against the layer of dead leaves covering the forest floor.

With every step I took, I cringed. There was still no communication from the Others. The earth had been enveloped in a sickly silence ever since the third wave. I knew I should be expecting another wave to hit- something worse than its three predecessors, but I couldn't help but cling onto the hope that the suffering was over.

And now, I needed to find Cassie.

The odds of Cassie still being alive, of being a part of the final 3% left on earth, were pretty much nonexistent. But I needed to try. I needed to fulfill, or at least try to fulfill, Lizbeth's last wish.

I had escaped from the quarantined sector a couple weeks ago (the best approximation I could make without an actual calendar or watch).

I'd been living the life of a nomad- scavenging from place to place. After not finding Cassie in any of the places I'd thought she'd be in, I'd made the decision to head to Wright Patterson. Before the third wave hit, people were talking about heading out there. If there was any place that was still up and running, it'd be the army base.

It was my last chance.

I passed yet another tree and took out a sharp kitchen knife I had stolen from Cassie's house.

After walking around for a few days without a weapon, I had decided it was probably best to walk around with some form of protection.

It felt wrong to take the knife, but considering the circumstances, I didn't think Cassie, wherever she was, would care that much. 

I also told myself the same thing when I had taken some of Cassie's clothes and stuffed them into my backpack without much of a second thought.

Going home hadn't been an option. There was no way I was going back there, not even for the comfort of my own clothes.

I was wearing one of her tank tops now with a blue hoodie over it, which provided protection from the brambles and thorns obstructing my path. I had also ditched my sneakers early on for a pair of boots swiped from a shoe store (unfortunately, Cassie and I weren't the same size). There was a hole in my jeans from a fence climbing incident a few days ago, and my naturally straight hair was a disheveled mess due to the humidity and lack of proper shower.

Overall, I looked like a mess. A confused, lost mess.

As I trudged through the seemingly infinite mass of trees, sweat dripped down my forehead and my lower back began to feel like Niagara Falls.

My silent, disturbed world was interrupted by the distant rumble of what sounded like an engine.

My attention moved toward the highway, only a little ways off in the distance, amidst the throng of trees.

A glimpse of yellow shown through the trees and my eyes widened in surprise.

I took a quick glance to my left and then to my right before dashing off in the direction of the highway. I was going off course, further delaying the time it would take for me to get to Wright Patterson. But I needed to know if what I thought I'd seen was real or if my mind had been playing tricks on me.

I arrived at the edge of the road just in time to see the yellow school bus disappear from sight.

I let out a sigh of relief just as a small laugh tumbled from my lips. 

It was the first sign of life I had seen since my escape from the quarantined sector.

I didn't know exactly what this meant, but for the first time in the past couple weeks, I had hope that there were actually people still out there. I had hope that even if Cassie wasn't out there, there was still someone that could help me.

Seeing the bus lit a spark in me, and I was even more determined to make it to Wright Patterson as soon as I could.

Make it there and then you'll be safe.

I ran along the side of the highway, darting around abandoned cars and ducking under fallen cable wires. Debris was scattered among the vehicles and distorted bodies laid strewn every few feet or so.

I kept my eyes up, toward the direction the bus had gone, and away from the chaos littered around me.

I couldn't help but let myself think back to when things were easier- when my biggest concern was passing biology tests and stalking one certain hottie on social media.

It was probably unhealthy to do so- thinking back to those times certainly wouldn't change things. Nevertheless, it helped me move my attention away from my current state.

"Ok Lucy, I have my own classes to get to so you're going to have to find these on your own," Lizbeth said, handing me a crinkled piece of paper.

"What's this?" I asked, unfolding it.

"Your schedule," Lizbeth said, "I already took the liberty in getting it for you. Room numbers are here," she continued, pointing to the left side of the paper. "And class names and teachers are over here," she said, pointing to the opposite side.

I nodded. "Ok-"

"Listen, Meet me in the parking lot when school ends. See you later," she said, tossing me a wave goodbye before disappearing into the crowd of students.

It was my first day at my new school and so it seemed I had been left to fend for myself.

Mr.Frasier, Room 209

I glanced up at the red numbers above the doorways and let out a small, exasperated groan. I was standing next to room 630- no where close to where I needed to be for my first class.

Kids started to disappear from the hall- some running in a mad dash to make it to class on time, while others loitered about, obviously not caring about whether they were late or not.

I started to panic, rushing forward to glance again at the number on the next door.

632.

"Yo, Parish! Tell me how the test is in Frasier's!"

At the sound of my first teacher's name, I whipped around in hopeful anticipation.

"Yeah, man," the boy named 'Parish' said.

He gave the other boy a slight wave and turned the opposite way, starting to walk down the hall.

Putting aside the fact that I felt like a creepy stalker, I started following him towards what I hoped to be my first period class.

If this guy could be my personal GPS, I might actually make it to class on time. And even at my old school, getting to class on time was something I classified as a miracle.

I followed him, weaving in and out of the mass of students, making sure to leave enough distance between us just in case he decided to turn around (maybe someday when I wasn't wearing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, I'd actually want him to notice me).

Although I was a little ways behind him, I still had plenty of time to take in his full appearance.

He was fairly average (height speaking) and had a strong, lean build. His hair was a dark brown color, and even by simply looking at him from the back I could just tell he was attractive as hell.

"Hey Ben," someone called out.

The incredibly well built boy in front of me offered another one of his signature waves and flashed a charming smile in the direction of a girl down the hall.

I heard a couple giggles and I felt my eyes rolling to the back of my head.

Of course. He was one of the those people- someone everyone knew and someone everyone liked. So in other words, someone totally out of my league.

The boy, apparently known as 'Ben Parish', took a sharp right and turned into room 209 just as the bell rang.

I waited a few seconds outside before sliding inside- hoping I could just find a seat in the back of the class without being called out for for being late.

That was the first time I had met Ben. 

Well not really met Ben. More like saw Ben. More like stalked Ben. I don't even know what it was 'more like'. Call it what you please, bottom line: it was the first time I realized Ben Parish existed.

Soon after my first encounter, I realized Ben was untouchable. I found out that the smiling, golden boy was a no fly zone. I didn't discover until after I had been prohibited from talking to Ben, that I had a massive school girl crush on him.

And even now, even after the whole world has descended into hell and I was carrying a knife around to survive, I still let myself think about him.

I couldn't help but start to wonder more pointless 'what if's, as if that would help with the current problematic situation at hand.

It was honestly quite pathetic how I still thought of someone like Ben Parish at a time like this. When I should be spending my time figuring out what my next step in survival is, I'm day dreaming about a high school boy who was probably lying on the ground somewhere, surrounded by other lifeless rotting corpses.

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Voila! The second chapter! A little more backstory.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments and/or vote if you enjoyed!

-A