The four friends followed the train tracks. Hoping to make it to the airport. "How much further?" Owen whined. "About 20 more km." Violet replied, not facing him. "Ah, are you kidding me?" Owen groaned. "Man up!" Violet demanded. "Can't we take a short break?" Owen asked. "The more time we waste, the more time that gives the zombies to overrun the place." Violet said. "She's got a point Owen." Aiden said. Owen groaned loudly "Fine! Uh, I feel like my legs are gonna drop off." Owen whined. "You want me to carry you?" Roxy asked sarcastically. "No, hell no." Owen replied.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally made it to the airport. To find it overrun. "Great." Owen mumbled. Violet sighed "Welp, ready to walk another 20 km?" Violet asked. "Huh?!" Owen exclaimed.
They finally reached the Military Base. To find it overrun. "Double great." Owen mumbled. "Welp, ready to go bear hunting?" Violet asked. "No- wait what?" Owen asked. Violet pointed behind him. Owen turned around and saw an endless forest. He looked at it with an unimpressed expression "Seriously?" He mumbled. "I told you we would." Violet said walking towards it, soon followed by Aiden and Roxy. Owen sighed heavily before following them.
"Okay Violet. What's the plan now?" Aiden asked. Violet sat there in thought for a few minutes before sighing "We'll just wander around until we find a way to Japan." She said "That's our most likely option right now.".
2 Months and 23 Days After The Outbreak
Violet walked through the forest. Knife in hand and gun where she could reach it. She was fairly skinny due to how little she'd eaten since the zombies first appeared. She heard rustling in the bushes and she hid behind a tree. She peeked behind the corner and saw a bird resting on the ground. She smirked and aimed her gun at it. She lined up her shot and then pulled the trigger.
Owen, Roxy and Aiden looked up to see Violet holding up a dead bird. She passed it to Roxy. "This is all I could find." Violet said sitting down. "Looks like foods low in this area." Aiden said rubbing his hands before holding them in front of the campfire. "Yeah, we're running low on supplies too." Owen added. Roxy put the bird over the fire using a stand she'd made out of sticks. "Yeah, we're out of food. We're low on medicine. Our ammo's limited." Roxy explained. "Well, Violet. What should we do?" Aiden asked. All three of them faced her. Violet sat in thought for a few minutes. "We'll spend the night here. Then we'll head north. There's a town near there. We can stock up on supplies there." Violet explained. "Okay but… that place is most likely overrun by now." Aiden said. "Yeah, Probably. But what other choice do we have?" Violet asked. Owen, Roxy and Aiden looked at each other before looking back at her. "I guess you're right." Owen said.
The bird finished cooking and Roxy took it off the stand. She ripped its head off and threw it into the bushes. Violet and Owen had the wings and Roxy and Aiden had the legs. Roxy was now used to ripping animals apart for food because Violet told her to imagine them as roast chicken, but they didn't taste like it. The four of them ate in silence and gave each other awkward glances. Violet was the first to finish "I'll take watch. When you three have finished eating go to bed. Aiden, you'll take watch after me." Violet said. Aiden looked at her surprised for a bit before nodding in understanding.
Violet looked out into the open forest. She sighed before reaching for her bag and pulling out the note her parents left her. She'd lost count how many times she'd read it. "What'cha doin'?". Violet jumped and turned around reaching for her knife, but calmed down when she saw it was Owen. "Jesus Christ Owen, you almost gave me a heart attack!" Violet whisper shouted. "Sorry." Owen replied. "What's that?" He asked. Violet shoved the note into her pocket "Nothing!" She said. Owen raised his eyebrow at her before snatching the note out of her pocket. "H-hey!" Violet stampered. Owen read the note and started laughing quietly when he finished. "What?" Violet snapped, snatching the note from his hands. "It's nothing." Owen replied, bringing his laughter to a stop. Violet gave him a confused look "You're weird." She said, putting the note back in her bag.
