Everyone stopped in their tracks. Rufus and his group instinctively raised their hands in surrender; the other group was on defense.
“Listen.. we don’t want trouble. We just wanted to know where y’all were headed and if you wanted to join us on our way to Savannah.” Rufus stumbled trying to explain as he stared down the barrel of a gun.“Yeah? And what for?” One of the guys asked. They all looked a bit battered and worn, obvious they’d been through it since this all started. June wondered what all they had had to deal with but figured it better to not ask.“Bigger groups stand a better chance.” Rufus wasn’t sure how to answer. That was all he could come up with.“So you want to join us? Or do you want us to join you?”“I want us to join each other. But if that’s not what you want..” Rufus nervously chuckled and took a step back.The group of 4 looked at each other, then slowly lowered their guns. June and her new friends all lowered their arms in response.“Do you know Hunter?” One of the girls from the other group asked.“No, we’ve never heard of a Hunter.” Rufus explained, confused.“Who are you?” Eli asked the new group.“Hey! We’ll ask the questions.” The guy, presumably the leader, almost yelled. “Who are YOU guys?” He demanded.The group introduced themselves and waited for the others to do the same.“I’m Russell. This is Thomas, Alexia, and Daisy.” The leader responded.“Well, it’s... nice to meet y’all. Now if y’all don’t mind, we’re just gonna squeeze past ya and head our separate ways.” Rufus said, still nervous as he and the rest of the group slowly took off past the new group.“Wait.” Russell called out after a few seconds. The group stopped.“Y’all will never make it alone. Let us join you.”“Why don’t you think we’ll make it?” Asked Alice, ready for a fight. Normally, Rufus would have held out his hand to stop her, but he was getting tired of this group’s attitude too.Russell chuckled.“Because sweetheart. We both know one of the reasons why. Just let us join you and we’ll explain the rest.”Alice rolled her eyes as the groups merged and took off down the interstate.June felt a pit in her stomach that wouldn’t go away. Something was off about these people and it wasn’t how they met, although that was part of it. She wasn’t going to question Rufus and his decision, but she felt as though she should be running away from these four, not grouped up with them. Especially that Thomas guy. He looked at her funny compared to the rest.She continued walking in silence though, figuring she’d give them the benefit of the doubt until they give her a reason to be suspicious.The now larger group walked until they reached the next exit. As they walked towards Cartersville, they heard a rustle in some nearby trees. They all stopped and got on guard, looking for any sign of movement from the tree lines. Not sure if it was the dead or more people.Suddenly, two dead came stumbling out towards them, crushing some branches beneath their broken and rotten feet. Everyone raised their weapons, with the new four raising their guns.“Don’t shoot! Use your knife.” Rufus told them, grabbing his knife and running towards one, stabbing it in what was one of its eyes.“I got this one.” Russell scoffed and took off towards the other one. The dead man reached out and grabbed his arm, which made him drop the knife in shock.“Don’t just stand there, come help me!” Russell screamed, frantically trying to get his knife back and escape. Rufus and his group just rolled their eyes. Rufus wondered how this group has survived as long as they have.June sighed and came up behind him, stabbing the dead in the temple and looking at Russell before walking back to the group and taking off toward Cartersville.The newcomers all rushed to check on Russell, while the others followed June to the new city.Once they arrived, they looted a few stores and gas stations before moving on to find shelter for the night.They split up into 5 groups, all going in different directions to find shelter.Audrey and Montana were going through a small patch of woods when they stumbled across an old cabin. It looked like it was once used for camping rentals before everything fell. They both looked at each other and shrugged before going up to the front door. Surprisingly, it all looked to be intact. Untouched by the horrors that have overtaken their world.Slowly and carefully, they entered the cabin. It was rather small, with one bedroom and a bathroom on the right. It even had a small bathroom that hasn’t been in service since the outbreak between the two. On the left stood a living room and kitchen. It had a fireplace in the living room, with some wood laying next to it.“This is perfect!” Audrey exclaimed after they had done a sweep to make sure there was no dead inside.