Chapter 5 – New Paths
Liz entered the trailer of the camp and sat down on the little uncomfortable bed. What is this shit ? She thought to herself while she tried to find a way to get along with the mattress. Too lazy to get up again she took of her heels and placed them carefully on the floor. As she looked down on them she saw dirt on her heels. With a big gasp she immediately got up and walked angrily to the wash sink to remove the dirt.
My poor babies, she whispered, being seriously concerned about the future of her high heels. As she is finished washing them she placed them down again, carefully once again. She took off her green leather jacket, folded it and placed it next to her on the bed. Liz hated to sleep with clothes on so she decided to take her shirt off too, but she left on everything else on the lower part. Her head was heavy and she was exhausted from all the running and fighting. But still, she couldn't fall asleep, she layed there for hours, half asleep but still buried in thoughts. She was ripped out of her thoughts when she heard loud laughing. She stood up, put her heels on and walked outside. Sarah was laying on the floor again, laughing her ass off for unknown reasons.
''Why are you naked?'', Vani asked, being a little shocked but at the same time jealous of such a flawless body. Liz, completely oblivious to the fact that she has been naked the whole time now, didn't even bother to go back in and put a shirt on.
''I can be naked whenever and wherever I want, this is a free country, deal with it shithead.''´, she said, putting a cocky smile on, thinking that she had clearly won the argument.
''Whatever bone frame.'', Vani called Liz out on being so skinny. She turned around again and stopped caring for Liz's insults.
''Ish lo...'', a sound came from Sarah's direction. Liz turned her attention to Sarah again and saw her trying to say something.
''What did you do to her ?'', Liz said, angry that Vani could've done something to Sarah. Vani didn't even turn around, she just picked up a transparent bottle and lifted it into Liz's direction. She took it and read the words on it.
''You gave her vodka ?!'', she said, pissed off. ''Even more, you drank all of it without me?''. Vani let out a victorious laugh and didn't bother to answer Liz. Liz threw the bottle away and picked up Sarah from the floor, once again.
''Boobies'', Sarah muffled giving out a drunk smile.
''What ?'', Liz thought she misunderstood what Sarah said. Sarah repeated :
''Ish love yer boobs'', she said, this time poking Liz's boobs.
''Everyone loves my boobs, now get up.'' with that said, she helped Sarah into a sitting position. Sarah, still having the biggest drunk smile on her face, didn't look away from Liz not even for a second.
''Why did you let her drink ? She's like 12. And why do you drink ? You're like 10?!'',
''I need vodka to calm my nerves, I ran out of coffee and everything else is shit.'', she said in a dramatic way.
''I can't keep up with your dark and twisty shit.'', said Liz, having enough of everything right now.
''Bed...BED!'', Sarah shouted, lifting her arms and shaking her whole body hinting Liz to carry her.
How did I end up in this position, Liz thought before she grabbed Sarah and carried her into the trailer.
''Night'', Vani wished, waving her hand, still not looking back. Liz, completely overloaded with Sarah in her arms, helped her getting on the bed. She placed her sideways so she could sleep without the chance of her dying in her sleep. Liz, still exhausted, layed next to her. Liz took the sheets and covered both of them. Liz closed her eyes but before she could fall asleep she felt a tight grip around her body. Sarah clinged on to her making the sound of someone being satisfied and comfortable. Being a little confused at first Liz was too tired to say or do anything against it so she just went along with the situation and tried to fall asleep.
Lian ran down the stairs as fast as she could, at the bottom of the staircase she tripped, fell and almost lost her cotton candy stick. She picked it up again and stood up just to realize that she was surrounded by them. Lian didn't wait and ran straight to the doors that led her outside of the mall. The zombie that blocked her way seemed to be very thin, thinner than the usual ones. With speed she went in for a strong kick, like she had learned it in her old judo lessons. It was enough to make her space free. She took the chance and fleed out of the mall. She took a right turn as soon as she was out of there, she ran as fast as she could and never stopped.
Terrified by being alone, scared to die and being filled with angst. She didn't realize her surroundings anymore nor where she was going but she did see zombies coming out of everywhere suddenly. She kept running, faster and faster. She had to save herself, there was no one there for her now.
The further she went in into the city the more devastated it looked. Surprisingly the zombies kept disappearing the more Lian went into the city. As soon as she thought she was save, she stopped. She fell down on her knees, almost losing all her strenght from running that fast and that much. She was shaking. Her cotton candy stick was still in her hand. Lian started crying, her big wide eyes were filled with tears.
Paty, she thought as she missed and worried about her closest friend. She cried even more. She gripped her upper arms and took a moment to let everything out. As she was done she stood up again and walked forward.
Lian was completely lost, alone and unknown of what she should do now. The city seemed more crowded by the buildings where she was now. Everything seemed a little more darker and the buildings were higher. There was a lot of blood lying around and dead bodies. From far away she saw a store. She ran up to it as a feeling of safeness overcame her. Lian thought it would be a good idea to hide for a while and she hoped to find some food and something to drink.
