Alone

by Prunty, Mercedes

Lunch time came and went and I was soon back at the garage collecting some weapons to practice with out in a nearby field. Of course I had my rifle and that was the first gun he wanted me to use, “Show me what you can do”.

  Some targets had been placed around the field and I took aim hitting every single one and so I should have, this gun had saved my life on many occasions. He looked please then he handed me and handgun, “Now try this”.

  I let out a few rounds, a couple hit the targets but a couple went wild, I was so used to the scope on my gun to not have it was weird.

  “Here try and aim like this”, he came up behind me taking hold of my arms aiming them in the right position, he spoke to me telling me how to aim a hand gun properly and although I felt ready to go alone he kept his arms around me. I could feel him pausing and waiting for me to turn to him, or talk to him about why he still held on to me but I didn’t, I just stood there waiting for him to drop me, “Stacie look at me”, he said.

  Sighing I turned my body to his, his eyes peering into mine, I felt like forgiving him and just melting into those eyes, just letting him take me here and now, to hold me in his arms so strong and powerful to keep me safe and warm. He stroked his hand over my cheek but I turned away from it, he grabbed my chin to make me look at him, “What are you doing?” I asked him but he didn’t answer me, he leant in pressing his lips on mine. I kissed him back for a moment before pulling away. All of this was confusing me, I could not be kissing the guy who tore my family apart and helped kill my friends, last night was just fear, wasn’t it?

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, “Do you regret last night?”

  I shrugged, “I don’t know, I just feel like I betrayed my dad, I’m confused”.

  “I guess I understand, look Stacie I wasn’t the one who shot him, I didn’t kill him that was one of the others. I know I was part of the group but it wasn’t actually by my hand” he started, “I shot…”

  “Terrance…My friend Terrance you shot him”.

  “I…”

  “Look you don’t understand I feel guilty because you were part of that group and no matter how I look at it you played a part in his death, which makes me feel like I have betrayed him!” I said feeling the guilt wash over me.

  “Stacie I’m sorry things shouldn’t have happened last night, I didn’t mean for them I just thought we might…”

  “Die! Yeah so did I and I guess that’s why I let it happen I find you attractive and don’t get me wrong I like you, you seem to have a bad boy edge but underneath you’re a nice person, I just…” I didn’t know how to put how I was feeling, I felt like I had let my dad down by going with Callum but he just felt right, I felt safe and I knew he wanted to help me and keep me safe but could I forget the fact of what he used to be? “I just need to think”.

  He nodded, “I understand can I still train you or would you prefer Amanda?”

  “No still you”, I smiled, Amanda scared me so I didn’t want her waving a gun near my head I might return with only half of it.

  As I smiled at him he smiled back at me, a full grin of white teeth and a handsome face, his eyes locked onto mine and I could feel the electric almost sexual tension in the air. I felt the whoosh of my cheeks flushing wild berry red. His face leant in closer to mine and I felt my heart pound wildly with anticipation as to what might happen, I knew I did want something to happen but with my heart and my mind at conflict I knew I didn’t want anything to happen either. He breathed in almost sucking me in closer to his lips which parted ever so slightly waiting for me to make the move but I couldn’t. I felt the hot flush of frustration flush through me as I went to look away but he reached out grabbing my shoulders with both his strong hands and pulling me in close and trying to kiss me again. In a frenzy of confusion I flayed my arms at him pushing him away, “What are you doing I said I needed to think!”

  “I’m sorry I just thought you were giving signals and…” he stopped seeing a look in my eyes that held a dangerous edge to them.

  “Is that all your after is to just keep getting me into bed, you don’t care about my feelings?” I snapped.

  “No of course I do care I just read it wrong I’m sorry, I thought you were giving me the come on signs but I saw it wrong”, he said but I was so angry I turned around to head back to the camp.

