Meet Me At The End Of The World

Chapter Twenty-eight

I can't believe that we're actually leaving the city.

With all of our belongings packed up and ready we start to walk. The streets have been empty so far yet the armed people stand in a circle around Honey, Val, Simon and I. While we are perfectly capable of defending ourselves, I have to admit that I'm thankful for their aid.

Simon is limping and it's bad. More then once I've offered to carry his bag for him in attempt to lighten the weight he has to support with his injured leg yet he refuses. I understand that he can't help being stubborn but sometimes I would just like to shake him until he realises that life doesn't have to be this hard. That it doesn't have to be him VS everyone else.

The plan is to walk to the edge of the city where a helicopter has parked in a field. The walk is long and Heather states that we'll have to make a few stops for sleep along the way yet we truly are leaving.

"I thought that there would be a higher population of the undead." Andrew states as we make our way down a street. We walk in the middle of the road having to weave between hastily abandoned cars.

"We've killed a lot of them." Val explains before adding: "Frederick August got the rest." Each of us pull a grim expression at the mention of the man who fucked the world up yet no one says anything about it. That is a story for another day.

Simon travels slightly behind us due to his limp so I constantly find myself turning to check on him. Despite it only being spring, sweat beads down his face and his eyes are glassy and dark. I nudge both Val and Honey and they both glance at him before back at me.

"I can see you, you know." Simon snaps his temper clearly running thin.

"Sorry." Val replies softly in attempt to remain calm so not to panic anyone. Everything will be fine and soon we'll all be out of here.

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The sun begins to set casting an orange glow over the city. After resting for the night we'll be making the last stretch of walk to the helicopter. Fear and relief continue screaming different scenarios at me yet I just banish them away and shake my head so I don't have to think about them.

"What's the world like?" I ask Heather as she leads us through the abandoned streets.

"Frighteningly the same. You would have thought that a catastrophe like this would bring us together but no." She sighs before shaking her head and rubbing her eyes. "We're surviving and life is returning to its former glory."

"That's good." I say yet I'm not entirely certain that it is.

Suddenly, I hear the sound of a body hitting the concrete and turn around to find Simon laying on the floor.

"Simon!" I exclaim as I race over to him and fall to my knees beside him. For a moment I fear that the virus has finally gotten to him and killed him yet a soft groan assures me that he is still alive.

Simon's body is trembling and his skin is a deathly grey. His green eyes are glassy and bagged with deep purple bruising. Sweat glistens against his skin and he gasps deeply in obvious agony.

I gently place my hand against his forehead to find him feverish. Despite everything, I lean forward and kiss his forehead before taking his trembling body and pulling it into my arms so I can hug him tightly. Behind me the army are whispering while Val and Honey join me on the floor with Simon.

"Simon, can you hear me?" Val questions yet Simon doesn't respond, his face lacking any change that could imply that he heard Val speak.

"It's getting worse." Honey states as she lifts up Simon's jumper to reveal the buldging veins snaking up his stomach and towards his chest. "If they reach his heart then he's dead."

"But not for long." Val finishes. We all look at one another with fright in our eyes before Andrew speaks.

"We should kill him now. If he doesn't die of the virus then it can't bring him back." He states grimly. Murdering a fifteen-year-old boy was clearly not on anyone's agender this month.

Before either Honey, Val or I have a chance to protest, Jason Friday speaks.

"We're not killing the boy." He states aggressively.

"How do we get him to the airport before he turns then?" Andrew questions matching the aggression in his tone.

"I'll carry him." Jason Friday states and that seems to reach Simon because he's instantly attempting to shove himself up. He doesn't even get close to standing though, lacking all of the strength to.

"I'd rather die." He gasps, his raspy words dripping with malic. Jason Friday only rolls his eyes like his daughter has been known to do before walking over and effortless pulling Simon onto his back.

"Fortunately, you don't get a say." He states. Despite being weak and hardly with it, Simon attempts to punch and kick at the man, whimpers that are supposed to be angry cries escape him as he does so. After a few seconds of this though, he gives up, clearly too tired.

Once certain that Simon is secure and that Jason Friday is alright to carry him, we begin to head off once more.

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We arrive at an office building just as the sky burns orange and the sun is close to vanishing from the sky. The first thing we do once inside is gather blankets and pillows and then lay Simon down upon the bed we made.

"Hey." I whisper softly as I take his hand in mine. He doesn't even appear to register that I'm here with him. I don't even know if he registers that he's still here.

"Why is it taking so long to kill him?" Heather questions curiously as she and Andrew begin to hand out the rations of food. I'm given both mine and Simon's and instantly I begin to attempt to get him to eat yet he doesn't. Of course he doesn't.

"We attempted to save him through amputation. That only slowed everything down though." Val explains grimly. Memories of that moment are not fine ones. Blood was everywhere and despite not being present when it happened, I heard enough sounds to feel sick.

"Amputation? Can I take a look?" Heather questions with a pale face and we all nod. She kneels down before slicing up Simon's trouser leg figuring that it will hurt less then tugging or rolling it. Everyone gasps and I have to look away.

"We need to get him to a hospital." Andrew states, his voice strained from the horrific site. The rest of the crew nods before Heather stands up and exhales deeply.

"We'll only rest for two hours instead of five. Then we'll get to the helicopter." She states sternly and everyone nods in agreement.

As the other leave the room, I place my hand against Simon's and gently kiss it as he groans softly from the pain. I wish that he could hear me when I could tell him that everything will be alright but despite the fact he can't, I doubt that I'll ever stop saying it.

"You need to sleep Danny." Honey says softly as she and Val lay down in one another's arms. I want to stay awake and watch over Simon but she's right. If I don't sleep now I won't be able to help later if anything goes wrong.

Exhaling deeply, I lay down beside Simon and wrap my arms around his trembling body. Despite him not being lucid, I pull his quaking form close to me and whisper words of assurance in his ear before finally drifting off.