Would you come if I wish to?. Would you hold me down when I need to?. Would you come, tell me what makes you go this mad on me?. Did you ever feel something?. Fate!. Tell me, why am I here and without my willingness at that?!.
-by anonymous 

" Come on, you can do better!."
"Now, boy. Are you going to put a shame on the men's race with that punch?"
"Harder boy!. Harder!."
Sweats have me suffocating with how the clothes stick to my body. To my dismay, Blythe truly never goes easy on me. He threw me in the midst of the zombie sea, and he said, I quoted "you need to learn to survive, kid."
How the hell, throwing people between the sea of zombies have to do with survival training?. It's impossible!.
But, just like he said. I want to survive!!!
The ripper as the mutual agreement to name the one who rip and throw people on to the ground and proceed to eat their head, roar angrily as it stomps his feet faster to get me headless and have my head on his taste bud. 
Two weeks ago I wouldn't imagine getting thrown out the bus like this. And this time since I already successfully defeated the normal zombies with hand combat, Blythe said I need to do the same with the mutated one. Hell, just said you want me dead, you straw coconut bald man!!!
While the ripper with its muscles thigh put on his weight to chase me, I was chasing the jeep, running from that big guy. The screeching in the air was not a good sign as I put my pedal harder. 
"Yo old man"
I tried to breathe. My lungs stings within my chest.
"Would ya help?. You bald man!"
He laughed before setting the steering wheel on hold with his thigh, he slow down the jeep and yeeted me from the ground by my coat collar. He pulled me inside like a kitten, easily. And put me to the passenger seat as he took control of the jeep again. The roar is getting louder this time. 
The big guys seem to be frustrated.
I tried to catch my breath, my heart beating like crazy. I haven't had any food this morning, he was already in my room, pulling me out for another 'training' even with Sarah protested.
"That's a good workout, monkey boy."
I don't know how it happened, but, as if everyone agrees to call me monkey boy which starts with a joke now it has become my nickname. 
"That's crazy you bald man!. I might get eaten by that big guy. Have you finally lost your mind?!"
And our relationship is just like this. I would cuss him out for making me do those ridiculous training and he would put me up for more which I appreciated because I have the opportunity to improve my stability, agility and stamina. And today, he purposely made me run four miles before he pulled me into the jeep. 
Annoying bastard!.
He laughed before we got startled by the screeching and the stomping wasn't faded anymore, if anything it got closer.
"Yo, bald man. That's bad news."
Without any further statement, we both know we should do something to chase those two or at least eliminate them for the sake of survival. But, that won't do anything due to a lot of zombies going through mutation, and that means there's a lot more of those out there. Killing one or two makes no difference. 
"There's a machine gun back there."
No need to tell me twice. I jumped to the back, finding a long wooden box laying down, covered with black cloth. 
I ripped the cloth and the wooden top, and reached for the machine gun next to my favourite weapon, grenade launcher. If there's something unique about the laketown resident, they have a nice craftsmanship on weapons, you got most weapons made from that weird half russian guy. What kind of potato is his name I forgot, it sounds much closer to potato and I don't know how to pronounce his name properly which he just laughed at and called me monkey boy as a mocking. 
Letting the sling on my shoulder, I started shooting the machine guy to the big buy below to decrease his pace. A few bullets go through his skin, but I guess his skin is just as stubborn as he is. 
The screaming screech made my head ring as I fell to my butt. The hot liquid poured out from my ears. As I wiped it, the red with a metallic smell made me realise it's a screaming blood bat. The advanced mutations of zombie bats. And I got blood dropped from my ears. 
This is bad.
I pushed myself as I picked my sanity back. I aim for the blood moon bat, and shoot the machine gun, aiming the bat's wings. 
"Goddamn! Just how thick your skin can be?."
I put down the machine gun and got the grenade launcher this time, hoping to do something. Setting the grenade launcher, I start to shoot on the ground a few inches before the big guy, so it does explode for the big guy and not just fly through him. 
The smoke thickens within the woods. As I almost took the grenade launcher to shoot down the big naughty bat, the big guy roared as he marched out of the thick smoke. 
"Bald man. Gotta be faster!. Shoooootttt!"
