Afterlife

CHAPTER FIVE

Third P.O.V

Asher and Clove walked through the forest with Dog leading them safely. Clove was still in pain from the bullet wound. She has been gripping her side the whole time they were on the road and Asher has constantly asked if she wanted him to carry her but she kept rejecting him.

“I told her I was fine, Asher” Clove said, wincing in pain.

“Come on, your limping.” Asher said, setting down the duffle bags. He walked towards Clove and picked her up bridal style. 

He whistled towards Dog to grab the bags and he did so. They started walking again and didn’t stop until around noon.

Asher sat Clove on a log and sat down starting to dig through the bags to look for medicine and food. “Any painkillers?” Clove asked, groaning in pain.

“I think so. Hold on I’m still looking.” Asher continued to dig and finally pulled out a bottle of pills that read ‘OXYCONTIN’ on the front. Asher opened the bottle and handed over four to Clove. She took them instantly and clamped onto her side with a groan. 

“Shit.” she whispered. She moved her hand and saw blood oozing and soaking into her shirt but quickly pulled her jacket on so Asher wouldn’t see. “We should keep going.”

“I agree.” Asher stood up throwing the bogs over his shoulder and picking up Clove.

AT SCAVENGERS SANCTUARY

THIRD P.O.V

“All right. Everyones got a gun, correct?” Dave said “Here’s the plan everyone. Our TOP priority is getting Asher and Clove home safely. Nothing else matters but them, kill anyone who gets in the way. LET’S LOAD UP!”

Everyone got into their cars and filled out of the walls one after another. They were speeding down the road when they passed by a blurred figure walking down the side street.

Dave stopped the caravan and got out of his truck turning around to see who or what it was. “Well it looks like we're heading home. Everyone back inside.” Dave hopped back into his truck with Dog and Asher who was still holding Clove. Asher hopped in the back seat which made Clove yell out in pain

“Hey, are you okay?” Asher asked instantly checking her over

“N-no” she said weakly. She held up her hand showing Asher the blood from her wound. “I-it opened up e-earlier”

“You’re burning up. We need to get her home immediately.” Asher yelled to Dave and he sped off. 

Asher held onto Clove hard enough to comfort not hurt her. He cupped her cheek with his right hand kissing her forehead letting a small tear fall

“Don’t.” she whispered with her eyes shut “D-don’t cry for m-me”

“I can’t help it. I just love you so much. I can’t lose you again.” he said in a whisper matching hers. He rested his lips on her head closing his eyes letting out all his tears.

“Y-You wo--” she said passing out.

“Clove.” he urged. “CLOVE!” he said this time shaking her. Her arm fell on the floorboard of the truck and Asher began to panic “Drive faster.”

Dave sped up the truck as fast as he could without losing control and honked the horn to warn the shelter to open the gates so he wouldn’t stop.

ASHER’S P.O.V

The gates started opening as we drove closer and closer. Soon enough the gates were open almost fully and we drove past them. 

We kept driving until we pulled up to a building. Dave stopped the car and before he could put it in park I was already rushing inside with Clove’s lifeless, bloody body in my arms.

I busted through the infirmary doors and layed Clove onto one of the beds. “What happened?” the doctor asked rushing over to us

“S-She was shot.. A F-few days ago.” I couldn’t help but stutter out that sentence. I took a deep breath and started talking again “I guess her stitches came out earlier today because she was bleeding and she passed out a few minutes ago.”

“All right. Go ahead and wait outside I’ll clean her up.”

I nodded my head and reluctantly went outside the room for Clove to be okay.

CLOVE’S P.O.V

“Ughh.” I sat up and looked around the room. It looks like I was in some kind of hospital. “Hello?!” 

I took out my I.V and threw my legs over the side of the bed and standing. I walked over to the door and opened it slowly. The door creaked like I was in some sort of creepy movie.

“Hello?” I said but quieter. I walked out of the room and into the hallway. It was freezing here.

“Clove.” Someone said. I turned my head around but saw no one there. I started walking towards the direction of the voice but couldn’t find anyone. “Over here”

I turned around again and saw a little girl

“Who are you?” I asked kneeling down to get on her level.

“Hehe. Your silly, Clove.” she said “I’m you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I am you from the past.”