  The blood and anger was flooding my ears so much so that I couldn’t hear him call to me about the oncoming danger that I was heading towards before I knew it I was in the grasp of a creature, its arms clung to me, its face broken and mashed to pieces, teeth had rotted and most had fallen out other than the front few, it snapped its jaws in my face and I knew I was going to die, I couldn’t move as its grasp was so strong, it pulled me in to drive its teeth into my throat, I could smell the blood from its previous meal on its breath, struggling I couldn’t break free it just seemed to make the creature want me more. I wanted to cry for help but nothing escaped my mouth other than a strangled cry of fear, I tried to push at it with my hands but the thing was so fixated on eating me that it had no effect.

  “Stacie push it forward again”, I heard Callum’s voice boom behind me, I done as he said using all my strength to push it when…BANG! The shot was so close to me I could feel the friction of the bullet moving past my face in the air beside me, the feeling was almost like a butterfly flicker across your cheek. The head of the creature exploded smothering me in gore, the bloody remains dripped from my hair and clothes like some scene from a horror story, the limp lifeless body slumped at my feet.

  Turning to Callum I knew I should thank him but all that came was the rage of him kissing me, hissing at him like some deranged cat I carried on my storming off back to camp leaving him behind eating my dust. I was more focused this time and didn’t run into the arms of any other monsters in the woods, when I reached the gates the people on watch looked at me, “Where’s Callum?”

  “Behind me somewhere I don’t care really”. I said.

  “Well we do we aren’t letting you in till we see him”, a man shouted down to me.

  “I’m here!” Callum said coming up behind me.

  “What happened to her?” the bloke asked Callum.

  I was tempted to say I’m standing here ask me but I let it go and let him explain, he left out the part of him trying it on with me just said we were attacked by a lone creature. The bloke opened the gate letting us back in, Callum grabbed my hand to try to talk to me but I pushed him away and headed to the showers for the second time that day.

  As I stood in the small shower cubicle I let the water wash over me, it was chilly but I needed the coolness to collect my thoughts, I felt so confused. I had wanted to meet someone eventually to be with but I hadn’t thought I would try until after I found Tanya, yes I had to admit to myself I had thought Callum was good looking but and it’s a big but he had been a part in her kidnap and my father’s death, I couldn’t just let that drop so he could get his leg over, again. I felt my cheeks burn at the thought of last night I hoped maybe he did really like me and not just for a notch on his bed post but I couldn’t forgive him, could I? Watching as all the bloody parts from the creature washed away I pulled my knees up to my chest as I sat in the flow of water, I wanted to cry, to ask my family watching over me for advice but it felt stupid since I knew deep down the answer, no.

  A noise disturbed me from my trance and I looked up to see Callum standing at the edge of the shower, he had striped his top off, I could see in detail his swirling tribal tattoo and his fit athletic body, I felt a pang inside me that I had never felt before deep down but I knew it was just because he was half naked. He kept the rest of his clothes on and came into the shower with me sitting down next to me, I should of felt embarrassed that I was completely nude but I wasn’t, not really.

  “I’m sorry”, he said looking at me his hair dripping wet from the cool water.

  “For what?” I asked bluntly.

  “For everything”, he replied, “I never meant to hurt you”.

&nb
sp; “You didn’t know me when you done those things before so how would you know that it would be me you were hurting”, I said.

  “I didn’t but I do now, I feel so bad for helping those horrible people destroy and kill other people and destroy families and friendships but I promise you I have changed”, he said.

  Turning more to him I said, “I know I can see you have changed but it doesn’t change that you done it”.

  Nodding to me he replied, “I agree it doesn’t change it but… I can help you and maybe after you will find it in yourself to forgive me”.

  “What about my dad you can’t bring him back?” I said.

  “No but I didn’t shoot him that was Danny but I know I can’t deny my role as I was there”, he said fighting his corner but choosing his words carefully.

