Chapter 19
Days Since Incident: 73
Time: 19:44
Location: Unknown
Climate: 32°F
“Here.” she said, gently placing the muffin in my hands. I couldn’t help but remain shocked at what just happened. I looked at her in bewilderment as she walked by the Oak Tree and leaned against it.
I looked at the blueberry muffin, as if she asked me to solve the puzzle she was having difficulty with.
“You are hungry, aren’t you?” she asked.
‘Hungry?’ I asked myself. Just realizing what I had on my hands, my brain shut down and went into savage mode. I ripped through the packaging, and stuffed the muffin in my mouth.
It was a simple blueberry muffin, nothing too spectacular about it. This could’ve easily been a recently expired treat that was found in a worn down convenience store, underneath a pile of dust, rust, and bloody corpses. With that said and done, this particular muffin tasted like a five meal course at the most exclusive restaurant in the world. It was fucking delicious!
I must’ve looked crazy, cause as soon as I finished and looked at Grae, she was disgusted. I must’ve looked crazy, but seeing as how I haven’t eaten in days, and I don’t particularly like Grae, I couldn’t care less what this bitch thought.
“Your guys ate the same way.” she said. “And I understand you guys haven’t eaten in days, but it looks like you’re an infected, feasting on flesh. Pretty disgusting…”
“Ask me if I fucking care-” I began to say, but stopped myself. “Wait what?”
“You heard me.” she said in response. She sounded slightly pissed, and incredibly offended.
“Where are they?! Are they safe? Did you release them?” The questions came out like diarrhea, and I didn’t give her a chance to answer.
“Jesus Christ@ You talk too much!” she screamed, quickly silencing me. I felt like a two-year-old child being chastised for acting out. I stood still, and quiet, awaiting for orders to speak again.
She sighed heavily. “Your guys are fine. We untied and fed them. Not much, but it was something at least. We gave them a handful of snacks to share with your people. But please understand: we are not giving you an ounce more. We need to take care of our own. We...we just couldn’t leave you guys like that.”
I was shocked again; there was no other way to describe it. She helped? The guys were ok? They were fed? She let them go? Questions ran through my head at top speed. Though I had just met Grae, the idea that her and her group were actually “kind”didn’t sit right. Maybe it was a cruel joke? Maybe she had them killed, and they’re being gutted for meat? Maybe she intends to do the same with me?
“Prove it to me then!” I said, regaining my composure. I stood tall, reminding the both of us who was the actual threat. Cause I’ll be damned if I let some short ass, ugly, short-tempered female turn me into some bitch.
“Who the fuck do you think you’re getting big with?” she asked. She was disappointed by my reaction, which quickly turned to anger.
“Clearly I’m talking to you! You expect me to believe that you spared my friends, gave them food to eat, and gave them food to give to my group, after you threatened to kill us? Do you think I’m that fucking dumb?!” I spat back.
She started rubbing her forehead, as if my presence was giving her a headache. “So, this is the thanks I get, huh?”
She walked towards me at a fast pace, turned me so that I was facing the truck, and undid my bondages. She kept a strong grip on both of my arms, and led me towards the direction of the trees.
“Grae! Where are you going?” One of her group members asked.
“Taking out the trash!” she responded angrily. My heart dropped; this fucking bitch was going to kill me.
“I knew it! You fucking psychotic bitch! Let me go!” I struggled against her tight grip. Due to my exhausted, starved physical and mental state, it proved damn near impossible to free myself.
“My struggling didn’t phase her. She turned and said, “We need to turn on our trucks, and be ready to leave. I’ll be back once I deal with this fucker.”
Her group began to move, starting up the engines, and getting their supplies inside. As we reached the forest edge, I began hyperventilating. Such a bitch move, I know.
“Look, I know I said you could kill me, but I was expecting you’d put a bullet through my head. If you plan on torturing me, or cutting me open before killing me, I’ll scream so loud! I don’t care if those infected fuckers kill us both! If I go down, you are going down with me bitch!” I quickly said. All she did was let out a pensive sigh.
“You REALLY talk a lot.” she says, gripping my arm so tight, I almost felt my bone break.
We walked in silence for a few minutes before reaching a fork in the road. This was the same fork that we passed every time we went back and forth to the base camp.
‘What was she trying to pull off?’ Could I trust her? How do I know she was going to try to do something to my group?
She released her grip on me, and shoved me towards the large Oak tree in the center. To the right, was a route built on the side of a steep cliff. The other side was a straight, narrow path, surrounded by large, thick trees and bushes. We’ve dealt with numerous attacks from the infected hiding between the trees and bushes.
“Go on, go!” she said simply.
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