And leave this fucked up place behind
The gym was quiet, save for the soft, rhythmic sounds of breathing, some peaceful, others restless. The dim light from a single bulb overhead barely illuminated the room, leaving long shadows that stretched across the cold, hard floors. A few people were asleep, curled up in makeshift bedding on the floor, while others sat up against the walls or leaned on the bleachers, too lost in their thoughts to sleep. The air was thick with exhaustion, the kind that wasn't just physical but mental, too.
Julianna sat alone on the bleachers, her knees hugged to her chest as she stared out at the empty gym. The world outside felt so distant, so far removed from everything they had known before. She could hear the soft tap of the rain against the windows again, but it was a quiet, steady sound now, like the world was trying to wash away what had happened. Wash away everything.
She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there, but she didn't feel the need to rush or move. Her mind kept wandering back to the upcoming trip. It was surreal, almost halfway across the country. That thought sat heavy on her chest, like it was too big for her to fully grasp.
A shift in the air, quiet footsteps on the wooden floor, pulled her from her thoughts. She turned her head, catching sight of Lottie Matthews as she made her way toward the bleachers, her steps measured and slow. There was something in her eyes tonight, something different. Maybe it was the exhaustion. Whatever it was, it felt like Lottie was carrying the same unspoken burden as Julianna.
Lottie sat down next to her without a word, the space between them comfortable in its quiet. Neither of them needed to speak immediately. For a moment, they just sat there, watching the others in the room, some still and peaceful, others too tense to rest.
The silence stretched, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that comes when you've shared something deeper than words, something about survival, something about the world crumbling down around you and wondering if there was any reason to stay left.
Julianna didn't really know why she was still here. It wasn't just because of the bite, it was because, honestly, she didn't want to be. Each day bled into the next, a quiet endurance that wore her down in ways she couldn't explain. The monotony, the uncertainty, it wasn't just exhausting, it was consuming, leaving her with less and less of herself as time went on.
The blood. The constant danger. The never-ending anxiety of wondering when the wrath of death would find her or someone she cared about. She had lost track of how many close calls there had been, how many times she had thought, this could be it.
But she stayed. She stayed for Jeff.
If she were being honest, he was the only reason she was still hanging on, still putting one foot in front of the other. To make sure he was safe. To make sure he had a chance. A chance at something more than this.
Her brother had always been the anchor in her life. When the world felt like it was falling apart, when everything else seemed fleeting, he had been the one constant. Without him, she knew she wouldn't have made it past adolescence, let alone through everything that came after. So she owed him this. She owed him the fight, the survival, at least until he found somewhere safe to be. She owed him her life, because, in a way, he was the reason she kept living hers.
Julianna was the first to break the silence, her voice barely a whisper. "Kansas City feels so—far away."
Lottie didn't immediately respond. She just stared out at the gym, her fingers gently tapping the side of her knee as if she were thinking. After a few moments, she spoke, her voice low but steady. "Yeah. It feels like it's a whole other world. Halfway across the country... and we're walking into God knows what." She let out a breath, more of a sigh than a laugh. "But what else is there to do?"
Julianna's lips quirked, a bitter edge to her smile. "Yeah. But it's not just the distance, is it? It's everything, everything we have to leave behind, everyone we might lose. What if it doesn't even matter? What if it's all just—pointless?"
Lottie turned to her, her expression softening. "You're asking the wrong person for answers, Julianna," she said, her tone almost wry. "I don't have any more than you do. But..." She trailed off, her eyes narrowing slightly as she considered her words. "I know what I'm doing. I know I'm going. I have to go. And so do you."
Julianna glanced at Lottie, surprised by the certainty in her voice. There was a quiet confidence there that she hadn't expected. She wondered if it was that same confidence that had kept Lottie going through everything, even when the odds seemed stacked against them.
"It's just—" Julianna hesitated, the words coming out slower than she intended. "It's just so hard to believe any of this is real. Like we're living in some kind of nightmare. One minute everything's normal, and the next... this." She waved her hand vaguely, gesturing to the horror that had become their lives.
Lottie nodded, her eyes distant. "I get it. I do. But... maybe that's how it's always been, you know? Death's been part of life for as long as anyone can remember. It's just louder now. It's just closer." Her voice dropped lower, almost like she was speaking to herself as much as to Julianna. "Maybe we've always been this close to the end. Maybe we were just too busy to see it."
