CHAPTER 6.

That evening, Echo returned with half of a deer, surprising her family; with enough food to feed them for a month, if the dead doesn't get at it. Both Myles and Echo were silent. Echo continued to separate the intestines and meat that they could eat into separate piles. Myles continued to sprinkle salt onto the meat, to preserve the meat for another month. Although he was grateful he was upset that she didn't tell him beforehand. He pictured if she walked into the woods again to hunt that she wouldn't return. Myles had no knowledge that Echo met up with strangers in the woods, who barely opposed a threat to his family. Myles sat on the Picnic table, that stood next to the barn.

"I still cannot believe you brought this back." Myles started.

"Ya, it was all out of luck, I'm just surprised the dead didn't get to it first." Echo chuckled proudly. She was proud that she brought food onto the table, it made up for her absence over the years.

But she knew this was only the beginning. Repaying her debt was keeping them alive, soon enough they were going to have to condition Breanne for the new world. Echo frowned realizing that Breanne didn't get the childhood she deserved. Making friends, getting into school fights, getting her first bank account, and of course, graduating. That was the first small list that Echo recalled at the top of her head.

Dating was out of the question for her. She didn't really focus on guys like the many girls in her High School. So, if Breanne somehow meets a kid her age and gets into thinking about romance, she would be a terrible person to go to for advice.

She started to think about this other group that Rick had. Wherever they stayed, was it safe? Echo shook that thought to the back of her mind, reminding herself that she made a deal with the two to never come back the way the farm was.

But of course, that wasn't the last time she'd see them. After all the two would be too focused on scavenging for their group. Crossing the line of their agreement would lead to potential consequences for Rick and his group. But yet again, they were only Humans, just like her and her family. In other words, she doesn't have to do much to settle that agreement again.

"Why didn't you go back for the second half?" Myles curiously questioned. Almost as if he was piecing together the missing parts to her very discrete story.

"I met a couple of people in the woods, we drew our weapons, then departed with half of the deer," Echo muttered, she tossed half of the fur to the one side of the table.

"You what?! And you just let them walk away? And how did they manage to take half when you shot it?" Myles questioned in disbelief. He placed the salt mill down and stared at Echo, arms crossed, and with a firm expression, as if he was going to scold his sister.

"It was terrible timing, I shot the deer at the same time as the one man and his crossbow." Echo admitted. She jumped onto her feet and sat across Myles. He was quietly debating if this was real or not if the group she met out there could be a threat to his family and he wasn't going to risk them coming back.

"If you say so and if they come back-"

"Relax, I've got that under control." Echo interrupted her brother. His face slowly twitched in aggravation.

"Is that so? If I told you to kill them would you?" Myles pushed the situation to its final peak.

Echo gripped the edges of the table and bit her lip.

"If they draw their weapons on you three, then, of course, I fuck'n would." Echo growled.

"But didn't they draw on you-"

A small sigh escaped her lips, "I drew on them." Echo corrected Myles. Her brother froze at that moment and stumbled with his words. He was at a loss for words and didn't expect she'd be the one to do it first. Technically they did it at the same time.

A small sigh escaped his lips, "I don't blame you, you said there were two of them."

"I'm sorry if I pushed this conversation to what 'ifs'. I am just worried... You do so much for us and I feel like I'm not doing my best to protect them. If it wasn't for you showing up at my house, I'd be stuck there. I would have done the same for you if it was you and your kid." Myles confessed. He raked his hand through his brown hair. The ends of his hair dripped with thick beads of sweat.

Echo considered this to be the last warmest day before winter crept its self past them. If it fell and they haven't even strategized a plan for when winter came.

"Myles, you're doing the best you can. And always remember that you are the pillar that holds your family together." Echo smiled sweetly. Myles's tense expression changed to one that was compassionate and flattered.

"Our family. You are always a part of it and even Archangel." the two of them chuckled for a couple of moments realizing that he included her gun.

Echo wiped her fingers with the rag that Myles left at the table, to clean off their hands.

Echo's fingers grazed the outer edge of her gun.

"Yes, my kid is big and loud." Echo sarcastically joked. She jumped onto her feet and used the sling of the gun and flipped it onto her back.

"Come on, we should try and get the meat out of the sun before it spoils. Maybe even smoke it or cook it over the fire." Echo suggested. 

"And we should dispose of the remaining parts, so it doesn't attract the biters," Myles added. He gathered the parts of the deer that they weren't going to eat.

Echo halted in her tracks, "Where are we storing this?" she questioned curiously, considering they had no cold storage areas.

Myles pointed to the small shed, behind the small farmhouse. It was small and look filtered enough to not burn down. Her stride was slow, and she took that time to focus on what Myles said.

'What if they come back?' Myles's words echoed within her mind. And that she wondered whether she was doing the right thing in establishing trust this early? She frowned and sighed quietly.

