A/N: Sorry this chapter took a while to upload - I struggled to write it in all honesty. Writer's block is my enemy! Please let me know what you think of the finished chapter. Hopefully, Chapter 4 won't take me this long.
Chapter 3: The Awakening
Grazing her head against the glass, Raven awoke with a start. She blinked a few times, taking in her surroundings. Trees - rows of them, whizzing past in concession. She lifted her head, stretching her neck to relieve the crick that had made home there. Looking around, she realized she was in her cousin's old truck, Betty Jane sitting in the front seat driving; she hadn't yet noticed Raven was awake. It was then that all of the memories of the morning came flooding back to Raven. Her Auntie Faye.
A shot. The commotion came to a halt. The body of her Auntie Faye lay lifeless against the table top, flopping to the ground. Someone entered the room then - the person who had just shot her Auntie Faye.
It was a memory that would stay with Raven until the day she died.
"You killed her" Raven croaked into the silent space, her voice rough from sleep. An accusation wasn't present in her speech, exhaustion took any semblance of emotion from her words. Betty Jane visibly sighed, looking into the rearview mirror and seeing Raven peering out of the window. She wasn't even looking at her. Raven's face was a blank canvas, she appeared somewhat catatonic. She was vacant.
After a few more minutes of silence, Betty Jane decided to speak. Tightening her grip on the steering wheel, she looked away from the mirror in order to keep her eyes on the road. She couldn't look at Raven right now, not when she was about to tell her the truth. "I didn't kill her, Raven" was all she said.
Raven felt dead to the world, it was as though all of her emotions had been put on hold. She had become a blank slate, feeling nothing except the numbness of reality. She turned her head slowly, now resting her face on the side of the car again and peered into the rearview mirror so she could see Betty Jane as she softly added "I saw you. You shot her". Raven returned her eyes to the trees as she felt the car come to a halt and Betty Jane turned around to face her. This conversation needed to happen now.
The sudden jolt caused a stir from a sleeping Chelsea. Raven looked down and only then noticed that Chelsea had been clutching at her side, resting her head on Raven's shoulder. Using her free arm, Raven instinctively brought her hand up to cup Chelsea's face, soothing the girl back into a slumber. Betty Jane furrowed her brow in confusion, noticing the display of affection, but decided to say nothing. Country life was different to city life, and Betty Jane mentally told herself that best friends can just be close, although she felt it was something more. It wasn't the time for those questions right now. Betty Jane was just happy to witness the small glistening of humanity in the girls as it reminded her of a time which was now long gone and Raven was about to find that out. Stopping the car on the road was dangerous enough, so Betty Jane knew she had no time to beat around the bush. Emotions were now a luxury she could no longer afford.
"Raven, something else killed Auntie Faye" A few beats passed. Betty Jane could tell from the blank look in her cousin's eyes that she didn't understand what she was saying.
"You shot Auntie Faye. That's what killed her"
"No, no, no, Raven, listen to me. I shot something, but that wasn't Auntie Faye. It was her body, but it wasn't her" Betty Jane could see the rage starting to blaze in the brunette's eyes, but refused to let this deter her. Raven needed to know. "Auntie Faye was already dead. The person you saw... the person I shot... wasn't Auntie Faye. Things are happening, Raven. People are dying and they're getting back up and biting people. It's like a disease. I don't know why and I don't know how but I know they're not our family. Auntie Faye was attacked, I saw it..."
Raven had becoming silent, trying to process what she had heard.
"...She was attacked and she died"
"But... I saw her... in the kitchen" Raven tried to rationalize, her eyes suddenly brimming with unshed tears. She had no idea what was going on and the lack of control she felt was overwhelming to her.
"When people die... something else comes back and uses their body. Something evil. That's what you saw in the kitchen"
Tears began to fall from Betty Jane's eyes. The strong resolute woman she had appeared to be all morning had finally broken.
"It would have killed you if I didn't shoot it"
This was her final undoing. Betty Jane slumped back into the front seat, unwarranted tears streaming down her face. Raven, still unmoved from her spot, let her own tears fall. She looked down at Chelsea, sleeping peacefully against her arm. She envied her. Chelsea had no idea what had become of the world and Raven wasn't sure she ever wanted her to find out. Chelsea was so pure and so innocent, she deserved so much more. Raven was going to make sure Chelsea continued to be happy, no matter what it took.