The words hung in the air between them. Lottie didn't seem to notice how much of an impact they had, how they landed in Julianna's mind like a sudden truth she hadn't expected. It wasn't comforting, not really. But it felt real, in a way nothing had felt for a long time.
Julianna looked down at her hands, fingers curled around the edges of her knees. Her mind was still racing, filled with the journey, and everything that lay ahead. "What if no one makes it?" she asked, the words out before she could stop them.
Lottie didn't flinch. She didn't look away. She just gave a small, understanding shrug. "Then we don't. But at least we'll know we tried." Her tone was steady, like she had already made peace with it in a way Julianna hadn't yet. She couldn't let none of them make it. That's why she was doing it after all.
Julianna glanced up, meeting Lottie's gaze, and for a brief moment, the world felt smaller, contained within that simple, shared understanding. It wasn't about survival at all, was it? It was about trying, no matter what the outcome. Trying because you had to, because if you didn't, what was left?
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The rain outside continued to fall, the sound of it almost comforting now. In that quiet space, Julianna realized something. She didn't have all the answers. None of them did. But that was okay.
The morning light was soft, peeking through the cracks and shattered windows of the school as the group moved about the gym, the air heavy with both purpose and reluctance. Bags were being packed, last-minute adjustments were made, and quiet goodbyes hung in the air like a fragile thread connecting those who were leaving and those who were staying behind.
Julianna sat cross-legged on the bleachers, her bag at her feet, hands moving with practiced ease as she pulled her hair into a half-up, half-down style. She hadn't done her hair like this in months, there hadn't been a reason. But something about today felt different, like she needed to feel just a little more like herself.
"Cute," Misty chirped as she passed by, hoisting her overstuffed bag onto her back. "Half-up, half-down is very I'm about to travel half way across the country to find a community and potential cure."
Julianna smiled faintly, shaking her head. "Yeah, it's definitely going to keep the infected from noticing us. Very strategic."
Misty grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "Exactly. We have to look good while we survive the apocalypse." She spun on her heel, already moving to check the supplies one last time.
Across the gym, Natalie was double-checking the radio with Lottie, her brow furrowed in concentration. "If this doesn't work while we're out there..." she muttered, testing the static.
"It will work," Lottie said, her voice calm but firm. "It has to." She looked over her shoulder at the group, her gaze lingering on Shauna, who was hugging Javi goodbye, her face a mask of quiet determination.
Shauna straightened and adjusted her bag, sparing one last glance at Travis and Javi. "Stay safe," she murmured to them. "And make sure no one does do anything stupid."
Travis nodded, his jaw tight, while Javi looked more unsure. The boys didn't argue, though, they knew this wasn't a choice any of them wanted to make, but it had to be made.
Jackie lingered near the door, her arms crossed, her bag resting on the floor at her feet. She looked like she wanted to disappear, her expression torn between fear and frustration. She'd offered to come along, but it was clear she was regretting it now.
"Jackie, are you okay?" Julianna asked as she approached, her voice soft but steady.
Jackie looked at her, hesitating before nodding. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... nervous, I guess."
Julianna gave her a small, understanding smile. "You're not the only one."
Nearby, Jeff was fumbling with his bag, struggling to get it strapped on properly. "Does this thing have to weigh a million pounds?" he muttered, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
"Maybe if you packed something useful instead of junk it wouldn't," Natalie shot back, not even looking up from the radio.
"Hey, Pop-Tarts are very useful," Jeff retorted. "Morale is important, you know!"
"Morale isn't going to save you from getting eaten," Shauna quipped as she walked by, though there was a hint of a smirk on her face.
The group's banter wasn't quite as sharp as it might've been a days ago, but it was still there, a sign that they hadn't completely lost themselves to what was happening.
Once the radio was confirmed to be working, Natalie and Misty shared a nod. Misty, of course, was quick to take credit. "We're in business," she announced, looking far too proud of herself.
"Nice work, MacGyver," Natalie said dryly, but there was a flicker of gratitude in her tone.
As they gathered near the door, those who were staying behind—Travis, Javi, Taissa, Van, Mari, Akilah, and the rest—stood off to the side, watching with a mixture of concern and quiet hope.
"Keep in touch," Travis said, his voice low but firm.