I screamed as the big guy suddenly held out and gripped down the blood bat. He ripped it down and threw it down on the ground again and again that's from far I still can see the head split into two and the brain splattered around. 
I held the pole. 
"Oi old man. Did we survive a ripper and a blood bat?."
"That ripper just don't like to share his prey. Better put up your guard monkey boy if you want to survive."
I better be...
Just like he said, the big guy marching to us, ignoring the head. He preferred our head it seems. However, his pace did slow down than before. 
"Then, big guy. I hope you do like this gift."
I give him one more grenade a few inches before him. Three seconds gap between each shot. Smoke filled the thick forest, the shade makes it look as if the forest just has an inferno licked them up. I waited for him to just appear behind that thick smoke, but a loud thud filling the engine noise in the jungle. 
May that was the sound of that big guy finally collapse. I do hope for it now. 
"Stay down-"
Before Blythe finished his words, the car swings suddenly, making me unstably standing behind the jeep thrown out to the ground, I rolled from the impacts, the grenade tight in my hug, luckily not getting my head blown up. 
A smash was heard, I tried to have a painless rolling down if possible, but two seconds view was enough to make me hold my leg before I put pressure and slowing down my rolling. 
What we got now?. 
That bald man really turned around the jeep to save me but the big four feet crawling creature ends up smashing the jeep engine, making Blythe jump out from his jeep. The new guy have an oily dark crocodile skin. Whatever you are, you're gonna die. 
I charge the grenade right on his back. The grenade does explode as his back, sizzled with the heavy fire which decreases into nothingness. The thing jump off his position and aiming for me. 
Shit shit shit!...
In a brief chaos, I saw Blythe laid in the ground near a tree. Gosh... I only have a small knife, if the grenade doesn't help... 
I tried to shoot it down again. 
Again.
That thing jumped once and he was in the air for a second before it landed right in front of me. The gust of wind put a lot of pressure before it took me off my feet and sent me straight rolling down the hill. Knocking my breath out as my back is bumping on the dead tree trunk. The bark slowly leaned down as it finally fell on that thing, making a loud thud. It clawed it out of his way. 
Pushing myself off the ground, reminded myself that this doesn't only concern my life but also Blythe's. The dizziness quickly caught me off, if anything, dizziness was never a nuisance and never will be. It does not bother me a bit. 
Pulling the kitchen knife from my boot I taught to join around with this knife trying to prank the old man into thinking this was my only weapon. Who knows I would be caught in this web and truly use this as my weapon. 
Trying to steadily find a pace as that thing takes its sweet time to pounce on me, probably trying to play with his prey before killing it. If not mistaken, this mutated zombie is called the crawler, who is eight feet at least five feet smaller than the ripper. 
I put as much strength on my arm as I ran for it. My advantage is that it underestimates small things and sees this as the last attempt before he snapped my bone into a smashed potato. 
The knife's tip pierced the soft skin between its eyes. He tried to claw me off, the shred sounds prove he got me at least. Trying to jump and put my whole weight on the knife. The knife slid through his skin, as it's sticky dark green almost red blood, pus-like liquid. 
It's shrieking as it's frantically clawing whatever in front of it. Finally, tugging on my clothes, it tried to stab me with his human's length claw. I pushed the wounds further before jumping out if it attempted to get me. 
In its vulnerable state, I ran for the grenade launcher I dropped earlier. Setting it again, I gave it the last shot in its most vulnerable spot, its face. 
The blow makes it blood poured like rain with pus. The rotten blood smell lingers in the air. Huffing out, my erratic heart making me finally notice its conditions.
Pulling my weight, I walked for the jeep. It's getting dark now, we have to do something, we can't see this creature at night and certainly its sight increases so dramatically at night, and I don't want to bet if this place is the crawler nest. As per I heard, this misty jungle is their place. 
Thanks to me later old man, I might give a concussion on you for bringing me into their nest you jackass!.
Just like I remember, the thick rope that was supposed to hold the ship was there and some other thing that maybe can help a little before the sun rises. It's enough then. The jeep was already smashed into pieces in the front, don't ask me to drive that, even if he asked, I'll double his concussion for him to see better.
Dragging Blythe to the thickest tree around here, I wrapped him into the black clothes early to warm him up. The machine gun and grenade launcher box's lid. It's thick so well to be this man's coffins. 