“Yeah. Let’s go get the others so we can get settled in and maybe even start a nice fire before dark.” Montana said, heading towards the door.It had been getting chilly out but it was risky to start a fire just anywhere. Too much noise and the dead come running. Most of the time they ruled it better to just be a little cold than to risk it.The two made their way back to the meeting place they had set and waited for the others.“Man, I can’t believe we got so lucky.” Audrey said, resting against an old counter in a corner store.“We’re not lucky yet. It could all go south way too quickly.” Montana said, pacing back and forth.“Oh, would you calm down for once? We might be able to take a small break. And be the safest we’ve been since the start.” Audrey sighed, getting frustrated at Montana for always being so uptight.“Yeah well, I’ll start celebrating when it happens.” Montana continued pacing.After a few more minutes, two of the groups made their way back. Audrey shared their findings and they all got excited, happy that they were lucky for once.Two by two, they all returned and Audrey and Montana shared the news of where they’d be staying. After everyone had gotten back, they all grabbed their supplies and made their way to the cabin. It was small for all 10 of them, but it was cozy and a lot safer than they could have ever asked for. Other cabins formed a small circle around an office building, but they all decided that they should all stay in one. Safety in numbers, they figured.Once they all got settled, Russell checked the kitchen. The cabinets were still stocked with canned and dried goods. They all got excited as they raided the cabinets, grabbing stale crackers and canned fruit.After they had all eaten and finished settling in, they all sat around and talked about what had happened throughout the day. They always liked to do a recap so they were all up to date with each other.They were able to start a friendly fire in the fireplace and they all gathered around. Montana was able to make some popcorn he found in one of the cabinets, and they all snacked.After they were all full and warm, they all lay down and dozed off one by one.June smiled to herself. She finally had a good group of people and was safe for the night.The next morning, June was the first to wake up. She quietly rose and packed her things, looking in the cabinets for something to eat.As she reached for a can of peaches, someone touched her waist. She gasped and froze as the hands made their way around, pulling her close.“Don’t scream or it’s gonna have to get ugly. I don’t wanna hurt you.” Thomas whispered in her ear as he guided her towards the bedroom. They had all agreed that they’d leave the bedroom empty, just to be fair.He quietly opened the door and shut it behind him.Montana heard the door squeak, and jerked awake, catching a glimpse of the closing door. He slowly sat up, and looked around, noticing the two missing. He had a pit in his gut. Something was wrong.Thomas pushed June onto the queen-sized bed, her heart racing. She reached for her knife but he grabbed her wrist sternly, making it clear that wasn’t an option.He crawled on top of her, holding both her hands above her head.“Please.. don’t..” June begged with t
The group made their way into Atlanta. The sound of the dead became much louder now, so they had to hang low as they made their way through the once-busy city. The deeper they got, the more dead they ran into. They decided it would be best to find shelter as a group instead of splitting up this time.They went from building to building, through old restaurants, bookstores, music shops, and clothing stores, looking for anything useful and scoping out areas for shelter. They found some food, bottles of water, and a couple of notebooks. They found an old thrift store with only a couple of busted windows and posters along with the others.“We’ll stay here tonight. It seems as safe as we’re gonna get. Two people will have to stand guard at all times though. Just to be a little safer.” Rufus instructed everyone once they got inside and in the back of the store. “Alexia, Daisy, you’re on tonight.” They both nodded that they understood the assignment.They all spread out closely and laid out
They all followed Zoran closely, having no clue where he was leading them. They were going deeper into the woods than June’s ever been. They walked until the sun started to set.“Um. How far away is this place? I thought you said it wasn’t that far.” Rufus chimed up. “It’s starting to get dark. We need to set up camp real soon.”“Oh shut your yapper, we’re almost there.” Zoran said. Something in his voice changed and June noticed it. No one else seemed to though, so she brushed it off as no big deal. She wrote a note of it in her brain and tucked it away for later.They kept walking and eventually they came across a large metal gate. It seemed out of place, coming up out of nowhere, but it was a sturdy-looking gate. It’d be good to keep the dead out. The whole place seemed.. untouched, despite the state of everything else.“How do we-” June started to ask as Zoran opened the gate and let them all in. June couldn’t help but notice that he somehow had a key to the gate. June noted that
