Chapter 33 - [33] Liza's story

We pulled off the road into another remote stretch of forest, the sun high in the sky as we stopped for a much-needed break. The air was cooler here, the dense trees providing shade from the heat, but the tension from earlier still hung in the air like a thick fog.Daisy turned off the truck, the engine's hum dying down as we all climbed out. The girl, still tied up in the back, squirmed as she shifted her weight, trying to find a more comfortable position."We should check on her," Yabe said softly, glancing toward the tailgate. "She's been tied up for hours."Daisy gave a grunt of acknowledgment but didn't seem too concerned. "Yeah, fine. Let's see if she's still playing nice."I walked over with Daisy and Yabe, glancing into the back of the truck. The girl—who we still didn't have a name for—looked up at us with a scowl. Her hands were bound tightly behind her back, and a gag was still tied around her mouth. She wriggled uncomfortably, glaring at us with those sharp, bratty eyes.Daisy reached down and roughly pulled the gag out of her mouth. "You behave, or the gag goes back in. Got it?"The girl gasped for air, then shot us all a defiant glare. "Fk you. I'm not some damn animal."Daisy didn't flinch. "You're gonna act like one if you keep running your mouth."The girl let out an exaggerated sigh, her bratty attitude still on full display despite the situation. "Fine, fine. But seriously, I need to piss. Like, bad. You gonna keep me tied up while I pee? Is that some kind of kinky shit for you guys?"Yabe's face flushed slightly, but she kept her composure. "Senpai, maybe we should—""No," Daisy cut in, her voice firm. "I'm not untying her. She pulled a stunt earlier, and I'm not giving her a chance to do it again."The girl groaned in frustration, squirming even more. "Come on, I'm not gonna run! I just don't wanna piss myself, alright? At least let me go to a bush or something. I'll be quick."Daisy crossed her arms, considering it for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Alright. But I'm coming with you. And Yabe's coming too. You try anything—anything at all—and I'll make sure you don't get another chance."The girl grinned, though there was a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Wow, a three-girl field trip to take a piss? How exciting."Daisy ignored her sarcasm, grabbing her by the arm and hauling her out of the truck. "Let's go."Yabe followed, casting me a quick glance before heading into the woods with them. "We'll be right back, Senpai."I watched as they disappeared into the trees, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot fading into the distance. Ethan leaned against the truck, shaking his head with a chuckle. "This chick's got balls, I'll give her that.""Yeah, well, she's lucky she's still breathing," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. "We don't know anything about her, and she already pulled one stunt."Ethan shrugged. "At least it makes things interesting, right?"Ten minutes later, Daisy and Yabe returned with the girl in tow. She looked a bit more relaxed, though her hands were still bound behind her back. As they approached the truck, her stomach let out a loud, embarrassing growl."Sounds like someone's hungry," I said, raising an eyebrow.The girl glared at me, her cheeks slightly red. "Yeah, no shit. You gonna feed me, or are you just gonna watch me starve?"Daisy rolled her eyes, shoving the girl down onto the ground near the truck. "You're lucky we didn't leave you to starve, brat. Sit tight. We're having lunch."We all settled down around the truck, pulling out cans of food from our supplies. It wasn't much—just some beans and a few cans of soup—but it was enough to keep us going. The girl watched us carefully, her eyes flicking between the cans of food with a mix of frustration and hunger.Yabe opened a can of beans and quietly handed it to her. "Here," she said softly. "It's not much, but it'll help."The girl hesitated for a moment, then took the can with her bound hands, using her teeth to pry it open. "Thanks... I guess."We all ate in silence for a while, the tension from earlier still lingering in the air. The girl wolfed down her food quickly, her bratty attitude taking a back seat to her obvious hunger. After a few minutes, she leaned back against the truck, letting out a satisfied sigh."So," she said, wiping her mouth on her sleeve, "since we're all cozy now, I guess I should tell you my name."Daisy raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Yeah? And what is it?"The girl smirked. "It's Liza.""Liza, huh?" I said, eyeing her carefully. "What were you doing out here alone, Liza?"Liza shrugged, her tone casual despite the situation. "Same thing you're doing. Surviving. Thought I could take your supplies, get a better shot at living another day. Clearly, that didn't work out."Daisy's eyes narrowed. "You were willing to kill one of us just for some supplies?"Liza met her gaze, her expression hardening for a moment. "You do what you have to in this world. It's fucked up, but it's survival. You wouldn't have let me walk away, either."I exchanged a glance with Daisy, unsure of what to make of her. Liza was rough around the edges, but there was something about her that I couldn't quite figure out."Well, you're with us now," I said finally. "You play nice, and maybe we'll let you stick around. But try anything like you did earlier, and it's not gonna end well for you."Liza rolled her eyes but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I'll behave. Just don't treat me like a prisoner forever, alright? I might get bored and start causing trouble.""Don't tempt me," Daisy muttered, finishing off her can of beans.A few minutes later, we finished our lunch, Liza who sat on the log straightened her back, her bratty attitude simmering down as she stared off into the distance. The smug grin she'd worn earlier faded, replaced by a distant, hollow look in her eyes. After a few moments of silence, she spoke up, her voice quieter than before."I'm from LA," she muttered, kicking at the dirt with her sneaker. "Wasn't even supposed to be out here. I was just visiting some family in Kennewick. You know, small-town shit."I raised an eyebrow. "So, you were just passing through?"Liza nodded, her fingers absentmindedly fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie. "Yeah. My mom sent me up here to stay with my aunt and cousins. She thought I'd be safer here than in the city, with all the crazy shit going on back home."Ethan, sitting nearby, scoffed. "Safer? Doesn't look like that worked out too well."Liza shot him a quick glare but didn't respond immediately. She bit her lip, and I could see her eyes start to well up, the tough exterior cracking just a little."I thought they'd be safe," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "My aunt, my little cousins... we thought we'd be fine. Small town, right? But when the outbreak hit... everything went to shit."Her hands clenched into fists, her body trembling slightly as she continued. "It happened so fast. One day, we're just living our lives, and the next... they're gone. My aunt got bit. Then my cousins. They turned, right in front of me."Liza's voice broke, and she wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. "I couldn't do anything. I couldn't... I had to run. I had to leave them behind."Yabe, who had been quietly listening, reached out and gently touched Liza's shoulder. "I'm so sorry..."Liza's tough facade finally cracked. Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head. "I didn't even get to say goodbye. They just... turned into those fucking things. And I had to run like a coward. I didn't know what else to do."Daisy's expression softened slightly, though she kept her usual tough stance. "It's not your fault, kid. We've all lost people."Liza sniffed, wiping her tears away angrily. "Yeah, well, it still sucks. It all fking sucks."We sat in silence for a few moments, the weight of Liza's story hanging in the air. It was a reminder that no one was untouched by this apocalypse. We'd all lost someone. We'd all had to make impossible choices."You did what you had to do to survive," I said quietly. "It's all any of us can do."Liza didn't respond, but I could see the pain etched on her face. The bratty attitude had melted away, revealing the scared, grieving girl underneath.Q: How would you comfort a stranger or not?