ALIVE: The Aftermath Chronicles (Book 1)

Chapter 4 - END OF THE ROPE

Hannah tossed a gun and the radios into the nearby bushes. The other loaded gun she lifted from the guard near the door, she kept clutched in her free hand. Hiding behind the siding of a cottage to avoid her hunters, Hannah moves behind the line of houses, watching the men she knew searching for her with their lent weapons. If they found her, they'd gain favor. A prize, Russell made certain to hang over them all, that being noticed by him, in proving loyalty and servitude, meant to lead a great life in the colony.

Catching her breath for just a moment in her hiding place behind an oak tree, her brief reprieve is ruined when the radio waves jump back to life. The sound, alerting the nearest person that comes to pass on the other side of her tree. And, in turning to run, Hannah is tackled to the ground by her captor.

"No! No!" She screams as if she's being butchered, her fate curdles in the demonic shriek of her voice. It's so loud, that she doesn't hear the shushing, the calling for her name, and demanding she stay quiet.

As she's spun around and comes to realize the comforting caress to her hair, the blurred face of Ethan processes through teary eyes. She wraps around him, holding him close in relief and astounded in her luck. He was one of two friends remaining. Just Ethan and now, Dalton left behind.

"I'm getting you out of here," Ethan urges, pulling her up as Hannah tries to process what the usual shy bystander to all drama is doing.

He has his backpack stuffed, his own outfit ready for the elements out beyond the colony's walls. Hannah is in no way mentally prepared to embrace that world again. It spelled death, but not as legibly as it did here presently. Though she hated the thought of districts or even the wild, it seemed she had no choice but to escape Russel's wrath.

Giving in to Ethan's tug, Hannah embraces this sudden shift of courage from her friend. Her suspect of Ethan's allegiance to his uncle fades with his help. The crinkles of her distrust smooth with the dissection of all he risked in taking her hand.

Hannah worries now, about the sniper that might be at the top of the watchtower they climb. Did he think all this through? Did he know what he was doing? All of this was so unlike him. Ethan had never once shown to be a leader or an executor of plans, but then again, Hannah's life had never been threatened in such a way before. Perhaps, he finally found the light to step out of his uncle's stretching shadow.

Ethan says down to her from the ladder, "This sniper never showed up for his shift. The other sniper on the east tower reported you, but Russell called them all to the ground to look for you...we should be fine once we get on the other side."

"And what about the dead?!" She asks.

He doesn't respond. Her question is lost to the breeze as they make their way to the edge of the watchtower to stare down at the staggering infected that wander aimlessly around the walls.
Pulling over a rope that tied to the side of the tower, Hannah's dumbfounded by the amount of effort Ethan put in to save her. As if, he'd been planning for this moment and knew exactly what he'd do should they ever need to escape. Yet, at this moment, she had to reflect on if this scenario played out for them in regard to the takeover of the dead, or in how much he knew of his uncle's hatred for her. Had this been a long time coming?

He shakes his head against whatever he sees in those igneous eyes of hers, "You go first. Climb!"
Easier said than done when Hannah steps up and teeters on the line of the watchtower's edge. One step still leaves her as a Richmond Hill colonist. The other propels her down as nothing more than zombie food.

She holds her breath and swings mercilessly from the thick rope. Clinging, swaying to the beat of her madness as it pulsates a migraine into shooting pain behind her eyes. Descending slowly, Hannah grunts against the burn, splinters of rope embeds into her raw palms, as some of the dead begin to gather at the rope's treacherous end.