“You’re right.” I whisper to her. A smirk appeared on her face.
“I’ll go tell Tony in the morning, we’ll leaving tomorrow night.” She walked over to her sleeping bag that we got from in town. I felt uneasy about this plan. They wouldn’t be in any danger if we left but we’re still betraying them. Or maybe they would? I don’t know anymore. I could hear James talking to Margareth, Audrey, and Cameron outside. I imagined them as the voices inside my head even though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I can’t worry about that now. I’ve been walking the entire day. I’m too pooped to even get out of the booth I lie my head down and try to get some sleep.
I open my eyes to the noise of the door swing open. It’s pitch black outside, darker than earlier. I look around but it’s almost impossible to see anything further than a couple meters. The footsteps grow louder by each passing second. Just close your eyes Rachel, just close them. The footsteps stop. I open my eyes in horror.
“Fredo?” I ask,my vision is grim but I see him sitting across the booth from me. He still had the arrow in his neck and the skin on his face was rotten with a gray tint.
“You.” He says perfectly clear. “You killed me.” He points his rotting finger at me.
“I- I didn’t mean-“
“You’re a killer, and you know it.” He yells at me. I feel a lump in my throat growing.
“It was an accident! Please stop. I tried to save you.”
“Do I look safe? LOOK AT ME” he shouts at me. “I bet you don’t even know a thing about me.” I struggle to remember anything about him. We hardly even talked.
“You’re pathetic. A pathetic psycho killer who’s about to meet there end.” He tells me. I try to run but I’m still stuck, like i’m wearing cement shoes. Fredo pounces across the booth and takes a chunk out of my neck. All my screams are useless.
I struggle for air. A loud gasp comes out from my mouth. I touch my neck, no bites.
“Jesus!” Anton said as he quickly woke up, he immediately clutched onto his pocket knife that was under his sleeping bag. He’s been on edge since this started making sure the biters don’t get in here.
“It’s not real, it’s not real.” I say to myself trying to catch my breath.
“Another nightmare?” Anton asked me. I remember the day he and I met here, I probably shouldn’t have told him I killed somebody without going into more detail, he still thinks i’m a little crazy, he’s a nice guy but we usually don’t talk to each other.
“Yeah. Yeah just a nightmare. I’ll be fine.”
“Try and get some rest, you need it.” He tells me and lies back down, burying his head into the sleeping bag. I close my eyes and try going back to sleep.
But it’s useless, no matter how much I toss and turn I can’t handle going back to sleep. I decide to go outside and get some fresh air.
I open the door out the diner. I hear somebody talking behind the building, it sounds like Audrey. I walk around the corner and hide behind the cement wall. I stick my head out from the corner to see what’s going on. It looks like Audrey talking to her radio.
“… put Charity on please?” There was a slight pause, I heard a slight buzzing coming from the radio but couldn’t make it out.
“Well screw you man, I don’t care what Brecker says.” Audrey gestures with her one hand that’s not holding the radio.
I think about going there to question her. But I want to see where this goes.
“Well we’re gonna need the bus for this group there’s a good number of them here.” She listens to the radio, I wish I could hear what the man on the radio is saying but if I went closer I’d be spotted.
“I know. God knows we need the extra hands. I don’t want to see Brecker that mad ever again.” Audrey says to the radio. I feel the need to warn the others but I need to listen. I’ll be damned if this group gets taken hostage.
“I don’t know if I can do this anymore.” Audrey speaks to the radio, she sounds like she’s about to cry, there’s a slight pause. It’s probably the man speaking on the radio.
“There’s kids here! I guess there’s really no option is there? Okay it has to be done.” She speaks to the radio and turns it off.
“God, what have I done.” She kicks down a trash can with her foot and yells. She sits down in the parking lot and buries her face in her hand.
After a couple of minutes I walk to the back of the parking lot. Audrey sees me walking up. She gets up as soon as she sees me.
Stay calm Rachel, don’t panic.
“Hey Rachel.” She says with a cheerful tone and a bright smile on her face with her waving at me, the whites around eyes only look a little red. She’s a polar opposite of what she was like just five minutes ago.
“Hey.” I wave to her, she looks at me. “I couldn’t sleep.” I tell Audrey.
“Same.” She replies back.
“That’s a radio you got there?” I ask her. “Does it work? Because our camp could use radios like that, thats a good idea you have there. Use it like a cellphone to communicate with each other. Yeah I gotta tell James about that great idea.” I tell Audrey she looks at me suspiciously.
“I know you were using it who the hell is Brecker!?” I demand at her. She puts her hands up trying to avoid a fight.
“I’m gonna be honest with you, we’re a growing community located at the hospital in town.” She says. “This doesn’t have to get violent, neither of us have weapons, I turned my gun into James and I left your bow inside.”
“Bullcrap. Is this some kind of workcamp? You and that guy Cameron trying to escape?” I tell her.
“W-What? No. We’re a community There’s families and people of all ages there just like yours!” She tells me.
“Are you lying? What’s so bad that you can’t do this anymore?”
“I’ve told you the truth we’re a community. You’re the one who hasn’t been truthful to me or Cameron. Your leader James told us about that missing kid Ned, we could've helped!” She says. I look away, the guilt hurts me.
“We’re a community now, do you believe me or not?” Audrey asked
[Believe her.] [Don’t believe her.]
Slightly annoyed with one, this chapter felt like complete crap to me, and it’s really short.
Episode two - Sinking ship [Part 4/6]
[Side with her.]
“You’re right.” I whisper to her. A smirk appeared on her face.
“I’ll go tel… morel Tony in the morning, we’ll leaving tomorrow night.” She walked over to her sleeping bag that we got from in town. I felt uneasy about this plan. They wouldn’t be in any danger if we left but we’re still betraying them. Or maybe they would? I don’t know anymore. I could hear James talking to Margareth, Audrey, and Cameron outside. I imagined them as the voices inside my head even though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I can’t worry about that now. I’ve been walking the entire day. I’m too pooped to even get out of the booth I lie my head down and try to get some sleep.
I open my eyes to the noise of the door swing open. It’s pitch black outside, darker than earlier. I look around but it’s almost impossible to see anything further than a couple meters. The footsteps grow louder by each pa… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking ship [Part 4/6]
[Side with her.]
“You’re right.” I whisper to her. A smirk appeared on her face.
“I’ll go tel… morel Tony in the morning, we’ll leaving tomorrow night.” She walked over to her sleeping bag that we got from in town. I felt uneasy about this plan. They wouldn’t be in any danger if we left but we’re still betraying them. Or maybe they would? I don’t know anymore. I could hear James talking to Margareth, Audrey, and Cameron outside. I imagined them as the voices inside my head even though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I can’t worry about that now. I’ve been walking the entire day. I’m too pooped to even get out of the booth I lie my head down and try to get some sleep.
I open my eyes to the noise of the door swing open. It’s pitch black outside, darker than earlier. I look around but it’s almost impossible to see anything further than a couple meters. The footsteps grow louder by each pa… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking ship [Part 4/6]
[Side with her.]
“You’re right.” I whisper to her. A smirk appeared on her face.
“I’ll go tel… morel Tony in the morning, we’ll leaving tomorrow night.” She walked over to her sleeping bag that we got from in town. I felt uneasy about this plan. They wouldn’t be in any danger if we left but we’re still betraying them. Or maybe they would? I don’t know anymore. I could hear James talking to Margareth, Audrey, and Cameron outside. I imagined them as the voices inside my head even though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I can’t worry about that now. I’ve been walking the entire day. I’m too pooped to even get out of the booth I lie my head down and try to get some sleep.
I open my eyes to the noise of the door swing open. It’s pitch black outside, darker than earlier. I look around but it’s almost impossible to see anything further than a couple meters. The footsteps grow louder by each pa… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking ship [Part 4/6]
[Side with her.]
“You’re right.” I whisper to her. A smirk appeared on her face.
“I’ll go tel… morel Tony in the morning, we’ll leaving tomorrow night.” She walked over to her sleeping bag that we got from in town. I felt uneasy about this plan. They wouldn’t be in any danger if we left but we’re still betraying them. Or maybe they would? I don’t know anymore. I could hear James talking to Margareth, Audrey, and Cameron outside. I imagined them as the voices inside my head even though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I can’t worry about that now. I’ve been walking the entire day. I’m too pooped to even get out of the booth I lie my head down and try to get some sleep.
I open my eyes to the noise of the door swing open. It’s pitch black outside, darker than earlier. I look around but it’s almost impossible to see anything further than a couple meters. The footsteps grow louder by each pa… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking ship [Part 4/6]
[Side with her.]
“You’re right.” I whisper to her. A smirk appeared on her face.
“I’ll go tel… morel Tony in the morning, we’ll leaving tomorrow night.” She walked over to her sleeping bag that we got from in town. I felt uneasy about this plan. They wouldn’t be in any danger if we left but we’re still betraying them. Or maybe they would? I don’t know anymore. I could hear James talking to Margareth, Audrey, and Cameron outside. I imagined them as the voices inside my head even though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I can’t worry about that now. I’ve been walking the entire day. I’m too pooped to even get out of the booth I lie my head down and try to get some sleep.
I open my eyes to the noise of the door swing open. It’s pitch black outside, darker than earlier. I look around but it’s almost impossible to see anything further than a couple meters. The footsteps grow louder by each pa… [view original content]
"You don;t have to lie to me just tell me the truth Audrey!" I tell her, she looks at me dazed.
"Keep your voice down!" She sharply whispers. "You're gonna draw all the walkers around here!" I didn't realize I was talking so loud
"You don't have to be afraid Audrey." I slowly walk towards her hands up in the air. "Don't go back to your camp if you don't want to. Stay here. We can just forget about the past and forgive each other." I speak as quiet as a mouse. My feet shuffle closer to her.
"Please. No. You don't understand, I can't leave. I just can't!" Her voice pleas with me, I feel her pain.
"Do what you have to do, but you're no taking us with-" I feel a jolt of pain in my right shoulder, it takes me a few seconds to comprehend what's happening but I'm lying on the warm hard ground as Audrey wraps her frail looking hands around my neck.
"You need to keep quiet. Don't move." She shushes me. I try to push her off me, but she's surprisingly strong. The whole world around me begins to blur. My lungs burn for oxygen. I look for something, anything to grab, I reach for her radio, and hit her with it on her head, it's no use.
This is it. This is how i'm gonna die. Memories of my life flood back into me like people say. My mom, my little brother's first birthday, the chocolate cake he got all over his mouth was hilarious at the the time; but it pains me now to realize they're both probably dead. My new family inside the diner, they're about to die soon too. Those four months of fighting and sacrifice, were all for nothing.