“Why are you here”

“To tell you that you need to keep fighting. You need to stay alive for mom and dad. Most importantly, stay alive for Clara and Carter. They are alive”

“What?”

“Our sister and brother are still alive. You just need to find them. I’m running out of time. Look near your childhood home?”

“But that’s miles away?” I asked as she faded away.

“COME BACK” I yelled once more but realized that I was awake.

I Looked around and saw a person standing there. “Y-your awake! I’ll go get the doctor.” she said and ran out.

A few minutes later the door flew open and a man with Asher following close behind filed into the room. 

“How long was I out?” I asked

“Quite a while.”

“How long is a while?”

“3 weeks.” Asher said.

“3...weeks. Has anything happened while I was out?”

“something...happened.” Asher said as I looked down and noticed he was missing half of his arm.

“Asher?”

Flashback 2 weeks ago

ASHER’S P.O.V

“FALL BACK!” I heard someone yell with gunshots following behind.

“ASHER! WHERE ARE YOU!” Ava and Malia were yelling but it was muffled.

“Over here.” one of them yelled as I gripped onto my arm. 

‘How could this happen. How could I be so stupid to wander alone. What am I gonna tell Clove.’ was all I could think about.

“Holy s**t. DAVE… HE’S BIT. We gotta get him home.” Malia said throwing my arm over her shoulder with Ava doing the same and picking me up.

“How the hell did this happen?” Dave asked throwing my limp body over his shoulder and running to the trucks.

“We don’t know. We found him like that.”

“We need to stop the infection.”

“How?”

“Cut the arm off.”

“D-do It” I said with a grunt and Dave put me in the car. “I-I can’t lose her again. I can’t lose C-clove.”

Then everything went black.

Another week later

I woke up in one of the hospital rooms and couldn’t feel my arm. I looked down and sure enough it was gone. I rubbed my eyes with my right hand to see if I was dreaming but when I opened my eyes once again it was definitely gone.

I groaned in frustration and let my head fall on the bed. 

I layed there for a few minutes then decided to stop grieving and see if Clove was awake.

I stood up and walked out the room I was in and went to find Dave, Ava or Malia. I wandered around the street aimlessly until I saw someone standing in a group laughing.

Clove

I walked over to her and tapped her shoulder “Hey Clove. s**t, I’m sorry.”

“Can I help you?”

“No, I’m sorry. I t-thought you were someone else.” 

I turned to walk away and saw Ava looking around frantically “AVA!” I yelled out and her head snapped to look at me.

“Jesus Christ, Asher. Stop getting lost. That’d how...Thisss happened.” she gestured to my arm.

“Is Clove awake?”

“I’m sorry Asher. She’s not and the doctor doesn’t even know if she will.”

End of Flashback.

“I’m so sorry” Clove said grabbing my hand

“Don’t be. I’ve already gotten used to it this past week.”

“Asher, I have to leave for a while and you need to stay here.”

“Where do you need to go. I’ll go with you.”

“No. You can’t, I need to do this alone.”

She stood up and grabbed the clothes on her nightstand and left to get dressed. She came back out after a few minutes she walked over to a basket with her weapons inside and started to suit up. “You can’t go out there alone” I said standing

“I can and I will. You can’t stop me.” She said sticking her gun in her holster.

“Why. Why is this so important to you that you can’t bring your boyfriend to help and protect- you.” I grabbed her gun and threw it back in the basket and she looked up at me.

“I can’t have you risk your life for me. I have to go back home.” she looked at me with sadness drowning her but I didn’t care.

“But thats miles and miles away.”

“I know. That’s why I need to borrow a car.” She grabbed her gun and holstered it once more.

“I’m going with you whether you like it or not. I cannot lose you again” I said

We stood there in silence and I could tell Clove was thinking about this long and hard. She sighed and grabbed my hand bringing it up to her face and against her cheek.

“I can’t lose you again either.” She took my hand and kissed it then put down still holding it tightly “But, I can tell that you're gonna be very persistent on this. You have to be very careful.”

“Of course.” I raised both hands and cupped her cheeks giving her a long passionate kiss. “I love you, Clove.”

“I love you too, Ash.”