I felt Max's reassuring hand lightly squeeze my shoulder, "What are you thinking?" 

"You know what I'm thinking. You don't need to read my mind to know,"

"It's too dangerous. I won't let you leave,"

"You cant stop me"

"So, you're just going to walk all the way to Washington only to be taken by the guards and killed or even worse, enslaved? Is that your plan?"

"If that's what it takes," I say glaring at him,

"Oh, please, don't be so dramatic. This isn't a movie, quit the acting," he says getting up from where he sat on the edge of the tub,

"Seriously? Piss off, Max! You're the one going on about how we could be something  in your freaking unrealistic mind. Grow up!"

 I got up and motioned towards the door, but before I could, he grabbed my arm, "I'm not letting you leave"

"Watch me," I say, shaking him off.

I went into the next room. He didn't follow. I put all my stuff in my bag and zipped it up. Wilson watched me from where he was perched, on the window.

"Come on Wilson, we're leaving," I say lifting him up,

He was forced into the cramped bag, with much protest. I walked towards the metal, looking into the other room with the corner of my eye. He was just sitting there, his head in his hands.

I was going to look for Dylan, and he couldn't stop me. 

It was humid. I brushed the stray hair that dangled teasingly in front of my face, behind my ear. It wasn't right to say goodbye like this. I just stood there, on the pavement, looking in the alley at the small metal door that stood at the end. My mind was made. I was going to look for Dylan.

I pulled out the map that I had routed beforehand, knowing that I would have to get to Washington sometime.

I walked along the paved ground, keeping a look out for any scouts. I wasn't holding the gun, it was tucked away in my bag. Wilson looked up at me, as if in his mind he was saying, 'help me'. He was cramped into the bag with only his head popping out from the opening. I looked ahead of me. I hadn't really noticed the still eeriness of the buildings before. I always had other things to think about. But now, my mind was clear, for the very first time, I knew exactly what I was doing.

I continued moving North. It had been less than a couple hours of continuous walking and I stopped for a break. I was in the open, exposed, vulnerable, but there was no sight of the beings anywhere. I walked myself over to small abandoned hot-dog stand, missing a wheel, and well, the hot-dogs. Oh, what I would do for one of those right now. I put the bags down on top of it and pulled out my flask. As I opened it, I heard something. Wilson hopped out and pricked his ears out, before running off beyond a wired fence, "Wilson!" I loudly whispered in his direction. Stupid cat. I looked around, the strange silence was deafening. Suddenly I heard something. It was loud and it echoed in the empty streets, the sound waves bouncing off the empty buildings. I clenched my ears and screamed. I felt my nose start to bleed. Tears strolled down my face as the pain became even more intolerable. The sound was high pitched and bleak, just a continuous amplified sound. My skull felt like it was shattering, I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears, I fell down to my knees, and gave up. My body collapsed...again. Damn it, Alex!