Raven looked back out to the road, to the trees she didn't recognize.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice retracting back to indifference.
"Somewhere safe" came solemnly from the front seat, Betty Jane starting the truck once again. If she were honest with herself, she was not sure where she was driving to, she just knew what she was driving away from. Her home. Her family. Truth be told, Betty Jane knew they could have stayed at the house; they could have made it safe. She exaggerated the level of danger they were in because she knew in her heart she couldn't stay there. She couldn't be around anything that reminded her of her family and friends, she just couldn't. So she told Raven and Chelsea that they had to leave; that it wasn't safe. Betty Jane simply hoped she had done the right thing, but currently, she was just leading them down a long road to nowhere. A destination to their fate. Whatever lay at the end was all down to her and she felt that pressure like an anchor on her heart.
Light faded from the sky as the sun began to set, blazing red tones signaling the beginning of the night. The trees lining the road had become shadows of their former selves, bleak and haunting. The beams that once shone life through the branches were gone, allowing the secrets within the forest to adopt their dark disguise. Hands interlocked, pulling Raven from her daze as her eyes sought the delicate palm holding her own. Raven looked up to find the face of her best friend staring back at her, her eyes revealing her fear. It was something Raven couldn't bare to look at because it hurt her heart that she was the cause. She had tried so hard to keep Chelsea safe, to keep her mind at ease, but she broke her wish only moments after she mentally promised it to herself.
Not long after Chelsea had woken up earlier, Betty Jane had stopped the truck at a small store just off the road. The girls had begun to get hungry and in their rush to leave the house, had only brought a few things. Instructing the girls to stay seated, Betty Jane carefully closed the car door. Walking the short distance around the perimeter, she aimed her gun in front of her to check for any undead. Once she was satisfied they were safe, she opened the truck for the two girls and allowed Raven and Chelsea to get out, commanding that they stay behind her. Chelsea didn't really know what was going on, but from the house to the escape, she knew it was something big. As they walked into the shop, they were met with silence. Betty Jane had no time for morals, it was already starting to get dark and she still had no idea where she was driving to. She started to fill her satchel with food cans from the shelves. Raven and Chelsea both looked at each other and at Betty Jane, concern evident on their faces.
"You shouldn't be doing that" Chelsea argued, shocked at what she was seeing. "They don't belong to you"
Betty Jane didn't listen as she packed her bag to the brim. "The world's changed, sunshine. You need to get what you can now before everything else is raided and you have to go without" she chastised, wandering further into the small store. "Chelsea, that desk behind you... check the cabinet for medical supplies"
Chelsea looked at Raven, unsure what to do. Chelsea was a good person and good people didn't steal; she couldn't comprehend how bad things must be if this is what had become of everyone. She sought hope in Raven's eyes but was met with a secretive knowing. Raven looked away, knowing that she couldn't be what Chelsea needed. She couldn't change the world. Things had to be this way. They were survivors now.
"I'll check the other shelves" came from under Raven's breath, almost afraid to speak; feeling uncomfortable under the redhead's judgmental gaze. Chelsea's body sagged, feeling defeated as she made her way toward the cash desk, Raven venturing the opposite way. Taking a look back, she watched as Raven and Betty Jane looted the shelves, her entire being felt as though it was being removed, leaving only the shell. It felt wrong.
Upon closer inspection, the desk looked as though it hadn't been used for quite some time, even before the world turned bad. Chelsea stroked her palm across the surface, dust clawing at her fingertips.
A noise. The heads of the other two women in the room snapped to attention.
