p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="17962c311ce2e1e717ad4f21f39392db"The first three people I saw aimed their guns at us, daring us to move. I couldn't tell anything about them. They were covered from head to toe in clothes that protected them from a range of things. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Prepared, unlike /emspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"somebody /em/spanem style="box-sizing: border-box;"I know. "Shut up already."/embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;""/emHands up." The woman said from her seat in the car, still smiling. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I glared at her as I sheathed my knife, raising my hands slowly. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"They're the only ones that have guns. /emMy lip raised slightly into a grin that I quickly made style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The voices weren't bad em style="box-sizing: border-box;"all /emthe style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I looked around and saw that that was true. The others had melee weapons, nothing above a hunting knife. em style="box-sizing: border-box;""They could be hiding them though, always a possibility." /emI thought carefully. em style="box-sizing: border-box;""It would be easy to take out the shooters, they've only got pistols, and they're probably crappy shots too." /emIt was simple. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /A little acting here and there will throw them off. Long enough for me to get my gun, take out two, and counting on Dad to take out the last one. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The rest would be easy. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I looked back at Dad, meeting his eyes. He could see it, the bloodlust returning. He nodded slightly with a concerned look. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"He understands. /emI gave Lukas a look, his eyes contrasting brightly against his dirty face. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;""This is dangerous. Lukas could get hurt. He's not ready for a fight this big." /emMy thoughts raced through my head. I pushed them back, focusing on now, and Lukas' protection. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The woman stepped closer to us, carefully, playfully. "You tryin' to be some kinda hero, kiddo?" She asked rhetorically, getting closer. "You crashed in here like you were actually about to hurt someone." She laughed. She was in front of me now. "Cute." She commented, flicking my nose. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"She doesn't know you have a gun. She doesn't know you have a gun. Ha ha. /emThe voices sang. My mouth twitches into a grin again, I force it away. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"They're going to think you're something else if you start laughing. Insane in the membrane, man. /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I still glared at the woman. "It was just an act?" I asked angrily, my lip twitching again. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /She leaned in my face, her smile exposing her teeth, the teeth I imagined knocking out. "Yeah, sweets." She placed a hand on my check, only for me to jerk away. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"She's trying to manipulate you, Jonah./embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I could feel the familiar hands grabbing at me, pulling me back into the darkness. The darkness where I lose myself, and I do things that I shouldn't be happy with, but I am nonetheless. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Sensitive much?" She taunted. "And you!" She said in baby talk, bending down to meet Lukas' eyes. "You're just the cutest thing ever." em style="box-sizing: border-box;"My anger was beginning to boil. /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /But the Lukas did something none of us expected. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"I could just eat you-" Her sentence was ended abruptly. A screwdriver protruded from her eye, blood running in tear-like patterns down her cheek. She stuttered, as if she was still there, still trying to speak, like she didn't know she had been stabbed either. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Time slowed down, and it felt malleable. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I reached for my gun, already pointing it at the armed people before they realized what style="box-sizing: border-box;" /span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"BANG!/em/spanbr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"BANG!/em/spanbr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Two shots from my gun, two headshots. The last out of the three was going to shoot me, seconds away from pulling the trigger. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I stared down that barrel, ready for style="box-sizing: border-box;" /span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"BANG!/em/spanbr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /A bullet sent the contents of their head flying into the car behind him. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Nice paint job. /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I avert my eyes to the rest of the group. I make eye contact with the closest one, locking it, and slowly unsheathing my knife. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"This is going to be SO much FUN! /emThis time, I let the smile grow on my face. em style="box-sizing: border-box;""I don't care what they think, they're going to be dead in about 3 minutes anyway." /emI thought style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Two and a half minutes." I stated smiling, relishing in the bloodbath we had created. I looked back at Dad and Lukas. "Didn't even take 3 minutes like I thought, I counted." Dad had a serious look on his face as he looked at the gore and carnage splattered on the bridge. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I had disemboweled a man, vertically. I stabbed him through the stomach, and dragged up until I felt pleased with the outcome. Lukas went for their knees, knocking them down, and Dad drove his machete through their heads. When they tried to run, I shot them down. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Always going for the head huh, sweet pea? /emA woman's voice rang through my head. I looked around, and sure enough, there she was. Standing by some cars, there was mom. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I hate the fact that you like this, honey. /emShe continued. I tried not to stare at her, trying not to make Dad worry about my mental health, although I'm sure he does for different reasons. This was the first time she takes to me. And it was to say something like that. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"What do you think's in the truck?" Lukas asked, rubbing the side with his style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Maybe it's something useful. Ammo?" I style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Dad nodded, grunting as he motioned his head to the truck. