Under my feet

Chapter 41 Under my feet.

POV Justin

After getting far enough away from the helicopter's impact zone we were able to catch our breath, the walkers no longer behind us. The fire in the distance catches their attention.

The shots in the distance also ceased. Now there are two options, the first is that Jadis died and was eaten by the walkers and second, she managed to escape. That woman is like a cockroach, she will be fine.

"We have to find a place to spend the night, we can't stay out in the open with all this darkness around us." Arat says as we both continue walking through the forest.

"We can sleep in the tree branches, well, I could sleep and you could stand guard all night." I say with a smile on my face. She just stops and starts to stare at me.

"It was a joke, it was just a joke." I say quickly raising both hands. "The truth is that I am bored, I am tired and I am hungry." I say pawing the ground with my hands in my pockets.

"You... you just try to be quiet while we try to figure out where the hell we are." She whispers sighing a little. "Jadis dropped some backpacks with supplies just before leaving the helicopter, however, there is no trace of any of the backpacks and in the dark, I highly doubt we can do anything about it." She says.

"On the plus side, the walkers are no longer chasing us." I said following Arat.

The hours continued to pass as we continued to make our way through the forest, we have no camping equipment, we have no provisions and our ammunition is limited.

"Be careful where you step, you don't want to fall off a cliff." Arat says seriously pointing to a large cliff that is not far from us.

"When we get to Washington I am going to lock myself in the Pentagon with all the comforts available, all the chocolate I can eat, all the delicious food, video games, and security. Washington will become a fortress." I say with a crooked smile on my face as I drag my tired feet.

If the gods want to keep hunting me then I'll give them hell to get to me. But first I need to get safely to Washington. I have to dodge the gods that are after me, I have to dodge the undead that wants to bite my ass and face anyone who gets in my way.

What fun… it's like old times.

Then a strange chill ran through my entire body, before this, I stop and draw my gun while I start to look in all directions. This of course draws the attention of Arat who also draws her gun and walks over to me.

"What happens? Did you see something?" She seriously asks.

"I feel that someone is watching me, it is a very unpleasant sensation." I say with disgust.

"Oh~ Looks like you've figured me out…" I hear a female voice coming from behind us. At this, I quickly turn around and watch with narrowed eyes as a young woman is leaning against a tree looking at me with an interested smile on her face.

"It seems my mother was right about you, you are different from the rest. I like that." She says licking her lips. "I'm Cassandra Dimitrescu, it's a pleasure to meet you, little Justin." She says sensually as one hand of hers holds her hip while the other is holding a whip.

*

****Click to see image****

*

"My mother assigned me a very important task, I will take you to my mother and my sisters, then we will have fun with you until you beg for mercy." She says hitting the ground with her whip.

My eyes light up as I recognize this woman as a defiant smile spreads across my face. "Looks like tonight is going to be very exciting." I say cheekily pointing my gun in her direction.

"I look forward to that." She says swinging her whip in the air as a sadistic smile graces her face.

"Catch Me If You Can." I say cruelly squeezing the trigger.

The moment I pull the trigger a whip wraps around my gun causing my shot to go off target and my gun to be snatched from my hands. Arat quickly starts shooting at Cassandra, however, she hides behind the trees as she starts laughing out loud. In that, the characteristic sound of a weapon without ammunition reaches my ears. Arat ran out of ammunition.

I quickly unsheath my knife as Arat throws her weapon to the ground and unsheathes her combat knife, then we both find ourselves back to back looking in all directions.

"This looks bad." Arat says seriously in combat position. "Any plan?" She whispers.

"Don't let her…" is all I say as a whip wraps around my neck, causing me to fall to the ground and the whip begins to drag me into the trees as I try to break free.

"Fuck!" Arat exclaims running after me.

Behind the trees stands Cassandra with a sadistic smile on her face. "Mother told me not to underestimate you, however now that I see you up close you don't look like much." She says putting me down. At this, I quickly free myself and get to my feet while I catch my breath. Then a heavy rain begins to fall on us.

"People who underestimate me end up under my feet." I say seriously with a determined look on my face as I hold onto my knife tightly. "It doesn't matter who they are, men, women, and even gods. I will crush all of you!" I exclaim pointing my knife in her direction as lightning illuminates the surroundings epically.