"I knocked the pen holder on the floor" Chelsea stated matter-of-factly, knowing the other women were staring at her. As they returned to their duties, Chelsea reached down under the desk to fetch the container. The world may have changed, but Chelsea was savoring every part of humanity she could and that included cleanliness. Unable to locate it, Chelsea bent down on her knees and stretched her arm further beneath the wooden surface. Her hand met the cold porcelain of the container and gripped it. As she began to stand, she was suddenly pulled back down to the ground with a smack, a scream bellowing from her core. Ripping her hand away with a strength she didn't know she possessed, she fell back in shock as an entity crawled from under the desk, charging towards her. She couldn't run, she just froze. She felt cold, matted hands pulling at her ankles. It emitted a growl so deep from within that it sounded almost demonic. It was on her in an instant. She was face to face with the reason the world had changed. She looked into the eyes of the undead and saw nothing staring back. There was no life in there, no humanity, nothing.
A gunshot from Betty Jane. The creature halted and fell atop Chelsea. Hands grasped at the slim girl's stomach pulling her away; the hands were familiar this time. Raven. The shaking girl was pulled into her best friends lap, arms wrapped tightly around her.
Back in the truck, Raven felt the guilt creeping up on her. It made her feel sick. Chelsea was attacked and she couldn't help. If Betty Jane hadn't of been there, she doesn't know what she would have done. Her eyes filled with tears as she finally looked at Chelsea.
"I'm sorry" came from the defeated brunette. Chelsea wrapped her arms around her best friend, their bodies molding together as their need for closeness became apparent. Raven returned the gesture, holding the feeble girl tighter than was comfortable. Tears fell from both of the girls as they clung to each other as though it were the last time they would be able to. "I'm so sorry, Chels"
Chelsea tightened her grip around the girl, her lips brushing the soft skin of Raven's cheek as she whispered a reassurance in her ear "It's not your fault, Rae"
Raven pulled away slightly to look at Chelsea, her eyes soft and glistening. "I promised myself I'd protect you"
The fear Chelsea felt quickly abated as she sat side by side with Raven, resting her head on her shoulder and interlocking their arms. "You did, you pulled me away. I always feel safe with you, Rae"
Resting her head against Chelsea's, Raven released a sigh she wasn't aware she had been holding. "You always got me, you know? Even if things turn bad, you always got me"
Chelsea nuzzled further into the darker woman's neck and the two finally succumbed to sleep.
"We're here" Betty Jane commented, exiting the truck and closing the door. Raven and Chelsea vacated their seats, still linked at the arm and took in their surroundings.
The area was more or less a barren wasteland, save for an old rickety train track and a small building. "Where are we?" came from the auburn-haired girl.
"Santafino Train Station. It's ancient, hasn't been used since the early 1900's. Nobody comes here, we can sleep and get back on the road tomorrow"
Realization dawned on the two friends, still stood beside the truck, that this was their future. Hiding, stealing and hopefully surviving. Raven shot Chelsea a reassuring smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. Breaking from Chelsea's grip, Raven started for the boot of the truck, picking out one of the sleeping bags Betty Jane had packed. Chelsea followed her lead and picked out a backpack, taking it toward Betty Jane who had already begun finding elements to start a fire. Walking toward the camp, Raven was suddenly pulled into a vision.
The city. Body after body lay on the ground, dead. Some undead. Gasping and moaning, seeking a victim. Overrun. Raven turned to Chelsea, worry written across her entire being.
"We have to see if they're alive. I need to know what happened to my family"
Chelsea leaned over, interlocking her fingers with Raven's and rubbing a soothing thumb over her hand. "Whatever happens, I'm here. I love you"
The sleeping bag she was carrying fell to the floor as Raven stared on blankly. Chelsea abandoned her backpack and leaped to the psychic's side. "What did you see, Rae?"
Raven turned to look at Chelsea, sighing as she breathed "the world... I saw the world and it's not getting better" Raven rubbed the tears threatening to fall from her eyes and announced she was going to sleep.
"You haven't eaten yet, you need to keep your strength up" Betty Jane commented, opening a packet of biscuits she'd taken from the shop on the road.
"Not hungry" she deadpanned as she picked up the sleeping bag and walked on toward the small abandoned building that was the train station waiting room. It was small enough to see that there were no undead hiding within it and Raven knew if anything were to happen, Betty Jane was just outside with her gun. Stepping inside the room, Raven closed the door and lay the sleeping bag on the floor beneath. Now alone in her own silence, the events of the day finally caught up to her, tears streaming down her despondent face.
