They Walk

Chapter Forty Six

Later that day when we are at dinner, I finally have my chance to see if anyone is game to join me to go to Bates College. I almost didn’t have the nerve to even bring it up, but Gabe had convinced me to earlier when we were alone. All day I spent brewing to leave right away, and Gabe noticed that I was more upset over something and I had to explain why to him.

I have to give him credit; he listened to me rant and raves about my crazy idea.

He didn’t interrupt once. I knew I had a good reason for caring about him, when he tells me he’d follow me to the end of the earth if he had to. This sent me blushing and wanting to laugh, if he didn’t sound so serious, I probably would have. Instead, I felt my eyes fill with tears, and slammed into him with a hug.

He went on to tell me that we should approach the group before we make any solo plans, which I ended up agreeing to. That’s how we are now surrounded by the others at a table and I’m left trying to figure out how to bring it up. They all seem happy, or as happy as we can be after a disaster, and it makes me hesitate. Gabe keeps giving me reassuring looks like he’s trying to let me off the hook and will fill them in, but I shake my head no. I have to be the one to ask, since it’s my fault if they decide to join us. It’s my parents I want to go off to find, and they have no reason to risk their lives for me.

With my head still throbbing, my stomach starts to roll.

I have a flashback of standing in front of my high school class having to give a speech. Regardless of wanting to do this myself, Gabe broaches the subject for me, after I keep stalling.

“So Noah, is there any word about the Bates College survivors?” He says as he interrupts his conversation with Hunter over the proper usage of a gun versus knife.

“I asked the Captain about it last night, but he said it’s the same. Some of the guards are talking about it though, saying there is more of a horde of the dead there than here.” Noah says as a matter of fact.

“Doesn’t seem possible does it? There being so many here and all.” Hunter says.

Everyone at the table goes quiet for a second, and Gabe flashes me a look as if saying now is your chance, so take it. Before I can even change my mind, I jump in.

“Is it possible to make it through them and onto the campus?” I say with a shaky tone to my voice.

Claire fixes me with a sad expression that I try to ignore, and just focus on Noah, who is also watching me like he can see where I am going with this.

“It could be, if you had the right weapons and the bodies to back you up. It wouldn’t be easy though.” Noah says.

In my mind I remember bagging the larger guns from the armory with Gabe, and that they are still hiding out in Noah’s car trunk. This makes me grin slightly, and the way Noah sits back suddenly with wide eyes, I know he remembers the sub-machine and Uzi guns.

“So if we had the right guns, we might be able to make it through then?” I say again as the others glance between Noah and I in confusion, except for Gabe who is watching me intently.

“Maggie, what is this all about?” Claire asks from beside me, breaking the silence at the table.

Turning to her, I take a deep breath and try to contain my excitement.

“My parents might be at Bates Claire. I have to go after them if I can.”

Her eyes go even wider than Noah’s did, and she leans around me glances to Gabe.

“You can’t possibly be thinking of taking her back out there are you?” Claire says angrily.

Before Gabe can come to my defense, I interrupt him.

“If it was your mom that was still out there, tell me you wouldn’t want to go after her?”

She visibly flinches and glances to her other side where her mother has been quietly listening to us talk. The way Claire’s face softens when she faces back to me; I know she would leave if she wanted to find her mother.

“It’s dangerous Maggie, and what if they aren’t even there, what then?” Claire says so softly.

“This is my parents we’re talking about Claire, and I can’t leave them no matter what. I promised Dan I would find them, and that’s what plan to do, even if I have to do it alone.”

Gabe wraps his arms around me from behind and pulls me back against him.

“Not alone, I’m not going anywhere.” He whispers into my hair, causing me to deflate and sigh into him.

“You guys won’t be going alone, I’ll take you there.” Noah says determinedly across from us.

Gabe and I both turn to him in shock, and his sister is also looking at him in confusion. I have to say, I’m a little confused myself, and I would have never thought he’d be willing to help.

“Why, would you risk it?” I can’t help asking him.

“Maggie, you and yours helped me get here and I finally know my sister is safe. I owe you one, and I have to do all I can to help you find who you are looking for.”

I can’t breathe for a moment, and we are all watching him in awe. Hanna seems slightly hurt by his admission, but she’s not telling to not go, which makes me think more of her. I do notice that Claire seems hunched over and scoots closer to her mother, and I realize then without asking, that she won’t help us.

I can’t blame her though, I wouldn’t want to if I was in her position.

What surprises me and probably all the others, is when Hunter speaks up and says he’ll help us too. He says he knows the campus pretty well, and won’t have a problem showing us around. Even if he keeps giving me these weird looks as he explains, I can’t turn away the help he offers.

As I sit in my own bubble of hope, Gabe and Noah make plans to go over some maps of the college in the morning. Apparently some of the soldiers have all sorts of street maps and even land layouts and blueprints, which come in handy for us now. I want to insist that we get started right away so that we can leave tomorrow, but I’m already getting help and I don’t want to ruin my chances.

I just have to get through the next couple of hours, and try not to burst with excitement.