The store was all broken, the windows were crushed in and everything was out of place. She stuck the cotton candy stick into her backpocket and began to search for something to drink. She had to lift up multiple other bags of toys and other products to find liquids. As she found a waterbottle, she placed her backpack and took a step outside of the store to overlook the place. She still didn't know where she was but she tried to navigate where she was about to head out.
Foodsteps walked over all the broken glass, slowly and heavily. Someone Lian hasn't seen before appeared in front of her. She was taller than her and seemed to be full of confidence, her eyes were hunting for Lian's head. She could feel the sting just off her gaze. She had a bow in her hand and raised it against Lian. She stretchet the arrow and pointed it directly on to Lian. Lian was too scared to move or to say anything.
This is it, I'm done, Lian thought to herself. She released the arrow and it flinged with such high speed Lian couldn't even see the arrow. Blood dropped down the ground, it came from Lian. It made a dull sound when the body fell to the ground. Now blood was everywhere. Lian's cheek was bleeding as it was striped by the arrow. In shock she looked behind her an saw a zombie lying on the ground with and arrow in its head. Lian jumped as she saw it and fell to the ground backing away from it. She unintentionally ended up crawling back to the pieces of broken glass and cut her hands open. She let out a little shriek of pain. She stood up and turned around to face the girl that saved her stood there for a while like that, saying nothing and just analyzing eachother.
Before Lian could show off her thankfulness an omnious girl appeared from nowhere and swung her machete in the direction of the bowgirl. The bowgirl dodged it in the last second, barely escaping the deathly machete swing. The mysterious girl was so fast the bowgirl couldn't keep up with it. The girl with the machete made a jump backwards and stood with her back to Lian, protecting her.
Domi was searching for some kind of bandages in the building they had entered and some water. Even though he didn't show it, he was a little pissed off that Kao sent him off just like that.
She didn't even care that something could happen to me, what if I die in here? We're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse goddammit. He thought, getting a little sad. The building was big and had a lot of space, the smell of mold was still everywhere and the air seemed to get thicker with every moment. Still, he wanted to help the girl that they had just found, he would feel bad if he didn't and he wanted to do it for Kao, because she asked him to. Broken furniture was lying everywhere, boxes from what seemed to be from a moving. Domi kicked the boxes out of the way to let his frustration off. He continued his search.
''Does it hurt ?'' Kao asked the silent girl. She nodded, seemingly in pain.
''I have to rip your pants open a little, or else I can't treat the wound. I'm sorry.'', Kao said and immediately ripped them open a little bit, she wanted to make it quick so she could avoid pain for her. She twitched out of pain that went through her leg when Kao ripped the pants. Out of reflex she grabbed Kao's left wrist. Kao noticing her strong pain placed her right hand on the hand of the girl and said :
''I'm so sorry, but it's going to be okay, I'll help you. We'll take good care of you'', with eyes that no one could mistrust and a smile that you couldn't resist. She leaned back again and let go of her wrist. Kao looked at her leg, worried and still curious about how it had happened. She asked her, but Kao didn't get a respond. She didn't want to tell her name either. She kept silent. Kao couldn't do anything before Domi came back with some medic support so she stopped and took time to look at the person in front of her. She was beautiful, had long straight red hair and was thin but still seemed to have the perfect curves. Her legs were really long, Kao assumed that the girl was really tall. Her shirt was torn at multiple places and her pants were too. Besides the big wound on her leg, she had scratches everywhere. Even in her face.
Still in a state of faint the girl didn't really know what was happening around her. Kao adjusted the hair of the redhead with her hands, since it was all chaotic from all that she's been through. She had a wellcut pony. It looked good on her. Domi came storming in through the roofdoor with a box in his hand.
''I found what you needed and even a needle and thread, I searched everyhwere.'', Domi said, a little out of breath. Kao took the box immediately and placed it next to her . She looked up to Dominic and in all honesty said:
''Thank you Domi.'', with her saying that Domi grinned all over his face and seemed to be very happy about it. She looked at the leg a last time before she wanted to take out piece that was stuck in her leg. It seemed to be metallic, it had a dark color and seemed to be dirty. She stood up and took Dominic to the side.
''If we take it out she's going to have an infection, if she doesn't already have one.'', Kao said, feeling bad about it and being obviously worried.
''If that doesn't kill her then the bleed out will. We can't stop the bleeding, we don't have enough bandages.'', Dominic said straight away, looking at the situation more realisticly.
''I'm going to find something metallic in this building, I think I already saw something that could work. I already have a lighter, it's not much and probably will take a while but it's the only chance we have.'', as Dominic said that, Kao was even more worried about the girl that a tear slipped through her eye and rolled down her cheek. Dominic placed his hand on her face and wiped the tear away with his thumb.
