Twisted Condemnation

Heading Northwest

September 7, 2026

"Are we the hunters? Or are we the prey? This is a wild game of survival..." -Ruelle

As my eyes fluttered open, it took my brain a second to catch up to reality. To why I just woke up in the backseat of a truck. Jenna shifted in my arms, still sound asleep. I smiled slightly, at how peaceful she looked. She looks nothing like the terrified little girl she was last night.

I narrowed my eyes at the driver seat, realizing Ezra wasn't in the truck. I frantically searched around the truck for him. Releasing a sigh of relief, spotting him sorting through one of the duffels at the bed of the truck.

I slipped out from Jenna's hold, exiting the truck as quietly as I could. Kid needed all the sleep she could get. I took in another deep breath, just appreciating the fresh air. Birds were singing from within the treetops, a symphony of bugs adding to the birds song. Yet another thing I took for granted before the collapse, the beauty of the small things. A faint smile fell on my lips as I lifted my face up at the morning sun that had just crested over the treeline, feeling the warmth spread across my face.

My eyes caught with Ezra's exhausted looking ones who were already on me. I began making my way over to him, keeping my eyes on the thick tree line. He had three rifles of varying calibers, two handguns, two hunting knives, a machete, a hatchet, and a singular holster sprawled across the bed.

"Think this is yours," he said, reaching into the duffel that was resting on the pavement. He pulled out my compound bow, and quiver. A genuine smile crept onto my lips, eagerly accepting the bow, slinging the quiver onto my back. Being reunited with my bow above ground felt weird, but oddly right.

"You went back for it?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Knew it was important to you," he returned a slight smile. "Also here," he grasped the holster from the bed, holding it out to me. I set the bow against the tailgate before unbuckling my belt, taking the holster from his hand.

"I can't stop thinking about all the people we left behind..." I said, sliding the holster onto my belt, avoiding eye contact. "Cara, Ethan, all those children..." I bit my lip to stop myself from crying again.

"You saw how Ethan reacted, if he didn't believe us do you think people who viewed us as strangers would?" He slightly shook his head, placing a pistol in my holster before stuffing the rest of the weaponry back into the duffle bag. I knew he was right, but it didn't suppress the guilt clawing at my chest.

"I just let another group of people die, without hallucinations this time," I breathed, staring at my bow that was resting on the tailgate.

"Hey, this is nothing like that, and neither was your fault," I could feel his stern gaze burning through me. "You think I was going to let you stay? Let you get yourself killed?"

Right as I opened my mouth to speak, my head snapped at the low growl that was emitted from the woods to the left of us. A short brown haired female who had once been human stumbled out of the woods. The tattered red sundress flowed against her pale blistered skin that was covered in various open wounds ranging from bites to slashes. Her crimson eyes locked on us, as her snarls became more animated. It was eerie to see an infected again after all this time.

"Good practice," Ezra gestured down to my bow.

I snatched my bow off of the tail gate, simultaneously plucking an arrow from my quiver. I nocked the arrow, while staring at my target who staggered closer, her arms flailing in front of her. Pulling back the string I raised the bow, aiming straight for the infected's head. I let go, exhaling a breath. The infected fell limp as soon as the arrow lodged in her head, her body disappearing into the waist length yellowing grass below.

"Still got it," Ezra smiled over to me, glad to see I hadn't become rusty with my time spent in the bunker.

"So where are we heading?" I turned back to him, remembering I had given him the map and key last night.

"Oregon," he answered, picking up the duffel from the dirt, slamming the tailgate shut. In that moment my appreciation for the truck grew exponentially. If we had to go from Arkansas to Oregon by foot it would most certainly take over a month if not longer to get there.

The backseat door flew open before Jenna hopped out, her eyes scanning for us. "Back here," Ezra said, watching the little girl frantically look out on the highway.

Jenna trotted to the back of the truck with us, her eyes fastening on me. "I have to pee," she timidly admitted.

"Did you grab toilet paper?" I questioned Ezra.

He nodded, "Should be in the other duffel in the backseat."

I took Jenna into the woods, standing guard as she did her business. She was absolutely terrified, she jumped at every little sound. Even if it were just a bug jumping around in the dead leaves. I hated seeing her so scared, but I'd rather her be scared and alive, than dying in the bunker with the illusion of safety.

I loaded Jenna into the backseat as Ezra topped off the tank, I think he had driven all night. Likely wanting to put as much distance between us and Compound C as possible. I walked around to the driver side meeting Ezra at the door, who gave me a puzzled look.

"Nope, I am driving. You need to sleep," I sternly ordered, placing my hand against the door to stop him from opening it. Holding the other out to Ezra demanding the key.

"I'm fine, I can drive," he lazily shrugged off my concern.

I shook my head, staring into his drowsy eyes, "I wasn't asking. Give me the key, and get some sleep." I firmly spoke, not budging.

He sighed as a chorus of growls and groans became audible in the patchy woods. "Fine," he relented, placing the key into my hand before quickly making his way to the passenger side.

The hours passed by just like the tires against the black pavement. All was going smoothly so far, Ezra had chosen a series of side highways for us to take. It would take longer, but would be safer than the main highways. Jenna and I had quietly played a game of I-spy, but that abruptly ended thirty minutes ago when she had decided to nap too.

My knuckles were white with how tightly they were wrapped around the steering wheel. My jaw was so tightly clenched I was sure I would break a tooth any second. My thoughts condemning me yet again for leaving all those innocent people to be injected with poison. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment as the faces that resided in Compound C flashed through my mind. Those thankful, happy faces from breakfast and dinner would be mindless flesh eating creatures by morning. My spiraling mind began digging at my past. Memories I have tried to keep buried deep inside, memories of what happened that one stormy night slowly creeping in.

Something strange on the highway ahead pulled me out of my thoughts. I squinted, now able to clearly observe the obstruction. "Shit," I mumbled to myself, examining the blockage just ahead. I slowly brought the truck to a halt in front of the six wrecked vehicles impeding our path. My eyes locked on an infected that was banging against a white car's window, its teeth nipping against the glass. I glanced over at Ezra, who was sound asleep with his head resting against the window.

"Why did we stop?" Jenna questioned, lifting herself in her seat to try and see out of the windshield. Guess she wasn't able to nap after all.

"Just some vehicles in our way," I answered while gently shaking Ezra. I wish he could get more sleep, but I was likely going to need help.

His eyes flashed open, before landing on the vehicles sprawled across the highway. He leaned forwards unbuckling his seatbelt studying the mangled scene of metal ahead.

"You could try going around it. It would be a bi... pain to try and move them all," he finally spoke, interchanging his curse word on the account of Jenna adamantly listening from the backseat.

I nodded, putting the truck in reverse, angling it towards the overgrown grass beside the highway. The truck dipped as the tires treaded against the dirt.

My hands tightened around the steering wheel, as the truck fishtailed, lurching side to side. Great, we are stuck. I sighed looking over at Ezra, who already had his hand on the door handle.

Just as he was about to open the door a gunshot cracked through the air, the shooter concealed in the overgrown brushy woods on our right.