The Art of Dying

Pt. 4

“We are gonna die aren’t we?” I say looking at him. 

“No. No, we are gonna be fine I promise.” He says covering me with a blanket. “Just try to sleep. I will take watch for tonight.”

I know I can’t sleep, but it doesn’t mean I can’t try to rest a little bit. Throughout the night I would drift in and out of sleep, and every time I would even hear the tiniest little noise I would be wide awake. Nathan on the other hand looked around the apartment for a weapon so he could defend us if one of those things tried to get in. Halfway through the night I trade spots with him so he can sleep, and without hesitation he gets up and hands me the bat he found. I figured he must be exhausted from working so hard to keep us safe, and making sure we are going to be able to rest assured that all the windows and doors are blocked off. 

“Don’t worry about me. I think I got enough rest to be able to stay awake and aware” I said reassuringly.

“It isn’t necessarily you I am worried about right now. I just wanna know what is happening. Goodnight Maya wake me up at seven please” Nathan says drowsily. 

“Night Nathan.”

The next few hours were silent and terrifying. Nathan was snoring so loud he could wake an entire village, but I didn’t wanna wake him up at all. My stomach started to growl ravenously. I looked around for food for a while before determining there was no more here. So, I decided I was going to make sure everything was blocked and safe before I left to go looking in the other apartments. I knew it wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but it would be nice to have food ready for Nathan and I whenever we get hungry. I wrote a note so if I don’t return by time Nathan wakes up he will know where I went. I put the note by his head before I head to the door.

 I open the door very quietly and cautiously making sure to not make too much noise, and wake Nathan up. I walk into the hallway connecting all the apartments and close the door carefully behind me, but it makes a loud squeaking noise. I froze in place when I saw one of those creatures at the end of the hall whip around, and look directly at me. It makes a loud screech and starts running towards me, but I stand my ground unaware of what is going to happen to me. I swing the bat as hard as I can. A loud snap echoes the halls from the impact of the bat and the creature’s head; the creature drops to the ground with a thud. The snarling ceases along with all the noises that echoed the halls. I looked at the creature stunned with what I had done, but I couldn’t just stand there and wait for another to come. I ran to the next apartment and searched for food, but I was unsuccessful in finding literally anything. The next few apartments I checked were the same, because the apartment only had four tenants. I gave up looking and went back to the apartment we have been staying in.

 I opened the door as soft as possible hoping that Nathan was still fast asleep, but instead he was sitting on the counter with his head in his hands crying. I walked up to him confused about what had happened, but he didn’t notice I was there; he just kept crying.

“ Nathan what’s wrong?”

“Maya!” he hugged me tight “I thought you died! I heard a scream from one of those things and heard a thud, but I was too scared to check outside” he says while crying. 

“I’m sorry for worrying you. I just went to find some food, and I didn’t wanna wake you up.”

“Just please don’t do that again. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“I promise I won’t.”

He calmed down within a few minutes and yawned loudly. I know that if he had been awake when I was attacked he hasn’t slept much at all so I hand him a blanket and sit down on the ground next to him. He wraps an arm around my waist as though he was afraid I would disappear again. I lie down next to him and doze off along with him.

I wake up a few hours later laying on his chest with his head right against mine, and I have an internal battle with myself on if I should move or just let him sleep. I wasn’t going to lie to myself. I was loving this. I finally decide I need to get up and change. I roll over and get up as hushed as I can, and made my way to my bag. I grabbed the last outfit in the bag which was a pair of light blue ripped jeans and a black cropped tank top. I walk to the bathroom and turn the light on. I look in the mirror and see a girl who looks terrified and covered in dirt from head to toe. Even her use-to-be wavy black hair was now matted and short. I forgot Nathan cut my hair after it got caught, but right now I was focused on the fact I need a shower. I turned the faucet on inside the tub hoping the water would still be running since we are in the city. Thankfully it turned on and was even still hot. I took off my dirt covered sweatshirt, jeans and Nathan’s favorite jacket. I hopped into the shower and enjoyed the heat from the water before I washed the dirt out of my hair. When I was done with the shower I got out and got dressed looking into the mirror again I saw the same terrified girl just less dirty. I left the bathroom and walked over to Nathan and poked his face. 

“Hey sleepyhead. The shower works and is warm. Wanna go take a shower before we leave?”

Nathan’s eyes pop open and he looks at me, “Did you say shower?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at first, “Yes, I did. Now get your butt up and take one. You smell like a sewer tank.”

He jumps up and gets his bag.

 “Okay. Okay. I’m going.”