We're Still Alive(Book1)BEING REWRITTEN

Twenty-Eight

Illinois

          Gavin watched from across the street as the girl pulled out bags of water, once filled with ice. It was a smart idea; he and his group were always looking for water bottles and jugs and stuff, but they'd never thought about the bags of ice, even if they were only a little more than halfway full due to leakage.

           She started to tie them together with something and draped them over the horse's back. Gavin couldn't help but stare. It was a big horse, tall and muscular. Its hair dark blue-ish grey color, almost black on its face and long legs. She swung herself onto its bare back and positioned the bags in front of her so they were hanging over the horse's shoulders. It started walking forward, and Gavin followed, staying in the shadows of the roadside buildings. Martine and the guys weren't too far away, and when they heard the horse they voted for Gavin to check it out. He could see Wes, though, across the street, set up on the fire escape of another old building. Gavin had  wanted to approach her as soon as he found out there was someone else alive, but Wes had told him to wait. They didn't know who was capable of what anymore, and couldn't risk not being careful.

          The horse tried to walk up to him every once in a while before the girl pulled it away. After a while of this she stopped it completely and looked around. He moved to a window of the building he was now in. It was a small town, and most of the structures were worn-down, some abandoned long before the breakout. The girl was taking the bags off the horse and gently setting them on the ground. Then she turned it in place and pulled out a pistol. Before he had a chance to react, his ears rang as one of the three shots flew dangerously close to his face. The wood around the empty window sill exploded, and splinters showered his face. If any of them pierced skin, he couldn't tell. He threw himself back as the horse took off at a gallop. It felt like only seconds later when he heard Wes yelling something and the hummer approaching. He ran outside and jumped into the humvee with the others, and then they were off. The girl tried to lose them by running the horse through yards and around buildings, but most of them were evenly spaced out, giving the hummer plenty of room to drive in or follow around the outside. Still, the large horse was quick and agile, and his stamina couldn't have been very low. At one point they almost lost her; they rounded a corner and Gavin couldn't find a trace of the girl or horse. He was about to suggest they call it off when Max drove forward.

          "There's an alley over here, it's the only place they could've gone." Gavin held his rifle tightly and Max parked the hummer in front of the alley. The horse had started trotting out, but was pulled to stop. He jumped out of the hummer with Martine, while Wes and Max got out on the other side, completely blocking off the alley. Bud sat still in the back, watching through the windows. His eyes were half-closed and his ears lay flat on his head as he lazily panted in the back seat. 
          "Put the gun down!" Wes yelled, aiming his rifle. Max and Martine had also raised their guns, and Gavin joined them.
          The girl didn't look like she could've been over 15, if she was even that old. She had long brown hair that was pulled into a ponytail and was wearing jeans and a white tank-top. She was watching them with wide, uncertain eyes. Wes yelled again, but still she didn't move.
          "She's scared." Gavin whispered to Martine.
          "What, you feel bad for her? She almost shot you!" He replied in a normal voice, maybe a little louder than normal. Wes and Max had stepped forward, yelling at her again, but she pulled the horse back. Martine moved toward too, motioning for Gavin to do the same. He did, but he felt uncomfortable. She seemed paler than before. He was about to say something to Martine again when she suddenly kicked her feet and the horse bolted forward, running straight towards Wes and Max.