Disappeared

          "Charlie wake up." Cypher gently shook him awake. Her voice was cold and stern. "What?..." he yawned and sat up. "Grab your stuff were leaving." She told him and he saw her grabbing hers and the twins backpacks. "Where are we going?.." he yawned and slowly got up. He went to his back pack and grabbed some clothes. "Away from here" was all she told him. He didn't question further. He just went and got dressed then came back to the living room. Cypher had already packed food and water for both of them. It was still dark outside. "They won't let us leave at night Cy..." he yawned but Cypher shrugged. "They'll open it for me, they want me gone" she told him. "Grab your bag, let's go." She ordered and he did what he was told. "What about the others?" He asked. "Fuck the others come on." She mumbled and walked out the door. He followed close behind her and they walked through the silent town. Charlie tried to hold her hand but she pulled away. She had Jet's rifle slung across her back and Ret's bat in her hand. When they got to the gate the guards looked at them suspiciously.

"Mind lettin us pass." She looked at one of the guards. "We're not allowed to let people out during night hours." He told her but she shook her head. "Well I'm leaving now so either open it or I'll open it myself." She glared at the man. One of the other men didn't want to argue so he just opened the gate and let them through. "Walk quietly, don't say a word" Cypher whispered to Charlie as they slowly walked through the zombie littered field. As they walked by all the zombies stood in place. None of them noticed the two in the dark. Charlie could feel his heart racing whenever they came close to the monsters he'd been told to stay away from for years. He looked at Cypher's stone cold face. He began to get shaky so he looked away again. He just gently held onto her sleeve and continued to take careful steps, avoiding any twigs, dead grass, or leaves that would make any noise to avoid attracting the zombies.

       Cypher on the other hand was calm. She had been around zombies so many times she's basically learned to ignore them. When she felt Charlie grip onto her sleeve she looked down and saw the fear in his eyes. She sighed and gently put her arm around him to keep him calm. They finally got to the forest and kept walking. "Good job" Cypher broke the silence between them. She patted his head then put her arm down. "Where are we going?.." Charlie asked again and Cypher sighed. "My old home" she nodded and Charlie looked confused at first. "It'll be about a 2 week walk so we'll be out here for awhile" she explained and he nodded. "We're gonna be walking during the night then sleeping during the day got that kid?" She told him and he kept nodding. He never had a home in Copper Creek anyway and the only family he now had was Cypher so he decided that he would stick with her from now on.

Once the sun began to rise they found a spot under some trees to sleep for the day. They were both exhausted from walking all night so Charlie immediately laid under the shade of a tree. "Get some sleep bud" Cypher patted his head and he immediately fell asleep. Cypher on the other hand stayed awake to keep watch. She dozed here and there but never for longer then 20 minutes. She wanted to make sure their stuff didn't get stolen.

Mama went back to Cypher's house to check on them. She knocked on the door. No answer. She felt her heart stop. Just in case she knocked again. No answer. Lasso came up behind Mama. "Something wrong?" He asked and Mama shrugged a little. Her face was pale and she slowly opened the door. She waited a moment to listen for any groans or shuffling of feet. The house was silent. Lasso went in first. His hand hovered over his gun holster while he inspected the house. Backpacks gone. Canned food gone. Weapons all gone. Some cabinets in the kitchen were wide open and empty. He poked his head into each of the rooms. The twins's stuff was gonna as well. There was no trace of Cypher or Charlie. No note. Nothing.

       Lasso went back to the door and shook his head. "No one's here" he told Mama. "What do you mean no one is here?" She quickly went in and searched around the house. "Exactly what is sounds like Mama. They're gone." He rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. Mama checked every room numerous times, not willing to believe that they had disappeared. "Mama they must've left during the night." He sighed but she quickly shook her head. "No no the guards don't allow people to leave during the night. Doesn't matter who." She sat down on a stool in the corner of the living room to think. "Mama this is Cypher we're talking about. You really think people want her here? Even those guards would've just let her out the gate hoping they'd never see her again" he explained but Mama wouldn't take it. She quickly got up and darted out the door.

        Lasso sighed and jogged after her. He didn't care all that much she was gone but Mama clearly did so he didn't argue. Mama went to the guards at the gate. "Hey Mama Williams!" One of them smiled and waved but quickly put his hand down at the sight of her frantic expression. "Is everything o-" he started to ask but was cut off. "Did Cypher and Charlie come through here last night?" She asked and he stopped to think. "Uh yeah they did. Why?" He asked and Mama ignored the question. "Open the gate please." She told him but felt Lasso grab her arm and pull her away. "That's enough." He snapped at her. "But what if they get hurt out there. They could die." She told him and tried to pull her arm away but he pulled her away from the gate and held her by her shoulders. "You have to let her go." He told her. She started to shake her head but he went on. "She was miserable here. You saw Mama." He gave her a moment to let it sink in.

        "She chose to go so she's gone. Leave her." He demanded and she lowered her head. He turned and put her arm shoulders and began to walk away from the gate. No more words were exchanged between them for the rest of the day.