The Last Legacy (Season 1): Episodes 1-10 (25 page)

“I don’t think we have a choice anymore. I didn’t know them before the outbreak, either.” I pointed my thumb towards Jim who now stood beside Kev and Scarlet. They chatted, but I couldn’t hear them even though they were only two cars forward in the parking lot.
 

“Really? You could’ve fooled me.”

“When someone saves you time and time again, you kind of have to trust them.” I shrugged. “If they screw me over, then they screw me over. We’re all going to die someday anyways.”

“I’m not ready to die,” Gabriel stated.

“Me either. They’re good people,” I said, defending them all.
 

“What do you base that on?” He leaned against the open door, crossing one leg over the other in a casual way. I stood up out of the car and stretched my sore limbs.
 

“Gut feeling?” I didn’t really know what I based it on. “Jim is rough, but he does what’s right. Always. Scarlet can be annoying, but she has good intentions. Kev, I don’t really know. But he let us stay in his car, and Jim knew him before the infection. He had a family.”

“That’s all great, but it doesn’t make me trust them.”

“The only thing to build trust is time. You have to take a chance. The odds of you staying alive go up exponentially when you are with us. One versus however many eaters there are. No shot. But with us covering your back, at least there’s a chance you can make it out.” I raised my eyebrows, knowing that my points were valid. I pulled my arm across my chest, stretching my back while he stared past me, thinking with his lips pursed.

“I guess I can come for a while. I am interested to see what happens to that guy.” He nodded over towards Kev, who was accepting the help of Scarlet and Jim. They held him under his armpits as they maneuvered him onto the hood of a car.

“Do you think he’ll die?” I asked him as I finished my drink. It made my stomach stop gurgling, so for that, I was thankful. Meanwhile my mouth tasted like a mix of coffee and rotten milk.

“Yes. But I didn’t want to scare the others. You seem stronger.”
 

I laughed at his words, covering my mouth to stifle it. I shook my head. “I’m not strong,” I told him.
 

“You’re stronger than Waterworks over there.” I looked over his shoulder at Scarlet. She wasn’t crying, but she clung to Kev’s hand like she might lose him. I thought it was touching, the bond they crafted, but I could see why it reflected poorly on her. Getting attached was a dangerous thing.

“Do you think he’s infected right now?”

“There’s no doubt the infection is in his blood. Once he starts the fever phase, he’ll become incoherent, maybe fall into a coma. We’ll have to kill him before he kills the girl.”

“She won’t let you,” I told him, knowing that Scarlet had grown to like Kev. They were the same age, around twenty-six. She didn’t understand the risks of his injury. There was no doubt in my mind she’d never kill him, let alone let us do it. Maybe she filled the hole her husband left, or maybe she just needed a friend. Either way, she’d never agree.

“I’d do it,” Gabriel said with venom in his tone. Shivers ran down my legs and up my arms at his steely words. But instead of being frightened, I was impressed that he could handle something like that.
 

“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” I said, clinging to a shred of optimism.

“Right…”

Gabriel watched our backs as he and I stood around the car. I threw the Styrofoam cup on the ground, still hating to litter but doing it anyway. We had no use for the cup so why cart it along? Jim came over after Kev stood on his own, using the trunk of a car as a crutch.
 

“We’re going to start walking,” he said, his voice softer than usual. “We’re still going south to find Scarlet’s sister. Is that okay?”

“We’re ready,” Gabriel answered for the both of us. I looked over at him, my head still angled down, my nerves shooting off. Gabe smiled at Jim, but it didn’t reach his eyes, obviously fake. I turned and leaned into the car, gathering my things while they stared each other down.

I shoved the extra clothes into a plastic bag. I glanced around the car for anything left behind and saw a little Hawaiian bobble-head stuck to the dashboard. Someone had draped a gold cross bracelet around her neck. For some reason, I liked her as she jiggled her hips. I grabbed her and put her into my bag.
 

