by Lake, D. K.
"Where'd you get that?"
"I went back and searched the camp again and found this on a half-eaten Curtis."
"Gross."
We wandered through the trees and I could hear an owl in the distance. It's strange how safe I felt around Drew. I wouldn't normally want to take a walk in the woods after dark, but with Drew, I knew I was safe, he was so aware of his surroundings, he'd know if there was anything out there.
"So what's up?" I finally asked.
"What's this about you asking Josh about me leaving?"
"He told you I said that?" I wanted to kill Josh.
Drew didn't respond.
"You were listening to us?" I guessed. "Can no one have a conversation around here without someone else eavesdropping? Nothing is private anymore."
"What made you think I was leaving?"
"Um, how about when you said 'maybe I will'. I'm still expecting you to take off at any moment and not say goodbye...you're good at that."
"I only said that to annoy you."
I stopped for a sec and looked at the back of his head.
"What?" He spun around with a smile on his face and I realized at that moment I hadn't seen Drew smile sincerely at anyone else in the group or even laugh with them. Everything looked forced when he was socializing with the others. But with me he was himself, and he only ever genuinely smiled for me, usually when I was tripping over my own feet.
"You're a real jerk sometimes."
"That's twice you've called me a jerk tonight."
"Yes, once for waking me up, and once for admitting you're an ass."
"I'm sure I never admitted that."
"Then why would you make me think you were going to leave? Why say all that stuff and act like you don't care?"
"Because..."
"'Cause what?"
"'Cause you make me feel..."
"I make you feel what?"
"Kinda useless."
"Useless? Are you crazy? You're anything but useless. Why are you saying all this?"
He was quiet for a moment as we changed direction.
"You've got Lane. You don't need me."
"That's not true, and if you were listening to Josh and me earlier then you would have heard me telling him that I need all of you. We won't make it there without you...even if you do think it's a waste of time." I threw it in there wondering what his reaction would be. "Do you think it's a waste of time?" He remained quiet. "Drew?"
"Yes! I think it's a waste of time, ok?"
"I'm still going. I think it's important, and I told Nick I would."
"I know."
"And I want you to come with us."
"Why, because I'm good with a bow and can take care of a few zombats? What the fuck is a zombat anyway?" he half-laughed and shook his head.
"All of those things, but also because I want you here. I need you here. You more than anyone."
"Why?"
He stopped and turned to look at me and I just shook my head. I didn't know how to explain it. I wanted him here because I needed him but I didn't know why I felt this way. I didn't like getting attached to anyone. I never needed anyone...but I needed him.
I noticed he was staring off into the darkness.
"Drew?" I said just as the trees rustled to our right and Drew quickly backed me into a tree, pushing himself flush against me which was kinda unnecessary but I wasn't complaining. We peeked around the wide trunk and saw a deadbie shuffling through the overgrown ferns.
We watched as it wandered through the trees and made its way in our direction, of course. I held my breath hoping this wasn't about to turn into one of those freaky scenes from a horror movie where a whole horde suddenly steps out of the trees and we have to run for our lives. But thankfully it was just the one.
"Should we leave?" I whispered.
"Leave?" Drew smirked, looking down at me. "No way, the best way for me to wind down is to take out a few deadbies, helps me relax." He stepped back and loosened his shoulders.
"I usually find a hot bath and a good book helps me to relax." I joked.
"C'mon, Pretty. Pull on your big girl panties, you need the practice."
Drew left me and I huffed loudly and followed him. He stopped in front of the deadbie, waiting for it to look up and notice him, and I came to a stop by his side.
"Do you wanna go first?" he asked.
"Gee, you spoil me." I rolled my eyes.
"I thought that's what most girls liked." Drew teased.
I tried to ignore him and focused on the deadbie.
Drew whistled and the thing lifted its head and finally took notice of us. Its skin looked grayish in this light, but it was probably green. It was a male, with shoulder length straggly hair, wearing a black holey t-shirt, and dirty jeans with trainers. It was super slow and it looked about the same age as me and I wondered what his story was, why he was out here in the woods, where his family was. Everyone had a story. One day it could be me wandering around in the woods, looking a little lost, and hungry.
"Alex, are you getting in?" Drew asked, looking back and forth at the deadbie and me.
"Um, yeah." I cleared my head.
I wrapped my fingers around the machete handle a little tighter and lifted it into position, ready to take the first swing, trying to decide whether I should aim straight for the brain or whether I should swing at its neck, it looked like it wouldn't take much to knock its head off. I was about to take the first swing when the thing beelined for Drew, and he quickly backed off.
"I don't think he wants me." I joked, watching the thing follow Drew as he walked backward with his crossbow aimed at its head.
"It's still your turn." Drew said.
I let out a breath and ran up to the thing and jumped as I swung at the back of its head. I must have damaged something because it went down to the ground and didn't get up again.
"Did I get it?" I asked.
"Well, it's not trying to eat my boots." Drew said, nudging it in the face, then he shot it in the head just to make sure and bent down to retrieve his arrow.
"We just killed our first zombat." Drew teased.
"Hey, don't make fun of them. I actually like those two." I said referring to Rosie and Tobias.