"I'm sorry." A voice whispers to me. It had to be Audrey since she was the only one there.
And then everything went pitch black.
2 hours later
I woke up with a throbbing headache, my head was leaning against a window with bars on the outside, it was still night outside but the headlights allowed me to see we driving past a large empty field in the middle of nowhere.
"Shit." I groaned under my breath. My shoulder blade hurt like hell. My hands were binded together so I couldn't touch my head anyways.
"She's awake!" A male voice called out. I regained my focus, it was Tony sitting next to me.
"God are you okay?" Selena said groggy from waking up in the middle of the night, she was sitting next to Zaphaeus.
"My head and shoulder hurt like hell, but at least I'm not dead."
"Well for a second we thought you were." Tony said, "Who the hell did this to your neck?" Tony asked worriedly. I looked down at my neck but you can't even see your neck without looking in a mirror.
"It's all purple and bruised up. If that's what you wanted to know."
"I think it was Audrey, where the hell are we?" I asked.
"Audrey did that?" James says surprised. "I knew it had to be one of the two. Because when we woke up there were dozens of guards with AK-47's holding us at gunpoint." James said. "They forced us on this prison bus to who knows were." He said worriedly.
I looked at the guards, there were two of them behind a gate and one was driving.
"Can we try and fight them? There are more of us then there are of them." Selena suggested.
"No, not unless we want to get shot to pieces." James told her.
"I don't think we can just get out of a prison bus that easily anyways." Bridgit added to James's defense quickly and calmly.
"Well we can't just sit here and wait to die!" Selena defended herself.
"She's right James. Who knows what's going to happen." Zaphaeus added.
"Selena sit down and shut up! You're not going to get yourself killed!" Tony ordered Selena. She stuck her tongue out at him.
"James is right. We're binded and they have guns. Plus there's a gate separating us, it's a suicide wish." I told Selena.
"How long have we been driving?" I ask anybody.
"Almost two hours. I wonder where we're going." Anton said. He was the seat in front of me and sat with Milfred.
"Probably to the slaughterhouse." Zaphaeus stated. I looked over at him, Selena nudged him even though she still had her hand restraints on.
"You're going to scare the kids, just stop!" She whispered to him.
I heard crying a couple seats up. It was Cynthia, I glared over at Zaphaeus.
"He was only kidding Cynthia nothing bad will happen to you." Matthew said while coddling his daughter, I noticed he was missing his red hat he always wore was missing, exposing his blonde, greasy hair from the lack of bathing.
"Well it's true, we're fucked!" Zaphaeus exclaimed. "They took our home, all our weapons, supplies, they probably would've taken our food if we had any! We're dead!" The guards turn back and look to see what all the commotion is.
"That's not true, if they wanted us dead they would've done it right there." Bridgit whispers her opinion back to Zaphaeus to avoid attention.
"I can't take this anymore." Zaphaeus said. He ran up to the front where the guards were and proceeded to break the fence.
"You sick fucks! Let us out of here!" He continued to charge at the fence. One of the guards got up and grabbed his rifle. He hit Zaphaeus in the kneecap and he fell over. I heard Zapheaus let out a curse and a yelp of pain.
"Get back to your seat now." The guard ordered, he turned his AK around and pointed it at Zaphaeus. He hobbled over next to Selena with his one good leg.
"What the fuck Zaphaeus, you could be dead right now!" Tony quietly yelled at him.
"How are you feeling?" I ask him.
"It hurts like hell right now. Jesus christ." He said trying to touch it but wincing when he got to close.
"Pull up your jeans. I told Zaphaeus. He began to roll the one up above his knee.
"Goddamn, is that broken?" I ask.
"Well that's definitely not normal." Anton joined into the discussion. "Try bending it." He suggested
Zaphaeus began to move his knee down.
"Ah shit!" He yelled in pain. "Yup it's definitely broken." He said.
"You really shouldn't have gone up there." I told him.
I stand up out of my seat, the guards look at me and hold there AK's like they're ready to shoot. I look around at all the seats. There's Tony, Selena, Zaphaeus, Bridgit, James, Milfred, Anton, Cynthia, Matthew and Judy sitting all by herself. But there's someone missing.
"Where's Margareth?" I ask. Tony pulls me down to the seat.
"She wasn't there when the guards came. She's gone." He whispered to me.
"Jesus Christ." I whispered under my breath. "She's not-"
"They didn't find her it might just mean she ran off somewhere." He tells me. It hits me like a train.
"She's looking for Ned." I whisper back to Tony. "She didn't want to leave him alone so she went back out to look for him." I whisper. Tony nods his head in agreement.
"Well, so much for leaving the group in the morning." Selena whispers across the aisle to me.
"Wait hold up. You were going to leave us in the morning how could you?" James asks, he must've taken it personal since he was our leader.
"Calm down honey." Bridgit tells James.
"No I want to hear this hun. You would just leave us like that?" He asks Selena
"Look Ray and I talked about it last night and-" She was cut off by James impudent attitude.
"Rachel!? You too? Guess I know where you stand."
(?) The group trust you less now.
I see Zaphaeus look at me with a betrayed face, Selena whispers in his ear. Probably telling him that he was included in leaving because the emotion on his face suddenly changes to content.
"I-" I try to defend myself but the bus cuts me off by making a quick stop, slamming everybody including me to hit the seat in front.
"Alright, up and at em'." One of the guards said as he unlocked the gate. He was a tall man with an average build and looked to be in his mid thirties, he had black hair and blue eyes with a short beard growing. He had had an AK-47 in his hand I wasn't about to ignore his orders. He wore a military shirt on with rolled up sleeves, navy jeans and brown boots.
"Martin, You'll never get em up like that. ALRIGHT MOVE!" The other guard yelled at us. He looked to be in his forties. He had light brown hair and and dark brown eyes, he was about six feet tall and had a serious look on his face. There was a little stubble growing around his face.
"Trent..." The man I assumed to be Martin sighed.
Everybody began heading off the bus. Tony supported Zaphaeus by letting him hold onto his shoulder. We were at a Red cross hospital in the middle of the city, it looked to be at least 15 stories tall. Looks like Audrey wasn't lying about everything.
"Now Brecker has some rules for y'all folks and DON'T expect him to repeat them." The entire diner group stayed silent as we walked in a single file line to the building. I looked behind me, there were two buses, that must be the one that most of the guards rode in.
We walked in through the once automatic doors that were now sealed. The two guards pried the doors open and we walked inside the lobby of the hospital it was beautiful and looked very modern. The lobby had high ceilings, marble floors, comfy looking chairs and a lot of large windows. The guards pried the door shut when the whole group made it through. Our footsteps echoed through the area. It had to be at least two in the morning but it was surprisingly easy to see without lights.
"You did what?" I heard a deep southern voice yell out.
"It- It fell out of my pocket and broke!" I heard Audrey's voice nervously say. As we walked closer I could just see what it was, the man with a southern voice had a white goatee and white hair with a cowboy hat over his head. His eyes were a light blue and he had an intimidating look to him. He looked to be in his late sixties.
"Nonsense! I don't want to hear your cheap lies!" He said as he punched Audrey in the face knocking her over. I stopped in shock at what I just saw.
"Jesus christ!" I heard Matthew yell. He directed Cynthia's attention to look away.
"No!" A woman's voice I've never heard before yelled out. She ran up to Audrey holding her close to her chest. "You monster!" I heard her cry out to the man. The girl looked to be about Audrey's age and she was indian, she was a thin girl who had long wavy black hair that came to mid back. I couldn't quite tell how tall she was but she was definitely shorter than Audrey.
"Quiet unless you want one of what she just had!" The southern man yelled out.
"Hey keep walking!" The guard Trent pushed me with the butt of his AK.
"No, no. These are the new members of the community. They need to see what happens when you get out of line!" The man said. He must be Brecker
"She didn't do anything. All she did was drop her radio!" For a second I felt the urge of guilt run over me because I was the one who broke her radio, but then I realized that she tried to kill me. I'm ashamed to admit but it felt good watching her get punched.
"Now I told you that if you weren't quiet you'd get one of what she's getting. He threatened her. The indian girl immediately stopped talking.
"Welcome new members." The man greeted, I felt a shiver run down my spine as he spoke. "Now we're building a community here, a sanctuary if you will. But the cost of living won't come without the compromise of your personal freedom." He started walking around the lobby.
"Here our top priority is the overall the community here, the greater good if you will. Y'all are not the greater good." His voice echoed throughout the lobby. He slowly walked observing all of us. He noticed Judy and a grin ran over his face
"You have children with you. That's nice, I had my own grandkids too that i'm very thankful for. But child's play is over. If you can't pull your weight, then you're out of here."
"You will not be allowed outside the hospital without the authority of me or the guards." There was a wave of silence, everybody was to afraid too speak.
"Just because it ain't too fair now doesn't mean it always will be. Hard work and effort go a long way here. Let's look at Audrey for example, she was scoutin' before but now, consider yourself demoted." He looked over at Audrey who seemed to be in pain from the punch still. He crouched down to her level and handed her a radio
"Don't fuck this one up too okay?" I could barley hear him say, he had handed her a radio.
I looked over at the faces across the lobby, they weren't guards they were just regular people like us, maybe twenty or thirty others dressed in normal clothing not holding guns or anything.
I looked over at a sign across the hall. 63 DAYS SINCE LAST ATTACK.
Brecker must've noticed this because he walked over to me. My anxiety skyrocketed as he pulled a dagger out of his pocket. I eyed it carefully how he held it, how it slowly moved closer to me. I held my breath as he grabbed my hands.
He cut the bindings off. They left there red marks on my hand from being too tight, I gently rubbed them.
"Your rooms are on the fifth floor." He told me "But whatever you do don't go up to the sixth floor." He told everyone from the diner group as he began cutting the bindings off everyone. A guard began escorting people up the fifth floor.
"Well here's your floor, just pick out a room, and for the love of god don't try anything stupid because I'm watching y'all making and making sure you don't try to escape." Martin said.
"Sure." I replied back, I was too angry and tired to reply back with anything longer.
"And don't worry we cleared the bodies here a long time ago." I walked off and picked a room.
"Goddamn." I said to myself. The room had two beds and a small color TV that obviously didn't work anymore. I won't miss sleeping back at the diner that's for sure. I sighed, this place might look safe but it's a hell for sure. I lied down on the bed, it was so much more comfortable than the booth or the floor.
Selena walked in a few minutes later.
"Looks comfy." She says looking at the bed.
