Ellis was sitting in the woods his gun held to his chest while his friend snored loudly beside him he heard a loud snap like someone was walking around in the woods. Again he heard another twig snap in the distance it was closer this time he got up his legs were shaking he set still for a moment to try and listen seeing if whatever was out there was still moving around. He heard another twig snap and then felt a arm on his shoulder he jumped letting out a girlish squeak.
"Geez kid you're shaking like crazy" Nick an older man said wrapping an arm around the small hick
"What the hell Nick" the small hick said relaxing in the man's arms
He looked up into green orbs and smiled his normal goofy smile. Nick gave him a small smile and turned leading them back to their camp his arm still around the small boy. Ellis was 10 years younger than Nick who was 35 and often seemed to find himself in trouble. Nick at first found the kid annoying but soon found himself getting used to the kid and even depending on the kid.
"Hey kid would you like to tell me why you were wondering out in the woods alone" nick said looking down at the blue eyed hick
"I heard someone walking around and I thought that it might be a survivor" he said
Nick laughed to himself leave it to the kid to be so optimistic he always believed that there was some good in people and that things happen for a reason. He at first he hated that about the kid it annoyed the hell out of him but then it gave him hopes. He would never admit it but the kid gave him hope.
"You know that it was some brain eating zombie" Nick said hating to disappoint Ellis
The hick frowned and set back down around the fire that he has made earlier. Nick sat down beside him putting a arm around the hicks shoulder again smiling as the boy leaned into him. Nick loved it when they had little moments like this it almost made him feel like there wasn't a world full of brain eating zombies. He closed his eyes leaning his head against Ellis's.
"Ay nick "Ellis said after a moment of silence
"Yea kid" nick said opening his eyes
"Do you think I'll ever find Keith "he said
Nick looked at the boy with sad eyes how could he tell him that his beloved friend Keith was probably dead he couldn't do it. He also couldn't lie to the hick because of the promise he had made the first time they met. Nick didn't know what to tell the hick he just decided to ignore the question all together
"Hey kid gets some sleep ill keep watch okay" he said playing with the hicks dirty blond hair
"Are you sure" he said sighing happily
"Yea kid I'm sure" he said smiling down at him
The blue eyed boy closed his eyes and cuddled closer to the older man smiling in his sleep. The older man held him tightly and looked out in the woods thinking to him he really hoped that they would find someone. And he hoped that if Keith was somewhere out there he was not giving up on finding Ellis