I sighed...
Pulling the rope, I tried my best to steady the rope to hold the lid. Vividly I remember tying the stretcher in an emergency helicopter. I wasn't sure if it was working, but I tied it around and made some space between the rope like a triangle with the lid being the lower part of the triangle. 
Pulling as hard as I was capable with the remaining energy, making sure the rope tight as it is. The rope was too long, so I cut it into two pieces, leaving the one with the lid at least tenth feet. Just how I remember the stretcher thing, this wasn't enough to go on a full stretcher tied patient but enough to stick Blythe to the lid no matter what. 
Dragging Blythe to the lid, I realised it's getting late so much, in. A few minutes I can't see any shit in the dark. Tying the rope around me, I tried to do the monkey trick they mocked me for. 
Pulling him was just like trying to pull the truck out of the water. Trembling, my head feels like it might blow out with the veins popping so hard. I took a deep breath as I tried to grasp the thickest part of the branch. 
An inhumane groan left my throat trying to pull this man up. I don't go any five feet yet, and I was dying already. However five feet doesn't save considering that crawler maybe around eight feet and the big guy ripper somewhere above the crawler height. 
Not a time to take five!...
Blythe's lid hit the tree softly as I struggled to pull him up. It's dark, entirely dark, not even the branch in front of me visible. And the moon was hidden by the thick jungle. Fit to its name, Misty Jungle. 
I tried to feel any branch up of me, and if it was thick enough to hold both of us. I groaned again, picking up my pace, since I wasn't sure how high we already went for, I put guess we maybe six feet from the ground. 
Pulling up, and up, higher and higher. Until the tips of my fingers are only able to trace the weak branches above us. Maybe this is far enough?. 
I jumped to the opposite side of the branch, holding it, making the rope wrap up the branch, climbing the same branch, and dropping again. Until the rope wrapped the branch's fifth layer. I hold my hand to see if the lid is laid horizontally and doesn't slant on any side. And if the gap between the triangle and the beaches is too far or too close. 
Checking everything with my palm senses. I finally untied the rope around me and started the final tying the rope on the branch in a tight tying as much as possible.
On second thought, I don't know if anything will happen, but if it does, and with this vast darkness, I will see nothing. I tied it back across my body and carefully laid my stomach down on the branch. I positioned myself like a panda sleeping on the branch. 
I sighed again. I feel my bone twisted, if it's possible. And my arms are numb, everything hurts as much as they can.
However...
That's maybe it for now. 
If anything happens, I will rack my mind again, later.
The stomping, growling just as predicted. While they went crazier at night, my aching body slowly pulled me into a deep sleep. May it be because of the exhaustion or because it's dark and lulled me with the deepest sleep it can offer, just how much it can offer, not like Dylan's and Sarah's child bed... That's... Much... Softer...
For a second, children laughing filled my head. And flashing of people around the white round table enjoying the feast, while children running and some guys grilling some meat. The conversation was incoherent, but I managed to call someone's name and a smile slipped at the corner of my lips. It was sunny, and it felt good...
Yes... Right... I do have my... machine gun and... Grenade...
_________________...
The white spot and my consciousness slowly dotted around, until my head flashed on the crawler last night. I jolted before the ropes pulled my back.
Looking around, the land is just as misty as it can get and brighter... It's still dark but I can see things here. I forgot, that it was dark earlier in the misty jungle than the Laketown resident. Because of the atmosphere and I don't know...
I scooted closer to ease the rope around my left shoulder across my right waist. Glancing down, the old man still passed out. Now, how can I drop us down, and finally realize I climbed so so so high that my head alarmed me with danger. As if I jumped and dropped to the ground. 
I don't know if I forced myself to climb this high. 
Ah, yes... I remember touching the soft branch. 
I look up, there's at least thirty feet to reach the peak. 
God...
How we'll go down?. Twentieth feet, I still can manage, but, but this high?. It's like twice as high as that!.
"Yo, bud..."
A hoarse voice greeted my panicked state. I locked down to see Blythe groaning, trying to wriggle free from the rope. Maybe the current situation still hasn't hit him in the right spot in his bald head.
"If you want to live, you better not move."
I threatened, racking my mind to get us both down safely.
He looked at me, surprised. He was stunned that not even a word came out of his gaping mouth. 
