Meet Me At The End Of The World

Chapter Twenty-seven

Blood splatters the ground and everything is still and silent. A strangled cough fills the air before both Frederick August and Simon fall to the ground.

Everything is still for a moment before Simon suddenly clambers to his feet and hobbles over to where we all stand in shock. Instantly, I wrap my arms around him and hold his trembling body close to mine, hating the idea of ever having to let him go.

"Dad..."

The person who murdered Frederick August steps out from his position behind a hole filled wall and my jaw drops. Simon instantly tenses in my arms so I tighten my grip upon him in order to prevent him from acting drunk with rage.

Honey darts forward and throws herself into the man's arms. He hugs her tightly and from the sound of it she's crying loudly. I can't blame her though. If I was in her situation I'd most likely be attracting the undead with the volume of my sobs.

"I've missed you so much dad." She cries as the three of us watch the reunion. Both Val and I can't help but smile for our friend yet I'm certain that if looks could kill, Honey's dad would be dead from Simon's glare.

The people with guns seem to emerge from their stupor and within minutes they're flocking over to Val, Simon and I. Simon's grip on me tightens as if afraid yet both Val and I remain still, still unsure whether or not these people are real.

"I promised that I'd return for you." I hear Honey's dad tell her softly. So this was his doing? He came to find his daughter and saved us all in the making.

"Are there any more of you?" A woman asks softly. She has cropped black silky hair and dark skin that appears golden in the late day light.

"No, we're the only survivors." I inform her and she nods. Her eyes flick from Val to me then to Simon before back to me again.

"My name is Heather." She introduces clearly noting our skeptical expressions and attempting to ease us into calm by a friendly gesture.

"I'm Val." They state choosing to trust her. Despite my initial fears I understand that Val is the smartest person I know meaning that if they trust these people then they are most likely safe.

"I'm Danny." I inform her. We all wait for Simon to introduce himself yet like always whenever a new person is present, he's silent and staring at the floor. "He's Simon." I add for him and Heather nods as though understanding.

"We thought that everyone in the city had been killed but then Jason Friday appeared demanding that we head in for his daughter and her best friend. You kids sure are lucky." A man says as he appears beside Heather. "I'm Andrew by the way." He adds sending Val and I into introducing ourselves and Simon again.

"So what is going to happen with us?" Val questions almost nervously. After all, while these people may appear nice that doesn't mean that they have the purest intentions.

"Once we've established that none of you are infected then we'll bring you back to the facility." Heather explains sending a wave of sorrow through me. My eyes find Simon's and I try to beg through them for him to remain silent yet there is no such luck.

"I'm infected." He states those being the first words he's spoken since Frederick August died.

"We're sorry kid but we can't..."

"That boy isn't being left behind."

We all turn to find Honey and her dad, Jason standing there. Jason was the one who spoke and his hard expression enforces the intensity of his words.

"We can't risk bringing an infected boy into the safe zone. It'll only start the outbreak again." Heather attempts to reason. While I understand the point she's making, the selfish side of me believes that we should risk it and bring Simon anyway.

"You can't just leave him here." Honey argues proving to hold a similar temper to her dad.

"If I can't come, shoot me." Simon states suddenly finding his voice once again. Sometimes I wish that he'd just stay silent. Simon pokes his finger against the center of his own forehead and his eyes dart from Andrew to Heather. "Go on. Shoot a fifteen-year-old boy right in the head. Put me out of my misery."

"This is only proof that he's going insane." Another man states for a short distance away.

"The virus doesn't effect its victims minds. You die before becoming a zombie." Val informs them in attempt to prove that Simon is right in the head. He isn't but that has nothing to do with the virus which is slowly clawing it's way through his body.

"Simon's always been this way." Honey adds to which I agree to with a sharp nod of my head.

"Isn't there anything you can do to save him?" I questions desperately. I squeeze Simon tightly in my arms fearing that if I let go he'll slip away forever.

"There isn't..."

"Let's bring him and quarantine him when we get back. Then we can attempt to figure something out without putting anyone at risk." Jason states sternly and I nod in agreement liking the man's ideas. Simon's eyes narrow and he turns his head away from Jason the hatred clear in his eyes.

"Is that really safe?" Andrew questions.

"It's better then getting a fifteen-year-olds blood on your hands." Val snaps clearly lossing their patients. We have all been through so much together that there is no way that we are set to leave one of us behind. We either all go together or none of us.

"What do you have to lose?" I add as I hold Simon tighter. He glances at me as if surprised by how protective of him I've become. There's a long silence and for a moment I fear that these people are going to reveal their heartless nature and shoot Simon in the head. Honey, Val and I all exchange nervous glances before Heather finally speaks.

"Fine. We'll bring him but if the infection kills him then we slit his throat before he can come back and leave him here." She states sternly. Knowing that the worlds state has had to force people to become so hard that they're willing to murder a young boy is horrific. I have no idea on what the rest of the world is like but from living in this city for a year now I can only pray that it's a lot better then this.

"Sounds good to me. It not every day that you get to double die." Simon states dryly. I elbow him on the ribs in order to shut him up before someone really does put him out of his misery.

We spend some time planning and then head back to the office building where we pack all of our belongings.

And then, we start to walk.