Chloe

If anything, I thought things would have ended in a valiant fight—like Brandon, or Sammy, or even Macey who risked her life for me to carry on. But no. I was taken by surprise and cornered. Not only that, there's another life at stake.

"Any last words?"

I hold my tongue.

"Very well." The familiar click of the hammer registers, and the significant echo of a gun firing rings in my ears, but no pain follows.

The hold on my shoulder loosens immensely before a rough thump sound beside me, and crimson seeps into the cracks marking the floor. Lifting my head up, Brody is fiercely gripping the wrist of the gunman with narrowed eyes. "Don't you dare."

Taking my chance, the bow is up and firing rapidly.

Maim now, kill later.

Once down, Brody swiftly climbs to his feet, pistol in hand. The goons he fires at without a blink, then keeps Elvis locked in sight.

"You can have this one." His voice no longer playful like it used to be, just pure concentration and the aim to finish off a problem.

With all this commotion, that Bestial is going to rush back.

Stashing my arrows and book inside the satchel, I grab my baseball bat and stalk toward the whimpering mess on the floor. "We don't need to kill him."

Brody cocks a brow and lowers his gun before storing it in the waistband of his jeans. Raising the metallic base high, my arms swing down as hard as they can, and the howl of agony signals my objective has been complete.

Pushing the clip of ammo into Brody's chest, I'm already storming out before he has a chance to utter a word, the screams of our attacker fades into the background. With the time those assholes wasted, there's not enough to search for any more ammunition, on top of that, the sun's getting ready to begin its descent.

The trek is silent, and heavy with tension. As time floats by without any care for us, our shadows blend in with the oncoming darkness. Thankfully the breeze was on our side by the time the Bestial returned, its abnormal howl sounding shortly before the screams of the pathetic Elvis copy. Brody doesn't make a comment, and I don't intend to make a remark on it either.

A mile out of town, fifteen—twenty minutes tops isn't as far as I want to be from the previous sector, but rest is needed, and after Brody being jumped, he's going to need the pit stop.

As if answering my thoughts, in the distance is a reasonable size shack. On a closer inspection, there's cracks and torn off fragments from the weather's onslaught over the years without proper maintenance.

Inside might not be any better, but if it's enough to sleep in we'll have to take it.

Throwing the door open with a hefty groan and my bat in hand, the coast's clear. Brody shuts the entrance behind us and decides it's the best idea to throw himself into a spot a couple of feet from me, dropping the bag with a huff.

"How are you?" he asks for the first time since meeting, the first thing to offer after we left that asshole in the convenience store.

If it wasn't for the Bestial returning, I would've put an arrow between his eyes.

My head shakes, a snort soon following. "You're a fool. You should've worried about yourself; you could've gotten us both killed for nothing when you had the opportunity to get out."

It's his turn to scoff. "Well, I don't abandon people—especially if they're with me."

This man's an idiot.

"In this world, you don't have a choice. Trust and get screwed over, kill and be a murderer for your own gain, or survive with what you've got."

His chocolatey brown eyes calculate my words, brows creasing together when he comes to some sort of conclusion. "I take it you're the last one."

My brow hitches, voice rougher when I say, "What makes you say that?"

Brody unzips his bag, rustling through lazily. "You could've killed me when we met, you didn't. You may like to beat around the bush and give off a cold exterior, but the real reason is you're scared, and hate letting people in."

Narrowing my eyes, I growl, "I'm going to let that slide this once. By the time we make a move, I expect you to split off from me, is that clear?"

His face contorts into one of confusion, then frustration as he ceases all fiddling."

"I saved your life. At least thank me, sheesh."

While he rustles away with the contents in his backpack, my gaze remains transfixed on a weed sprouting through a thin crevasse in the concrete. The scent of rust will ease over the duration here, and the nature poking through the floor will flatten beneath my body in seconds.

Sleep won't be hard tonight.

Maybe things would've been different if they were still alive. The world has taught me that the only person you can rely on is yourself, no pain can come from it, now worries, no disappointment . . . but their memory still remains with me, pushing me forward every day. After this incident, I'm not going to let my guard down, nor am I going to let someone tag along and become a responsibility—a problem.

Is that why I'm so angry?

I wasn't on my guard, and he could've been killed for my mistake.

When my eyes flick up at the sound oof quietness, Brody's already looking at me with a playful smile.

"Where did you go?" Confused, my eyes check the area to make sure I haven't somehow wandered out of the small shack. "I've been waving these around for almost five minutes."

Staring at the object in his hand, my eyes start to prickle. "I don't want them."

"Are you allergic to cookies?"

I hesitate. "Something like that."

Understanding flashes through his eyes for the briefest amount of time before grinning again.

"Cookies are over-rated anyway." Then he chucks the unopened packet over his shoulder.

Stunned is an emotion I haven't been in a little under thirteen years, the last time is when I saw Brandon and Macey hooking up when they couldn't find any action in base.

Brody digs deeper, a satisfied quirk of his lips catches my attention.

"Alright, there's no way these can be a problem," he informs while holding out a packet of jammy dodgers. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm offering an olive branch here."

My stomach growls in protest too my stubbornness, and my fingers automatically take two, leaving the rest with him.

Setting the bat down at my side, my eyes scrutinise the treat; perfectly round, not a single flaw to be seen. How he came by these I will never understand, but for now, I'm just thankful there's food filling my stomach.

Eating silently was the plan until he pipes up, "I don't plan to spend much of my time in this world alone." Facing him, Brody's on his back, a leg bent at the knee while the other's straight as he plays with the jammy biscuit. Sensing my stare he adds, "I still want to help people if I can, and being alone sucks . . . when I saw you, I could see in your eyes you needed company, even if you say you don't."

"Why are you telling me this?" I retort, feeling uneasy hearing something personal and that wasn't asked for.

"I thought it would answer your question better. We need each other, and until you accomplish whatever goal it is you have in mind, you're stuck with me."

"You're like an adopted puppy."

His lips curl up in a cheerful smile. "And you've adopted this puppy." The he bites into the biscuit.

Wrapping my arms tighter around myself to block out the mini draft while lowering backward onto the floor, Brody's shuffling catches my concentration. Judging by the breath he lets out, he's not finished.

"I was abandoned when the virus hit, and ever since I was alone; at first, I hated people until I realised that not everyone is that bad, and I've been helping those along the way, and in time I earnt a bit of company . . . never a fixed companion, but it was still company."

Guilt floods through me. Even though he comes across as a man who enjoys messing around and doesn't take things seriously, he has a lot of baggage on his shoulders. That, and he's had no one. I had my parents for a short while until they couldn't help it, same with the others.

Biting my lip, I face the ceiling. "Olive branch accepted."

He chuckles, and all falls silent. Before closing my eyes, I say, "The last thing I shared with my parents were cookies."

I'm thankful he doesn't say anything, for fear of what I'd do afterward. Crumbling isn't an option, and if there's going to be two of us, it gives me a reason to be stronger. Today won't be a repeat, and hopefully Brody can find that companion he's searching for along the way.