  I looked away the coolness of the water was starting to make me shiver but I also think it was the adrenaline from the situation I was in, I wanted to hit him! I spun quickly and landed a small punch to his mouth splitting his lip, he was taken aback shocked but he didn’t bother to retaliate, I pushed him, thumped him and screamed at him all the abuse I could muster but still he just stayed still, letting me blast all my anger out at him, I wanted him to shout back so I could argue with him but he didn’t making me angrier but soon my anger turned to despair and I ended up curling up on the floor in a foetal position sobbing for my family. He didn’t say a word just stroked my hair lightly until I had calmed down.

  “I’m sorry”, I whispered to him.

  “It’s ok, I’d be angry too if I were you”, he replied still stroking my hair.

  “Just meeting you and finding out you played a part it just brought it all back, I know you’re not that person anymore I’m just finding it hard”, I said slowly sitting up, he sat up against the wall of the shower, I moved and sat next to him, shivering in the cold he pulled me close not that he was much warmer but the thought made it so, “I think I’m just confused, I know I haven’t known you long but I like you. Sounds childish doesn’t it!”

  “No it’s not childish Stacie its human”, he replied, he held me there until I was so cold I needed my bed, I needed sleep.

  I dressed quickly with him standing at my back. He walked with me back to my room shutting the door behind us, he lifted the cover and tucked me in the bed like a parent to a child but this was in no way a feeling of a parent with a child. I wanted him to be mine and hold me and love me but the thought scared me so I just laid my head on the pillow and felt my tired eyes flicker shut, I felt him move on the bed climbing under the covers with me. His strong arms held me tightly threatening to never let me go and in those warm arms I fell asleep for the second night in a row.

  The next couple of days flew past with more training until he was satisfied I was as ready as I was ever going to get, the morning came of the day to leave and we awoke early, heading straight for the garage we noticed the camp was in a sombre mood, Amanda had been on a mission making sure all the batons and hatches were in place ready for our departure, she had made sure everyone knew the drill if creatures arrived. She entered the garage after us and came straight over to me, Callum took note of his sister’s mood and left us to talk.

  “Stacie a word”, she demanded.

  I agreed and followed her to a room just off the garage, “What’s up?” I asked.

  “What’s up? What’s up is that you are taking my brother away from the safety of the camp, I want you to promise me that you will bring him back to me no matter what happens. If they kill him or he is bitten I want him back but hopefully alive. If you can’t then don’t bother coming back because I will kill you and your sister upon return if he doesn’t”, she sounded so sure of herself that she would kill two innocent souls if something happened to him.

  “I promise I will bring him back no matter what”, I replied.

  “Thank you…he shouldn’t have to keep punishing himself for what happened, he has done already so many times over. And just because he likes you I don’t want you to play on it, it could cost him his life”, she added.

  I nodded, “I understand”.

  “Good now hurry up and get ready the sooner you leave the sooner you can come back”, she said before leaving the room.

  I stood there for a moment almost feeling like why should she be the one to lecture me but she was only thinking of her family like I was mine. I walked out of the room to find Callum sorting out bags and loading them into the truck, he motioned for me to come and help him, “Do you wanna go and get your bag ready? Just in case we get separated at least you will have your own supplies”.

  “Sure I’ll go get it”, I said exiting the garage and heading to my room, grabbing my bag I searched inside it to make sure all of my things were there, the medical case with the supposed cure inside, my map, the picture of my family, some random bullets for my rifle, a hair brush and the winter rain coat I took from the shopping centre, pen knife and lighter. Walking out I poked my nose into Monique’s room but she wasn’t there.

  Back at the garage Callum had packed most things we needed, tins of food in case were stranded for a few days, extra fuel for the tank, ammunition and a small bag which he liked to carry, then on his leg he had his pistol holstered so he could quick draw at any time.