“Ready,” I said as I passed Gabe and Jim and walked straight to Scarlet.

“How’d you sleep?” she asked me. She leaned forward and threw her red hair into a ponytail on the top of her head. Her tresses extended all the way down to her butt in perfect waves. I wished my hair was that easy. My stupid bun already fell apart.

“Eh. Not too much. But I’m excited to start moving towards your sister. I hope that we find her.” I smiled at Scarlet.

“I know that nobody thinks she’s alive, but I just feel her, you know? She’s safe at her house. I know it.” Scarlet pushed a piece of hair off her forehead. “Sandra is a survivor. She’s already been through so much shit, divorce and deaths. As much as I need her, I know she’d be safer with us. She needs us, too.”

“I believe you.” I ran my hand up and down her arm. She pursed her lips and nodded. Her eyes reddened. “Don’t cry,” I told her with as much comfort as I could. But she needed to be strong. If not for herself, then for Kev.

Jim stopped in front of us. “Let’s follow the highway. We can walk along the woods so we have a cover. We’ll walk until sundown or until we find a place with food.”
 

I finally snuck a glance at him while he spoke to Kev. Jim wore a new shirt that clung to his chest, showing off his toned body from working in the mill. He hadn’t changed his shoes or pants, both brown with dried-on mud and blood. He wore a black ball cap with American Eagle written above the brim in white cursive. It shadowed his already dark features.

“Lana,” Gabriel said as he waved his hand in front of my face. I looked up and immediately my eyes clashed with Jim’s. I was caught. A sly grin crept onto Jim’s lips, and I blushed, averting my eyes as my face caught fire. Shit.

“Sorry,” I muttered as I shook my head, trying to erase the images of Jim that paraded through my mind.

We left the hospital the way we came, just with some extra clothes and medicine. My pack felt heavier on my back, making me hunch over. We would have to get better bags if we picked up more things. But it just wasn’t possible right now. I ignored the burn.

I had my handgun in my left hand and carried the bag of medicine and my bag of belongings over my shoulder.

As we walked through the town, I stopped and listened, noting our surroundings. It was a quaint town right off the highway with wooden benches along the sidewalks and wrought iron lamp-posts up and down the streets.
 

We passed a grouping of three homes, all vacant. Nothing moved, not even the wave of a curtain as we made our way back to the highway. The ghost town faded in the distance as I focused on the future and what was on the horizon.

I could breathe again once I saw the first highway sign—the simple 91 numbers and exit ramp. For some reason, the interstate, although packed with cars, had significantly fewer eaters than the towns.
 

When we walked to the hospital, a constant whisper floated over my back. Always on edge, my heart never stopped its rapid pace. But when we walked on the highway, there was some relief to the constant paranoia.
 

The chill in the air deepened overnight. The coolness felt uncharacteristic for September. If I was doing my math correctly, it was already September seventeenth. Wind rustled the trees, most leaves beginning their transformation for fall. The woods cast eery sounds of falling objects and breaking twigs while wildlife scattered around.

Once we accomplished our mission to get to Scarlet’s sister, I knew we’d have to find a place to stay long-term for the winter. We couldn’t be walking around in windbreakers when the temperatures dropped below freezing. Especially in clothes that didn’t fit and shoes that had worn down so much I swore I could feel the pavement through the soles.
 

We walked like ducks in a row, Jim leading the pack and Gabriel closing it out. I hovered somewhere in the middle, trailing off as I looked around. I’d lived in Connecticut most of my life, and as we walked along the highway, I realized that I’d been too busy to just take a second and look around.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Kev asked as he caught up to me. That said a lot since he could barely walk. I glanced up and put my arm under his to give him some extra support.
 

“I never stopped to just look. It’s so weird, right? What we miss from real life.” I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. “How are you feeling?” I glanced down at his leg, the white bandage tinted with yellowish, red puss that bled through.
 

