular. Somehow Everett is able to fall asleep and I am left alone with my thoughts. What if Everett and I had been here? Would everyone still be alive? The guilt rises up in me and I realize I am shaking badly. Just as I’m about to scream Everett grabs hold of me tightly. I flinch, not expecting him to wake up so soon.
“I had a nightmare.” He mumbles into my ear as he tightens his hold on me from behind.
“About what?” I have to ask.
He pauses before answering. “About you. I lost you and I felt like a part of me died with you.”
I take a breath. “I am not going anywhere.”
“But what if you do? I don’t know what I would do without you,” he blurts out.
I bite my lip as he rests his head on my shoulder. “I won’t leave you, Everett. Not now, not ever.”
He tightens his grip on me and holds me firmly but gently. We watch the fire as the sun rises. It smells like cooking meat and I try not to remind myself that those bodies were my only friends left. We slowly gather our things and any important supplies that our friends cannot help us with anymore and head back into town, leaving the fire burning behind us.
*****Author's Note*****
Ok I think this is my favorite chapter so far :D
Ok I think this is my favorite chapter so far :D
Happy
Holidays!
Comment and leave me
feedback I really want your input to this story!
:)
♥ Thanks ♥
♥ Thanks ♥
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gymnasticluva29
1 decade ago
Can you please post the next chapter some time soon? I'm dyingg to read it!!
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soccerdogg25
1 decade ago
Hey, I know I've been horrible for not posting, lately I've just been editing what I have, but I am getting back to writing and I hope to have another chapter up soon! Thank you for commenting, I didn't realize people were actually reading :)
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