Chapter 10: The Journey Forward

                                    

                                          

 It's been six years since I was taken by those people. Some of the others were killed, but most survived. They weren't going to let any of them go. I spoke with a few of the partially infected that night. Those people were doing experiments on them in hopes of finding a cure. There is no hope for a cure. There is no fixing this. I made it to California two years ago.                             
I watch as the horde migrates through the forest. They're mutating at an unpredictable rate. The zombies' eyes are changing, too. I don't know what it means yet. The virus inside of Kyra and I has mutated. Both of our eyes look normal. Now we can walk among both the living and the dead. I'm currently trying to find a place to stay. Kyra runs off. 
"Kyra! Where are you going?" I yell. 
I struggle to keep up with her. Come back! I lose her in the dense forest. Why did she run off? I search the surrounding area.
I see Kyra jump on someone. I whistle to her. She backs up. I pet her. She was attacking a woman. She's partially infected. I reach out a hand to help her up. She gets up by herself. What's her problem? She checks my eyes. 
"Who are you?" she asks.
"What are you doing with my wolf?" I ask. 
"Your wolf attacked me, she bit my foot!" She says. 
She's very whiny. 
"If I didn't call her back, you'd be dead. How about a little less attitude?" I say. 
She turns around and storms off. Someone's a little sensitive. 
"I can help you," I say. 
She turns towards me. She looks like she's on the verge of strangling me. 
"Help? So far the only thing you've done is completely delay my return. I need to get to that town up ahead. I have kids who are waiting for me. They probably think I'm dead by now," she says. 
She's got kids? I really want to help her out. 
"Kids? Look, I want to help you. That town has a evacuation base. It's stocked with the best supplies you could ever imagine," I pause. 
"But?" she asks with anticipation. 
"Zombies live right in the base. I can help you get past them," I reply. 
"How?" she asks. 
She's obviously doubtful about this. I have to tell her. How will she react though? She'll probably shoot me. 
"I'm one of them," I mutter. 
"What?" she yells and pulls out her gun. 
That's just how I expected that to go. 
"Don't freak out! I don't wish to harm you, or anyone for that matter," 
"Yeah, that's exactly what a zombie would say. I don't trust you," she replies. 
"If I was really trying to kill you, why would I call the wolf back?" I ask. 
I start hearing her thoughts.'It is a good point.'  She thinks to herself. 
"Fine, but I want you in front of me at all times. Same for the wolf," she says. 
That's completely fine by me. I walk ahead of her. Kyra stops. She scans the forest. I whistle to her and she catches up with me. I scratch her head. 
"What's your name?" I ask trying to start a conversation. 
"Jade, you?" She responds. 
"Kyle," I reply. 
"Where did you get the wolf?" she asks.