Echo

The letters

Cody's POV

I stayed up all night waiting till it was time. My watch beeped at 2:50am.

I threw my jacket on, situated my weapons, and woke up Olli. "Hey, it's time to go," I said quietly helping him up and handing him his bear.

He sleepily walked, his eyes wanting to close. I picked him up and he instantly fell back asleep.He had a hard time sleeping too, I bet we all did.

I walked outside where Brandon and Molly were. They looked upset.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked looking between the two.

"All the truck tires are flat, but..the vans completely untouched." Molly said.

I opened the van and set Olli in gently on the seat, "I'll be right back bud, go ahead n sleep." he gladly closed his heavy eyes again. I closed the door gently.

I had a feeling I knew what had happened but I didn't want to admit it to myself. "Who would do that?" I asked.

Cali walked up to us looking frazzled. "Echo left." she held up two letters scribbled in pen front and back.

I shook my head having a hard time processing this. Why would she choose for us?

"Did..you read em?" Brandon asked.

"No," Cali sniffed. "I don't want to." she handed me the letters

I leaned against the van and read:
       I know you're upset with me. I just know this is the best chance. I want you all to live long happy lives. I want you all to remain a family and not have to worry about not seeing eachother again. I couldn't save my first family but I can save this one.
     Chances are that they will be there way before us and they will be overly prepared.
If you don't show they will think that you're not affiliated with me. This way you can get away even if they still go back.
I want Cody to watch Olli grow up, I want Clover to watch her kids grow up. I want all of you to continue being this big beautiful family.
Don't think of the bad. Cling onto what's good.
I don't want you to worry about because I can promise you that i'm not afraid and that this life is only the beginning. I was blessed immensely with this family. I finally felt completeness because of all of you. I'm not scared to live or die because i've lived because of all of you. And that will never die.
     I need you to trust.
                                                           Love,
                                                                      Echo

Dear Olli,
          I have to go. I wish I could go with you but I can't. Sometimes people have to make a hard choice to keep their family safe. Because family is SO important.
       I left my knife on my bed. I want you to keep it safe for me. It was my dad's. He had to leave to keep me safe too.
    I need you to be strong and not be afraid.
Please don't change the way you care and the way you imagine things. The world can be really scary. But when you take a step back, you can still see the good. Let yourself forget all the bad and hold on tightly to what's good. Be a reminder to everyone to not lose that part of themselves. God won't let you down. He protects us all. Remember that.
I love you to infinity...
                                                 -Echo

I closed my eyes in disbelief. "We have to go." I forced out. I didn't want to leave her. In fact I felt like I couldn't. But I have to. She gave us no choice.

"But she-" Cali began through her tears.

"We don't got a choice.." Molly whispered reaching for the letters. She began to read and tears filled her eyes.

Brandon, Molly, and I opened the gates and cleared out the walkers. I took out my anger with every kill. The last walker and I threw him on the ground and stabbed him and then stabbed him again. Before I could do it again Brandon grabbed my arm. "We gotta go man, cmon." I got off the ground and walked toward the van breathless.

Everyone passed the letters around while I went to Echos room to retrieve the knife she left for Olli.

How could she do this? They are going to hurt her, make her suffer. The possibility's running through my head made me sick. And I couldn't do a damn thing about it.

Eventually we all crammed into the van and drove off in bitter silence. The kids were still sleeping and I was dreading explaining this to Olli.

Olli stirred in his sleep, then opened his eyes. "You're coming with me?" he asked wiping his eyes.

"Yes," I nodded quietly.

He looked around at everyone crammed in the van, "Where's Echo?"

"She....she had to go somewhere."

"When will she be back? is she meeting us at our new home?" I felt like crying but that wouldn't do anything but make Olli worry.So I kept my composure. Olli lost our mom and now he's losing Echo. I was so angry at her even though she did what was right.

I shook my head restlessly.

"What?" Olli asked getting up and looking at me worried.

"Come here.." I pulled him closer to me and pulled out the letter she wrote for Olli, that I shoved in my pocket.

I read it to him. After I finished he grabbed the letter and held it crying quietly. Breaking my heart.

I grabbed the sheathed knife and handed it to him, "I was going to find a knife for you to start carrying. But she beat me to it I guess. Don't open it unless you have to, okay?" he nodded tears still pouring down.

He stared at the letter and knife in his small hands. Holding them tightly.

I hugged him close to me and let him cry as I stared at the ground of the van in agony.