Chapter 21: Their Journey

As we maneuver through the rubble of the city, each of our girls in our respective arms, we encountered numerous problems along the way. A giant spider burst out of a decrepit building, an ear splitting screech erupted from it and it came crashing towards us. I held Ambrosia in one arm and punched the fuzzy beast. It reeled back and screeched again.

"Switch!"Zeke yelled and I jumped back and he lunged forward, attacking the beast.

Somehow we'd managed to gain each other's trust, over the course of the five days we'd been on the road. We had roughly five days left to travel.

"Switch!"I yelled, and I landed the final blow on the spider and it whimpered and it's bright red eyes dimmed.

"We should find a place to sleep soon, the sun is gonna be going down soon."Zeke suggested.

"Yeah ok."I nodded, checking Ambrosia.

We made a camp and sat around the fire.

"So are you still going to go off on your own after Arabella gets healed?"

"I don't know..."Zeke stared into the orange flames.

"Well the offer is still open."I chuckled.

"We have the same wants and desires."He never took his eyes off of the flames.

"Yeah?"

"We both want to protect the ones we hold so dear."He paused for a moment, then he looked up at me. "I've never known someone as dedicated as I, until you. So I think I'd like to stay with you."He stared into my eyes. "But I'll follow Arabella anywhere, even if that means we go our separate ways."

"Understandable."I leaned back resting my body weight on my arms. I looked down, watching Ambrosia's light breathing, I smiled softly, placing my hand on her soft dark curls.

"Zeke?"

"Yeah."He looked at me through those pale green eyes.

"Never mind. It's not my business."

"Were you gonna ask about my stitches?"

"Yeah."

"They cut my skin off and genetically modified it, then sewed me back together."He spoke quietly, looking lost in thought. "Piece by piece. Limb by limb, they dismembered every part of me and modified it. "Upgrading."His hand balled into a fist as it rested on his knee. "Even my face."He murmured, touching the stitches that went diagonally across his face from his jaw line to his nose and one going horizontally from his jaw line to the corner of his lips.

He had stitches all over his body, I couldn't imagine the intense pain he must have endured. Having your skin taken off being exposed to the air then having your skin sewn back on. He must not even feel right in his own skin.

"I was awake the whole time."He said gravely. "I remember laying there, strapped to the table, skinless. I remember looking at my fleshless body and being afraid."He looked down at the ground, his snowy hair covering his eyes. "Even thinking about it...Makes me want to curl in a ball and die. It was torture. I don't even feel settled in my own skin! It's like wearing someone else's body!"

I knew it...

Tears streamed down his cheeks, falling carelessly onto the ground, his gripped his face and began trembling.

"I remember what it was like to feel at home in my body and now I'll never get that back."He yelled.

"It's ok."I said softly, "You are not alone anymore. I'm here for you."I reached my hand out.

He looked up at me, his pale green eyes full as he looked out at me from behind his hands. He sniffled, reaching out for me.

I pulled him closer, wrapping my arms around him. I didn't know how to help, but this seemed to help Alistair. Maria told me about it being called a hug. It was the third one I'd ever experienced. He cried for a long time in my arms and we bonded.

"We should get some rest."I smiled, resting my hand on his head.

"Yeah."He wiped his nose in his sleeve, then curled up next to Arabella.

I laid next to Ambrosia, and put my arm around her, pulling her close.

I sleepily opened my eyes as the grey sky indicated that day was breaking.

"Zeke, we need to get moving."I sat up, looking for him. "Zeke!"I yelled out to him.

"There's no need to yell I'm right here."He appeared out from behind the building. "I just needed to piss."

"Ok, we should get moving."I chuckled.

Three days past by as we made our way through town after town, city after city. Luckily we hadn't come face to face with any more monsters, however, I felt their presence, and it felt like something was keeping them at bay.

"We have two more days left Zeke."

"Yeah-"Suddenly a large arrow about 1 foot wide struck him.

"Zeke!"I called out as his body was thrown back and he was pinned to a tree.

I turned my attention to the direction of the arrow.

There stood a small girl about 4'11, she had blonde hair and hazy orange eyes.

She grinned, "I'm Erika and it's time for you to die...Satan spawn."