I stood atop the box with anxious faces looking at me. Everyone was waiting for me to say something great, some miraculous plan I'd cooked up to fight off any attack we were faced with. Yet, I had nothing but an excursion to a military base planned. A military base that is on Mount Katahdin, which was in Baxter State Park, which had one of Maine's largest quarantine zones. It was bound to be full of infected and all together the trip was a higher risk than going to Bear Creek. 

"Ladies and gentleman. I'm not going to come to you with any sort of feeling of hope. Our situation is a dire one and I have no idea if this camp will even be standing after all is said and done." I pause and let the words sink in. "However, I am going to fight for this place to my dying breath. We have thrived for years in this forest and I plan to keep it that way. This world doesn't give any way to live comfortably but I feel like we have built a way right here. As of right now we only have two guns. A .22 rifle and a .357 handgun. Blake has, however, brought it to my attention that there is a military base in Baxter State Park. As many of you know, that is this states biggest quarantine zones and it's likely to be swarmed with the undead. However in a situation like this there is no risk to high. Myself, Eric and Blake have all decided to make this trip and we are asking for at least two others to come along as well. If there are weapons left in the armory then we'll need manpower to carry them all back. I plan to supply everyone hear with a weapon if not two." 

The crowd mumbled and I felt the unease lift just a little. 

"I'm not asking you to stay here. If you want to leave, then by all means, please do. I don't want any of you to die. I've found myself in the leaders position and that position has brought me closer to all of you individually. However, if you do stay, then I will ask you to fight with me. This is our home and we must protect it with everything that we have." 

Silence fell upon the camp. I was ready for everyone to up and leave. I hung my head. So much for a leaders inspiring words. 

"I'll go." A single voice broke the silence. A girls voice. It was Myra. "After all, I can't just be a free loader here, can I? I owe you one, as well." She smiled towards me. 

"You can't count us out that easily, Donny." Micheal and Terry walked to the front of the crowd. 

Clapping came from somewhere in the back of the crowd and slowly the whole crowd began cheering and clapping and chanting. 

I was taken aback by the response. Everyone looked at me with proud looks in their eyes. A massive burden was lifted off my shoulders and I let out a deep breath.

"We will return with enough fire power to fight for this camp!" I shouted over the crowds cheers. "We will live on in this camp!" The cheers grew in multitudes. I finally felt like I was doing my job right as the camps leader.

I stepped down from the box and Myra came to my side. "I had my doubts about you, Donavan, but you've blown them all out of the water." 

"Well, someone has to do it, and these people all entrusted that position to me. I can't let them down. 

Eric along with the rest of the excursion team walked up as well. 

"We leave and dawn. It's about a days hike to the Baxter Park, I plan to get there around sundown and scope the area and head in the next day. It's going to be a mainly silent operation because the undead are highly attracted to noise. If we don't have to engage then we shouldn't. I pray that it will be a clean operation but I know that would be instilling false hope. We need to be ready for any and everything." 

I'll lead the way, I was stationed there before shit hit the fan. The base was erected when the government declared martial law but it was in full operation just as any other station in the world. I can't make any promises but the armory should be untouched due to the fact of all the undead that surround it." Blake looked at all of us with a fire of determination in his eyes. 

"I'll see you all at the gate in the morning," I said, stifling a yawn. I walked to my tent and sat on my cot. It was everything I could do from stopping the shakes. I was anxious as hell, but I couldn't let the people I just swore to die for see that. The flaps to my tent come open as Carissa walks in and sits in the chair across from my bed. 

I quickly tense up to give off the facade that I was still a strong leader. 

"It's okay, Donny. You don't have to keep the front up anymore, we're just two friends." I fell at ease and let out a a deep breath.

"It's hard, Car." Car was her nickname. "It's hard to look these people in their eyes and tell them that everything is going to be okay when you're not even sure of that yourself. Who am I to tell them to not be afraid when I'm the one who's scared." I looked at the ground with disgust for myself. 

Carissa stood and put her hand on the back of my head. "It's okay to be afraid, Donavan, that proves that your still human. You're humanity is the most priceless thing in this world full of monsters. These people trust you and that should give fuel to your fire." I look up at her and she's smiling down at me. It was like a mothers touch. She was finally back to her normal self after the death of Jackson and it brought tears to my eyes. 

"Thanks, Car. That means the world at a time like this. I just hope I still have that same sense of humanity after this is all said and done." 

I lay down and Carissa walks to the opening of my tent. 

"Goodnight, Donavan."

"Goodnight, Car." I respond. My mind was at ease and I closed my eyes and embraced sleep. I didn't know when the next time I get to enjoy sleep would be so I planned on getting as much as I could right here and right now. 

However it felt like seconds before I was awake and getting ready to head to the gate. I was met with the rest of the excursion team and a fire of determination burned as bright as the sun within us. 

This camp was going to be standing after all was said and done and I was ready to lay my life down for it.