Maybe this was a terrible idea, they could easily trail back and track her down. But on the brighter side, she believed that most people only wanted to help each other out and survive.

At some points through the week, seemed like a fictional part of a horror movie. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a low gurgling from one of the dead. She froze and stared at it. It stood near the shed that Myles directed her to, its back faced her, and happened to be unaware she was there.

 She slowly placed down the meet onto the grass. Her knees made a snap when she knelt. The dead slowly, twisted around and locked eyes with her. It quickly hobbled over to her. She took out her blade and grabbed onto its shoulder and stabbed it in the back of the head.

It collapsed onto its knees and tumbled over onto the grass. Every time she saw one snapping its jaw, she would go back to the vivid memory of running out of the city. She licked her lips and pushed that thought to the back of her head. She picked up the meat and hung it in the shed. The grass flattened behind her, Myles squeezed past her and hung up the remaining pieces that were edible.

Both stood in silence and stared at the deceased biter.

"If we bury it, it will take too long, so I'll take him from here." Myles volunteered, he grabbed the biter by its wrists and dragged it towards the forest. Echo took a couple of steps forward before Myles paused.

He shook his head, "Take a break, I've got it from here." Myles refused her help. She gave a small nod, before returning home.

The steps creaked with each step she took. She pictured the moment that Hannah and she were arguing. She still had to deal with Hannah and let her know that she'll be there for her, even if she isn't pregnant.

Echo walked up the stairs and onto the second level. A large amount of light shined through the bottom of a couple of rooms. A small creak came from one of the doors. Hannah exited the bathroom wearing a white, t-shirt, and a pair of dark, blue, jeans. Her hair was damp and sat obediently on her shoulders.

Hannah froze and Echo kept her gaze to the ground. She walked past Hannah and to her room at the end of the hallway. The room was a small, guest bedroom, that had quick access to the roof from the window.

Echo quietly shut the door and placed her gun against the footboard of the bed. 

A small sigh escaped her lips, she raked her fingers through her greasy hair. She took a seat on the bed and started to picture important and wonderful moments of her life before there was a knock that came from the door.

"Come in." Echo answered.

She was surprised to see Hannah, standing in her presence. She didn't have an agitated look, like this morning. So, she knew things would assumingly work out. Hannah held a stack of clothing, a blue and white, flannel. Along with a single pair of black cargo pants, and a black t-shirt.

"Myles got the shower to work, we saved you the last bit of fuel, within the generator, for you to wash up." Hannah calmly informed her.

"Thanks." Echo awkwardly replied. Hannah placed the neat pile of clothing next to her. 

Hannah held onto her belt and kept a calm and collected expression.

"I'm sorry for my rash actions this morning, I should've never said that to you, I was just afraid..." Hannah admitted, apologizing to Echo as she meant to.

Weight lifted from her shoulders, she smiled sweetly before speaking, "Ya, no worries. I get it."

"No, I mean it. I would have been proud if Breanne turned out to be something like you. Sometimes I forget that you're my sister-in-law. It's like both of you are-"

"From separate worlds?" Echo finished Hanna's sentence.

Hannah chuckled lightly to herself, "Exactly."

Echo took the time to cherish this moment and she felt the need to toss what happened between her and Hannah behind her. A small spot next to Echo sunk with Hannah's small frame. Hannah took a seat next to Echo and noticed the half-opened book that sat on the nightstand. 

"The song of Achilles. Huh, never knew you liked to read." Hannah took note of it. 

Echo licked her chapped lips, "Just something to kill time. I did it a lot when I was finished my three-mile run when I first started my training." Echo answered. 

"What's it about?" Hannah questioned inquisitively.

"It's about an extremely awkward and young Prince, Patroclus. He was exiled to the kingdom of Pythia. He was torn between love and fear of his friend. He follows his friend, Achilles, into war and puts his knowledge and skills to the test. I'm not spoiling anything more. I am close to a final couple of chapters 'till the end." Echo fondly explained.

"Sounds like you." Hannah complimented Echo.

"Back to the topic of Breanne." Hannah changed subjects and removed Echo from her smiling daze. The silence lifted and Echo's attention was removed from the closet door.

"It's going to be hard for her to grow up in a world like this, I still have hope that the world someday will return to normal. I am not saying there might be a cure-"

"Where are you going with this?" Echo interrupted Hannah before she started to rant about something entirely off-topic.

"Right, sorry. I-." Hannah inhaled thickly. 

The silence made Echo's stomach twist into knots, she wasn't sure if interrupting her changed her entire mood. Echo's hand reached for her shoulder. Her palm ghosted her shoulder, she was debating whether comfort would help her or not. But she risked it, she placed her hand on Hannah's shoulder. 

Hannah's eyes started to water when Echo comfortably started to caress her back. 

"Take your time." Echo suggested.

Hannah wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"I'm pregnant."