“Other than a little throbbing around the cut, fine.”

“That’s a lot more than a cut.”
 

Kev laughed, and I chimed in.
 

“Hey, so…I don’t know if I should even mention this.”

“Then you probably shouldn’t,” I cut in, glaring over at his dark brown eyes. His face appeared pale, but he had gained some color back. Maybe cleaning the wound had fixed him.
 

“I’m sorry for the whole kidnapping thing.” He shrugged and nearly tripped over his own feet. I reached over with my free hand and pushed his chest up so he was straight again.
 

“Do you need a break?” I asked with a grunt.
 

“I think I’m okay.” I paused so he could balance again. He coughed, phlegm catching and gurgling in his throat. I turned away, squeezing my lips shut. I didn’t know how the infection transmitted, but his cough worried me.
 

“Stop,” I said as he tried to move forward. “They’ll wait for us. Don’t worry.”

“I don’t wanna drag ‘em down.”

“You’re not,” I promised. “I’m just as slow as you. Remember? You caught up to me.” I bent down so we were at eye level as he rested his hands on his knees, his back bent forward.
 

“Lana, I’ve been bitten. I’m not stupid.” He glared up at me through his long dark lashes.
 

“Sorry. Just trying to make you feel better.”

“I’m probably going to die,” he said as he breathed his way through another coughing fit. The cough sounded deadly, like he could keel over at any second.

“You don’t know that. And we don’t either. I support you and won’t let anything happen. I’m serious.” I met his gaze and held it, knowing the implication of my words. I’d have to follow through now.
 

“Why would you care about a guy who kidnapped you?”

“You’re a good guy,” I said with ease.

“I’m not talking about me,” he said. He stood up and wiped his mouth with the lower part of his shirt. “Let’s go.” He didn’t wait for an answer from me. He jogged, hopping over his hurt leg. He linked arms with Scarlet, who cast a suspicious look over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed at me.
 

We stopped for a quick break when the sun dipped down in the sky. If I had to guess I would say it was close to four. We hadn’t eaten any food since last night. My stomach ached as I sat on the pavement, criss-crossing my legs over each other. My body began to shake, my limbs threatening to give out with each movement. It was a struggle to pry open my eyes.

“We have to find food,” Scarlet whined. She positioned Kev against a tree at the perimeter of the woods, propping him up so that his leg was elevated by a rock. She came and sat beside me, not more than two steps from Kev. Jim and Gabriel ran ahead to find an exit, shelter, or just one of the many things we needed to live.

I nibbled on my fingernail as my mind raced. We had no food, no shelter, and no safety. I was sure that the guns were going to run out of ammo soon, too, despite the fact that we hadn’t even used them much. I didn’t even know how to check the ammo holder for more bullets.

We hadn’t passed an exit in a few miles. A lot fewer vehicles crowded the two-lane highway, so it was easy to see a good amount of distance ahead. The on-ramps had the largest amount of vacated cars, most in odd angles and crashed positions.

“There’s a sign,” Gabriel gasped. He ran towards us and stopped, both of his hands on his knees as he attempted to catch his breath.

“What kind of sign?” I asked him.

“A sign for food and shelter. Look.” He pointed past us, just around a bend in the road.
 

“How far does it say?” I asked.

“You can’t see?” Scarlet asked as her brown eyes darted to me. She hunched over, her back in an oval shape.

“I don’t have my glasses,” I said with a shrug. It hadn’t bothered me until now since I hadn’t had to read anything in days. But I couldn’t see the words on the sign for the life of me, only saw the square shape and bright blue background.

“About two miles off the highway,” Gabriel filled in.

“We’re not stopping for anything. There’s still plenty of light out.” Jim refused to make eye contact with me as he walked over to us. He reached past me and grabbed one of the bags of clothes, sifting through it. He found a NutriGrain Bar and tossed it on my lap, and then threw the bag over his shoulder.