June woke up early the next day. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she drank a few sips of water and stretched real good. It’s been a while since she stretched so it felt heavenly. After she finished stretching, she looked back at Zoran. He was still sleeping. A chill went shooting down her spine. She realized felt something for him. Not really in a romantic way...but in some way she’s never experienced it before. She grimaced as she thought about what it could be.June quietly made her way to the kitchen, searching the cabinets for anything that would make a good breakfast.As she reached up to grab a box of protein bars, she felt someone touch her shoulder. Jumping, she turned around, only to find Zoran looking back at her. She didn’t hear him coming at all, even down the creaky stairs.“Good morning, sleeping beauty.” He whispered, pushing a strand of loose hair out of her face. She had forgotten to redo her braid this morning, so her hair was a mess.“Good..morning.” She responded,
The knock on the door shushed everyone. The only sound was June’s footsteps as she carefully made her way down the stairs, trying to be quiet so whoever was outside wouldn’t hear her. Zoran was close behind her.“Guys.” She whispered with fear lacing her voice.“Rufus, what’s going on?” Alice asked. Everyone’s eye was on their elected leader, waiting for a response.“I...don’t know.” He stated as he made his way to the door.“You’re not gonna answer the door, are you?” Alice spat in disbelief.“What else am I supposed to do?” He peeked out the window and saw people in dark clothing surrounding the house. “They have us surrounded.” He slowly opened the door to find a man, assumed their leader, standing there smiling.“Well hello.”Rufus stared at him. He was about average height, with long blond hair and dark eyes.“We can do this the easy way. Or the hard way. We’re only here for one thing.” He smiled once more; a false sense of security, Rufus noticed.“Do..what exactly?” Rufus asked
After Zoran had June’s hand securely in his, he smiled at Rufus.“Rufus, it was a pleasure knowing you.” He gently pushed him aside, opening the door. “But we really must get going.” He led her down the stairs and out the front door, tears steadily streaming down her face now.They made their way outside and started walking towards the main road.“Where are you taking me?” Her voice shook with emotion.“To a house.” He stated, still holding her hand and practically dragging her along.June stayed silent the rest of the walk. They reached a large countryside just as the sun was starting to set.“See that house way over there?” Zoran asked, pointing to a large mansion in the middle of a large field.It must have had at least 40 acres, June thought. She nodded that she saw it.“Now I’m gonna let go of your hand and you’re gonna walk to the house. Try anything stupid and you can spend the rest of the night tied up in the basement.” He threatened with a wink and June nodded that she unders
Montana paced the floors of the old house, scratching his face and head. He had to find a way to get June back. Rufus, Alexis, and Daisy all agreed. They couldn’t let Zoran just kidnap her.“Should we split up or stick together?” Daisy asked, trying to get a plan together.“Might as well split up into groups of two. Me and Rufus, you and Alexis. It’s not like us being together would save us if it came down to us or them.” Montana said, feeling the heaviness of his last statement.They all nodded in agreement. The air felt heavy, making it hard for them to breathe.Alexis looked at Daisy. She was still in awe of her beauty. How was she supposed to act normal when she was paired with the most stunning girl she’s ever met?They all set out with their plan clear: split up in groups of two, and return to the house come nightfall.They both went their separate ways. They hadn’t seen which way June and Zoran went so Montana and Rufus went behind the house and Daisy and Alexis went to the lef