Echo furrowed her brows and froze in disbelief. She couldn't tell whether Hannah was joking or if this was damn serious. She chose to keep silent and not allow her opinion to force Hannah into a pit of sorrow.

"How do you know?" Echo cautiously trodden water around her.

"I took a couple of tests I found in the second bathroom, downstairs. God, how am I going to tell Myles?" Hannah sobbed loudly. Echo wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug.

Hannah's shoulders relaxed and gave into the hug. Hannah rested her head on Echo's shoulder and squeezed her eyes closed, as tight as she could. Tears exited the lids of her eyes and soaked up a small area of Echo's shoulder.

"We'll figure this out, together. Myles isn't going to freak when he hears the news." Echo took a guess, trying to comfort Hannah the best she could. She wasn't used to supporting or giving hugs. After all, this was her choice to comfort her sister-in-law. But she was barely used to allowing people to touch her, after what her uncle did to her. She was glad he never showed his face for the final time before the world practically ended. She pictured taking her wrath out on the bastard.

But it wouldn't re-write the past, nor fix it. She wouldn't be any better than him. It was only an echo of the past, a flash of memory that would fall to the ground like snow.

"Promise me one thing, if I don't make it having the baby. Promise me you'll take care of the baby and keep Breanne safe." Hannah cried out.

Echo's chest swelled and her stomach began to numb up. Picturing Hannah's death made Echo nearly cry. Or worse, Breanne or her brother.

Echo lightly nodded, "With my life." Echo vowed.

"Thank you," Hannah whispered, her sobs began to cease.

Hannah pushed away from Echo and gave her space. She wiped her tears and quietly started to count to ten.

"You should probably go wash up. You honestly smell like one of the dead." Hannah sighed, Echo's eyes traced over her copper-stained arms and the small amount of purple that grazed her arms.

She cringed in disgust, "Your diffidently right!" Echo humorously hollered, brightening the sour mood that sat in between the two. Echo stood up from her bed and took the pile of clothing.

Echo hurried off to the bathroom, leaving Hannah with her thoughts. She felt selfish the second the pads of her boots collided against the hallway. Never in a billion years did Echo think that she would miss having a shower. She closed the door behind her and turned the lock. She sat up on the counter and undid her boots.

She walked over to the foggy-stained, shower. She turned on the water, it was freezing.

"Jeezuz!!!"

"I am so glad I didn't walk into that and freeze my naked ass." Echo chuckled at her joke. She watched as the water started to steam. 

She stripped down to nothing, leaving her clothing on the side. She sighed quietly, with satisfaction and contentment. The warmth of the water drizzled down her back which was coated with enormous scars and dark bruises. Each held the same story of the beatings she would receive. 

She watched as copper-coloured water started to swirl down the drain. She felt herself freeze. How long has she been carrying other people's blood other than hers? That triggered the moment she watched as the crowd of the dead started to capture the other side of the road, within the city. She remembered vividly, refusing to give up on the soldier that pulled her back when her ears were nearly blasted out.

And she ran. Like a coward, she hated every moment of that day. She felt hot tears sting her eyes. She started to intensely scrub the layers of dirt and blood from her hair, along with almost removing the first layer of her skin. A sickening pain hit her solidly in the chest.

How could she leave all those innocent people? Even when she always played war hero, she was the coward who fled her team. A renegade of the past. She couldn't understand why she was still here until she thought of Myles, Hannah, and Breanne...

She couldn't leave them, not like she left her team in the city. She wondered if Abraham was still alive or whether he was fighting a whole different war on the other side of the world. Her back slid down the back of the shower and she folded her knees to her chest. She knew the cost of it all. But she was alive and as long as her family was, she was alright. The darker thoughts of war, and memories that were written like notes on a page, were something that she would carry with her every second. She hoped that her family wouldn't disappear like holding her breath. All of it led to negative thoughts, Echo finished up in the shower, after properly washing herself up.

She felt goosebumps scatter across her bare frame when the pads of her feet connected with the cold, tiled floor. Echo noticed she kept a lot of her muscle, except, she was losing a bit too much weight. She wiped the mirror that was coated with a small amount of dew, from the steam of the shower. She stared at herself, disgusted that her arms had a collection of dark bruises. And underneath her eyes was a dark shade of spheres.

She took the time to comb her soaked hair and put on the clothing Hannah gave her.  The flannel wasn't hers, but she could tell the black t-shirt and the cargo pants were a part of her possessions. But she wasn't the type to complain about clothing. 

Silently, she crept back to her room. Her ears flicked upon a sound she couldn't make out. It sounded like it was muffled and there was yelling. Her stomach twisted into knots, she hoped it wasn't Hannah and Myles yelling at each other outside. Echo wandered over to the window and peaked out the window. Her eyes widened when she saw a group of people walking through the fields. Echo's lips tightened and her fingers curled into tight fists. What were they doing back here?

"Damn, I thought we had an agreement," Echo muttered under her breath.