Chapter 25: Raging Fire

The night had a small chill to it, but it's warmness hinted at the spring it was supposed to be. It made one forget all the coldness that was trying to take over the once quiet little country side town. It had to have been a lively, amazing scenery town before the dead came walking. Then the walls were set up. The very wall that now imprisoned the people. But there was the back gate. Bow had told her once if there was ever an emergency bad enough. There was the front gate, but the back gate could turn into a great back door. That one normally was used by the team who check up on the river, and the hydropower. The solar panels were close so they were somewhat in the same area.

But sunny, thinking of the best for the people, there was just as much of a risk of staying as there was leaving. The saviors were unpredictable, they could kill half the town. Leaving, there were too many people who had never had to fight a walker in their life. Hell, some of the people of EastHaven probably had no clue what one looked like. Both ways could end up with a lot of innocents dead and caught in the crossfire. Then again, the saviors had to be outnumbered by the people by now, with how many Sunny had killed.
For either way, this would have to be done first.

Sunny stayed low as her black figure blended with the night. She stealthily moved to the cover of the back of another building. Chance followed behind shortly before lastly Tank. Sunny turned looking at them.
"At this rate we can be at the farm shortly. No dumbasses to get in our way either. If there were any we would've known by now. Stick close-"
Sunny was cut off by the loud scream of a horse. That instantly gained her attention. And it wasn't very far off.

"Stupid horse!" A savior grunted, trying to keep control of the dark beast. He was failing miserably. The night black horse had a white star on his forehead, along with a few socks. The horse tried rearing, pulling against the man who held him. Sunny pulled back the string on her bow. Even with the two years of not shooting the weapon, her instincts had only gone dormant making it all seem like she never let the curved wooden bow to collect dust. There was a small whoosh and clink of wood on wood.
"Damn animal you-" then, the man was forever silenced.

The horse threw around his head, still distressed. Sunny was right in front of him in no time taking up his reins.
"Beauty. Hey. Hey boy, it's okay. It's okay." She had pulled the black cloth from her face. Sunny stroked Black Beauty's muzzle and looked into his big black eyes.
"Hey there bud. How've you been? Kids miss you." The soft curl of the woman's lips were hidden by the darkness of night.
"What your a horse whisperer now?" Tank remarked.
Sunny didn't look away and continued to pet Beauty as she answered. "They always told me I had a better way with animals than humans."
"They?" Chance asked.
"A lot of people. No one important."
Sunny mounted her horse. Tank spun around, before pushing Chance to the horse.
"Go with Hope!" He harshly whispered.
Knowing this couldn't be good, Sunny took the boy's hand and lifted him up. Chance kept a tight hold around the woman.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Saviors headed this way. Find an apartment or something, I'll find you." Sunny nodded to Tank then started Beauty out at a gallop. As they left their companion behind, voices interrupted the quiet night before gunshots. Sunny couldn't go to the Farm, so she guided her horse toward the apartments next to med.

Nate chuckled at Keira as he wrapped an arm around her but soon let it drop so her 'boyfriend' could. She pecked Eugene on the cheek. Aaron busted out laughing when he turned red. Then Nate went tense. The happy moment cut short when he blew out the candles and lifted a curtain.
"Oh no. Shit, shit shit." Nate drug both his hands over his face.
"What is it?" Keira asked. Everyone in the room tensed.
"Everyone. Go out the back. Now." They all started moving that way as Nate trapped his gun and handed one to Aaron and Eugene.
"Nate. What's going on?" Keira demanded. Eugene was trying to get her to move a little faster.
"I was followed. C'mon, we need to go!"
Just then two gunshot rang out. It took everyone a second to figure out Eugene had been hit as they all scrambled to the back of the cabin.
"Eugene!" Keira grabbed on of her shirts from the back and covered the wound on his arm.

Smoke started to fill the place. The fire spread quickly as a few of the others made their way. Eugene grabbed Keira's hand leading her to where the others got out. A searing burning pain forced them both to let go.
"Keira!" Eugene called.
Frames on the walls crashed down, and so had a support beam. She was trapped.
Keira looked around her, tears running down her cheeks as she fell to her knees. "Eugene, go. Please."
That was when he saw the blood staining her shirt. Keira had taken that second bullet. The star crossed lovers were separated by growing flames.
"No man gets left behind." He reached out for her, and she reached out to him.
Keira closed Eugene's hand and whispered "I love you."
Someone gripped Eugene's shoulders pulling him back.
"C'mon, we gotta go!" They yelled.
"We can't leave her! Keira! Keira!" Eugene pulled against their grip but failed. "We can't leave her! Keira!"

Eugene was pulled out of the fire with whoever saved him. He was pulled out, not knowing who all had made it.

Sunny had put her horse where no one should find him other than herself. She and Chance made their way into a small apartment. It was pitch black but they left it since the curtain was drawn. It was silent for a while before the boy noticed Sunny's lose hair was bothering her.
"Do you have a hair tie?" He sat behind her.
"Yeah-" Chance lowered his hand so the nineteen year old reluctantly handed it to him.
The boy started to braid Sunny's copper hair in the moonlight.
"Where'd ya learn?" She inquired.
"Keira. I didn't want to either."
Sunny chuckled lightly. "Yeah she has a way of doing that. Teaching people things they never imagined or wanted to know, doesn't she?"
"You got that right." Chance finished up then sat across from Sunny.
The two both sat on the floor leaning against the furniture other than sitting on it. It was quiet for a second as the boy stared at the wall next to the door. The moonlight shone on the back of his head.
"So, uh, that scar on your shoulder-"
"No." Sunny shot him down. She set her elbow on the edge of the chair behind her and leaned her head on her hand. She was not reliving that.

Silence filled the room again. The tick of the watch around Sunny's wrist beat in her ears.
"So is it true?"
"Chance, I'm-"
"Eli."
"Don't interrupt me, I'm..." she paused. "What?"
The boy smiled as he repeated, "Eli."
"It feels good to say it." Chance laughed lightheartedly.
He took in a deep breath, his smile not faltering. "I guess I was too busy trying to be what everyone thinks I am, to remember my family, who I was... Who I am."
"Everybody knew me as Chance. So I guess that's who I became, the boy who got a second chance. I loved it too for a while. But I missed my family."
"Chance.."
"I had a sister once, older than me. Her name was Faith. I've never told anyone, but I was with her in the grocery store. She was telling me everything was going to be alright as they took her away. Some of the men got attacked but I think she lived. You remind me of her." He let out a breath.
"Sometimes I can hardly remember what she looked like, or the sound of her voice. Hell I was forgetting what my own name was. But because of you I can remember. She'd always call me Chance, cause of how lucky she always said I was. 'Chancy boy, you're gonna outlive us all. And you're gonna get a second chance at things. Trust me Eli, I can see it.'"
Sunny smiled. "I had two brothers. I had never known about them until a few years ago. I met my oldest brother Merle, but he died before I found out. I don't have any sisters."
"What about Hawna?" Eli's voice was quiet.
"A part of me that'll never come back." Sunny looked out the window about to go on, but other words slipped out. "Oh no. Shit!" She stood up and bolted out the door. Eli hot on her tail.
"Hope, what is it?"

The boy received no answer as he and Sunny ran to a fire. One big enough they could see across town. They were running to the the burning building known as the underground.

A/N

What'll happen to Tank?
How will Sunny respond to the burning underground?
Who all, made it out?

Please remember to vote and comment, and until the next chapter!