  I plonked my bag down and began to rummage through the ammunition they had stored, they had a lot for my type of rifle but I didn’t take more than what I thought I needed because if they got attacked by creatures or screechers whilst we were away they might need the ammo more than me, I packed a couple of tins of food, a small first aid kit and a bottle of water, there wasn’t much room for anything else with all my personal belongings inside, I considered taking the coat out to make a bit more room but if we got separated I might need it. Loading it into the truck I then went with Callum to get some last minute breakfast before we needed to leave for our journey.

  At breakfast Ollie, Monique, Gareth and some of the other people in the camp I had spoken to came and sat with us, they talked away and wished us well on our journey. Some of the camp mates knew that Callum was going with me because of his past in what happened before but those were the people in the close circle that he and Amanda kept in case things went wrong. The others thought he was going just to see if he could liberate the others that got left behind although that was his plan too. Ollie chatted away to me for a while telling me to be safe and that when we come back he was going to arrange a party as he thought we all needed one. Monique kept quiet until we got up to leave, she flung her arms round me and made me promise to come back in one piece. I promised but I didn’t know whether I would be breaking this one or not, I guess I would just have to wait and see. I told her to look after Ollie for me and to make sure they both stayed safe, I also made sure that she knew if anything happened to this camp before I came back that I wanted her to take Ollie back to her hiding place in Brighton at least we sort of knew it was safe-ish. After saying goodbye to them both and more hugs I then left with Callum to head to the garage.

  As we entered the garage I spotted Amanda quickly scoot away from the truck she had been leaning inside for something, “Alright sis you weren’t at breakfast?” Callum said.

  “Yeah didn’t feel like watching everyone say goodbye I can say it here with just us”, she replied, “I just put some more…Er…Ammunition in your bag Callum, needed to make sure you will be safe”, she glared at me as she said the last part.

  “Look don’t worry we’ll be fine, just a few days and then we’ll be back with a few more friendly faces I hope”, he smiled.

  She didn’t look impressed but hugged him anyway, I didn’t bother saying anything to her as I knew how she felt, she thought I was taking him away from her and yes in a way I was but I needed help and he was the only one who could do it. So I jumped in the truck and waited for him, I leant over the seat and checked my bag, just where I left it under his.

  A few seconds later he jumped into the driver’s seat, starting up the engine and pulling ou
t of the garage, Gavin and Amanda both waved him off and joined Monique and Ollie at the gate. I felt a throb of guilt filter through my heart at the sight of their faces, the dread filled hope that we would survive ok and come back in mostly one piece. As we pulled away I watched in the mirror as the gate closed behind us and I hoped that it wouldn’t be the last time I saw that place.

  Chapter Six …

  The journey to Bognor Regis took us most of the day, by foot it would of taken two, road barricades had meant we had to divert to small less congested roads but that meant we encountered other problems like a whole horde of creatures that we had to shoot down with the big machine gun, some buildings had collapsed meaning we had to go further in land to get back to the main road we needed. When we did finally arrive we were tired and flagging a little, Callum’s eyes had been glued to the road all day whilst I had been look out, we decided to park in a small car park and stop for the night. We ate from our tins then tried to sleep in the upright chairs I was so tired so it didn’t take me long whilst he kept watch then a few hours later he woke me up for my shift while he slept. When the sun rose up flaming in the distance I nudged him awake, we ate again to keep up energy levels up, “So you think you know where they are?”

  He nodded, “Yes, they had checked out an old holiday park here whilst out scavenging, they always wanted to move the group there but others didn’t want to but when me and Amanda caused chaos we forced their hand to do it”.

  “I just hope she’s still there”, I said.

  “I think she is”, he smiled nervously, “I have a feeling”, then he drove on towards the holiday park. As we neared the park I could see the huge circus like tents that towered over most of the other structures, back in the day these tents had been the signature image for the holiday hot spot but now they were just dirty and torn eye sores. We turned down a small side road and parked the truck up as we were walking the rest by foot in the hope that we would not be seen to prematurely by them, the more time we had to nose around the better.