An awkward silence grew between them. "Hey… Violet?" Owen asked. "Yeah?" Violet replied. "I wanna ask… about your parents." He said. Violet's head snapped in his direction at the mention of her parents. "What about them?" Violet said, trying to keep her cool. "How are you so certain… that they're alive?" He asked, avoiding eye contact with her. "Are you saying they're dead?" Violet said, annoyance in her voice. "N-no, that's not it at all. It's just… it's the apocalypse. It's either you live, or you die. It's as simple as that. And… y'know… you gotta… let go. Like we did. Move on." Owen said. Violet's eyes grew wide with rage. She walked up to Owen and picked him up by the collar of his shirt. "Is that right, huh? Just 'let go'? Of the people that raised me and supported me my ENTIRE life? That I should just, give up hope on them still being alive? Well I hate to break it to you but I don't 'let go' that easily. I will find them no matter what. No matter how long it takes, whether I find them tomorrow or next week or next month or next year or whatever! I'll find them. I swear it." Violet said threw gritted teeth. "Violet… I'm sorry." Owen said. Violet narrowed his eyes at him. "I'm so pathetic. I'm such a pathetic friend." He said. Violet's expression softened slightly at his words. The corners of Owen's mouth turned up slightly, his eyes squinted slightly and his brows were slightly furrowed and raised causing an innocent look on his face. "Forgive me. I wasn't the supportive friend that I should've been. No matter how hard I try I just can't get up to your level. You're so friendly and fun, but yet beneath that there's a completely different person. One that pushes through everything that gets in their way, despite all the blood on their hands they keep on pushing forward and will stop at nothing. That's exactly what you are, Violet." Owen said. Violet furrowed her brows "What're you saying?" She asked. "You still don't get it do you? You're the only one that we can trust our lives in. You're the only one that can beat this world. That's why we chose you to be the leader." Owen replied. Violet made a 'tch' noise before throwing Owen to the ground and walking back towards the tree she was leaning against previously. "What I'm saying is…" Owen began, standing up "… You're a strong person Violet. You can't die… not yet." He finished as they both stared up at the stars.
The next day they began walking towards the town Violet spoke of. Violet and Owen were spending a fair way away from each other. When Roxy and Aiden asked what was up they said it was nothing. When they got there it was surprisingly deserted. No human or zombie in site. "That's weird. I thought there would have been at least some activity here." Aiden said. Violet nodded a few times in agreement. "C'mon." She said. Violet led them into a Store that was just across the street from where they entered. "Woah! Check out all the food that's in here! Water! Clothes! Blankets! Batteries! Medicine! Someone's leftover ammo! This could last us about 8 months!" Roxy exclaimed. "WooHoo! We just hit the JACKPOT on this one!" Aiden exclaimed. Violet cleared her throat which caused all of them to look in her direction. "Now hold on. Don't you think it's a bit suspicious that there just so happens to be supplies just lying around here untouched? Just waiting for us to come by? And on top of that, this is a local store. Don't you think it's weird that there's ammo lying around here in a local store?" Violet said. "Yeah, you're right. Someone could be here." Aiden said. "Alright, we'll search the place. Roxy and Aiden check the back rooms. Owen… the roof. I'll look around here." Violet said. The three of them nodded "Alright, let's move out." Violet said. Owen, Roxy and Aiden scurried to their given areas. "Okay, now I'm curious. Owen, what happened between you and Violet." Roxy asked. "I told you, nothing happened." Owen replied, annoyed. "Well something must've happened." Aiden added. "Look-" Before an argument could start Roxy stopped them by saying "What's that!". Owen and Aiden looked in the direction Roxy was pointing and saw what looked like an old cassette tape recorder. They walked over to it. "What the hell is an ancient machine like this doing here?" Owen asked. "Dunno." Roxy replied. "Look! There's a tape inside!" Aiden said. "I wonder what's on it." Roxy said. "Only one way to find out." Aiden said "My Dad used to have one so I know how it works.". Aiden stared playing the tape and they all stared at it in shock who's voice they heard.
'Hello, if you're hearing this… well why is there any point. Everyone is already dead. We uh… have a daughter… we uh… told her to meet us in Japan…'
Owen, Roxy and Aiden turned their heads when they heard footsteps behind them. They saw Violet slowly walking towards them. Her face full of curiosity and confusion. Obviously recognizing the voice of her Father.
'I… she is… she's still alive. I know she is. She's strong, she's smart, she's brave. I'm here with my Wife and we're gonna try and hold out here. We'll… try and survive… for her. There's a uh… horde coming. So we're gonna move to the Pharmacy down the road. If someone… oh god if anyone is actually hearing this… then please… help us… and watch over our daughter… Violet.'
The tape ended there. "The Pharmacy." Violet said under her breath. "Violet, wait!" Owen called, but it was too late. Violet had run out the door towards the Pharmacy.
Violet kicked open the doors of the Pharmacy. "Mom! Dad!" She yelled. Nothing. "It's me! Violet!" She yelled. Nothing. "They're probably in the back room." She thought. She ran towards the two doors at the back and kicked open the doors. "Mom! Da-!" Violet words were cut short as she saw the sight before her. There… she saw two bloody figures. A man and a woman. The woman had the left side of their mouth ripped off revealing her teeth. The man had their left eye dangling out. Their eyes were white and soulless and they were making the familiar groaning sound. Violet didn't have to give them a second look to know who they were. Her parents.
End of Chapter 4
Anuther's Note: Oh… what a cliffhanger! Sorry for the long chapter, I just wanted the chapter to end like this! Bye!
