"Aiden, you shouldn't have done that... you should have let me die. You have saved me too many times. Don't you get it? I don't want to be here!"
I heard his shaky tone. He was becoming hysterical and out of control, as he yelled out loudly.
"Alan... please don't shout." I said.
The kids appeared from the back of the caravan and Janice tried to push them to the back. Alan's outbursts had awaken them. I tried to think how I would calm him down, but as the thought went through my mind, Alan ran out onto the road. I quickly chased him, but it seemed he had disappeared into the trees. It was pitch black outside and I couldn't see a thing.
"Aiden, you go that way and Joe and I will go this way... we will find him. I promise.. here take this torch." Tim said in a steady voice as I took the torch from him.
He had come to my aid and I was glad of his help. Tim had been there for everyone lately, even though, I thought, he had a problem of his own with alcohol.
I was glad of their help. I wanted to save my friend. I felt the sweat drench my forehead with worry even though it was freezing outside. The fear of something happening to Alan was something I couldn't deal with just yet. I had already lost all of my other friends and I wasn't about to lose Alan too.
We searched the area. There were trees everywhere. The ground was muddy and slippery from the rain. It was the end of November and the weather was starting to ice up, as I stepped along the muddy trail following Alan's footprints using the torch to help me see.
"Alan... Alan... where are you mate? Please come back." I called out, my voice shaking slightly with fear.
Just as I walked ahead, I could see a shape of someone. I was sure it was Alan, but as I got closer, I could see it was something else. Oh shit. It was one of those creatures. I looked all around trying to see where Alan was, but it was too dark. Then, I saw Joe and Tim shift towards the zombie.
I moved closer, but as I did, I saw Alan in front of it.
"Alan... watch out." I warned him.
Alan turned around. The zombie caught him from the side. I heard growling and teeth biting. I ran as fast as I could. Tim and Joe were already there knocking the zombie over. I watched as Tim pushed the stick he was holding through the creature's eye and then it was still.
I moved forward and saw Alan laying on the muddy ground. He was bitten. Chunks of flesh had been taken from him. Blood seeped from his neck, as he lay there whimpering.
"Aiden... we have to end it. He will turn into one them." Tim said.
"I know." I said sadly.
I crouched down and touched Alan's arm.
"Alan... I'm so sorry... I wish..." I couldn't speak.
"Aiden, it's okay... I'll be with my family now and.." Alan whispered weakly as his eyes closed. A tear fell from his right eye. His pale face was still. I knew he was dead.
"Do it now." I said to Tim as I got up and turned my back on them.
When it was over we walked back slowly. I dragged myself along as my chest pounded. I felt weak. I had lost my friend. I tried not to cry, but I couldn't control myself.
"Aiden, I have a shovel in my van, so we can go back and bury him. What do you think?" Tim said trying to be sincere.
I just answered him by nodding. There was nothing else I could say or do anymore. I was numb as I wiped the tears away.
As we reached the caravan, we heard a noise. Tim put out his arm and stopped us from walking on further. I looked at him and I knew something was wrong when I saw the fear in his eyes. My heart stopped. I could see a glimpse of what was happening as I stared through the gap of the trees that we hid behind. It was them. The men that had chased us. They had found us and now the others were in danger.
16. Lydia Brown - Run or Die
I stayed in the caravan, whilst Tim, Joe and Aiden went to find Alan. I locked the door after they had left. I was scared someone might come along. The men we had got away from could still be out there looking for us and I wished Tim and the others would hurry up.
I hadn't driven that far away, so I was wary of something going wrong. I kept looking out of the window, checking the area. It was dark outside. There were no street lights anymore to light up the area. Things had changed pretty quickly since that first day when I had left work with Cindy. Now Cindy was gone and I was here, in my parents' caravan who were also dead.
I sighed. I couldn't quite believe the life we were all leading now. Protecting ourselves had become mandatory. We thought we had to stay away from the biters, but it was in fact everything and anyone now. Some people were just so darn right evil. like those men back at the castle.
My body quivered. I just wanted them to come back, so we could leave here. I felt we were too exposed out here. It wasn't a big main road, but a quiet lane. Still, anyone could spot us here.
As the thought went through my mind, I heard a noise. It had come from outside. I looked through the window screen
