End of the Line

  Cole and I were heading back to where we left the girls in silence. The whole time, there was that thick air of awkward stillness us. Was the silence better than the yelling? It didn’t help that we wanted to kill the other at the moment. Finally, I saw Jill standing up not far ahead of us and picked up my pace a little. Jill was sitting by Lauren who seemed to be unconscious.

  “How’s she been?” I asked, bending down near Lauren to see how she was.

  My eyes scanned Lauren’s face. Her muscles were slightly tensed as she had a tight grip on her sweatshirt even as she slept.

  “She was awake at one point not too long ago. She didn’t remember fainting at all. Then I made her lay back down and she fell asleep instantly,” Jill spoke evenly. I watched for signs of life with Lauren.

  “If we walk a little longer, do you think you could carry Sean or Paige if you had too?” I enquired still looking at Lauren.

  “Yeah I could, why?”

  “Cole and I didn’t find much, but moving somewhere else would be better than staying here in this wide open space. I’ll carry Lauren. Then if the two little ones get tired, you and Cole can carry them ‘til we get to our next spot.”

  “Alright, that sounds like a good plan. Mandy, bring Sean and Paige over here. We’re moving again,” Jill yelled, waving the smaller three over to us.

  “Why can’t we stay here?” snapped Cole, causing me to turn my head up and glare at him.

  “It’s simple, Cole. Being in a wide open area isn’t the smartest thing to do!” I spoke, standing back up, slowly, the volume of my voice going up. “Especially considering all that’s going on right now. It’s like a suicide mission.”

  “That’s only because we are letting a punk like you stay with us. We're only in danger because of you!" Cole growled.

  I was so sick of this guy. My anger grew with just one look at him. I restrained myself from taking another step closer to Cole as Sean stood next to me.

  “Look here, kid, even if I wasn’t with you guys, you would be in danger. We don’t know what to expect out there. I know I’m not the safest person to be near, but I can still help. At least I keep you safe when I’m with you! So suck it up and shut up, because no one wants to hear your tantrums fit for a two-year-old!”

  I bent over and lifted Lauren and felt her shiver as if she were freezing. This was definitely not looking good. I moved Lauren in my arms a little so that she would be closer to my chest for warmth. We didn’t have any medication other than the aspirin Lauren took from the house and I didn’t think that would help with whatever seemed to be wrong with her. I could not even begin to guess what it was.

  “Come on, guys. Lets head out,” I spoke, not really glancing at the others.

  I started to march on with the two little ones beside me and Lauren in my arms still napping. The two girls were close to me with Cole a little farther behind, mentally throwing daggers at the back of my head. I didn’t need to look behind me to know that. I could feel the flames from his eyes. He didn’t care about what would help anyone but himself. That was the attitude that made me worry about what would happen later on if he didn’t change.

  I glanced down at the girl in my arms. Her eyelashes were long and dark against her pale cheeks. Her pink lips stared up at me, I still couldn’t figure out why in the world I would kiss them! The kiss was a question that ran through my mind when I was away. I mean, I didn’t like her, so why did I grab her to kiss her! It didn’t make any sense! Heat of the moment?

  “We’ll hide here under these trees for tonight,” I finally spoke up.

  Gently I placed Lauren down on the ground and I sat down next to her. It was too early to have one of us be lost, and if she was the first to go, none of the others would get through this.

  There was no way that Sean and Paige would keep going if she died. They would die of broken hearts. They looked up to her like a mother, and if they knew their real ones were dead and Lauren fell to the same fate, there would be no real reason for them to keep going. If Lauren left us now, the little hope that there was would be gone. She shuddered again, so I brought her closer to me as everyone was falling asleep around us. Lauren’s head resting on my chest, with my hands rubbing her back and arms in an attempt to warm her up. I would do anything to get her better.