"Yeah." I agree with her.
She looked out the window. "We can still escape." She suggested.
"Oh really?" I said "How? There's guards everywhere." I told her.
"There's no guards outside the hospital though. And the buildings got a ledge I could just walk across and check if there's a fire escape." She suggested.
"Not all of us are parkour experts like you."
"Just bend with your knees if you fall." Selena jokes.
"Selena," I begin seriously, she rolls her eyes knowing what I'm about to say. "Zaphaeus has a broken kneecap probably and we need our rest. We're not in any shape to escape right now."
"Maybe not all of us should leave then, it can still be me, you and Tony like we planned." She said. I bit my lip hesitantly.
"It's fine Rachel, just don't worry about it."
"It's just-" There was a knock on the door.
I got out of the bed and moved to the door. I opened it and immediately noticed the black eye swollen shut.
"Can I come in?" Audrey asked.
"Isn't this the girl that tried to kill you?!" Selena said angry as she clenched her fist.
[Close door][Let her in]
That took a lot longer than I thought it would to write that. Not originally where I wanted it to end but if I kept going it would've been like 3,000 words.
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 5/6]
"You don;t have to lie to me just tell me the truth Audrey!" I tell her, she looks at me dazed.
… more"Keep your voice down!" She sharply whispers. "You're gonna draw all the walkers around here!" I didn't realize I was talking so loud
"You don't have to be afraid Audrey." I slowly walk towards her hands up in the air. "Don't go back to your camp if you don't want to. Stay here. We can just forget about the past and forgive each other." I speak as quiet as a mouse. My feet shuffle closer to her.
"Please. No. You don't understand, I can't leave. I just can't!" Her voice pleas with me, I feel her pain.
"Do what you have to do, but you're no taking us with-" I feel a jolt of pain in my right shoulder, it takes me a few seconds to comprehend what's happening but I'm lying on the warm hard ground as Audrey wraps her frail looking hands around my neck.
"You need to keep quiet. Don't move." She shush… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 5/6]
"You don;t have to lie to me just tell me the truth Audrey!" I tell her, she looks at me dazed.
… more"Keep your voice down!" She sharply whispers. "You're gonna draw all the walkers around here!" I didn't realize I was talking so loud
"You don't have to be afraid Audrey." I slowly walk towards her hands up in the air. "Don't go back to your camp if you don't want to. Stay here. We can just forget about the past and forgive each other." I speak as quiet as a mouse. My feet shuffle closer to her.
"Please. No. You don't understand, I can't leave. I just can't!" Her voice pleas with me, I feel her pain.
"Do what you have to do, but you're no taking us with-" I feel a jolt of pain in my right shoulder, it takes me a few seconds to comprehend what's happening but I'm lying on the warm hard ground as Audrey wraps her frail looking hands around my neck.
"You need to keep quiet. Don't move." She shush… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 5/6]
"You don;t have to lie to me just tell me the truth Audrey!" I tell her, she looks at me dazed.
… more"Keep your voice down!" She sharply whispers. "You're gonna draw all the walkers around here!" I didn't realize I was talking so loud
"You don't have to be afraid Audrey." I slowly walk towards her hands up in the air. "Don't go back to your camp if you don't want to. Stay here. We can just forget about the past and forgive each other." I speak as quiet as a mouse. My feet shuffle closer to her.
"Please. No. You don't understand, I can't leave. I just can't!" Her voice pleas with me, I feel her pain.
"Do what you have to do, but you're no taking us with-" I feel a jolt of pain in my right shoulder, it takes me a few seconds to comprehend what's happening but I'm lying on the warm hard ground as Audrey wraps her frail looking hands around my neck.
"You need to keep quiet. Don't move." She shush… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 5/6]
"You don;t have to lie to me just tell me the truth Audrey!" I tell her, she looks at me dazed.
… more"Keep your voice down!" She sharply whispers. "You're gonna draw all the walkers around here!" I didn't realize I was talking so loud
"You don't have to be afraid Audrey." I slowly walk towards her hands up in the air. "Don't go back to your camp if you don't want to. Stay here. We can just forget about the past and forgive each other." I speak as quiet as a mouse. My feet shuffle closer to her.
"Please. No. You don't understand, I can't leave. I just can't!" Her voice pleas with me, I feel her pain.
"Do what you have to do, but you're no taking us with-" I feel a jolt of pain in my right shoulder, it takes me a few seconds to comprehend what's happening but I'm lying on the warm hard ground as Audrey wraps her frail looking hands around my neck.
"You need to keep quiet. Don't move." She shush… [view original content]
I hope it's soon. If they will be dead all this time, it will suck that I'll submit new characters a lot later.
Oh wait, did you just cha… morenged the name of your fanfic? It says "The Fallen World" now. But "The Fallen World" is a name of TheKingOfWalkers' fanfic...
I'm back! I have school now but i'll try to keep posting on weekends.
I just reread my chapter, I don't usually read afterwords because I'm too tired but I realized that I've made the corniest villain known to man, weak character development and hardly a personality for our main character Rachel. I'm going to try and fix this because putting bad work out there just feels embarrassing.
I'm back! I have school now but i'll try to keep posting on weekends.
I just reread my chapter, I don't usually read afterwords because I… more'm too tired but I realized that I've made the corniest villain known to man, weak character development and hardly a personality for our main character Rachel. I'm going to try and fix this because putting bad work out there just feels embarrassing.
Edit: I edited the last chapter a tiny bit.
"Come in." I quickly say Audrey, her feet begin slowly shuffling in. Brecker must've messed her up pretty bad.
"C'mon! Are you fucking kidding me?" Selena whined as I closed the door behind Audrey. "You're just going to let her in like that? After what she did?"
"I don't like it either but Selena, she's not the bad guy." I point out. Selena’s face turns a bright red as she clenches both her fists tightly and her face began to look irritated.
"Selena..." I try and calm her down. But she pushes me off like I’m a feather, she leaped across the room with incredible speed and threw a punch at Audrey's stomach, I looked in shock as Selena who was at least six inches shorter than Audrey pushed her down in the floor with a punch and a kick to the stomach. Selena pins her down and begins throwing punches at her face a mile a minute.
"SELENA. STOP!" I stand back up and yank her back by her shoulders, her fists keep swinging but she's too far away from Audrey.
"LET FUCKING GO!" She demands, Audrey gets back up with a bloody nose, black eye and probably a lot of bruises. She begins walking towards Selena and I, both hands cautiously raised in the air.
Audrey begins to say something, but before she can get her first word out Selena swiftly kicks her in the jaw. She escapes my grip and pins Audrey back to the ground.
"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU. YOU PIECE OF SHIT! IF YOU LAY ANOTHER HAND ON ANYONE WITH ME I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Selena yells at the top of her lungs. She gets off of her and takes a deep breath in while pacing around the room.
"What the hell’s your problem?" I ask her. she turns around and stops pacing around to talk to me.
"If you wouldn't kill her then I sure as hell would." Selena adds. A guard loudly enters the room with an AK-47 slamming the door behind him, and for a split second I thought he broke down the door.
"What the fuck is going on here!" The guard said carrying the AK-47. "My god Audrey, Brecker did this?" He bent down to examine Audrey’s face. He was the same guard watching over this floor he was wearing the navy military shirt and the navy jeans with brown boots.
"Yeah, Breker did this." She glared over at Selena who was still pacing in the room.
"Jesus Christ." He said to her to her in a tone of shock. "You gonna be okay?" He asked.
"I'll be fine Martin just- just give me a minute." She asked him. Martin nodded and began to walk back out.
“Okay. Lockdown starts in 15 minutes, so make it quick." He hesitantly said to her while looking at Selena like she just killed somebody as he walked out the room and shut the door.
"Lockdown?" I ask.
"Security protocol." Audrey said as she gentley rubbed her jaw. "Everybody but guards are supposed to be in their rooms so nobody escapes and no supplies go missing, it starts earlier but-" She cuts herself off before she can say anything.
"Before what? Before you took us as prisoners?" Selena crossed her arms as she questioned Audrey. "Who the hell does that?" Selena asked her still trying to resist punching her by pacing up and down the room.
"I'm sorry but do you think I like doing this? I don't have a choice." Audrey replied back to Selena.
"We always have a choice. Even when it seems like we don't." I told her. She directed her attention to me.
"Yeah well not me." Audrey shook her head. She was in a sitting fetal position trying to fight the pain off.
"How'd you even become part of Brecker's camp?" I asked her there was a long pause of silence.
"I didn't." She remarked after long time. "It was stupid, my girl Charity-“ She hesitated for a while looking at Selena and I.
“Never mind, I think I need to get back to my room.” Audrey said as briskly sttod up and began to walk out the room.
“Is Charity that one girl in the lobby?” I asked her as she walked out the room and closed the door behind her.
“Wonder what that was about.” I turned to Selena.
“Who knows?” Selena shrugged her shoulders.
“Fuck.” Selena whispered quietly to herself but I still could hear her.
“Don’t go blaming yourself Selena, you did what you thought was right.” I patted her shoulder as she looked blankly at the wall.
“You think I like playing the bad cop? It’s just, I get so mad sometimes and I just want to shoot somebody who does me wrong.” Selena solemnly said.
“She hurt me, not you. I can take of things too.” I said to Selena trying to make her see things my way. There was a brief moment of silence, maybe about a minute until Selena finally said something.
“I’m not alright.” Selena finally said.
“Nobody is, just try and get some sleep.” I told her. Her head hung low as she trudged her way to her bed. I stood up and walked into mine. If there was anything that kept me happy at this moment it was probably how great these beds were. I stared at the painting across the room, the light of the moon made the image seeable in the dark night.
Three little birds. One bird lay inside its nest sleeping, the other two flying away next to each other. It was kind of cute. That was the last picture I saw until I drifted off to sleep.
[YOUR CHOICES]
Honesty - You chose to ask Eddard if he wanted to come hunting
Humanity - You chose not to shoot when you were in the tree
Survival - You sided with Selena instead of the group
Hope - You did not believe Audrey
Humbleness - You let Audrey in
Question time! Who is your favorite character so far? It can be any character introduced so far, even your own.
Objectively I have to go for Selena, even after she just went full berserk on poor Audrey. She's tough, extremely useful, surprisingly funny and even though she acts like a jerk, we saw that she has a different side too (Though that's likely due to Rachel's P.O.V)
But since I find it kinda cheap to praise my own character without giving tribute to the other great characters, I have to mention that Milfred is a close second. He reminds me of Hershel from the TV-series (and to be honest, I always imagine that he looks a bit like him)
Runner ups would be Audrey or Margareth. All in all, I like most of the characters introduced so far.