Back at the camp, Betty Jane had finally rustled up a fire and her and Chelsea were sharing biscuits, neither of them talking, both lost in their own thoughts. Chelsea thought about her family, of Raven's family, of Eddie. She was always one of hope, but what she had witnessed today left her feeling unsettled. Still, hope prevailed. She kept telling herself that they would be alright.
"Go to bed, Chels" Betty Jane broke the silence, seeing the pale girl's eyes fighting to stay awake.
"No, I can't leave you out here on your own" she argued.
"I'll be fine, I've got a weapon. Go sleep and I'll keep watch, we can do it in shifts. That way we can all get some rest, so go and I'll wake you when it's time to swap"
Chelsea was in no mind to argue and simply did as she was told. Getting up, she picked up a blanket from her pack and made her way to the old building.
Closing the door quietly so as not to wake Raven, Chelsea sat down on the vinyl flooring and tried to make herself comfortable. Covering herself with a blanket, she stared up at the ceiling. She was exhausted but she felt she would not be getting a lot of sleep. Her mind was much too awake.
Silence draped over the room, only the sounds of the night outside pervading the air. Usually, Chelsea loved the sounds of nature, but tonight it made her feel lost. The quiet was interrupted by the sound of sniffing from Raven. Chelsea's eyes searched for her friend in the dark glow and recognized the sounds as muffled weeping.
"Rae, please don't cry" Chelsea soothed, crawling over to where Raven lay, wrapped in her sleeping bag. She brought her hand up to her friend's cheek, wiping away the tears that had accumulated there.
"I'm just worried, Chels. My vision at the house. My family isn't okay, Chels, I know it" and with this, Raven broke down. Chelsea climbed into the large sleeping bag beside Raven and pulled her close, wrapping the blanket around both of them.
"Listen to me, Rae. Your family will be fine. We'll find them"
Raven cuddled further into Chelsea as though she was some sort of shield against the world. Her sobs subsided as she looked up at Chelsea, who wiped away her remaining tears.
"It's all my fault," she said solemnly, looking away out of sheer guilt. Chelsea furrowed her brows, subsequently confused.
"Raven, none of this is your fault, how could you even think that?!" Chelsea spoke, frustration evident in her tone. Hooking her fingers under Raven's chin, Chelsea brought her face up to look at hers. "What part of this, of any of this, is YOUR fault?!"
Raven appeared broken, it was unlike Chelsea had ever seen before. The confident girl she had once known had been taken apart beneath her.
"I'm psychic and I didn't see this coming. If I did, I could have warned everyone" she said, fresh tears falling. Chelsea was taken aback, completely flummoxed by what had just come out of her best friend's mouth. There was a moment of silence before Chelsea spoke again.
Pulling Raven up into a seated position, Chelsea grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a light shake.
"Raven Lydia Baxter, you listen to me right now and you listen well"
Raven was shocked at the fire in Chelsea's eyes, as though a fuse had been set off inside of her.
"You are not responsible for this. You can't control your visions and you are not a victim of them. This is not your fault. Okay?" Chelsea visibly softened as she ran her hands up and down Raven's upper arms. "You're gonna be okay"
"Will you sleep here with me? I don't wanna be alone" Raven asked, suddenly feeling sheepish.
Chelsea climbed back into the sleeping bag and motioned for Raven to join her under the blanket she had brought with her.
"A sleepover under the stars!" Chelsea exclaimed. Raven's face broke out into a genuine smile for the first time in what felt like forever, which was gladly returned by the woman beneath her.
"The stars are outside, Chels. All we got here is a mouldy ceiling to look at" Raven joked, suddenly feeling lighthearted. She lay down and resumed her spot snuggled into Chelsea as she wrapped her arm around her friend's waist.
"Geez, Rae. You make everything sound so un-romantic" she scoffed, looking up at the ceiling. "Look, Rae. I can see a constellation". Raven's eyes followed Chelsea's finger as she pointed to a damp spot in the tile, "it's Orion's Mould".
Raven chuckled and for the first time since the events began, she felt hope.
Hope prevails.