Hearken

Black Eyed Walkers

It's even lonelier these days with me, my thoughts, and i. Hailee's essence still lingers which just makes me feel guilty. Sometimes i could still feel her, feel her hand in mine, or her head on my shoulder. I can still smell her, remember what the movement of her footsteps felt like when she walked alongside me. Or how her hand would clutch onto my shoulder for support, as she kept off her broken leg. 

The only remembrance of family i had left, and now it's exploded into nothing. 

The hearkens were going to pay for this, all of this. For my suffering, for her suffering, for my parents suffering. My mother took her own life because she didn't wanna become one of those walkers. She was protecting us. My father even fought but the hearkens made him succumb to death. To surrender under some frequency that was made to fester and kill anything in it's wake. 

All of this wasn't fair, those innocent people and families Hailee and i shared refuge with in that school. There lives had been taken abruptly. Darla, Mandy, Amanda, Tyler, Micheal, Dr. Brian, Franklin and Jonathan. I haven't forgotten the survivors that took us under there wing, and shared there home with us, just to put there lives at risk by going in those tunnels. I repeat there names several times, reminding myself of the destruction and death that only follows the hearkens. 

But there was no way i was going to succumb, no way i was going to surrender, and no way i was going to let each and every single person i came in contact with, let alone my family, die in vain. I had continued hiking the trail to the safe haven for days. But i hadn't come across anything yet. Every night i would hide in the trees, hoping the walkers or even the hearkens themselves wouldn't find me. And so far, it's worked out. But i could feel them watching me, plotting, following, ... lurking. It threw my emotions for a whirlwind, every time i would scan the woods in the morning, feeling the hairs on the nape of my neck stand up. 

But i knew i had to keep going, always remain one step ahead. I collected a journal along the way of my journey, mapping out how far i needed to go to reach the safe haven. I was getting tired during the day, by being afraid to sleep at night. Mostly because i couldn't rely on my ears to pick up what i couldn't see. Until it was daylight. I could feel myself becoming weaker as the days rolled by. Scavenging for food hasn't come so easy, i started to reconsider hunting. 

It wasn't until one day, that i stumbled upon a plane crash in the distance. I hesitated, looking around and eyeing the area, before springing over and checking for supplies. Rummaging through luggage that had flown out. Finding snacks, toiletries, and clean clothes i could use. I found a tote bag, stuffing a few things i could carry. Changing into some new clothes that fit me, and tearing open some snacks, as i found a water. I groaned, scarfing down the water and then restricting myself, so i wouldn't drink all of it. Something then moved nearby. 

As i stopped, snapping my neck in that direction within a split second, narrowing my eyes. I finished chewing my pretzels and then sat down my water. Rising from the grass as i kept my eyes focused on a piece of plane roof that was covering something. I reached for the gun, knowing i only had two bullets left. My heart was racing, but when the scrap metal moves again a dog walks into view. It's black and brown fur was dirty as can be, it's ears were back and it looked directly at me with those dark brown eyes. Only this dog wasn't a puppy, it seemed to be a few years old. I wondered how long it's been surviving on it's own. it was a German Shepherd. 

I lower my gun, placing it in the back of my jeans, as i squat down to my knees. "Hi little guy" i say, hopefully loud enough so he can hear me. I open my arms, motioning him to come closer. "Don't worry, i'm not gonna hurt you" i said, assuming it sound's weird since i can't hear myself speak. The dog hesitates, before walking over to me slowly, reaching my hands and into my arms. As i place my hands on the sides of it's face, "so you're a boy" i say, looking down at it's parts as his mouth flies open and he starts panting. I smile, letting out a small chuckle as he starts to lick my face.