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 6/6]
"Come in." I quickly say Audrey, her feet begin slowly shuffling in. Brecker must've messed her up … morepretty bad.
"C'mon! Are you fucking kidding me?" Selena whined as I closed the door behind Audrey. "You're just going to let her in like that? After what she did?"
"I don't like it either but Selena, she's not the bad guy." I point out. Selena’s face turns a bright red as she clenches both her fists tightly and her face began to look irritated.
"Selena..." I try and calm her down. But she pushes me off like I’m a feather, she leaped across the room with incredible speed and threw a punch at Audrey's stomach, I looked in shock as Selena who was at least six inches shorter than Audrey pushed her down in the floor with a punch and a kick to the stomach. Selena pins her down and begins throwing punches at her face a mile a minute.
"SELENA. STOP!" I stand back up and yank her back by her shoulders,… [view original content]
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 6/6]
"Come in." I quickly say Audrey, her feet begin slowly shuffling in. Brecker must've messed her up … morepretty bad.
"C'mon! Are you fucking kidding me?" Selena whined as I closed the door behind Audrey. "You're just going to let her in like that? After what she did?"
"I don't like it either but Selena, she's not the bad guy." I point out. Selena’s face turns a bright red as she clenches both her fists tightly and her face began to look irritated.
"Selena..." I try and calm her down. But she pushes me off like I’m a feather, she leaped across the room with incredible speed and threw a punch at Audrey's stomach, I looked in shock as Selena who was at least six inches shorter than Audrey pushed her down in the floor with a punch and a kick to the stomach. Selena pins her down and begins throwing punches at her face a mile a minute.
"SELENA. STOP!" I stand back up and yank her back by her shoulders,… [view original content]
I walk through the plain white lobby. 64 DAYS SINCE LAST ATTACK. I don't remember the last time I saw someone smile here. All I did know was that I hate it here. But I was ready to do whatever labour I have to in order not to make Brecker upset, I look down at my hands trembling like crazy as I carry at least thirty pounds worth of boards for the doors and windows. When was the last time any of us ate?
There was a static coming out of Audrey's radio, I couldn't make out what they were saying but I knew they were saying something.
"Hello? HELLO?!" I speak loudly into the radio.
"Things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better." He points out to me.
"So what are you saying?" I ask trying to clarify.
I bend down getting to eye level. I hand over the gun. "It's time we teach you the basics of survival." I say.
"This is because of what happened with Ned right?" She asks me. I look away and try to hold it in. But it's becoming harder everyday.
I hunch over and look at the blood. Still fresh. I follow it around the corner and immediately regret it.
"Oh my god. No." I say in horror, my heart beats a mile a minute. I need to get out of here before anyone sees me.
like selena so far...and actually think i'm gonna like becker (every good story needs a good bad guy, he has a whole carver/governor thing going, very interested to see him develop) anyway this is all very well written I am enjoying immensely!!!
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 6/6]
"Come in." I quickly say Audrey, her feet begin slowly shuffling in. Brecker must've messed her up … morepretty bad.
"C'mon! Are you fucking kidding me?" Selena whined as I closed the door behind Audrey. "You're just going to let her in like that? After what she did?"
"I don't like it either but Selena, she's not the bad guy." I point out. Selena’s face turns a bright red as she clenches both her fists tightly and her face began to look irritated.
"Selena..." I try and calm her down. But she pushes me off like I’m a feather, she leaped across the room with incredible speed and threw a punch at Audrey's stomach, I looked in shock as Selena who was at least six inches shorter than Audrey pushed her down in the floor with a punch and a kick to the stomach. Selena pins her down and begins throwing punches at her face a mile a minute.
"SELENA. STOP!" I stand back up and yank her back by her shoulders,… [view original content]
NEXT TIME ON THE ROAD AHEAD.
I walk through the plain white lobby. 64 DAYS SINCE LAST ATTACK. I don't remember the last time I saw someon… moree smile here. All I did know was that I hate it here. But I was ready to do whatever labour I have to in order not to make Brecker upset, I look down at my hands trembling like crazy as I carry at least thirty pounds worth of boards for the doors and windows. When was the last time any of us ate?
There was a static coming out of Audrey's radio, I couldn't make out what they were saying but I knew they were saying something.
"Hello? HELLO?!" I speak loudly into the radio.
"Things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better." He points out to me.
"So what are you saying?" I ask trying to clarify.
I bend down getting to eye level. I hand over the gun. "It's time we teach you the basics of survival." I say.
"This is because of what happened with Ned right?" She asks me. I l… [view original content]
I didn't notice you updated for awhile, and DAMN did shit get bad. I'm really hoping that James doesn't just creep to the shadows now that he doesn't exactly much have a group to lead.
I didn't notice you updated for awhile, and DAMN did shit get bad. I'm really hoping that James doesn't just creep to the shadows now that he doesn't exactly much have a group to lead.
I look outside the fifth floor window, five floors down. The other buildings obscure the view of the city, but I'm pretty sure if we were on the roof we'd be able to see the entire city. I look down at the street where three people run from a horde of walkers down the street. I try and look away as this one woman trips over a biter and gets bit in the calf, others swarm around her as she gets devoured I assume, the two other guys she's with look back. Not even breaking there running stride as they just witnessed a death. I sigh while walking slowly away from the window.
"Hey move your ass!" I turn around. Trent the guard walks up to me.
"We don't have time for none of this depressive shit!" He gets closer and pushes me into the wall. Holy shit that hurt my shoulder blade like hell. I stood there in complete silence hoping he wouldn't do anything else.
"You sure are useless, you know. Couldn't hurt a fly. Martin take care of this one." He yells to Martin across the hall as he mocks me. I keep my silence until he walks away and down into the emergency staircases. The door slowly closed, I flicked him off when the large metal made a loud click when it shut completely. Martin walked briskly across the hall. I really hope he didn't see that.
"C'mon let's go." Martin tells me. I look down at his eyes as he helps me, they're a dark blue color. His hair is a dark black and kept short, shaved almost. He has a very long square face and facial features too.
"Thanks." I say.
"Saw you flick off that Trent." He said, I held my breath waiting for another push or slap or even a punch. "Well that's good. He's one son of a bitch." He tells me. I cracked a smile for a second but just a second, I didn't want to smile. Not at all.
"Better get down there now. You're late." Martin warns me. I open the door to the emergency staircase and walk down the stairs.
The Lobby: 2 minutes later
"Why are you late?" Selena asks me as I enter the lobby of the hospital.
"I don't even know, I could hardly sleep. Probably that." I tell her, even though these were the first real beds any of us had in months.
"I know what you're talking about. I haven't had a good shut eye in four months." Bridgit chirps in, her usual upbeat self says even in the bad moments like these.
"Yeah." I reply back. Half listening, half looking around the hospital lobby there must be dozens of people here in the lobby, it feels almost like life before. Crowded. "So-" an intercom shuts me up. Didn't know those worked.
“Refugees from last night. Report to the Courtayard as of now.” The intercom was a female voice, it sounded like one of those you hear at a plane terminal. Bridgit, Selena and I walked to the courtyard they apparently had. James walked up to Bridgit, Selena and I to probably talk about something.
“So an intercom can work but we can’t get any A.C in here?” Bridgit complains, holding her belly with both hands. James has his arm wrapped around her.
“Don’t worry hun, soon as we get out this hellhole we’ll go up north.”
“Wait a second, you think we’re just going to escape?” I ask James he looks at me as if I’m doubting him.
“Hell yes we will, in this heat we’ll just die of heatstroke. And it’s only going to get worse when summer hits.”
“Going up north isn’t going to help either, we’ll just freeze our asses off into some place we don’t even know.”
“I honestly don’t give a shit what you say, Rachel and you can go off to wherever the fuck you want since you’re so interested in leaving us.” James tells us. The guards in front of us and behind us are turning around and listening to James rant.
“Hey!” I sharply whisper to James. “I think you blew your big plan.” I say sarcastically.
“Where’s Zaphaeus?” I ask anybody.
“Over there.” Selena points behind us. Tony and Anton support Zaphaeus by his shoulders as he limps on his one good knee.
“Oh god. I should go over there.” I walk back to Zaphaeus.
“Hey Anton, hey Tony. I got this.” I tell them.
“You sure?” Anton asked me.
“Definitley.” I assure him.
“Whatever you say.” Tony tells me, he and Anton catch up to Selena. They begin speaking but I can’t read there lips.
“I’m so sorry.” I tell him. “If I would’ve held you back when you went crazy on the bus you probably wouldn’t be in this mess with your knee.”
“No, no. This is on me. If I didn’t freak out on the bus my knee wouldn’t have been fucked up. Matthew must hate me right now. He’s been so busy trying to protect Cynthia all this time and her crying because of me probably isn’t helping.” He tells me, his head down low and his eyes looking away from me.
“Just cut some slack.” I tell Zaphaeus. I can see the doors to the courtyard. They’re made of glass. I see Brecker outside. We walk outside as a warm breeze blows by. Piles of plywood and muddy white buckets surround Brecker as he stands above one of the pieces of plywood like it’s a stage. The courtyard is small, and there are walls surrounding every side of it. They have some areas filled with grass. It’s probably too small to farm anything. Maybe on the roof they grow food, I hope. God I’m starving.
“We are here today for your jobs today. Bridgit, Rachel, Matthew, James and Cynthia you’re boarding up windows with Audrey today.” Oh great just what I need, another confrontation with Audrey. At least Selena’s not here.
“Selena, Tony, Anton, Judy and Milfred.” He calls out. Y’all be harvesting the food on the roof with Charity.” If I remember I think that’s Audrey’s girlfriend that she brought up last night.
“And you.” He points his finger at me. Wait a second, it’s not me. I slowly turn my head to what I know he’s about to call out.
“You, Zaphaeus is it? Come here. Go on walk up here, and no limping.” He tells Zaphaeus in his deep country accent.
“Brecker, don’t do anything you might regret.” I try to warn him as politely as possible.
“Oh I’m sure whatever the outcome is I won’t regret it.” He pulls out a six shooter pistol from behind his back and takes aim. “Now walk.” He demands in a voice that sends chills down everyone’s spine.
I stare at Zaphaeus. I look down at his knee, if he puts any weight on it he’s going to hurt himself. He moves his arm away from my shoulder and begins walking.
He steps on his bad knee and lets out a sharp cry of pain. He falls to the ground, a wave of silence and suspension fill the courtyard. He tries to get back up.
But a loud click echoes the courtyard. Zaphaeus’s body falls limp and blood flows down his forehead. I let out a blood curdling scream.
