Book One: The Apocalypse

Chapter Twenty One - Goodbyes

"What took you so lo-" Ava began in an annoyed tone before her eyes fell on me. "Oh god, what happened?"

Darius placed me roughly on the hard ground and stormed off into the trees with Zoey still on his back.

"Um?" Ava murmured, coming closer as she began to inspect my wound.

"Fell," I grunted, "With a knife in my hand."

Ava rolled her eyes and placed her hand on the handle of the knife.

"Jeez, that was pretty stupid," She muttered, messing around with the arrangement of my shirt.

"Yea-" I started before Ava wrenched the knife out in a swift movement and I let out a scream of pain.

Somewhere in the distance, there was another scream, different to mine. It was full of raw anger and pure agony.

"Don't be a baby," Ava muttered, pressing something to the now knife free area, stopping the blood flow.

We were both silent, listening to birds chirp happily around us.

"Shayde," Ava murmured.

I groaned in answer.

"Where's Felix?"

I froze and closed my eyes.

"Gone," I murmured.

I heard her let out a sob and when I opened my eyes all I saw were hers leaking with tears.

"He was a good kid," She whispered.

"Yeah, he was," I sighed in agreement.

I placed one of my hands in her free one and squeezed it gently.

"I'm sorry," I whispered before the pain finally over took me and I faded into black.

*

*

*

I heard arguing voices before I opened my eyes.

One female, angry and yelling over something. One male, quiet but cold.

I felt a small hand wrap around mine.

And I felt a burning pain on one side of my stomach.

"Zoey," I whispered under my breath, still keeping my eyes squeezed shut.

Suddenly the hand disappeared and I heard the running of tiny feet fading away.

"She's awake," I heard a child's voice interrupt the arguing pair.

"I'm not going to see her," The male voice said.

"People die all the time! You can't blame her forever!" The female yelled back.

"Just go see your precious best friend," The male mocked, "And my brother's murderer."

Then a loud slapping sound rang out.

"You fucker," The female hissed and then the conversation stopped as two sets of footsteps approached me.

"Shayde, honey, open your eyes. It's me, Ava," Ava murmured, taking one of my hands.

I peeked out carefully and let out a breath I must have been holding.

"Where are we?" I asked quietly, surprised at how rough my voice sounded.

"With a pair of survivors who agreed to let us stay with them. They stitched up your wound," Ava replied simply.

"Oh."

Ava smiled at me and then stood and climbed out of a tent I was housed in.

"Go see her," I heard Ava growl from outside.

"I wonder if they know we can hear them," I mumbled to Zoey.

She giggled and shook her head. "They haven't figured it out yet."

From outside, I heard angry mumbles getting closer until they were right outside.

"Zoey?" The male voice called after a minute of silence.

Zoey looked at me before climbing out of the tent.

"Yes?" She said clearly, obviously making sure I could hear her properly.

"Go find Ava, she needs your help with something," He ordered.

I could almost hear Zoey roll her eyes as her footsteps started walking away from me.

In the same moment, Darius entered the tent and my heart leapt. I almost smiled until I saw his guarded expression.

"I was waiting for you to wake up," He began quietly.

I opened my mouth to reply before he waved his hand, cutting me off.

"Let me finish. I was waiting because I wanted to tell you something."

I nodded at him to continue.

"I'm leaving. I'm going to do find Felix."

"Dar..." I murmured, "He's dead."

Darius gave me a 'you're crazy' look.

"No, he made it out. I know it. He's alive," Darius insisted.

"He's not," I said, trying to sit up and groaning in pain.

Instinctively, Darius pushed me back down gently, before he realised what he was doing.

"Stop lying, he's alive. That's what I wanted to say, and now I'm leaving," Darius muttered coldly.

"Darius, don't. You won't find him. I saw him die."

"YOU'RE WRONG!" He yelled, balling his hands into fists.

"Dar, please don't go," I whispered, "Don't leave me."

Darius gave me a long look, as I watched different emotions flash in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," He finally managed, before climbing out of the tent.

His footsteps faded to silence quickly and when I realised I could no longer hear him I felt my heart shatter and I burst into tears.

-

Just the epilogue now. What a journey.

Much love,

Lucie

xo