"What did ya say?. Oh hell nah, that's not how you talk with me ya little kid. Let me off so I can punch into your little head giving some sense to ya!. You don't go threaten me like that! Come on!"
I scoffed at making his eyes bulge with the loud 'excuse me?!' ever in his stare. Frustrated with everything at this point and the pent-up anger from yesterday still not faded away I glared at him with much intensity he squinted his eyes, looking at me, surprised.
"Shut the fuck up, old man!. We are forty feet up here. And you better thank me for saving your life back then or you get to be squashed potato and thank me for using my monkey skill to hold you up here!. You will do me a favor if you shut the fuck up as I think how the fuck I can get both of us down the ground without splitting our heads, got it?."
Blythe shut his mouth as he looked over the trunk, away from my burning eyes. He suddenly looked at me, his face brightened up.
"There's a firework gun, whatever they call it, the one you shot, and there will be a red spark for them to see our location. And they will save us! There's one in the drawer!"
I looked at him, like he had split his soul and had his butt clean in front of my eyes. 
"Do you know the jeep was smashed half of it?, you're lucky to have that lid fine and sturdy, I was thinking of using it for your coffin at first."
He pursed his lips, thinking of any more ideas.
"How about screaming for help?. We aren't far from the residents."
He looked at me with his thick eyebrow dancing weirdly. 
"No, old man. Instead of them, if the zombies came, I'll throw you down to feed 'em."
I said rolling my eyes.
"You're hard to please."
He rolled his eyes back at me.
"Fancy to hear that from you."
There's a full silence between us as I study the surroundings. It's quiet. And that's never good news in the misty jungle. Often than not, that's when the big, really big head decided to come and have a rest here. 
We gotta go before the chaos ensues. 
I dropped down to the branch a few inches down from Blythe's stretcher. I tried to release his arms and his feet from the rope but still attached him to the stretcher. 
"What are you doing?. Are planning to drop me down?. Now hear me young man. The residents need their head security. I'll think, I'll think of we can get out of here, hmm?. Dude, don't - ohh... You're not gonna sacrifice me."
"Even though how much I hate your training, this is also your training to scout the place first and not let us go straight into an easier death road, do you understand?"
"Yeah. Yeah. I understand.."
I pushed him towards the branch up there where the rope wrapped it up. 
"Now, hold that tight so I can untie the rope."
"What?!."
He almost screamed. He agitatedly shaking his head. 
"Are you crazy?!."
He accused.
"Do you want to get down?. By the way the whole jungle went silent, there's no growling, roaring, stomping, anything. There's a big, really big guy here. So, if you want to survive trust me for now, and when we get down you led the way home, deal?"
He nodded scared. 
This old man... I want to sigh so deep that my frustrated soul blew out my chest with it. 
I climb back, untie the rope around me, and undo the rope from the branch. I pulled Blythe to lay on his stomach rather than hanging down like a sloth. He stiffened as he tried to not move so much. I undo a few knots, helping him to sit and the lid slid up behind him. I undo most of the rope, and the lid slid down and knocked me on the head. 
I tied the rope around the lid and bind them to me. Blythe slowly trembly look behind to me. 
"What are you doing?."
He whispered.
"Don't want it to make a loud sound if we just let it fall to the ground. Now, can you climb down?."
He shake his head. 
"Seriously?."
I asked. He proud being a head security but he doesn't even know this basic things?. I truly let out a deep sigh.
I hung off the branch and laid my feet on another branch down there. I thrown the wooden lid across the branch he sat. 
"Now hold that rope and slowly come down."
I instructed. 
He laid his stomach and held the rope just like how I told him to. He swings his leg and hug the rope as he slide down. I noticed something, as he reached the ranch I was in, I ripped the black cloth on the stretcher I used on him last night. Sitting on the branch, I wrapped it around his hands, to avoid any injuries.
I pulled the rope and the stretcher fall down, I placed it across the branch again, and he slid down, and again, and again, again... Until we reached down. 
Upon reaching the ground, we saw the machine gun and the grenade launcher laid untouched on the ground, so we picked up and he led the way out through the shortest route. We watched our surroundings, worried if anything appear suddenly.
Until we sees the wooden gate, we don't stop, and until we are inside, we can't let our guard down.