Chapter 11

I awoke the next morning to find the guys packing up the camp. I sat up and realized how I fell asleep. I fell asleep sitting up with my head rested on Catcher's shoulder not laying on the ground with my head rested on my pack.

I spotted Catcher and Elias talking quietly and pointing in different directions. I looked back and saw Jonas kicking some dirt into the fire. Nolin was standing behind him putting his pack on his back. Midnight barked and ran over to me.

I petted her head. "Goodmorning girl. How are you?" She wagged her tail excitedly.

"Good morning." I heard Jonas and Nolin say simultaneously.

I smiled. "Hey boys."

I looked back and saw Catcher smiling at me. "Well hello."

I smiled back,

Elias gave me a small salute. I gave him a nod.

Elias cleared his throat. "We should be moving out soon. If we want to make that boat by night fall."

"Yes" Catcher said standing to his feet.

We all did the same.

"Welp… Let's get a move on then." I heard Jonas say.

We moved out and started heading towards the ocean. Catcher walked along side me with Midnight on the opposite side but we didn't say much to each other. The sun was shining bright. The air was warm and I was out of water I hope we reach this boat soon.

"It wont be far now. I remember this path." Catcher said as if reading my thoughts.

I nodded. He took my hand in his but I didn't pull away this time and that must have really shocked him. We walked that way for a while. Crunching over the gravel and snapping over the twigs, having our breath taken away from the lack of air around us.

Catcher stopped instantly and pulled out his knife.

"What is it?" I whispered.

And before he could respond he pulled an infected man from behind a tree and stabbed it in the forehead. It dropped to the ground. He looked back at me his chest heaving in and out.

"Um…." Jonas said walking back towards us. "Maybe we should pick up the pace."

Nolin nodded. His eyes wide. "Yes I agree."

"Good Idea" Catcher said grabbing my hand and pulling me along.

Elias ran towards us. He was low to the ground. When he got to us he put his hands out as if telling us to stop. "There's about seven coming our way. On our right, a few feet away"

Catcher nodded. "Okay come on." We all ran straight ahead trying to keep low and keep quiet. It wouldn't be long until they picked up our scent.

The moans grew louder and I could hear the shuffling feet. I could hear Midnight begin to growl as she ran along side me. Jonas ran ahead of me and kept looking back. I looked over my shoulder and saw how that group of seven had increased into a group of about twenty as they hobbled after us.

I ran for as long as I could before I began getting tired and having a hard time keeping up.

The smell of the ocean hit us before we actually saw it. The beautiful golden sand ending at the clear blue water. The purity of it all. The only thing in this world untouched by this infection. I froze in my footsteps. Forgetting that my friends were being pursued by infected. Catcher stopped as well and looked back at me.

"What's wrong?"

"It's so beautiful."

He smiled at me. "It is. Come on. We have to go."

We began running again. The salt water breeze hit me. It felt beautiful on my skin.

We ran behind Joans and Nolin who kept looking back for me. Elias led all of us to the beach's edge. My feet sunk into the wet sand. The freezing cold water rushed at my ankles.

Catcher leaned close to me and pointed his finger. See that over there. I looked where his finger was pointing and there was a big ship. Midnight stared at it just as shocked as I was.

"Alright. you ready?" Elias said looking back at us. He was a little bit further into the water than we were.

All the boys nodded and started heading out into the water.

Catcher looked at me. "Can you swim?"

"No." I've never learned to swim. I haven't been around large bodies of water that often to learn to swim… except the river but I never had anyone to teach me.

"Okay then you have to trust me." He said taking my hand. I walked with him into the water. Elias, Nolin and Joans were already in the water swimming towards the boat.

Midnight leaped in with a big splash and swam beside me as I walked in with Catcher. The water was up to my waist and my heart started beating fast, I looked over my shoulder. The infected that was pursuing us had slowed down and were walking off in all different directions along the sand.

We walked a little further and before I knew it the water was up to my neck. I was gasping for air it was too cold and I my heart was feeling it. Catcher kept my hands above my head. I felt him put his arm around my waist. I watched him as he used his other hand to paddle. The water splashed my face. Midnight paddled along side us trying hard to fight against the currents, trying to keep her head above water. So was I.

"You're going to be okay." Catcher kept whispering. Before I knew it we reached the boat.

I watched as my brother, Nolin and Elias climbed up on the boat.

Catcher swam over to the ladder and held me up until I grabbed onto the ladder. I grabbed on and hoisted myself up. It was so difficult because I was exhausted from the trip in the ocean. I pulled myself up each step until I reached the top, Jonas helped me over the edge. I fell to my knees and coughed. My chest felt like it was full of water. I turned around to find Catcher placing Midnight down on the floor he carried her up the ladder.

She ran over and licked my face. As if saying she's happy we're both okay. Catcher walked over and helped me to my feet. "Welcome aboard" he smiled.

I tried to smile back.

Two girls stood next to eachother that looked exactly alike. One hugged Elias the other smiled at Catcher. She had scars one her face. I tried hard not to stare.

"Alannah… This is Gabry and Annah." He said motioning towards the twin girls.

"Girls this is Alannah, Nolin, and Jonas."

"Hello" I said calmly.

The girls smiled.

"Alannah?" I heard a little voice say.

Then I saw Jay running towards me and he leaped in to my arms. I hugged him so tight.

"Good to have you back," he said with a chuckle.

I smiled.

I walked over to Jonas and hugged him. "I didn't think you would get on this ship. Too big of a risk."

Jonas shrugged. "Sometimes you have to take risk in order to survive."

I nodded.

I walked over to the edge of the boat and looked out at the endless blue nothingness. Felt the ocean spray on my face and the breeze consuming me.

"Don't get too comfortable here." I heard Catcher say from behind me. "We still need to go back to Vista."

I smiled. "I remember."

"Good."

I looked back at the ocean. Back at the sand. Back at the trees, towards the hills. Back to the way I've come. Trying to forget my old life and focus on my new one.

I turned my head towards the horizon. Looking in the direction that I'm going, Forward, I am no longer looking back but I will never forget the way I came. The Journey. My life as the girl from the forest of hands and teeth.