Zoran sat at the large dinner table, with June sitting next to him on his left. They ate in silence, with the only sound being June picking around at her food.“Eat. You need the energy.” He said, motioning to her plate of roast and potatoes.“Don’t tell me what to do.” She snapped, looking up and he caught her eyes with his. She was being drawn in. She could feel that something again. Angry, she snapped her head back down her plate“Bullshit. You’re just depressed. You need to eat.” He said, knowing she didn’t eat any of her lunch. He couldn’t just let her starve.She glanced her eyes up at him and saw his eyes soften as her eyes filled with tears once again.“I’d like to go back to my room.” Her voice broke at the end, even though she tried her best to hide it.“Would you like me to accompany you?” He quietly offered, setting his fork down.“Do I have a choice?” she said through her teeth as tears began to fall.Zoran sighed and stood.“Well come on then. I will take you to your roo
They began the moving process almost immediately.There wasn't much work to be done for Hunter and June; the servants did most of the work, despite June's protest. Hunter allowed her to carry her suitcase, though, just to make her happy."How are you feeling?" Hunter came up behind her, bringing her into a small hug."I don't know yet. We haven't finished moving in," she said into his chest, a mix of emotions filling up inside her and threatening to spill out."Well, I mean so far. How are you feeling so far? About the move and everything."June took a deep breath. "Well, I'm excited, I'll admit that much. It'll be a nice change, and I think I'll enjoy the coziness of this place a lot more..." she started."But..." Hunter started for her."But... I will also admit that I'm nervous about the change. It's a big one and I had just gotten used to the castle and how things worked there.""Don't worry about it, okay?" Hunter rested his head on top of hers, bringing her in tighter. "It'll be
The next few days, June took good care of Hunter. She brought him everything he could need and used all her strength and magic to ensure he was healing as fast as possible.“Junebug, I’m all better now.” Hunter could finally walk and run freely now that his health was normal.“I know, I know. I’m just worried about you.” June mumbled as she sat a platter of dishes down on a nearby table.“Well, don’t be. I’m just fine,” he assured her with a soft kiss before heading back toward the bed.“June, do you like it here?” he asked after a few moments of complete silence.“I mean, yeah,” June answered, surprised by the question.“No, I mean really. Do you like living here? Or would you rather live somewhere... smaller?” he turned to face her, watching her reaction.She sat down and back in her chair, thinking about the question.“I would enjoy living someplace homier, but there’s nothing wrong with here. As long as I’m with you, I’m happy.” she turned and smiled at him, hoping her answer was
June returned to the bedroom, frantically looking around for something that would be personal to both of them.Looking under the bed, she found her personal box that she put her favorite things in, like pretty stones she found while walking and little notes that Hunter would sometimes write her if he knew he'd be working late.Inside, there was also a watch. A watch that Hunter's father gave him when he was young, and he gave it to June so she could keep track of time when he was gone.Gently picking it up, she remembered the moment he pulled it out and told her how important it was to him. Once he handed it to her, she handled it with the utmost care. Not wanting to lose or damage it, she put it in her box and slipped it under the bed, bringing it out only when she was missing him.She closed her eyes and cherished that memory, holding the watch close to her chest. Then she took a deep breath and took off running back towards the magic room."Here!" she declared as she busted through
There they were.Three black fang spiders.June had only read about them in one of the books Hunter had in his room back on earth but now she was looking one right in the eye. Or rather, eyes. It had eight.They looked like a spider in the sense of the eyes and the long, sharp legs. They had claws that poked out on the sides of their faces and they were covered in ugly hair. It looks almost like a beat-up chihuahua bred with a spider. It had four fangs instead of the standard two normal spiders would have and was twice the size of the average human.Once June made eye contact with the first one, she felt like she was swirling and suddenly she was back in her childhood bedroom.She stood there all alone, staring at the locked door as she could hear laughter from below. She was only four years old and forced to sit out of her older brother's birthday party because she asked who the gifts were for.Later that night, her brother would try and sneak her a slice of cake, which she would enj
