DEAD END

Chapter 4

"Gabriella promise me that you will reach Ambergris no matter what. Promise me"

"Mo..m?" If it weren't for the same memory that hunted her every day, she would have believed that her mom was really standing before her.

Like a series of events flashed before her, the scene shift into an unfamiliar place. She was standing at a podium, a thousand claps were offered from the crowd. She saw different faces that she had seen throughout her life; some died for her and some died because of her. Panic rose inside her making her knees buckle and drop to the ground. She clutches both of her ears to block the whispers of betrayal and regret.

"Please stop. This is not real, I'm just dreaming. Wake up wake up"

The cheerful crowd soon died out, then it was followed by painful cries.

"This is not real,  this is just a dream. Make it stooop" she opened her eyes when the entire room stilled. She peered into the crowd just to see a pile of dead bodies before her, a sob escaped her lips. Everyone she knew, every single person she's been with was lying on the ground -dead.

"You did this to us. You could've saved us, Gabriella"

"Rya....n I-" Ryan walked towards her, cradling a little girl that is covered with blood.

"You could have saved her. You could have saved my child"

Her eyes widened when she realized that Ryan got a daughter. Guilt crept into her heart, making her entire body feel numb.

Then she is back in the building, Lucas was pointing the gun at her while Ryan was on the ground - lifeless.

"Traitor" 

That is the last thing she remembered before a hand grabbed her and a muffle of voices can be heard.

"Gabriella, wake up" she jolted awake and realized that she had fallen asleep right at the window. Lucas was beside her looking at the far distance, she fixed herself and adjust her eyes to the bright light. 

"Lucas, I've seen the ship last night. We are almost there" she tried to hide the fear in her voice, her dream feels so real that it made her entire body shudder. 

Lucas turned toward her, dark circles are visible under his eyes and worries etched on his face. She knows all too well that their journey is becoming more and more impossible. 

"Ryan is not well, his wounds cut deeper than I expected and it infected his body. We no longer have the vial for immunity" she doesn't like where this conversation is going, her mind was telling her to interrupt and protest.

"What are you trying to say, Lucas?" he breathed out before gazing outside again

"I just want you to be ready, once we put ourselves in a crisis situation we will do everything to protect you  but promise me that you will do everything as I say" her heart is beating frantically, Lucas is suggesting something that requires sacrifices.

"Lucas no, I can't leave you and Ryan behind please. I can't" the idea of running away without them terrifies her.

"Gabriella, this is for our own good. There are more than a thousand of undead waiting for us, if we stick together there is a few chances that we can get out alive. You need to trust me" she hates it when he is right. She nods her head but her heart is aching knowing that there are two possible things that will happen today, they will escape and reach the ship together or she have to do it on her own. 

"I promise, but promise me too that if I escape you will meet me at the ship" Lucas looks at her before ruffling her hair. 

"We need to keep moving" he didn't answer her

"We will meet again Gabby, I promise" she released the breath she didn't know she was holding.

But why does it feel like he was saying goodbye -  forever?.