“NO!” I yell, I fall to my knees and begin to bawl. But nothing comes out, Zaphaeus, one of my only friends before the world went to shit. Gone just like that. And I can’t even cry.
“HOLY SHIT!” Tony yells.
“Cynthia don’t look!” Matthew tries to keep calm and coddle Cynthia.
“Zaphaeus!” I hear Selena scream. “YOU SON OF A-“ another shot fires. I turn around. Oh god. Not Selena too. No.
I get up from my knees, Selena has blood running down her cheek. I look at her. She continues rubbing it and blood continues to flow out her cheek. It must’ve been a graze but it cut her cheek up pretty bad. Her eyes widen in horror as she realizes she should’ve died.
“There’s no time for weakness! There’s no time for MOURNING! Or an act of defiance. I CALL THE SHOTS, NOT YOU! Incase you forgot we’re fighting another war. The real enemy is out there!” He begins yelling in his country accent. He looks directly at me.
“Get up here.” He coldly tells me. I lie in pain for a second, but I know what will happen if I don’t. He hands me an extra pistol he had in his back pocket.
“Shoot someone. Now.” He tells me.
“No. I won’t do this.” I beg him. "Please don't." The tears finally begin flowing down my face.
“Do it. Prove to me you aren’t as weak as I think you are.”
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 1/6]
6 A.M- Daybreak
I look outside the fifth floor window, five floors down. The other buildings … moreobscure the view of the city, but I'm pretty sure if we were on the roof we'd be able to see the entire city. I look down at the street where three people run from a horde of walkers down the street. I try and look away as this one woman trips over a biter and gets bit in the calf, others swarm around her as she gets devoured I assume, the two other guys she's with look back. Not even breaking there running stride as they just witnessed a death. I sigh while walking slowly away from the window.
"Hey move your ass!" I turn around. Trent the guard walks up to me.
"We don't have time for none of this depressive shit!" He gets closer and pushes me into the wall. Holy shit that hurt my shoulder blade like hell. I stood there in complete silence hoping he wouldn't do anything else.
"You sure are useles… [view original content]
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 1/6]
6 A.M- Daybreak
I look outside the fifth floor window, five floors down. The other buildings … moreobscure the view of the city, but I'm pretty sure if we were on the roof we'd be able to see the entire city. I look down at the street where three people run from a horde of walkers down the street. I try and look away as this one woman trips over a biter and gets bit in the calf, others swarm around her as she gets devoured I assume, the two other guys she's with look back. Not even breaking there running stride as they just witnessed a death. I sigh while walking slowly away from the window.
"Hey move your ass!" I turn around. Trent the guard walks up to me.
"We don't have time for none of this depressive shit!" He gets closer and pushes me into the wall. Holy shit that hurt my shoulder blade like hell. I stood there in complete silence hoping he wouldn't do anything else.
"You sure are useles… [view original content]
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 1/6]
6 A.M- Daybreak
I look outside the fifth floor window, five floors down. The other buildings … moreobscure the view of the city, but I'm pretty sure if we were on the roof we'd be able to see the entire city. I look down at the street where three people run from a horde of walkers down the street. I try and look away as this one woman trips over a biter and gets bit in the calf, others swarm around her as she gets devoured I assume, the two other guys she's with look back. Not even breaking there running stride as they just witnessed a death. I sigh while walking slowly away from the window.
"Hey move your ass!" I turn around. Trent the guard walks up to me.
"We don't have time for none of this depressive shit!" He gets closer and pushes me into the wall. Holy shit that hurt my shoulder blade like hell. I stood there in complete silence hoping he wouldn't do anything else.
"You sure are useles… [view original content]
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 1/6]
6 A.M- Daybreak
I look outside the fifth floor window, five floors down. The other buildings … moreobscure the view of the city, but I'm pretty sure if we were on the roof we'd be able to see the entire city. I look down at the street where three people run from a horde of walkers down the street. I try and look away as this one woman trips over a biter and gets bit in the calf, others swarm around her as she gets devoured I assume, the two other guys she's with look back. Not even breaking there running stride as they just witnessed a death. I sigh while walking slowly away from the window.
"Hey move your ass!" I turn around. Trent the guard walks up to me.
"We don't have time for none of this depressive shit!" He gets closer and pushes me into the wall. Holy shit that hurt my shoulder blade like hell. I stood there in complete silence hoping he wouldn't do anything else.
"You sure are useles… [view original content]
I pretend to take aim at one of the group members. I line the shot, I don't usually shoot guns but my bow and arrow taught me to aim. Then in a sudden flash I turn around at Brecker and shoot. The loud shot doesn't echo through the courtyard like last time. No bullet hits Brecker. Just an unloaded gun. No, no, no.
"You're stronger than I thought." Brecker remarked. "But you're just as stupid as your friend over there." He directs his attention towards Selena.
"What should we do with this one sir?" Trent asks. He's aiming his AK like he's about to shoot me.
"I'll have a word with this one. Everyone else grab your supplies and get to work." He yells in his southern accent.
"Just a word? She tried to kill you!" Trent tells him. If I wasn't bawling my eyes still I would go over and beat him to a pulp with his own gun. But I couldn't even if I wanted, I'd just get shot to pieces. Everybody begins walking away, even the guards. The people who are boarding up the windows grab plywood and buckets of nails.
“Rachel.” I hear a worried voice call out. It’s Bridgit, standing by the door. She sounds so much different than her usual self. James stands next to her
“Keep moving.” One of the guards poke there gun at her back to keep her moving. She walks back inside the hospital with James, holding hands.
“I oughta put more holes in her then swiss cheese.” I hear Trent say to another guard as they walk back inside.
There was a brief moment of silence after everyone left. I heard a bird chirping in the courtyard, it was in this small oak tree in the corner. Brecker pulled out his pistol and fired. The chirping stopped.
“Now you make sure to tell me the truth when you speak to me lil’ Miss and you won’t end up like your friend. Zapheaus was it?”
I gave him the cold shoulder, I crossed my arms and stuck my ground. I looked down at Zaphaeus’s lying next to me. His body that was still lying there, limp and lifeless. He slowly walked up to me, his old body looked like it could hardly move. He made his way over and whipped me in the side of the head with a pistol. I felt my head vibrating, everything was blurred. I pushed myself back up, he was surprisingly strong for an old man.
“When I say speak I mean speak Goddamnit!” He yelled at me, he slowly paced around the courtyard with his hands behind his back.
“Zaphaeus was a good man, probably had a bright future ahead of him before all this started… But who would I be if I wasn’t a man of my word? It’s all we have now that everything from before is gone. All material goods gone, family friends… You sure are lucky, judging by your reaction back then this is the first person you’ve lost that you cared about. Wasn’t it?” He asked me still slowly pacing in circles around the courtyard.
I stood in silence yet again. I don’t care if I get hit again, I’m starting to get used to this pain.
“You know what? Don’t answer. What I do know for sure is that every single one of you will be dead before the end of the week if you keep this up. First to go are probably the kids.” He states coldly.
“I should know.” His entire demeanor changed in that sentence his face gave a pained look for a moment. It was like he wanted me to sympathize with him for killing Zaphaeus. And I was sick of it.
“So what? You want me to feel sympathy for you because you lost what!? Your grandkids? You killed my friend out of coldblood!” I spat back. I felt cold as stone and wanted to see him spill over.
“What did Trent say again? More holes than Swiss cheese?” He spat back.
“You use fear as one of your tactics to make people do what you want? Is that it? That’s why you killed Zaphaeus wasn’t it?” I said again. The rage had completely filled my body, I might get shot but I don’t even care. It felt like I was red all over and it felt so good.
Brecker walked up to me slowly. Nose to nose facing me. He had the worst breath I had ever smelled. His grey goatee and his dull blue eyes were rather uncomfortable to look at up close. He pulled a dagger and let it gently touch my face.
“You’ve got a very, unique face you know. Grey eyes, dark skin, black hair.” I was a Filipino-American wih light grey eyes and a bit of Native-American blood on my father's side. My mom used to always said how lucky I was to have such nice eyes as a kid. It’d be a shame to see that pretty face get cut up lil’ lady.” The knife gently slid across my throat. His radio suddenly went off.
“Brecker, we’ve got increased walker activity outside. Backup’s needed.” The voice said. It was Cameron- the guy with Audrey.
“Shit, This again. Guess I gotta take care of this. I’ll send you your ways and we’ll get you boarding windows with the rest.” He handed me piles of plywood and sent me my way back to the lobby.
“Don’t fuck this up again.” Brecker warned me as I opened the door back inside. I begin to walk back inside the hospital.
I walk through the plain white hall. I saw the lobby just ahead 64 DAYS SINCE LAST ATTACK. The whiteboard ahead said. I walk past the halls There's these two guys talking with each other. When I get close to them they stop talking. One of them looks to be in his late 20's with black hair, he stares at me with his light brown eyes. The boy he's talking to is only a teen no older than 15 with light brown hair and dark brown eyes and was wearing a blue hoodie and gray sweatpants. The time I've been here I don't think I've seen a single one of Brecker's people smile. The only thing I did know was that I hated it here. But I was ready to do the labour in order not to make Brecker angry. To not end up like Zaphaeus.
I'm in the lobby now, the natural light from the wall length windows are the only thing keeping this area so bright. With beauty comes some danger I assume, that glass could give at any moment. It's a shame that we have to board them up, the windows are stain glass, and two stories tall. I look outside, the others are already out there working.
"Brecker wanted to put a gate around the hospital." I look behind me to see it's Martin. "For the 'well being' of the community." His voice shifts to a more humorous tone.
"I'll take it that you're not quite the fan of Brecker that you let others believe you are." I lower the supplies onto the ground. "Well if he wanted to make a gate he'd have to make a lot more supply runs into town."
"I'm not a fan? I can name a dozen off the top of my head that aren't."
"Is it really that bad?" I ask. If his own people don't respect him, then there has to be a reason, and I'll dig it out of Martin if I have to.
"No, no. It's not terrible. He's not a terrible guy if you've seen what he's been through." His facial expression softens.
"And that is what exactly? Because the last time I checked, not so terrible guys don't kill there prisoners for not completing simple tasks."
"He killed? Who?"
"Zaphaeus." I say. "He was my best friend, and he's dead because of that prick."
"That was unjustified. But we need to give him time to recoup. His wife died, last month. A member killed her when they were running away. It went by so fast, and then... one just bit her in the wrong place and it was all over." I never knew Brecker had a wife, I try to invasion his hand? Did it have a ring? I don't know, all I see is his hand wrapped around a trigger.
