Ch. 16
'On the run Part one'
[Monroe settlement, afternoon]Bullets flew through the air, bodies littered the ground, undead hordes spilled in from every available entrance.
The group had only one option: run to the northern gate it was risky since no cover was present and so the group paid the price, Amanda more than the rest.
Genevieve had been keeping pace with Amanda when suddenly the teenager dropped and was flung forward by her momentum.
Genevieve skidded to a stop as she saw Amanda stop hurling across the ground, the young girl ran to Amanda's side.
"Amanda! Are you ok!?" Genevieve cried falling to her knees to be on Amanda's level.
A bullet hole could be seen in the backpack Amanda wore.
"I'm... Not... Ok." Amanda hesitantly admitted, when she couldn't stand on her own.
"What?!" Genevieve exclaimed in horror. "You have to be!" Genevieve said, tears welling up in her eyes. "Summer!" Genevieve screamed as tears started to fall.
Summer upon hearing her name stopped dead in her tracks fearing the worst as she turned around hoping her... "Kid" was ok.
While what she saw wasn't her worst nightmare her heart dropped immediately at the sight, the entire world faded as Summer ran towards her injured sister.
"Mandy! Can you walk?!" Summer asked skidding to her knees next to the teen.
Breathing hard Amanda pushed her top half up but stopped short before letting herself fall back down again. "I- I can't..." Amanda replied, sounding broken.
"C'mere." Summer said, shock in her voice.
"No. Agh! Stop! No!" Amanda yelled, anger and pain taking hold in her voice. "I'm a liability." Amanda stated, plainly.
"No your family!" Summer shouted, emotion-laden before scooping up her injured friend.
"Agh! Ohh... Your wasting time on a hindrance! ..." Amanda argued in vain.
Genevieve stayed by Summer's side as they passed through the gates to relative safety.
"Ian take Amanda." Summer ordered.
Amanda grabbed Ian's hands while kneeled to make it easier for Ian to lift the teen easier.
"What're you gonna do?" Ian asked, readjusting Amanda on his shoulders.
"I'm gonna scout the lodge out. If it's safe I'll give you a signal." Summer declared, starting up the hill.
"Can I come with you?" Genevieve asked, starting to follow.
"You..." Summer started to order Genevieve to stay put but trailed off. "... Would be a good pair of eyes to have." Summer finished.
"Ok. I'm coming." Genevieve said falling in stride.
"Melissa see if you can find a safe spot nearby and try to fix Amanda's back." Summer said over her shoulder.
"Got it." Melissa confirmed.
Summer had readied her bow and was moving silently through the wooded area, her time as a cheerleader had left her fleet of foot which served well for sneaking past enemies or sneaking up on them.
She listened for the telltale sounds of a walker or any other potential threats, the only other thing Summer heard was a fairly sneaky Genevieve who had pulled her boot knife out.
Summer remembered taking that away from her but figured she might as well have it now.
The duo crept up to the lodge made of glass, they laid in wait behind a bush watching the large glass walls for any movement whether it was man or beast.
"Stay on my heels no matter what. Ok?" Summer whispered, looking at the young girl.
Genevieve nodded and readied up, together the two moved forward on the structure when they neared Summer swapped her bow for her pistol.
Summer opened the front door and peered around the corner before stepping into the doorway, after a moment with her gun aimed forward Summer crossed the threshold of the door it was fairly well lit from the sun and quiet.
Summer cleared both floors, the young woman then turned her flashlight on and waved in the presumed direction of her fellow survivors.
After several minutes Genevieve and Summer we're relieved to see Ian, Melissa, and Amanda came up the hill.
"Nice place." Ian said, nodding.
"How bad is it?" Summer asked, referring to the injured teen that Ian was still carrying.
"Bad... Bullet hit her spine, she shouldn't be able to move her legs at all." Melissa said, somberly.
Summer her head in worry, breathing shakily she looked at Amanda then to Melissa. "There's a couch upstairs, looks like it's in alright condition." Summer said pointing her thumb back up the stairs.
Ian climbed the stairs he found the couch easily in the middle of the large open room.
After laying her down Ian backed off for Melissa to work.
"Does anyone have any meds with them?" Melissa asked the group.
Summer quickly shrugged out of her backpack. "Check Amanda's too." Summer said, looking to Ian.
Ian set the teenager's backpack down and rummaged through it. "Damn looks like the bullet messed a lot of this shit up." Ian said, looking down into the mess of damaged bottles, and pills spilled inside the backpack.