"We will," Natalie replied, her gaze steady.
The seven of them—Julianna, Misty, Natalie, Shauna, Lottie, Jackie, and Jeff—fell into step together as they pushed open the heavy doors of the school, the cool morning air rushing in.
As they started down the cracked, bloodied path leading away from the school, Misty couldn't help but break the silence. "Okay, so what's our team name? Every great adventuring party has a name."
Shauna groaned. "We're not an adventuring party, Misty. This isn't Dungeons & Dragons."
"Speak for yourself," Misty shot back. "I'm just saying, it wouldn't hurt to have something cool."
"Yeah, I don't think Misty and the Misfits is going to catch on," Julianna said with a small laugh.
"Aw, come on, Jules!" Misty pouted. "Don't you want to be a misfit with me?"
Jeff, walking a few steps behind, chimed in. "How about The Kansas City Seven? Huh? Classic, simple..."
"Boring," Natalie interjected, rolling her eyes.
Jackie stayed quiet, her eyes on the horizon, but it was clear she was listening, the banter providing some small comfort.
Lottie, ever the voice of calm, simply said, "Maybe we don't need a name. We're just... us."
The group lapsed into silence again as they walked further away from the school, their footsteps crunching softly against the dirt and debris beneath them. The world felt so much bigger out here, the trees stretching high above them, the sky endless and indifferent.
As Julianna adjusted the strap of her bag, she glanced around at the group. They were a strange mix—each of them carrying their own baggage, their own fears and strengths. But they were in this together. For better or worse, they were together.
Jeff, ever the one to break the silence, piped up from the back of the group. "Nah, I think we do need a team name."
Shauna groaned audibly, not even bothering to look back at him. "Jeff, no one cares about a team name. This isn't a road trip. We're trying to survive."
"Exactly!" Jeff countered, shifting his bag on his shoulders. "What's more badass than surviving with style? Like, think about it, when we get to Missouri and tell people what we've been through, they're going to ask, 'What did you call yourselves?' And then what? We're just... the group? Lame."
"This isn't a superhero movie," Natalie muttered, her voice sharp but not without a hint of amusement.
Julianna, walking a few paces ahead, glanced back at him with a small smirk. "Alright, enlighten us. What kind of name are you thinking?"
Jeff grinned like he'd been waiting for this exact moment. "Okay, hear me out—The Survivor Seven." He spread his hands like he was presenting the greatest idea ever.
"Ugh, Jeff," Jackie said, her voice laced with a mix of exasperation and embarrassment. "That sounds like a knockoff comic book."
"Yeah, it's giving straight-to-VHS vibes, it needs to be better," Misty added, grinning ear to ear. "But I love your enthusiasm!"
"Fine, fine," Jeff said, undeterred. "How about... Kansas or Bust?"
Natalie snorted. "That's not a team name. That's a bumper sticker."
"Okay, okay," Jeff said, laughing along with them. "How about something cool and mysterious? Like... The Wanderers."
Shauna gave him a look over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Mysterious? We're walking to Kansas City with zero idea what we're doing. It's not a mystery, it's a mess."
"That's it!" Misty exclaimed, clapping her hands. "We're The Beautiful Messes."
"Speak for yourself," Natalie muttered under her breath, but there was a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
Lottie chimed in softly, her tone thoughtful. "Names are powerful, you know. They define you, shape how you see yourself. Maybe they're onto something."
Jeff pointed at her triumphantly. "Thank you, Lottie! See? Someone gets it."
Julianna shook her head, unable to keep from laughing as she adjusted her bag again. "I'll give you this, if we run into anyone who actually cares about our 'team name,' we'll let you take the lead on introductions. Deal?"
"Deal," Jeff said, clearly pleased with himself.
"Just don't embarrass us," Jackie muttered, still looking like she regretted signing up for this trip.
"Oh, don't worry," Jeff said, winking at her. "I'll keep it classy."
As they kept walking, the banter faded into a comfortable rhythm, the group settling into a strange kind of dynamic, Jeff providing comic relief, Shauna and Natalie trading snarky remarks, Lottie occasionally offering calm observations to Jackie, and Julianna and Misty talking idly.
Even in the tension of the unknown, there was a flicker of something that almost felt like normalcy. Seven people, all wildly different, bound together by circumstance and survival.