"Life's unfair." I say without inflection. "That's all I got to say." And before I can look and see what register's on Martin's face, I've already collected my stuff and leave.
"Hey guys." I say as I make my way outside.
“Jesus your head.” Bridgit points out concerned. I rub it out of curiosity. It’s where Brecker hit me just then, must be bruised.
“Yeah surprised I’m not dead with all these injuries coming my way everyday.” I half jokingly say. Dead, just like Zaphaeus is right now. I don’t think I’ll ever forget today.
“Listen Rachel, I’m really sorry about Zaphaeus, from what I saw he seemed like a pretty good guy.” Audrey tells me. Her black eye only looks like it’s gotten worse. Some other bruises and a cut lip appear on her face also.
“Sorry? You’re sorry? This is all your fucking fault!” I yell at her. “If you hadn’t dragged us to this hellhole we wouldn’t be here!” I continue to jab at her.
“I’m sorry-“ I cut her off.
“Shut the hell up. I wish Selena would’ve killed you last night.” I tell her. A tear flows out of her one good eye.
“I’m sorry. Okay? For trying to save everybody.” She storms off out the lobby into a dark hallway.
“That wasn’t very nice!” Cynthia tells me slightly annoyed. She’s still wearing my blue backpack I gave her when we first met. She’s holding a hammer that look’s too big her tall skinny frame.
“Maybe you should go talk to her.” Matthew tells me. “We need to board up the windows in that hall also.” He tells me.
“I guess so.” I sigh. Maybe I should talk to them before I go first.
Talk to Bridgit
“Hey Bridgit.” I tell her.
“Yeah?”
“How you holding up?” I ask her.
“The question is how are you holding up? He was your best friend before the apocalypse right?” She tells me.
“Yeah, him and Selena.” I let out a sigh.
“It’ll be okay, but the baby. We can’t just stay here with it coming.” She rubs her tiny baby bump.
“Things here are going to get a lot worse before they get any better, and I don’t want to be here when that happens.” James says.
“So what are you saying?” I ask him.
“We’re busting out first chance.” James tells me.
“I think we’ll need a plan to go with that.” I say as I walk away.
Talk to Cynthia
“Hey Cynthia.” I tell her.
“Hi.” She stops hammering and waves sadly.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“I miss Buttons.” She tells me. I was a little sad too. I thought that cat was pretty cool.
“Yeah me too, good news is he’s probably still alive.” I tell her.
“Probably?” She begins lightly weeping. I walk off before I make things more awkward.
See Audrey
I pick up some plywood and walk down the hall. I make my way down the hall and enter a hospital room. Audrey’s hammering a nail into the plywood over a window when she turns around and looks at me.
“What do you want?” Audrey asked with a melancholic tone in her voice. “Here to berate me some more?”
“I may have overreacted. But to be fair you did try to kill me.” I tell her.
“If I wanted to kill you then I could’ve killed you… Nobody was meant to get hurt.” She tells me. A silence fills the room for a moent
“Go on.” I tell her, helping her nail the boards.
“You know what’s crazy? If you told me four months ago I’d be here I would’ve never believed you. But who would? My girlfriend Char had pneumonia when things started going to shit. When she finally got better we couldn’t go back, not like this. Everybody I had ever known, gone. Just like that… Brecker and his growing community showed up and saved us. We owed him everything. But I really never knew how bad it was. He lost his wife one day and… He just wasn’t the same after. We were stuck here.”
“Oh my god. Audrey.” I say. “I’m-“
Audrey’s radio cuts me off. There’s a static sound coming out of the radio but I can’t make it out. Audrey begins to say something but I shush her.
“We need to keep quiet, everyone else in this hospital with a radio can hear this.” I warn her.
The static starts fasing away a distinct voice of a woman with an Irish accent begins speaking.
“Hello? James? Bridgit? Zaphaeus? Milfred? Anybody? It’s Margareth I’m at the diner where are you guys? I repeat it’s Margareth from the diner.” She starts speaking.
“It’s Margareth!” I quietly whisper to Audrey. “Oh my god they’re going to kill her, we have to warn her!”
“Woah, woah. We tell her to leave and what do you think’s going to happen to us? Brecker just killed for not being able to walk on his own, imagine what he’ll do if we basically help someone escape? At worse they’re just going to bring her in.” Audrey whispers to me.
“We don’t know that.” I defensively whisper back to Audrey.
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 2/6]
[Try to shoot Brecker.]
I pretend to take aim at one of the group members. I line the shot, I… more don't usually shoot guns but my bow and arrow taught me to aim. Then in a sudden flash I turn around at Brecker and shoot. The loud shot doesn't echo through the courtyard like last time. No bullet hits Brecker. Just an unloaded gun. No, no, no.
"You're stronger than I thought." Brecker remarked. "But you're just as stupid as your friend over there." He directs his attention towards Selena.
"What should we do with this one sir?" Trent asks. He's aiming his AK like he's about to shoot me.
"I'll have a word with this one. Everyone else grab your supplies and get to work." He yells in his southern accent.
"Just a word? She tried to kill you!" Trent tells him. If I wasn't bawling my eyes still I would go over and beat him to a pulp with his own gun. But I couldn't even if I wanted, I'd just get s… [view original content]
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 2/6]
[Try to shoot Brecker.]
I pretend to take aim at one of the group members. I line the shot, I… more don't usually shoot guns but my bow and arrow taught me to aim. Then in a sudden flash I turn around at Brecker and shoot. The loud shot doesn't echo through the courtyard like last time. No bullet hits Brecker. Just an unloaded gun. No, no, no.
"You're stronger than I thought." Brecker remarked. "But you're just as stupid as your friend over there." He directs his attention towards Selena.
"What should we do with this one sir?" Trent asks. He's aiming his AK like he's about to shoot me.
"I'll have a word with this one. Everyone else grab your supplies and get to work." He yells in his southern accent.
"Just a word? She tried to kill you!" Trent tells him. If I wasn't bawling my eyes still I would go over and beat him to a pulp with his own gun. But I couldn't even if I wanted, I'd just get s… [view original content]
Comments
Episode two - Sinking ship [Part 4/6]
[Side with her.]
“You’re right.” I whisper to her. A smirk appeared on her face.
“I’ll go tell Tony in the morning, we’ll leaving tomorrow night.” She walked over to her sleeping bag that we got from in town. I felt uneasy about this plan. They wouldn’t be in any danger if we left but we’re still betraying them. Or maybe they would? I don’t know anymore. I could hear James talking to Margareth, Audrey, and Cameron outside. I imagined them as the voices inside my head even though I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I can’t worry about that now. I’ve been walking the entire day. I’m too pooped to even get out of the booth I lie my head down and try to get some sleep.
I open my eyes to the noise of the door swing open. It’s pitch black outside, darker than earlier. I look around but it’s almost impossible to see anything further than a couple meters. The footsteps grow louder by each passing second. Just close your eyes Rachel, just close them. The footsteps stop. I open my eyes in horror.
“Fredo?” I ask,my vision is grim but I see him sitting across the booth from me. He still had the arrow in his neck and the skin on his face was rotten with a gray tint.
“You.” He says perfectly clear. “You killed me.” He points his rotting finger at me.
“I- I didn’t mean-“
“You’re a killer, and you know it.” He yells at me. I feel a lump in my throat growing.
“It was an accident! Please stop. I tried to save you.”
“Do I look safe? LOOK AT ME” he shouts at me. “I bet you don’t even know a thing about me.” I struggle to remember anything about him. We hardly even talked.
“You’re pathetic. A pathetic psycho killer who’s about to meet there end.” He tells me. I try to run but I’m still stuck, like i’m wearing cement shoes. Fredo pounces across the booth and takes a chunk out of my neck. All my screams are useless.
I struggle for air. A loud gasp comes out from my mouth. I touch my neck, no bites.
“Jesus!” Anton said as he quickly woke up, he immediately clutched onto his pocket knife that was under his sleeping bag. He’s been on edge since this started making sure the biters don’t get in here.
“It’s not real, it’s not real.” I say to myself trying to catch my breath.
“Another nightmare?” Anton asked me. I remember the day he and I met here, I probably shouldn’t have told him I killed somebody without going into more detail, he still thinks i’m a little crazy, he’s a nice guy but we usually don’t talk to each other.
“Yeah. Yeah just a nightmare. I’ll be fine.”
“Try and get some rest, you need it.” He tells me and lies back down, burying his head into the sleeping bag. I close my eyes and try going back to sleep.
But it’s useless, no matter how much I toss and turn I can’t handle going back to sleep. I decide to go outside and get some fresh air.
I open the door out the diner. I hear somebody talking behind the building, it sounds like Audrey. I walk around the corner and hide behind the cement wall. I stick my head out from the corner to see what’s going on. It looks like Audrey talking to her radio.
“… put Charity on please?” There was a slight pause, I heard a slight buzzing coming from the radio but couldn’t make it out.
“Well screw you man, I don’t care what Brecker says.” Audrey gestures with her one hand that’s not holding the radio.
I think about going there to question her. But I want to see where this goes.
“Well we’re gonna need the bus for this group there’s a good number of them here.” She listens to the radio, I wish I could hear what the man on the radio is saying but if I went closer I’d be spotted.
“I know. God knows we need the extra hands. I don’t want to see Brecker that mad ever again.” Audrey says to the radio. I feel the need to warn the others but I need to listen. I’ll be damned if this group gets taken hostage.
“I don’t know if I can do this anymore.” Audrey speaks to the radio, she sounds like she’s about to cry, there’s a slight pause. It’s probably the man speaking on the radio.
“There’s kids here! I guess there’s really no option is there? Okay it has to be done.” She speaks to the radio and turns it off.
“God, what have I done.” She kicks down a trash can with her foot and yells. She sits down in the parking lot and buries her face in her hand.
After a couple of minutes I walk to the back of the parking lot. Audrey sees me walking up. She gets up as soon as she sees me.
Stay calm Rachel, don’t panic.
“Hey Rachel.” She says with a cheerful tone and a bright smile on her face with her waving at me, the whites around eyes only look a little red. She’s a polar opposite of what she was like just five minutes ago.
“Hey.” I wave to her, she looks at me. “I couldn’t sleep.” I tell Audrey.
“Same.” She replies back.
“That’s a radio you got there?” I ask her. “Does it work? Because our camp could use radios like that, thats a good idea you have there. Use it like a cellphone to communicate with each other. Yeah I gotta tell James about that great idea.” I tell Audrey she looks at me suspiciously.