"Fever reducer." Summer said, holding up a bottle.
"That might be useful..." Melissa said, her brow furrowed. "Are there any painkillers?" Melissa inquired.
The group looked at each other before shaking their heads.
"Ok... Who has the cleanest, sharpest knife?" Melissa asked.
Summer, Ian, and Genevieve all held their knives up, Melissa checked them each. "You keep your knife nice Summer... Genevieve your knife is rusty sorry hon... Ian, I don't even know what that is..." Melissa said, looking at Ian's homemade knife which looked more like a small machete he made himself.
Amanda wordlessly offered her knife.
"How do you keep it this nice?" Melissa asked, holding the teen's knife in her hands.
"Spare time." Amanda said, plainly.
"Well, I'll use yours." Melissa declared, holding Amanda's knife.
Amanda's breath hitched when they tried to turn her over on her stomach, Amanda let out the breath she had been holding the entire time she was being flipped, beads of sweat forming on her brow already.
"Anyone have something to sterilize the blade?" Melissa asked over her shoulder.
Everyone rummaged through their packs.
"Scotch whiskey!" Ian exclaimed, a devious smile crossing his face as he held up the bottle.
"Alcohol content?" Melissa asked, plainly.
"Sixty-five percent." Ian replied.
"Wish it was at least seventy..." Melissa said under her breath.
"Me too!" Ian said, with excitement.
Melissa sighed, shaking her head. "Can someone find a bowl or cup big enough to hold this knife?" Melissa asked holding up the knife for reference.
The group scattered in search of a container, eventually Genevieve came back with a bowl.
"Good eye." Melissa said when Genevieve handed her the bowl.
Melissa poured the alcoholic beverage into the bowl then set the knife in the bowl.
"Does anyone have a lighter?" Melissa inquired letting the knife sit.
Ian pulled a lighter out of his pocket and handed it to Melissa. "Thank you." Melissa said.
After what the group guessed was twenty minutes, Melissa pulled Amanda's shirts up to her shoulder blades, the bullet could be seen lodged in the small of her back.
Melissa then reached for the knife pulling it out of the whiskey and flocked the lighter on, igniting the alcohol after a minute the flames subsided, Melissa then quickly made the bullet hole wider.
Amanda was breathing deep breaths praying for the pain to stop soon, after a moment Amanda felt something be pulled out, the teenager lifted realizing she had tear stricken cheeks, and also noticed Ian had basically seen her butt.
"Enjoy the show?" Amanda asked with a hoarse voice.
"Ugh... How old are you again?" Ian asked nervously.
"Eighteen." Amanda answered.
"Well uh..." Ian stumbled for words seeing that he was surrounded by women of which most of were violent recently, and currently starting him down for his answer. "Shit..." Ian said resigning to his fate. "Yes!" Ian exclaimed quickly, being met with elbows from Summer, Melissa, and a punch from Genevieve.
"Yow!" Ian shouted holding his stomach and walking away with a chuckle. "Oooooffff!" He added in a goofy tone after he was further away.
"That'll burn," Melissa said, dabbing the wound with a rag wet with whiskey.
"Agh... That it does." Amanda agreed, with a sharp gasp.
Melissa placed a clean rag on the wound and used duct tape to wrap it.
[Near Monroe, dusk]
The group had settled moderately, there was no food for anyone but the water worked and it was warm enough.
Genevieve sat on the floor that hung over the murky water, watching the sunset and the rippling sun rays on the water.
Summer was rummaging for bedding down on the ground floor.
Melissa was going over the medicinal inventory next to the couch sitting on the floor.
Ian was writing the phrase "Yo" in the dust all around the room.
Summer had just brought up some old curtains she had found in a tote, they could be used as blankets when there was pounding at the front door.
Summer, Ian, and Melissa immediately went to the door with weapons drawn, it didn't sound like walkers it was too angry, too human.
The trio nodded before Ian stood in front of the door pistol aimed at the door.
Summer was on the left with her pistol trained on the door, ready and waiting for a fight.
Melissa stood behind the door as whoever it is started shoulder bashing the door.
Melissa opened the door before the person could bash again, in stumbled A.J. who immediately straightened ready to fight.
"A.J.?" Ian said, lowering his gun. "Bro you can't be sneaking up on us like that!" Ian exclaimed, with a laugh.
"Sneak..." Summer said, mockingly.
"Not my style." A.J. said, fixing his shirt.
