Bailey:
Yawning and stretching my limbs, I hear my bones crack while they realign themselves. Tilting and cracking my neck, I turn to Tristan as he shuts the Hummer's door. Loading all the empty tin cans from last night's dinner into his backpack, Tristan tosses it onto his back and looks at Rebecca and me.
"Are you two ready?" He asks.
"For a day of non-stop walking," I answer. "Oh yeah. Can't wait."
I hear Tristan sigh through his mask and see him shake his lowered head. Nudging it a few seconds later, we start walking.
Rebecca and I follow Tristan as he guides us out of the stadium's parking lot and onto the deserted Boston streets.
"Rebecca. Listen, I know how to survive on the outside, but this is still your city. You know it better than I do. I want you to tell me if we might find any places that might have anything valuable. Okay?"
Rebecca replies by shooting Tirstan a quick wave.
"Got it. There might still be a few places nearby to scavenge for extra supplies."
The three of us travel through the empty city's streets, keeping an eye out for any more infected. Staying close to any walls and cars we come upon, we're always peeking around the corners first while staying as quiet.
"Hey. Look over there."
Rebecca stops and grabs Tristan and me. She points at something, and we follow her finger. I see what looks like a bridge leading to another section of the city.
"What? What's so special about a bridge?"
"Not the bridge itself, but what's next to it. Look."
Pointing again, I lean forward a little and see something next to the bridge. No, not just next to the bridge, but in the water.
"What is that?"
The place looks like two wooden red houses, one is short and the other is long. They're both partly damaged, with holes in their roofs and their walls having both burnt marks and bullet holes all over them. Next to the houses is what looks like a massive ship, but the sails are destroyed, and the entire back half is submerged in the water.
"That's the Boston Tea Party ship and museum."
"A museum," Tristan repeats, turning to Rebecca. "What? You want to do some sightseeing now?"
"I was never much for sightseeing. Before or after the chimeras' invasion. No, listen. If I'm remembering correctly, a lot like Fenway Park, that museum was quickly converted into a military base after the chimeras' first few attacks.
"Really? Why?"
"Well, the museum was on the water, which made it easier for sumbarines to come and go. Trust me, from what I've heard, that base was non-stop action. There were always subs coming and going. Either here to deliver supplies or to pick up supplies.
"And you're sure there might still be some supplies in there?" Tristan asks, looking at the museum.
"Maybe. As I said, that base was non-stop action. Up until the very end, just before we all had to move into the bunkers.
I can hear Tristan humming as he thinks it over. He doesn't seem to focus only on the museum, but judging from his shaking head, he's also looking at the bridge leading to it.
The bridge that the museum is next to is almost entirely gone. It's hard to tell if it was from the chimera or the weather. There are holes all over, and the water below is littered with rusted cars that must have fallen off.
"What supplies do you think might be in there?" Tristan asks.
"I don't know. Foods? Water? Weapons? Take your pick."
Okay. It's still early in the day, so I think we can spare an hour or two. Just be careful. The last landmark we went to was very crowded."
Tritan looks both ways before crossing the street. Sprinting while bent over, he stops at a rusted car. Rebecca and I do the same, and we do this over and over until we make it to the bridge. Stopping at the foot of it, I carefully lean over and see a rusted school bus also sticking out of the water.
"Fuck."
Feeling a little dizzy, I look away and shake my head.
"I'll go first. Both of you. Be careful."
Taking a deep breath, Tristan carefully walks onto what's left of the bridge. Walking between two holes, Tristan makes his way across before looking back at us.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."
Hitting the halfway mark, I watch Rebecca follow after him. Carefully stepping onto the bridge herself, she slowly walks across it, reaching the other side in only a few minutes. Once on the other side, she turns and waves at me.
"Hey. Come on."
Looking at Rebecca and then down at all the fallen cars, I start jumping up and down.
"Okay. Come on. Bailey. You can do this. You can do it. I mean, come on. Rebecca did it in only five minutes. You should be able to do the same."
Taking in a deep breath through the holes in my teeth, I step onto the little sliver of bridge left over.
"What's going on!"
For some reason, I can't raise either of my legs. I'm not even walking across the bridge anymore. I'm dragging my feet.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god!"
I feel my head getting hot, and sweat beads forming on my forehead. Wiping the sweat, I shake my hand. However, as I do, the sweat beads jump off and dive into the water below. I watch them dive, and when I look at the freezing water, something forms in my throat, and I can't breathe.
Tristan Harlow:
"What the hell is she doing?"
I watch as the package just stands still. "Come on. Get over here, damnit."
I cross my arms and tap my foot.
"Don't tap your foot," the package yells. "Please. Please!"
"What? Why can't I tap my foot?"
The package is finally moving again, but she isn't walking. She only sliding her feet against the street.
"What the hell?"
I watch the package as she keeps moving like a snail. Rebecca then hits my arm.
"Something is wrong. I think Bailey is starting to hyperventilate."
"What? What would make you say that?"
"Just listen for a second."
Rebecca zips her lips and points to the package. Leaning closer to her, I do the same, and very soon, I start to hear rapid breathing.
"I think Bailey is scared of height."
"Are you kidding me! Really? She's scared of heights? What the hell!
"Bailey," Rebecca shouts, clapping. "Listen to me. Just, don't look down."
"What? What do you mean don't look down?"
Rebecca opens her mouth to shout something, but I stop her.
"Will you two please shut up? All this screaming will attract attention."
"What do you want me to do? The kid needs help. The only thing separating her from a hundred-foot drop into the water is a tiny piece of broken tar."
Rebecca turns back to the package and starts waving her fingers wildly in the air.
"Just don't look down. And follow the sound of my voice."
"Okay. Okay!"
Bailey spreads out her arms, making them as straight as a pencil. She keeps sliding her feet along the bridge. The closer she gets, the more I can hear her talking.
"Don't look down. Don't look down. Do not look down."
Through her gas mask, I can see that her eyes are closed. Since her eyes are closed, she doesn't see the ledge.
"Stop!"
Rebecca yells, and her voice can be heard for miles around.
"What, what, what!"
The package stops, but it's too late. With her foot near the ledge, a piece of the street crumbles and drops. Bailey screams as she falls over.
"Son of a bitch!"
Rebecca, not wanting to waste a second, runs back onto the bridge.
"Hey!"
I follow Rebecca and start running toward the bridge. However, as Rebecca steps onto it, I notice more pieces breaking off and falling into the water. The sound of broken rocks hitting the water and cars loudly echoes in my ears.
"Damnit. Any more weight and the whole thing could break off."
Stepping back and staying where I am, I notice something else moving near the foot of the bridge on the other side. Stumbling out from behind the corners is a small horde of infected, their black arms swiping at the air in front of them.
"Shit!"
I watch the infected horde slowly but steadily make their way to the bridge. Rebecca, seeing all the infected, turns to me.
"Drifter! Cover us!"