“I know you were using it who the hell is Brecker!?” I demand at her. She puts her hands up trying to avoid a fight.
“I’m gonna be honest with you, we’re a growing community located at the hospital in town.” She says. “This doesn’t have to get violent, neither of us have weapons, I turned my gun into James and I left your bow inside.”
“Bullcrap. Is this some kind of workcamp? You and that guy Cameron trying to escape?” I tell her.
“W-What? No. We’re a community There’s families and people of all ages there just like yours!” She tells me.
“Are you lying? What’s so bad that you can’t do this anymore?”
“I’ve told you the truth we’re a community. You’re the one who hasn’t been truthful to me or Cameron. Your leader James told us about that missing kid Ned, we could've helped!” She says. I look away, the guilt hurts me.
“We’re a community now, do you believe me or not?” Audrey asked
[Believe her.] [Don’t believe her.]
Slightly annoyed with one, this chapter felt like complete crap to me, and it’s really short.
Something's not right.
[Don’t believe her.]
[Believe her.]
She's my character, and I don't believe her.
I [don’t believe her] at all.
(Don't believe her)
Voting is closed! Rachel will [Not Believe her.]
HA! unless she's telling the truth... oh.
don't believe her.... also wondering if you rec'd the character I submitted
Yeah I probably did, Im gonna update the list after episode two.
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 5/6]
"You don;t have to lie to me just tell me the truth Audrey!" I tell her, she looks at me dazed.
"Keep your voice down!" She sharply whispers. "You're gonna draw all the walkers around here!" I didn't realize I was talking so loud
"You don't have to be afraid Audrey." I slowly walk towards her hands up in the air. "Don't go back to your camp if you don't want to. Stay here. We can just forget about the past and forgive each other." I speak as quiet as a mouse. My feet shuffle closer to her.
"Please. No. You don't understand, I can't leave. I just can't!" Her voice pleas with me, I feel her pain.
"Do what you have to do, but you're no taking us with-" I feel a jolt of pain in my right shoulder, it takes me a few seconds to comprehend what's happening but I'm lying on the warm hard ground as Audrey wraps her frail looking hands around my neck.
"You need to keep quiet. Don't move." She shushes me. I try to push her off me, but she's surprisingly strong. The whole world around me begins to blur. My lungs burn for oxygen. I look for something, anything to grab, I reach for her radio, and hit her with it on her head, it's no use.
This is it. This is how i'm gonna die. Memories of my life flood back into me like people say. My mom, my little brother's first birthday, the chocolate cake he got all over his mouth was hilarious at the the time; but it pains me now to realize they're both probably dead. My new family inside the diner, they're about to die soon too. Those four months of fighting and sacrifice, were all for nothing.
"I'm sorry." A voice whispers to me. It had to be Audrey since she was the only one there.
And then everything went pitch black.
2 hours later
I woke up with a throbbing headache, my head was leaning against a window with bars on the outside, it was still night outside but the headlights allowed me to see we driving past a large empty field in the middle of nowhere.
"Shit." I groaned under my breath. My shoulder blade hurt like hell. My hands were binded together so I couldn't touch my head anyways.
"She's awake!" A male voice called out. I regained my focus, it was Tony sitting next to me.
"God are you okay?" Selena said groggy from waking up in the middle of the night, she was sitting next to Zaphaeus.
"My head and shoulder hurt like hell, but at least I'm not dead."
"Well for a second we thought you were." Tony said, "Who the hell did this to your neck?" Tony asked worriedly. I looked down at my neck but you can't even see your neck without looking in a mirror.
"It's all purple and bruised up. If that's what you wanted to know."
"I think it was Audrey, where the hell are we?" I asked.
"Audrey did that?" James says surprised. "I knew it had to be one of the two. Because when we woke up there were dozens of guards with AK-47's holding us at gunpoint." James said. "They forced us on this prison bus to who knows were." He said worriedly.
I looked at the guards, there were two of them behind a gate and one was driving.
"Can we try and fight them? There are more of us then there are of them." Selena suggested.
"No, not unless we want to get shot to pieces." James told her.
"I don't think we can just get out of a prison bus that easily anyways." Bridgit added to James's defense quickly and calmly.
"Well we can't just sit here and wait to die!" Selena defended herself.
"She's right James. Who knows what's going to happen." Zaphaeus added.
"Selena sit down and shut up! You're not going to get yourself killed!" Tony ordered Selena. She stuck her tongue out at him.
"James is right. We're binded and they have guns. Plus there's a gate separating us, it's a suicide wish." I told Selena.
"How long have we been driving?" I ask anybody.
"Almost two hours. I wonder where we're going." Anton said. He was the seat in front of me and sat with Milfred.
"Probably to the slaughterhouse." Zaphaeus stated. I looked over at him, Selena nudged him even though she still had her hand restraints on.
"You're going to scare the kids, just stop!" She whispered to him.
I heard crying a couple seats up. It was Cynthia, I glared over at Zaphaeus.
"He was only kidding Cynthia nothing bad will happen to you." Matthew said while coddling his daughter, I noticed he was missing his red hat he always wore was missing, exposing his blonde, greasy hair from the lack of bathing.
"Well it's true, we're fucked!" Zaphaeus exclaimed. "They took our home, all our weapons, supplies, they probably would've taken our food if we had any! We're dead!" The guards turn back and look to see what all the commotion is.
"That's not true, if they wanted us dead they would've done it right there." Bridgit whispers her opinion back to Zaphaeus to avoid attention.
"I can't take this anymore." Zaphaeus said. He ran up to the front where the guards were and proceeded to break the fence.
"You sick fucks! Let us out of here!" He continued to charge at the fence. One of the guards got up and grabbed his rifle. He hit Zaphaeus in the kneecap and he fell over. I heard Zapheaus let out a curse and a yelp of pain.
"Get back to your seat now." The guard ordered, he turned his AK around and pointed it at Zaphaeus. He hobbled over next to Selena with his one good leg.
"What the fuck Zaphaeus, you could be dead right now!" Tony quietly yelled at him.
"How are you feeling?" I ask him.
"It hurts like hell right now. Jesus christ." He said trying to touch it but wincing when he got to close.
"Pull up your jeans. I told Zaphaeus. He began to roll the one up above his knee.
"Goddamn, is that broken?" I ask.
"Well that's definitely not normal." Anton joined into the discussion. "Try bending it." He suggested
Zaphaeus began to move his knee down.
"Ah shit!" He yelled in pain. "Yup it's definitely broken." He said.
"You really shouldn't have gone up there." I told him.
I stand up out of my seat, the guards look at me and hold there AK's like they're ready to shoot. I look around at all the seats. There's Tony, Selena, Zaphaeus, Bridgit, James, Milfred, Anton, Cynthia, Matthew and Judy sitting all by herself. But there's someone missing.
"Where's Margareth?" I ask. Tony pulls me down to the seat.
"She wasn't there when the guards came. She's gone." He whispered to me.
"Jesus Christ." I whispered under my breath. "She's not-"
"They didn't find her it might just mean she ran off somewhere." He tells me. It hits me like a train.
"She's looking for Ned." I whisper back to Tony. "She didn't want to leave him alone so she went back out to look for him." I whisper. Tony nods his head in agreement.
"Well, so much for leaving the group in the morning." Selena whispers across the aisle to me.
"Wait hold up. You were going to leave us in the morning how could you?" James asks, he must've taken it personal since he was our leader.
"Calm down honey." Bridgit tells James.
"No I want to hear this hun. You would just leave us like that?" He asks Selena
"Look Ray and I talked about it last night and-" She was cut off by James impudent attitude.
"Rachel!? You too? Guess I know where you stand."
(?) The group trust you less now.
I see Zaphaeus look at me with a betrayed face, Selena whispers in his ear. Probably telling him that he was included in leaving because the emotion on his face suddenly changes to content.
"I-" I try to defend myself but the bus cuts me off by making a quick stop, slamming everybody including me to hit the seat in front.
"Alright, up and at em'." One of the guards said as he unlocked the gate. He was a tall man with an average build and looked to be in his mid thirties, he had black hair and blue eyes with a short beard growing. He had had an AK-47 in his hand I wasn't about to ignore his orders. He wore a military shirt on with rolled up sleeves, navy jeans and brown boots.
"Martin, You'll never get em up like that. ALRIGHT MOVE!" The other guard yelled at us. He looked to be in his forties. He had light brown hair and and dark brown eyes, he was about six feet tall and had a serious look on his face. There was a little stubble growing around his face.
"Trent..." The man I assumed to be Martin sighed.
Everybody began heading off the bus. Tony supported Zaphaeus by letting him hold onto his shoulder. We were at a Red cross hospital in the middle of the city, it looked to be at least 15 stories tall. Looks like Audrey wasn't lying about everything.
"Now Brecker has some rules for y'all folks and DON'T expect him to repeat them." The entire diner group stayed silent as we walked in a single file line to the building. I looked behind me, there were two buses, that must be the one that most of the guards rode in.
We walked in through the once automatic doors that were now sealed. The two guards pried the doors open and we walked inside the lobby of the hospital it was beautiful and looked very modern. The lobby had high ceilings, marble floors, comfy looking chairs and a lot of large windows. The guards pried the door shut when the whole group made it through. Our footsteps echoed through the area. It had to be at least two in the morning but it was surprisingly easy to see without lights.
"You did what?" I heard a deep southern voice yell out.
"It- It fell out of my pocket and broke!" I heard Audrey's voice nervously say. As we walked closer I could just see what it was, the man with a southern voice had a white goatee and white hair with a cowboy hat over his head. His eyes were a light blue and he had an intimidating look to him. He looked to be in his late sixties.
"Nonsense! I don't want to hear your cheap lies!" He said as he punched Audrey in the face knocking her over. I stopped in shock at what I just saw.
"Jesus christ!" I heard Matthew yell. He directed Cynthia's attention to look away.
"No!" A woman's voice I've never heard before yelled out. She ran up to Audrey holding her close to her chest. "You monster!" I heard her cry out to the man. The girl looked to be about Audrey's age and she was indian, she was a thin girl who had long wavy black hair that came to mid back. I couldn't quite tell how tall she was but she was definitely shorter than Audrey.
"Quiet unless you want one of what she just had!" The southern man yelled out.
"Hey keep walking!" The guard Trent pushed me with the butt of his AK.
"No, no. These are the new members of the community. They need to see what happens when you get out of line!" The man said. He must be Brecker
"She didn't do anything. All she did was drop her radio!" For a second I felt the urge of guilt run over me because I was the one who broke her radio, but then I realized that she tried to kill me. I'm ashamed to admit but it felt good watching her get punched.