"Clearly." Summer retorted.
"Shut up! Not everyone's like you!" A.J. shouted, turning and straightening up to his full height, trying to intimidate Summer.
Summer at about five-foot-seven while A.J. was about six feet tall.
But Summer stood her ground against the bigger person starting him down.
"Yo guys calm ya tits we good guys." Ian said, getting in between the two.
"Let's head upstairs." Melissa added trying to help Ian break the fight up.
Everyone made their way up the wide steps to the second floor.
At the top step, the first thing they saw was Amanda trying to sit up straight, straining herself obviously, she had a sheen of sweat from her exertion.
Genevieve looked to the adults with a nervous expression like she knew this couldn't end well.
"Hey!" Summer shouted, running over to Amanda. "No! Stay down!" Summer ordered laying Amanda down again. "You're gonna hurt yourself." Summer stated, trying to get Amanda to see reason.
Amanda relaxed after a moment of reflection on Summer's words, the teen crossed her arms with a scowl on her face.
A.J.'s eyes widened in surprise when he saw Amanda now lying motionless on the couch with Genevieve currently holding her hand.
"Finally bit the dust eh, Willis?" A.J. said, gruffly.
Amanda turned her scowl to A.J. before speaking. "Not yet. You'll go first." Amanda said, confidently.
"Not in your condition." A.J. snorted.
Amanda scoffed at the hot-headed man before she went back to analyzing the ceiling.
A few hours had passed and everyone was asleep except for Genevieve.
She sat back on the floor overhanging the water she watched the water shimmer with moonlight dancing across the water.
Genevieve couldn't understand how everyone went to sleep knowing that Corrine's body was laying on the ground staring unblinkingly at the sky never to breathe or speak again, most likely being chewed on by the undead.
"It's my fault... Mine if I had just moved faster she would've been safe... But froze, and she paid my price." Genevieve thought herself repeatedly for the last few hours. "Who will I kill next?" Genevieve whispered to herself, with a broken voice, and wet eyes.
Genevieve heard a body fall on the wood floor.
"Ohh... Ohh..." The voice groaned, before turning into sobbing.
Genevieve recognized the voice and scrambled to her feet and beelined for the couch, the little girl rounded the corner and found Amanda on the hardwood floor.
Amanda lifted her head to see who was there and immediately lowered her head to the floor in shame.
"Let me help you." Genevieve whispered, crouching next to Amanda.
Amanda didn't say anything but instead reached an arm up, which Genevieve took and placed on her shoulder the little girl then put Amanda's other arm on her other shoulder letting Amanda wrap her up in a hug, Amanda grunted with the pain shooting up her body with a new wave rising every second.
"Stomach or back?" Genevieve asked, holding Amanda as still as she could.
"Back." Amanda answered, shortly.
Genevieve heard this and carefully twisted Amanda so she would be laying on her back, the little girl's started to tire from holding most of the teen's weight.
After a few minutes of struggling, Genevieve laid Amanda down, who immediately turned her head away and cried, Genevieve, pulled up the curtain Amanda had been using as a blanket.
Genevieve stood for a moment and watched Amanda for a moment contemplating what she should do next.
"Thanks..." Amanda whispered hoarsely, between sobs.
Amanda waited for a response but never heard anything assumed the little girl had left, the realization made her cry harder, her chest heaving, her voice breaking, tears flooded and streamed down her cheeks.
The teenager jumped slightly causing a shot of pain when she felt a smaller form entering the blanket and a new weight laying on the couch.
Amanda realized who it was by the small, smooth arm that wrapped around her torso, Amanda turned her head and saw Genevieve's dark hair nestling under her chin.
Amanda's resolve broke further at the newfound knowledge, crying, Amanda wrapped an arm around the little girl.
"Thank you." Amanda sobbed, trying to catch her breath.
"I'll sleep with you tonight..." Genevieve said quietly, listening to Amanda's heart.
"I ain't never deserved you, Genevieve." Amanda proclaimed, between sobs.
"Yes, you do." Genevieve said her hold tightening.
Amanda wrapped her other arm around Genevieve and cried quietly.
Genevieve laid quietly, feeling Amanda's chest heave with every sob, time passed and Amanda settled down, Genevieve listened to her heart until she eventually fell asleep.
After a few hours passed a sound roused Genevieve, with heavy eyes the little girl tried to close her eyes and go back to sleep.
But she heard the sound again, Genevieve's eyes snapped open, fully awake she heard something...
Disturbing the water.