"Meh. All they do is call each other dumb names and tell each other how much they love each other every two seconds. They're a little OTT."
"I think its kinda sweet."
"Meh." Drew said again.
I looked into the trees, thinking I heard something. I sighed and looked back at Drew and his face changed in an instance.
"Alex!" he urged, lifting the crossbow and aiming at me.
I heard a gurgling sound behind me as I was knocked to the ground. The machete fell out of my hand and I found myself trapped under a deadbie, a really fat one. I tried to push up but it was that heavy I couldn't. I wondered what Drew was doing, shouldn't he be like, helping me? I looked up and saw Drew's legs and I saw another three pairs of legs running at him, and they were screaming. Newbies. Fuck. I grunted and pushed up again and the deadbie rolled off of me and I saw an arrow sticking out of its head. I scrambled across the leaves and grabbed my machete and ran over to where Drew was fighting off a very lively newbie and another one that was slower but trying to keep up. The third one was already dead with two arrows in it, one in the chest and one in the head, and Drew had switched to a knife. The crossbow was no good for close contact. Drew ducked and the newbie went sailing over him and landed on the ground with a thud. I ran up to the other one and slashed at its back, trying to get its attention. It turned to look at me for the briefest of seconds but totally disregarded me and turned its head and locked eyes back on Drew.
"Hey!" I called and chased after it like some crazy person. Who in their right mind chased after a deadbie? It was taller than me so I swung at its leg and it went down to its knees, and I glanced up to check on Drew and saw him knifing the other deadbie in the head. The one in front of me started to pull itself along the ground tow
ards Drew and I pushed my boot into its back and held it down.
"I don't think I was on the menu tonight." I joked as Drew walked back over to me and bent down and stuck the knife into its head as it looked up at him and gnashed its teeth.
I took a step back as Drew straightened up, breathing hard.
"You still haven't answered my question, Pretty?" Drew said.
Why? Why did I need him? Why did I feel like this...like I couldn't bear to see him go? Even I didn't really know.
I had dirt on my hands so I used my arm to push my hair off of my face as I turned to face him.
"All I know is that when you left the last time and you didn't say goodbye...I was so angry at you, like really mad, and it hurt. I wanted to yell at you for being such a jerk but I didn't even know if I'd see you again. Why didn't you say goodbye?"
"I couldn't." he said and turned away and I started to follow him.
"Why not?" I wiped my hands down my jeans as we picked our way back through the weeds and brambles. Drew said nothing.
"Hey, I answered your question now you have to answer mine!"
We stopped at the edge of the clearing and I could see the store from here and it all looked peaceful and still. He wouldn't look at me as he ran a hand through his hair and stared off into the trees.
"I wasn't ready to say goodbye to you." he said with his back to me. He started to walk back to the store and I gently grabbed his sleeve.
"Hey, stop a minute." I whispered, holding onto him.
I pulled him over to the wall, and my hand slipped down his arm and landed in his hand.
"I didn't want to say goodbye." he whispered with sadness in his eyes as he looked down at our hands that had somehow linked together on their own.
"I thought that was the last time I would ever see you, too. And that there was no way in hell you could be cured and I was so mad, and I didn't deal with it well."
"You were mad?" I walked in front of him and he lifted his arm and twirled me around like it was something we did every day.
Everything was so natural with Drew, the way we made each other laugh, the little games we played, the way we searched for each other when something bad was going down, the way we ended up touching each other when no one was watching, it just happened.
"I had just found you and you were dying. So yeah, I was mad."
"Drew-"
"No, don't. It's ok Alex, I'll get you to D.C. and then I'll say goodbye properly and leave you alone and I'll go home for good." He let go of my hand and I slumped against the brick wall.
"What if I don't want to say goodbye?" I blurted out.
"You don't have a choice. I don't think Lane will want me to stick around, and I don't really want to be anyone's third wheel."
He moved closer and placed a hand on the wall above my head.
"What if I want you to stick around?" I sounded really needy, but the thought of Drew going anywhere without me made me silently freak out.
"You're with Lane. Isn't that what you said to Josh?"
He ducked down to see my face but I kept my eyes focused on his boots. I was with Lane, end of story. But why couldn't I let Drew go? I didn't want him to go, I wasn't ready to say goodbye and I knew I would feel the same way in a week, a month, hell if I was honest I never wanted to say goodbye to Drew. But he was right, I was with Lane. The only reason I was still alive was that Lane suggested we find his brother so he could give me the cure; the only reason I needed help in the first place was that Lane insisted on going into that damn town that day and I ended up getting bitten.
"Don't worry about me leaving. I won't leave until I know you're safe, ok?" He tried to reassure me but it only made me feel worse.
"Nowhere is safe." I muttered as he dropped his hand and stepped away from me. "You might as well leave us now." I ground out.
"I'm not here for them, Pretty."
"Why do you call me that?"
"Because you're the prettiest deadbie I've seen that hasn't tried to eat my face."
"Former-nearly-deadbie." I joked. "And I might still try to eat your face if you call me pretty again."
Drew chuckled. "Is that a promise?"
