Our Days Are Numbered

Chapter 12

I Stood up and rushed to the door, the sound was a baby, a baby crying.

“Zoni, no” I heard come from behind but I was already out the door, a booming of thunder sounded as I looked around trying to figure out the direction that the cry was coming from. A flash of lightning light up the grounds for a second, it was completely empty except for one eater that had a basket on their back. Another boom of thunder sounded making the crying baby louder.

“Zoni, get back here” Devin shouted, a flash of lightning lit up the grounds again, the eater had heard us and was now on its way back. The rain started to fall from the sky getting heavier by the second

“Zoni!” Devin shouted “for f**k sakes get back in here”

“Can you not hear it” I shouted back at him, Devin frowned at me. Shrinking back as lightning flashed through the sky again bringing the booming sound of thunder and finally the shrieking cry from the baby. The eater was getting closer and I realized that it had something tied to the front of it along with a basket on its back. The rain was coming down in heavy sheets, the ground becoming a muddy puddle, water started pooling around my feet, I needed to get closer to eater and take I down without hurting the baby

“Zoni” this time it was Granville’s voice;” you need to come in” a flash of light lit up the grounds again the eater was close along with another two close behind it that I hadn’t seen before. Thunder boomed

“Zoni”

“Listen,” I said putting up my hand as the thunder ended. The cries of the baby were loud and clear. Making Granville look up at the eaters that were closing in on us. He looked back at me and made a move to the Eater that the baby’s cries were coming from. Without thinking I followed suit and grabbing onto the basket as Granville shoved a knife into its head. I pulled the basket to me. The eater’s arms ripping off with the force that I used to yank it off. As soon as I had eyes on the baby I pulled it out of the basket and held it to my chest. Shielding it from the rain as Granville grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the church door as another eater swiped at me. I entered back into the church dripping wet and holding the crying baby to me. Everyone had woken up with the commotion that Devin and Granville had made. Granville ran towards some bags while Devin stared down at me. I could tell that he was angry but I didn’t care at that moment.

Thunder continued to echo around us. The world seemed to stop as I looked down at the child in my arms, it couldn’t have been more than a few months old. Six at the most. The Eater that was carrying her must have turned a few days ago, the poor thing must have been starving.

Granville came back with a blanket and what looked like a bottle in his hands. I looked at him feeling confused about what I had to do. I didn’t want to let the child go. Suddenly I realized that it was wet and I had to get the clothes off, I stripped the wet clothes from the baby including the soaked nappy that she was wearing. I wrapped her in the blanket and Granville handed me the bottle, she took it instantly. Guzzling down the liquid that was in the bottle.

“We will need baby supplies as soon as possible” Brett said looking down at the baby. Brett had lost his pregnant wife to an eater before he joined us. He looked at the baby with pure affection for it, even though it was clearly not his.

I heard the door open and close again, and looked back to see Devin holding something that looked mangled in his hand

“Was bitten on the 14th September, please help my Nora” Devin readout

“14th…” I said softly “that was almost a week ago,” I said looking down at her, her eyes were wandering about all around her, she was quiet again but she wasn’t smiling at anyone. Her eyes on mine, her skin was sunburnt, her green eyes were bloodshot and she felt lighter than she should have.

“Does it say how old Nora is”

“Nope” Devin looked at the note again and then crumbled it up again and threw it down he then put his hands in his pockets and looked at me with narrowed eyes. “What’s the plan with it?”

“Excuse me?  It? Her name is Nora, and we are taking her back to camp”

“You going to take her on the rest of the raid? She will have the Eaters after us at all time if she starts screaming”

“So would you have me leave her and die”

“No life for a child, it would be far more forgiving to kill her and leave”

“Are you f*****g crazy, did you f*****g hit your head in the last 24 hours”

“Who is going to look after it” Devin’s voice was starting to get louder. Startling Nora. “See that thing is going to get one look at eater and scream” Devin moved to take the baby from my hands but it was Brett that pulled her from my arms, I let go and without a second thought my fist met Devin’s cheek. He stumbled back and looked at me in shock

“You will not touch her!” I shouted, “You will not even look at her, and god so help you if you do!”

“Who will be her parent?” Devin said holding his hand to his cheek “You? You who is running around risking their life?” as I was about to shout yes to him another voice boomed over me

“Me,” Brett said loudly he was holding Nora against his chest, she had stopped crying and was now looking up at him “She will be mine”

“you?” Devin spat “You are barely at the camp she will never survive with you looking out for her’

“Zoni, I need my position re-evaluated,” Brett said ignoring Devin completely, I gave a short nod at Brett

“This is ridiculous” Devin shouted

“Okay shut up!” Granville’s voice boomed over the arguing that had erupted. Everyone fell silent and the only noise that could be heard was the heavy rain and the thunderclaps from the outside. “You,” he said pointing to Devin “touch that child and I break your hand” he turned to me,

“there is no way for you to look after a child, you are far to busy that Devin has a point on” I looked at him through narrowed eyes. And turned to Brett who was holding a sleeping Nora.

“Brett, you understand that there is enough woman at the camp that wouldn’t mind taking in the child. We cannot afford to lose you on the raids.” Brett looked down at the baby that was snoozing away in his arms. He shook his head and looked up at me with wet eyes.

“My wife, my unborn child, is no longer there. This child lost their parents. We are a perfect match” Brett’s voice slightly cracked as he spoke.

“It’s settled” I looked back at Devin. “The raid will continue as planned and we get back to camp as fast as we can, that understood?” Devin just looked at me, I could see that he was furious, but he eventually nodded. Walking off and settling on a sleeping bag.

I knew one thing at that point that was true. This raid just got harder