Chapter 20 (Is it better where you are?)

Chapter 20: Is It Better Where You Are

Ethan Warren

November, 2023

18 months after outbreak

Nevada

Season 2

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We've been in Nevada for longer than I would have liked. We were all just tired and hungry and had very little motivation. I'm not sure if I was ready to get to California either. What if it was just another disappointment?

Why was everything so out of my control? Why did the world do this to me? I wish I had a guide—someone to teach me what I'm doing wrong so that I could keep the people I love alive until their bodies gave out.

But there is no guide; there's no one alive in this world who has any idea what the hell they're doing. We are forced to make decisions out of complete fear and vulnerability.

We built a camp for the night. It's all we ever do anymore. We keep moving for a few hours, and then we start setting up camp before it gets too late and dark. And making a camp for eleven people takes a while.

Khai and Aiden caught a few fish for dinner tonight. It wasn't enough for us all to be able to go to sleep satisfied, though. Some people went to sleep early, and I didn't blame them. Sometimes sleep was a bigger priority than food.

"I wonder if the fish will taste better from the ocean." Khai asked as she ate the meat straight off the bone.

"We should know soon enough. We're almost to California, right, Ethan?" Aaron asked. Rudi slept in his lap, holding Juna in his arms, and Airi curled up beside them. She was still awake, but she didn't say anything.

"I think so," I lied. I wanted to say I knew where I was going, but truthfully, if it wasn't for the road signs, we'd be completely lost. Probably somewhere in Maine by now.

The only reason I know this is Nevada is because I've been here before. There's less here than there was in Nebraska, but so much more of the dead.

As we were settling down for the night, finishing our meals, and taking off our worn-out shoes, I heard the sound of something rustling in the shrubs. I immediately hushed everyone to quiet down; only the sound of the fire burning came from us. I hoped it was an animal, even one of the dead; I didn't care anymore as long as it wasn't a person.

But then we heard a gunshot, and Edin screamed. The gunshot echoed through the night, shattering the silence and sending chills down our spines. Fear gripped us as we realized that we were not alone in this desolate place. Bandits were attacking us. They had come to steal our supplies—anything they could get their hands on. I had no idea where the bullet went until I snapped out of my own fear.

The bullet hit Aaron right in the head. Blood splattered across the ground as he collapsed to the floor, lifeless. Shock and horror washed over us as we realized the severity of the situation. The bandits had not only come to steal, but they were willing to kill to get what they wanted.

He bled on Rudi; he was too shocked to move. Airi pulled him by the arm and urged him to run, but Rudi remained frozen in place, unable to process the tragedy unfolding before his eyes. The bandits, now aware of the chaos they had caused, laughed menacingly and continued their rampage through our camp. It was clear that these were not just ordinary thieves but ruthless criminals who took pleasure in causing harm. As they moved from tent to tent, destroying everything in their path, we knew that our lives were in grave danger. I put out the fire quickly and did what I thought I had to do. I stayed behind, and I was ready to kill every last one of them.

The others had ran, I didn't know where to but in that moment, I honestly didn't care. The only emotion that ran through my head was anger. They were going to pay for what they had done.