''We can do this'', he said as he turned around and went to get the material. Kao took one deep breath and sat besides the redhead again. She tried to smile for her.
''My name is Kao by the way'', she said, trying to calm the situation. It started to get a little windy and the clouds were showing up. Kao stuck the thread through the needlehole and already prepared everything. She took a little of the water and gave it her to drink. She seemed to get paler and paler. Kao was afraid of the worst that could happen. She didn't want her to die, she just met her.
Domi came back and had a metal stick in his hand while he was already warming it with his lighter. Kao was scared, she placed her left hand on the side of the right leg of the girl, the leg that had the metalpiece inside it, and was about to place her right hand on it.
''I'm gonna pull it out as fast as I can so you feel less pain hopefully.'', Kao said with nervousity in her speech. She counted to herself in her head while looking at the leg.
1...2...3..., she grabbed it and ripped it out. The girl screamed in immense pain, she had a very high voice and it was filled with both fear and grief. But she knew they had to do it or else she wouldn't survive so she didn't complain, not one bit. The blood spread out and Kao took one of the bandages to cover the leg and pressed it against it. She screamed even louder now. Domi gave her the stewing metal stick, Kao took off the bandage and pressed the stick against the wound. From all the pain that the girl was feeling now she fainted. Kao took off the stick and the wound wasn't bleeding anymore. She let the stick fall off her hand and layed on her back, breathing in and out heavily out of relief as she touched her forehead with both hands. She sat up again, took the the needle and the thread and started sewing the wound. She was very shaky and nervous at it at first, it was the first time Kao had to actually sew a person's leg. The wound looked ugly, burned and deep. Domi suddenly turned away from both of them, bent over and vomited. He was supporting himself with his right hand on the wall. He spit everything out after he was finished and felt a little disgusted by himself.
''Are you okay?'', Kao stood up after finishing sewing the leg and bondaging the leg. She patted Dominic's back softly and added:
''It's okay''. A mumbled sound came from behind them. It sounded like a suffocating sound. It was similiar to something Dominic and Kao had heard so many times before. They immediately turned around in fear.
''I'm hungy.'', the girl said, still being dizzy.
Randi was still driving fast, while Anita was in a kind of trance, still covered with blood, she gazed into nothingness. Paty was still not over her friend's loss when she suddenly noticed something.
''Do you see that?'', she said, surprised by seeing two people on the road who still seemed to be normal. The road was long and on the side there were trees and a lot of grass that was about to dry out.
''Should we stop?'', Randi asked, not trusting the situation at all.
''They don't seem to be zombies, that girl even has a gun. We'll stop'', Paty said and Randi nodded. As they stopped before them, the boy was still sitting on the street while the girl got up. Paty got out of the car, slowly to not scare them away. Paty was a little insecure talking to them, especially after all that had happened that day. Randi got out of the car too while Anita didn't pay attention to anything that was going on. The wind was calm and it was warm. Randi had her gun in her hand and slowly raised it against Ash, who also had a gun.
''It's okay Randi, put the gun down.'', Paty said and Randi lowered her gun. None of the sides were trusting eachother. Omar was sitting on the ground, still disturbed by the images of Ash's house and the zombie he encountered there.
''What happened to you guys?'', Paty was trying to be friendly.
''We were-'',
''Nothing!'', Ash interrupted Omar before he could tell them what actually had happened to them until this point. Omar stood up, being a little annoyed by Ash.
''This is our chance to get out of here, please don't screw it up.'', Omar said in hope to finally leave this place.
''We can't trust them.'', Ash said, being very nervous, barely able to hold her gun anymore.
''You didn't trust me but now you do, right ? Try it again.'', Omar said, grabbing Ash's arm and looking into her eyes.
''We are good people, we also have food, you guys can have some.'', no matter what the situation was, Paty still tried to keep everyone calm. She wanted to unite everyone so they could become stronger, together. Randi looked at Paty, she didn't seem to sure about this but she was loyal to Paty so she agreed. The silence between the two groups got interrupted by cracks coming from the sides of the road. Zombies.
''Quick, get in the truck, you're going to die if you stay here!'', almost feeling it like a deja vu, Paty trembled. She walked up to the side and started headshoting the walkers. Randi got in the car and started the motor up. Omar walked to the back of the truck and pointed his hand to Ash:
''Come with me Ash'', waiting for a response the zombies were crowding up and there were more and more. ''We don't have time for this.'', Omar walked up to Ash, packed her up on his shoulders against her will and put her on the backside of the truck. After he got up himself he called Paty into the car.
''Alright, let's go'', Paty said, after she got in, to Randi as she drove off. ''I'm glad you two decided to come with us'', Paty said and tried to put up a smile, even though it was hard for her.
''We are too'', said Omar, grinning and looking at Ash: ''Aren't we?'',
''Whatever'', she replied, secretly being glad that Omar forced her into this.
to be continued