The next day, June woke up and rolled over, noticing Lucas sleeping in the far corner.Her head throbbed from the crying the night before, and the cold weather bit at her face. She knew the temperature was going to be dropping soon, but it seemed colder than she expected. More lonely.She longed to be back at the castle, laying in bed while the fireplace filled the room with a comforting warmth, reaching over and giving her lover a morning hug. She bit the tears back and threw the covers back, jumping up.Walking over, she lightly tapped Lucas with her foot."Hey, wake up. We need to get going." she was already slipping on her warmest pair of pants as Lucas slowly stood."How did you sleep?" he asked kindness in his eyes."Forget about it. Just get ready." June zipped up her coat and stepped outside the tent, getting her horse ready as Lucas got prepared to go. They took the tents down and made sure the fire was out completely before they got on their horses and took off.Making their
June and Lucas make their way through the trees, dodging branches and avoiding fallen logs."So June, how did the King find you?" Lucas broke the silence.June took a deep breath."He tracked me down somehow. I don't know.""Why do you think he chose you? He put a lot at risk doing that, ya know?""Lucas, shut up. I don't want to hear it.""Sorry. I just figured since we'd be spending the next few days alone we should at least communicate, maybe even get to know each other a bit." Lucas responded, defeated."I'm not going to fuck you now that my fiance is dead," she said coldly, causing Lucas to panic."No! No, that's not- That's not what I was trying to do. I swear!""Oh shut up and keep riding before I decide to kill myself instead."Lucas kept his eyes forward, afraid to speak another word."We need to set up camp. Go on ahead and see if you see any clearings we could use." June called out for Lucas.Lucas did as he told, finding a small clearing that was just big enough for their
June fell onto the floor of the room she was dragged into. She grabbed handfuls of her hair and screamed."My lady-""Shut the fuck up!" she screamed at the poor servant who was just trying to bring her comfort."My lady, is there anything I can do?" he asked, concerned about her mental state."Get me, Marge. Now." she demanded as she leaned onto the wall with her hands."Right away, my lady." the servant ran off, leaving June alone with her thoughts.There had to be a way to bring him back. If she could heal him and kill thousands with a wave of her hand, there had to be a way to bring him back. She was going to do whatever it took.There was a knock on the door as Marge entered."You called?" she asked, noticing June's poor state. "I heard what happened, and I must say-""Bring him back." she commanded, turning to face Marge."I'm sorry, dear. I can't.""Bullshit. There's got to be a way. Some kind of resurrection spell." June insisted.Marge sighed."You're right. There is a way. B
Seeing Hunter like that sent a new level of rage through her.Screaming, she raised her hands and quickly brought them down, the power of the spell knocking everyone to the ground, and killing every werewolf within 300 feet. She rushed over to Hunter.He lay in his own blood, losing more with each second that passed.He had been bitten on his side. The wound looked horrible, and Hunter himself didn't look much better. It was obvious he had lost a lot of blood. June panicked. Tears started falling as she knelt down beside him. She did the only thing she knew to do.Use her magic.She held her hands above the injury, trying every healing spell she knew. It was starting to seal the wound, but he had still lost a lot of blood. She took a deep breath, getting tired from using all this magic but refusing to give up."Junebug." Hunter reached up and held her arm.June paused for a second, slowly looking down at him. His eyes were filled with tears and pain."It's over.""No, don't say that.
June could sense them getting close, and decided to practice the spell that Marge had taught her in the library. It took her a few tries, but she finally got it and watched as the werewolves were carefully walking through the trees. They were coming from every direction, which she immediately warned Hunter about.“It looks like they’ve gotten a lot closer. We’re most likely going to see this fight first thing tomorrow.” she said, taking note that it was becoming nightfall, and they were bound to stop and rest.Hunter nodded that he understood, and took off to tell everyone else to have their guard up. There were to be people standing guard twenty-four-seven now, all around the castle and inside.Everyone obeyed his orders, rushing to get to their place. June knew she should be getting ready for bed, resting up for tomorrow. But she couldn’t. Something was off. Something told her they wouldn’t wait until tomorrow to attack.She tried the spell again and noticed that they were making pr