Ch. 14

Perry

I watched the men in the courtyard throw punch after punch at each other. It was supposed to be combat training but it honestly just felt like an excuse to hurt someone. Although, The Sergeant thought it was, and I quote, 'A brilliant idea'.

Because, watching your soldiers kill each other is a brilliant idea!

I rolled my eyes and looked over at the gate. I sat up and squinted my eyes, trying to figure out who could be working it. It was someone I hadn't seen working over there before. A new kid?

He looked to be about my age, Well maybe a bit older. Curly blonde hair framed his face, making it a little harder to figure him out. Guess I'll have to get a closer look.

I looked back over at the soldiers who were now laying on the ground, out of breath and covered in blood. Geniuses.

Throwing my legs over the other side of the bench, I got up and beelined towards the gate. The boy was facing towards the gate. Probably watching the biters on the other side. He was oblivious to his surroundings inside the gate.

"Excuse me," I tapped his shoulder and he jumped back, pointing a gun at me. I took a second and looked into the barrel of the gun before looking back at him.

"That's a bit dramatic." I stepped back and he lowered his rifle.

"Sorry, Ma'am." His voice was deep and smooth. The baby face was absolutely misleading.

"What's your name?" I asked, giving him my sweetest smile. I needed to lay it on thick if I wanted to leave.

"Cameron," He extended his hand, "And you are?"

I took his hand and gripped just as tight as he did, "I'm Kit. Nice to meet you, New kid."

"New kid? I like the sound of that." Cameron chuckled and I followed suit. We had a bit of small talk. Turns out he was far from home. We were in Maine but he was from Oregon, I suppose College usually does put some distance between family.

He was 20 and was going to school to become a pharmacy technician, Which was neat, but god did it sound boring.

A loud noise from outside caused him to look away and I looked around inside the gate. The soldiers didn't seem to care about the noise, Other members of our little community were walking around or reading, and We were just chatting. Everything seemed normal and no one was paying attention to us.

"So, Cameron, I'm sorry to cut our conversation short-" Cameron shook his head, "That's okay, I need to get back to work anyway."

I gave him a reassuring nod, "Alright, Well I actually came to head outside the gate. I have a few places I wanted to scavenge." I was praying he would just let me go.

"Did you get approval from the sergeant?" He looked towards the clipboard on the gate and I quickly put a hand on his arm.

"Of course. This is pretty routine for me." I smiled and he looked down at my arm. I noticed his face was turning a little red. Shy, are we?

"I better double check, Just in case." Cameron chuckled nervously.

Fuck.

"Oh boy. The other guards really didn't put you on?" I shook my head and dropped my arm, "That's a shame." This had to work.

"What do you mean?" His accent finally made its appearance. People from the west had weird accents.

I looked over my shoulder to make sure we were still good. It appeared so but I felt his beady eyes on me. Nows not the time.

"Well," I lowered my voice to a whisper and stepped closer to Cameron, "The Sarg is a bit of a hard-ass. He doesn't like being bothered for miniscule things like the gates." I shrugged.

"But, If you wanna risk your hide and bother him over this, Then go for it. I'll bring flowers to your funeral." I winked and he nodded slowly. Beads of sweat began rolling down his forehead. Pharmacy tech on the gates. Who's the idiot who did that?

"Okay, Well, just don't get me in trouble." He winked and opened the gate for me. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and slid out the small opening.

I didn't hesitate to race into the woods. I kept a hand on my knife at all times, Killing these things had become like breathing. Its just a necessary thing to do.

I stepped over branches and avoided the traps we had set out here. They weren't easy to spot and definitely weren't easy to avoid. I contributed to setting them up and camouflaging them and I still cant spot them.

Guess we did a flawless job.

---

Keith

I clenched and unclenched my fists over and over while I watched them.

It took everything in me not to go over there and bash that guy's head in. Who the fuck did he think he was? That was my girl, even if she didn't agree right now.

My heart dropped when I noticed Perry looking around. I quickly stepped back behind the wall I was standing against. I felt more then creepy but it was for her safety. Some of these guys are worse then me.

I glared at them. How long did they need to chat for and why was she touching him? I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, leaning my head against the wall behind me. I needed to make this right with her.

I was miserable fucking these random chicks. I didn't care about them. They could get bit and I'd feel nothing. Maybe that makes me a shit person, but that's something I think we all already knew. When I die, Ill be sitting in a throne next to Satan.

I opened my eyes and looked back towards the gate. The guard was opening it for Perry and within seconds, She had slipped through and he shut it. What the fuck?

She wasn't permitted to be out there. I looked over at the Sergeant and the 'soldiers' who were not paying an ounce of god damn attention to the noob running the gate.

I discretely made my way over, my fists were no longer obedient to me and neither were my emotions. I was fuming. This jackass was stupid. The documents say not to let her out.

I wish they didn't but it was for her own safety.

"Yo," I called when I was only a few feet away from him.

"Hello, Sir." He greeted me happily. I could knock that fucking smile off of his face.

"Why the hell did you let her out?" I asked in a hushed tone. I didn't want the others to hear. She would be put in lockup for disobeying direct orders.

"Kit?" He looked at the gate confused, "She had approval from the boss to head out." The guard looked back at me.

"Kit? Who the fuck is that? I'm talking about Perry, the girl you just let out." I crossed my arms in an attempt not to hit him. How was someone this dense.

"That's Perry? She told me her name was Kit." The guard stepped back and placed a hand on his gun. Wow, a smart move, finally.

"You didn't check? You didn't ask your 'boss' about it?" I scoffed. Who was letting these guys work on the gates?

"She said not to bother him. I'm sorry. I'm gonna get killed for this." He began freaking out and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't tell how old he was but by how he was acting I'd guess 16 or 17.

"Let me out to go get her and We'll keep this between the three of us. You keep your head, She keeps her home, And I don't have to murder you." I looked towards the gate and he didn't hesitate to unlock it and let me through.

I took his sidearm before I left. I wasn't going to come out here unarmed.

Looking around, I felt overwhelmed. There were too many different directions and too many paths she could've gone. But knowing Perry, She wouldn't have taken a path.