[ CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ! ]

war of hearts

THERE'S BLOOD POURING DOWN Hayden's side and I feel her body begin to slowly go limp as I attempt to drag her to safety. "Come on, baby, stay with me."

I don't even have time to cry, I'm just desperately trying to hold onto my only remaining child as the people begin piling out of the vehicles. 

There's an explosion. The sound is so loud it almost knocks me over, and my ears begin to ring. 

Ring. Ring. Ring. 

"Baby girl, look at me." Her eyes are drying up and I can see the fear slowly fading away. She's gasping as I hold her and it's exactly how I imagine Sarah died. Scared and gasping in Joel's arms. 

Henry darts past me to go get Ellie but I can't focus on anything but Hayden. 

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Here we are, in the middle of ash and smoke while people point guns at us. 

Tears. Tears are now streaming--flooding down my face. I, too, am finding it difficult to breath. The men in armor cock their guns almost in unison and I don't have to look up to see this, but you always can tell when a gun is being pointed at you. 

I don't bother pulling my hands up from the wound in her side. I just keep applying pressure and sob harder. "Please, please, I'll do anything." When I do look up, it's hard to make them out due to the smoke. "Take me--take me wherever. Kill me. Just let my daughter live." 

"I wish it were that easy." The woman in the center says to me. "We just want Henry."

My shoulders are shaking as I watch my daughter. She's trying to say something to me but the only things coming out of her mouth are sputters of blood. 

"Henry, please!" I can hardly even speak, I'm just fixated on saving my daughter's life. "I can't lose another daughter!" 

It's nearly silent--all I can hear is the truck and the building burning behind me as well as Hayden's sputters and gasps. 

"I'll come out!" Henry finally says, after what feels like a lifetime. "Just let the kids go!" 

"No." The woman says quick, almost too quick. "Sorry. These girls are with the man who killed Ryan. And Sam and Parker... are with you." 

Ring. Ring. Ring.

I can hardly hear anything above the ringing of my own ears. Over my own cries. I just let go and sob. 

I hear a clicking of a gun and I just squeeze my eyes shut. Here, is where I join my children in the afterlife and finally get the peace I deserve after all these years. 

But the ground begins to rumble. And I'm still alive. I look behind me and the truck that rammed into the building has disappeared. Gone.

There's a familiar snarling sound just as the ground sinks further down into a hole. It's all one big hole. 

I'm fucking terrified. 

I'm too afraid to blink. Too afraid to breathe. 

And at once, dozens of clickers jump up and begin charging toward the soldiers. Toward Hayden and I. Thankfully, Henry comes quick to my aid and we're able to carry Hayden in perfect time to get behind the car, to safety. 

The gunshots are so loud and so fast I can't even hear myself think anymore. 

An infected jumps on top of the car we're hiding behind and all I can think to do is grab Hayden's barely living body and hold it close to me. Hold her close to me. I'm kissing the top of her head repeatedly as I break down again. But it's too much. There are too many infected. Henry, Sam and Parker take off. "Come on!" Ellie points to an open window of a car just a few yards away. 

I stand up and readjust Hayden in my arms and run right for it. While Ellie crawls, I just charge for it, dodging the infected as I carefully slide Hayden in, onto the seat. At least she's safe.

There's a clicker that lunges at me from behind, and I'm stuck for a moment. But I'm able to somehow pull--what was supposed to be--the rearview mirror off of the vehicle and push it back into the Clicker's head. Then, Ellie stands and begins climbing in while I fight off another clicker. Then, I climb in. There are gunshots coming at all the windows and I'm not even sure who's shooting or where they're coming from. 

And that's when I see it.

This giant fucking creature comes through the hole. It's easily able to pound one of the soldiers into the ground without effort and once again, I feel as though this might be the end.

Then, within a matter of seconds, I can see an infected little girl approach the broken window. It's about to put it's head through when I'm able to pound it's face with the bottom of my boot. 

"Hey Rhea," Ellie's voice trembles from the front seat. "It's Sam and Henry. They need help."

I'm so overwhelmed with stress as I watch my daughter's skin pale and go cold. I don't respond. And she goes straight to open the door and rush out. 

Hayden's hardly breathing and I truly think I might just sit here and cry and hold her until a clicker comes to bite us. 

"I know, baby, I know," I press my lips to the top of her head and close my eyes. Trying to block out the various noises so that just maybe I can go peacefully. Without remembrance. 

"Let's go!" The door opens and a quick wind comes through the car. Henry is on the other side, pulling the seat, giving me access to pull Hayden and I out. 

I let my body choose for me. I let my body cling onto Hayden and follow Henry. I let my body run. 

We've made it to the trail, our way out, right when the same woman from before stops us. 

She raises her gun and points it at Henry with tear-filled eyes and it's taking everything in me to stabilize myself. 

I blink and there's an infected right behind the brunette, it tackles her to the ground and eats her. It eats her face off right in front of us. 

"Here, give her to me." I don't know if I've ever been so happy to hear Joel's voice. So comforted in such a traumatic experience. When I hear his voice right now, it's like everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay now that Joel is here. Like his voice has just wrapped me up in a safety blanket and will keep me warm and protected forever. 

He takes Hayden out of my sore arms and runs down the trail, leaving the rest of us to follow after him.