"Come to me, little Justin!" She exclaims spreading her hands theatrically. "Show me the power of a true man." She says hitting the ground with her whip as a vicious grin spreads across her face.

My sight is specifically focused on Cassandra's whip, I will not be caught off guard again. She swings her whip at me, in that, I nimbly dodge it thanks to my small body as I start to get closer to her.

"You are being a bad boy, a very bad boy." She says swinging her whip again with a smile on her face, however, a stone hits her eye causing her to take several steps back and grab her wound. "What have you done?!" She yells with fury in her voice.

"Bitch." Arat says with her hand extended and a smile on her face. At this, Cassandra in her fury draws a knife and quickly throws it in Arat's direction.

It's my opportunity!

I lunge at Cassandra who is behind one of the cliffs and stab her in the abdomen to her surprise. "What?" She says spitting out some blood as she takes several steps back. "When?" That is all she says before the ground collapses under her feet.

As she falls off the cliff she uses her whip to hold on to a tree near me, like in a movie.

"You shouldn't have underestimated me~ hehe." I hum, watching Cassandra hold on tight to her whip as she starts to climb. So I just started cutting the whip slowly under her watchful eye.

"My mother and my sisters will pursue you to the depths of hell itself!" She yells with a crazed look on her face as she starts laughing out loud.

"They too will end up under my feet…just like you." I say with a smile spreading across my face. "Bye~Bye Cassandra Dimitrescu." I say cutting the whip. Then Cassandra Dimitrescu falls to her bitter end.

"One less, there are 2 daughters left and the mother." I whisper scratching my head.

If they had all been together, they would have caught me. How troublesome, I have to get back to Washington as fast as I can.

"Justin... I think we have another problem." Says Arat holding a wound on her leg. At this, I simply sigh audibly as I approach her.

"You can walk?" I ask.

"I think." She says, cutting a piece of cloth from her clothes and placing it on her wound to apply pressure. Given this, I help her to stand up.

"Put your weight on me, we have to leave this forest as quickly as possible." I say as she leans some of her weight on me. In that, a flash of lightning illuminates the surroundings and something in the distance catches my attention. "You always come back to me." I whisper picking up my 9mm pistol from the ground, dad's pistol.

"Did you say something?" Arat asks.

"We have a long way to go, let's go." I say as we begin to leave the area. At that moment, the rain started to stop.

A couple of minutes later, we stop to rest when a sound catches our attention. "Do you hear that?" Arat asks with a smile on her face as she leans against a tree suppressing a wince.

That is the sound of running water, which means that there is a river near us and it is just a matter of following the river to meet some town eventually.

"I hate forests." I whisper with a smile.

"We are two now." She says through clenched teeth.

"How is your wound?" I ask looking at the piece of cloth that she placed around her wound.

"What do you believe?" She growls.

After resting for a bit, we managed to locate a river and began to follow it downstream until we came across a small wooden boat among the rocks.

"Fortune favors us!" I exclaim as I help Arat into the boat.

"Don't worry, we'll be out of here soon and going back to Washington, when we get back I'll treat you to all the food you want to eat." I say blatantly.

"Is that a date?" She asks trying to tease me.

"No offense, but you're not my type." I say with a shark smile.

"Your type? Like the girl you threw off a cliff?" She asks raising an eyebrow in my direction. Then I started to laugh out loud while Arat laughed lightly.

Soon after, Arat fell asleep while I find myself struggling to stay awake, however, I fail miserably, after the events of Terminus, the helicopter, and then the forest… my little body can take no more. I'm only 12 years old!

__________________________

The boat comes to an abrupt stop causing me to quickly wake up on high alert looking around. The boat ran aground on a small mound of earth, however, what catches my attention is a cottage near us. In that, I watch as a light goes on inside the cottage which makes me prepare my weapon, and shortly after the door of the cottage opens.

I quickly hide my body inside the boat as I hear footsteps approaching my direction.

"Not another, please." I hear someone sigh as they approach the boat. "Where do so many walkers come from?" I listen to the person ask himself.

So, I quickly stood up pointing my gun at this figure. "Don't move!" I exclaim threateningly.

"Calm, calm, calm!" The man quickly exclaims throwing his ax to the ground and raising both hands. "I'm John." He says looking at me carefully and then looking at Arat. "John Dorie."

But how small is this world.