He stared at me with hooded eyes, and the air changed between us. He was the one reminding me I was with Lane yet he was the one calling me Pretty and giving off weird vibes, and the look in his eye was almost predatory.
"I really did miss you when you were in that science lab." he said trying to act casual as he looked down at his bow.
"I missed you too."
"I missed that pretty face." He grinned with his tongue in the corner of his lips.
"That's why you came back, you missed my face?"
"And I missed the rest of you...I find you mildly entertaining, counting how many times you can fall over your own feet in one day." He edged forward. "You're so clumsy." He tugged on the ends of my hair playfully.
"Gee thanks. And I find you mildly useful to have around."
"At least I'm good for something." He smirked with a twinkle in his eyes, looking at me.
"But I liked it better when it was just the two of us." he said honestly, cautiously stepping closer to me until he was invading my personal space.
"We still haven't talked about that kiss?"
"What kiss?"
"Drew! You know exactly what I'm talking about." I playfully pushed at his chest. "We're in the middle of getting shot at and you decide that's a good time to kiss me?"
"Isn't that what they do in the movies in the middle of all the blood and bullets, the guy kisses the girl and then one of them leaves and usually dies tragically and it's all very dramatic?"
"You did it to distract me." I poked him in the chest.
"Yeah, I did, but it didn't work. You still didn't stay where I told you to."
"Bonnie would never desert Clyde."
"And look how that ended."
He shook his head and his eyes met mine again, searching for something. His eyes lingered on my lips for a second longer than they should. I knew what he was thinking because I was thinking the same thing. But we couldn't. I wanted to though.
"I'm with Lane, remember?"
"I know." he groaned and let out a breath.
He stepped away and rubbed the back of his neck.
"We should go back inside." I said.
He nodded his head in agreement but neither one of us moved. Was it so wrong of me to want to kiss Drew? I didn't know what tomorrow would bring, or how long I had left on this Earth, all I knew for sure was how badly I wanted something I shouldn't want at all. I wanted to kiss Drew, to feel his lips on mine. I wanted this moment, just one kiss.
His hand slowly reached up and his thumb grazed my bruised cheek.
"I'm sorry." he said, looking at my cheek with a guilty expression. "I didn't mean to. I would never purposely hit-"
"I know, Drew. It's ok. You're forgiven. But how about in the future you don't get into another fight with Lane?"
"He started it."
"Ok." I tried not to laugh at his childish response.
His eyes met mine again and before I could say anything he had hooked an arm around my waist and was pulling me towards him. The machete fell from my hand and landed on the ground by my feet as I threw my arms around his neck to stop from falling over and our lips crashed together. Like the sea on a rough day as it crashes against the rocks. An unstoppable force. It only lasted a split second before Drew sucked in a breath and pulled back and licked his lip where he had split it open from fighting with Lane, it didn't stop him from returning his lips to mine though. He kissed me with so much force, so much want...so much.
His tongue slid into my mouth and met mine. I tightened my grip on him and he walked me back into the wall and pressed his body against mine. His hand slid under my sweatshirt and his calloused fingers brushed against my back.
The back door suddenly burst open and our lips broke apart but we stayed in each other's arms. Nick shot out of the back door and lo
oked in both directions, completely missing us standing in the shadows next to the building, and darted off to the nearest tree. My hands fell from Drew's neck and we both looked into the trees at where Nick had run off to, wondering what the hell he was doing running off into the dark trees in the middle of the night. It soon became clear what Nick was doing when we heard some seriously gross noises and Nick sighing with relief and we both quietly burst out laughing.
Drew turned back to look at me and it hit me like a bus what had just happened. Drew had kissed me. And I had kissed him back.
"Stay away from me!" I snapped, pushing him back a step as he touched his split lip with a smirk on his face.
I heard Drew chuckle behind me as I went back inside. I quietly made my way back inside the store, knowing Drew would stay outside and keep an eye on Nick. Josh was rubbing his eyes as he emerged from his dark corner.
"What's going on?" he whispered.
"Oh, um...Nick has got the shits." I told him.
"Oh. That sucks. Where is he now?"
"Outside."
Josh nodded and was about to leave when he got a strange look on his face and asked, "What are you doing up?"
"I had to pee."
"Huh. And where's Drew?" Josh noticed his sleeping bag was empty.
"Probably outside, keeping an eye on Nick." I shrugged and walked over to my sleeping area.
I thought I saw a small smile playing on Josh's lips as he left the room. I tried to get comfortable but whatever I did I couldn't fall back asleep. Nick returned sometime later with Josh and I pretended to be asleep. Drew stayed outside and never returned that night, but I knew he'd be back in the morning.
He always came back.
Chapter 22
The next morning Lane woke me up with his annoying cough. I still felt sleepy on account of Drew waking me up and I couldn't get back to sleep for a really long time. I didn't want to get up but I could see the sun was already up as someone had removed some of the cardboard in the front window to let some light in. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and sat up feeling a little weary. I looked out of my tent and saw Lane hacking up phlegm. Gross. Josh was standing up and talking to Tobias. Rosie was already up and packing both their bags with everything they needed. Nick was walking around the store picking out things to put in his bag and Drew was nowhere to be seen.