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Lukas stood to the side of the truck, I stood behind Dad, near the stone barrier of the bridge, gun pointed at the trailer. Dad had his hands on the handles, looking back at both of us one more time before opening it. He yanked it open, jumping back and raising his gun defensively./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="0ffc4943b8e1a643dfeef8bb241ea91c"A style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The most accurate I can describe style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Of walkers./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="961dacd22cd92c58b4fdfed472608151"They poured out of the trailer. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"There wasn't any sound! What's happening?!" /emI thought frantically. Dad hopped out of the way. And I tried to do the same, but something got in the way. I tripped landing hard on the ground, hard enough to knock the wind out of me. I pushed myself up, failing to get in my feet, and falling on my chest again. Everything was a blur as I looked up, my eyes picking the crowd of walkers for Dad and Lukas. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Jonah!" I could hear Dad and Lukas in unison, getting further away, getting pushed away by the crowd of walkers. I finally got to my feet, pushing away the walkers that tried to sink there arms into me. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /That's when I felt it. The hard cement thudding against the back of my heel. The shock vibrating through my entire being. Next to hit the cement was the back of my knees, causing me to buckle down. Then my back, flat on the cold stone./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="da964fcd329c3eece19525a4890da680"And then air. A lot of it. I didn't know I was screaming until I heard it, such an unfamiliar sound to my ears. The water got closer, and closer. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I was falling into the water below, head style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I took a deep breath before I landed, and everything was dark. All the sound in the world disappeared. No more growls and snapping teeth from walkers, no voices calling my name./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="d220835ddc9f693084bfe8756184a21e"Complete, and utter, darkness./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ec982546b779523fa702c68d7261c0e1"It was a whole new feeling of being alone. Like it was amplified. It was, it really was. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /In one swift moment, I lost everything. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You don't have family anymore. You don't have anyone looking out for you anymore. Alonealonealonealone-/embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I took a deep breath, resurfacing just in time. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /My brain still processing what's happened. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"DAD!?" I screamed as loud as I could. Watching the bridge get further and further away, as I was carried down stream. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I went under again, fighting the current as it tried to pull me down. I hit something as I was thrown around the water. My body began to burn, as did my lungs. I took another deep breath as I got above the water again. The bridge was no where in sight. I spun around in the water, trying desperately to find a way to get out of the water. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Once again getting pulled down, getting rammed into debris that lined the bottom of the river. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I could feel myself, losing it, consciousness./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="185188b7f631fb12d3ac182b600338d0"And it suddenly stopped./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3ae2edc15297f15d9c502d170a85d0ba"And then I was with Dad, Lukas, and Mom. In out living room. I was at our piano, hands in the keys, playing but no sound. Mom was rocking as if a sweet melody was coming from it. Dad watched proudly, his short hair and shaved face shocking me. Lukas sat in awe. His hands not tainted by blood. And if I looked in the reflection of the polished piano surface, I could see me. Hair neatly cut, face not dirty and caked with blood, and dressed in a suit, a white one at that. A single tear ran down my cheek as I realized what this was. em style="box-sizing: border-box;""This isn't real." /emI said, looking my mom dead in the eyes, not wanting to break eye contact. I hadn't seen her brilliant eyes in a long time, but I didn't have plans to die fit in my schedule./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ea4218f609008f9530fb11951af3ace3"Cold air flowing across the right side of my face, my other being washed by cold river water. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling the gravel under my fingers as I came to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b9d04b66f3de9ead7e39acda79f6b8c4"After a while, I was able to push myself up, sitting on my feet. I slipped the back pack off my back, the soaking mass making it harder for me to get up. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Looking at my surroundings, I see no one. I'm all alone. I'm so disoriented, I don't know how far away I am from Dad and style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Their probably dead. /embr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Shut up!" Yelled. I stared at the ground, scaring myself. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I sat there in that way gravel, and I cried. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;""There's still a chance they're alive." /emI'd repeat in my head, but it didn't make the pain stop stabbing me in the chest. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Make camp or you're going to die. /emThe voices spoke up after a long moment of silence, my cries being absorbed by my wet sleeves. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I sucked up the tears. Took in a couple deep breaths. And I regained my composure. I wiped my eyes the best I could, wet sleeves not really being the thing to DRY your face with. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I got up, limping. Looking at my leg, I know realize how best up I am. My jeans are torn in different places, my shirt as well. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /My hand quickly slapped my hip when I thought about my glock, that all to familiar metal this as my thumb hit the handle , rubbing at the markings scratched into it, soothing me a little. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Time to set up camp, angel." /emMom said from next to a tree. em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Survive for them, baby."/em/p