"Now I told you that if you weren't quiet you'd get one of what she's getting. He threatened her. The indian girl immediately stopped talking.
"Welcome new members." The man greeted, I felt a shiver run down my spine as he spoke. "Now we're building a community here, a sanctuary if you will. But the cost of living won't come without the compromise of your personal freedom." He started walking around the lobby.
"Here our top priority is the overall the community here, the greater good if you will. Y'all are not the greater good." His voice echoed throughout the lobby. He slowly walked observing all of us. He noticed Judy and a grin ran over his face
"You have children with you. That's nice, I had my own grandkids too that i'm very thankful for. But child's play is over. If you can't pull your weight, then you're out of here."
"You will not be allowed outside the hospital without the authority of me or the guards." There was a wave of silence, everybody was to afraid too speak.
"Just because it ain't too fair now doesn't mean it always will be. Hard work and effort go a long way here. Let's look at Audrey for example, she was scoutin' before but now, consider yourself demoted." He looked over at Audrey who seemed to be in pain from the punch still. He crouched down to her level and handed her a radio
"Don't fuck this one up too okay?" I could barley hear him say, he had handed her a radio.
I looked over at the faces across the lobby, they weren't guards they were just regular people like us, maybe twenty or thirty others dressed in normal clothing not holding guns or anything.
I looked over at a sign across the hall. 63 DAYS SINCE LAST ATTACK.
Brecker must've noticed this because he walked over to me. My anxiety skyrocketed as he pulled a dagger out of his pocket. I eyed it carefully how he held it, how it slowly moved closer to me. I held my breath as he grabbed my hands.
He cut the bindings off. They left there red marks on my hand from being too tight, I gently rubbed them.
"Your rooms are on the fifth floor." He told me "But whatever you do don't go up to the sixth floor." He told everyone from the diner group as he began cutting the bindings off everyone. A guard began escorting people up the fifth floor.
"Well here's your floor, just pick out a room, and for the love of god don't try anything stupid because I'm watching y'all making and making sure you don't try to escape." Martin said.
"Sure." I replied back, I was too angry and tired to reply back with anything longer.
"And don't worry we cleared the bodies here a long time ago." I walked off and picked a room.
"Goddamn." I said to myself. The room had two beds and a small color TV that obviously didn't work anymore. I won't miss sleeping back at the diner that's for sure. I sighed, this place might look safe but it's a hell for sure. I lied down on the bed, it was so much more comfortable than the booth or the floor.
Selena walked in a few minutes later.
"Looks comfy." She says looking at the bed.
"Yeah." I agree with her.
She looked out the window. "We can still escape." She suggested.
"Oh really?" I said "How? There's guards everywhere." I told her.
"There's no guards outside the hospital though. And the buildings got a ledge I could just walk across and check if there's a fire escape." She suggested.
"Not all of us are parkour experts like you."
"Just bend with your knees if you fall." Selena jokes.
"Selena," I begin seriously, she rolls her eyes knowing what I'm about to say. "Zaphaeus has a broken kneecap probably and we need our rest. We're not in any shape to escape right now."
"Maybe not all of us should leave then, it can still be me, you and Tony like we planned." She said. I bit my lip hesitantly.
"It's fine Rachel, just don't worry about it."
"It's just-" There was a knock on the door.
I got out of the bed and moved to the door. I opened it and immediately noticed the black eye swollen shut.
"Can I come in?" Audrey asked.
"Isn't this the girl that tried to kill you?!" Selena said angry as she clenched her fist.
[Close door] [Let her in]
That took a lot longer than I thought it would to write that. Not originally where I wanted it to end but if I kept going it would've been like 3,000 words.
Nooo, Margareth is gone! Will her fate be revealed?
[Let her in]
Her fate and Ned's will be revealed. But I can't tell you when!
[Let her in]
I hope it's soon. If they will be dead all this time, it will suck that I'll submit new characters a lot later.
Oh wait, did you just changed the name of your fanfic? It says "The Fallen World" now. But "The Fallen World" is a name of TheKingOfWalkers' fanfic...
let her in
[Let her in]
Really? I should change it back then.
Voting is closed! Rachel will [Let her in] and I have school tomorrow, I don't know how often I'm gonna be able to post.
wat
I'm back! I have school now but i'll try to keep posting on weekends.
I just reread my chapter, I don't usually read afterwords because I'm too tired but I realized that I've made the corniest villain known to man, weak character development and hardly a personality for our main character Rachel. I'm going to try and fix this because putting bad work out there just feels embarrassing.
Edit: I edited the last chapter a tiny bit.
Cool
Episode two - Sinking Ship [Part 6/6]
"Come in." I quickly say Audrey, her feet begin slowly shuffling in. Brecker must've messed her up pretty bad.
"C'mon! Are you fucking kidding me?" Selena whined as I closed the door behind Audrey. "You're just going to let her in like that? After what she did?"
"I don't like it either but Selena, she's not the bad guy." I point out. Selena’s face turns a bright red as she clenches both her fists tightly and her face began to look irritated.
"Selena..." I try and calm her down. But she pushes me off like I’m a feather, she leaped across the room with incredible speed and threw a punch at Audrey's stomach, I looked in shock as Selena who was at least six inches shorter than Audrey pushed her down in the floor with a punch and a kick to the stomach. Selena pins her down and begins throwing punches at her face a mile a minute.
"SELENA. STOP!" I stand back up and yank her back by her shoulders, her fists keep swinging but she's too far away from Audrey.
"LET FUCKING GO!" She demands, Audrey gets back up with a bloody nose, black eye and probably a lot of bruises. She begins walking towards Selena and I, both hands cautiously raised in the air.
Audrey begins to say something, but before she can get her first word out Selena swiftly kicks her in the jaw. She escapes my grip and pins Audrey back to the ground.
"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU. YOU PIECE OF SHIT! IF YOU LAY ANOTHER HAND ON ANYONE WITH ME I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Selena yells at the top of her lungs. She gets off of her and takes a deep breath in while pacing around the room.
"What the hell’s your problem?" I ask her. she turns around and stops pacing around to talk to me.
"If you wouldn't kill her then I sure as hell would." Selena adds. A guard loudly enters the room with an AK-47 slamming the door behind him, and for a split second I thought he broke down the door.
"What the fuck is going on here!" The guard said carrying the AK-47. "My god Audrey, Brecker did this?" He bent down to examine Audrey’s face. He was the same guard watching over this floor he was wearing the navy military shirt and the navy jeans with brown boots.
"Yeah, Breker did this." She glared over at Selena who was still pacing in the room.
"Jesus Christ." He said to her to her in a tone of shock. "You gonna be okay?" He asked.
"I'll be fine Martin just- just give me a minute." She asked him. Martin nodded and began to walk back out.
“Okay. Lockdown starts in 15 minutes, so make it quick." He hesitantly said to her while looking at Selena like she just killed somebody as he walked out the room and shut the door.
"Lockdown?" I ask.
"Security protocol." Audrey said as she gentley rubbed her jaw. "Everybody but guards are supposed to be in their rooms so nobody escapes and no supplies go missing, it starts earlier but-" She cuts herself off before she can say anything.
"Before what? Before you took us as prisoners?" Selena crossed her arms as she questioned Audrey. "Who the hell does that?" Selena asked her still trying to resist punching her by pacing up and down the room.
"I'm sorry but do you think I like doing this? I don't have a choice." Audrey replied back to Selena.
"We always have a choice. Even when it seems like we don't." I told her. She directed her attention to me.
"Yeah well not me." Audrey shook her head. She was in a sitting fetal position trying to fight the pain off.
"How'd you even become part of Brecker's camp?" I asked her there was a long pause of silence.
"I didn't." She remarked after long time. "It was stupid, my girl Charity-“ She hesitated for a while looking at Selena and I.
“Never mind, I think I need to get back to my room.” Audrey said as briskly sttod up and began to walk out the room.
“Is Charity that one girl in the lobby?” I asked her as she walked out the room and closed the door behind her.
“Wonder what that was about.” I turned to Selena.
“Who knows?” Selena shrugged her shoulders.
“Fuck.” Selena whispered quietly to herself but I still could hear her.
“Don’t go blaming yourself Selena, you did what you thought was right.” I patted her shoulder as she looked blankly at the wall.
“You think I like playing the bad cop? It’s just, I get so mad sometimes and I just want to shoot somebody who does me wrong.” Selena solemnly said.
“She hurt me, not you. I can take of things too.” I said to Selena trying to make her see things my way. There was a brief moment of silence, maybe about a minute until Selena finally said something.
“I’m not alright.” Selena finally said.
“Nobody is, just try and get some sleep.” I told her. Her head hung low as she trudged her way to her bed. I stood up and walked into mine. If there was anything that kept me happy at this moment it was probably how great these beds were. I stared at the painting across the room, the light of the moon made the image seeable in the dark night.
Three little birds. One bird lay inside its nest sleeping, the other two flying away next to each other. It was kind of cute. That was the last picture I saw until I drifted off to sleep.
[YOUR CHOICES]
Honesty - You chose to ask Eddard if he wanted to come hunting
Humanity - You chose not to shoot when you were in the tree
Survival - You sided with Selena instead of the group
Hope - You did not believe Audrey
Humbleness - You let Audrey in
Question time! Who is your favorite character so far? It can be any character introduced so far, even your own.
So, my favourite character...
Objectively I have to go for Selena, even after she just went full berserk on poor Audrey. She's tough, extremely useful, surprisingly funny and even though she acts like a jerk, we saw that she has a different side too (Though that's likely due to Rachel's P.O.V)
But since I find it kinda cheap to praise my own character without giving tribute to the other great characters, I have to mention that Milfred is a close second. He reminds me of Hershel from the TV-series (and to be honest, I always imagine that he looks a bit like him)
Runner ups would be Audrey or Margareth. All in all, I like most of the characters introduced so far.
My fav? Rachel. I also really love the way you're writing Judy and Audrey (I cannot wait to see Charity!). It's really, really awesome. Amazing job.
NEXT TIME ON THE ROAD AHEAD.
I walk through the plain white lobby. 64 DAYS SINCE LAST ATTACK. I don't remember the last time I saw someone smile here. All I did know was that I hate it here. But I was ready to do whatever labour I have to in order not to make Brecker upset, I look down at my hands trembling like crazy as I carry at least thirty pounds worth of boards for the doors and windows. When was the last time any of us ate?
There was a static coming out of Audrey's radio, I couldn't make out what they were saying but I knew they were saying something.
"Hello? HELLO?!" I speak loudly into the radio.
"Things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better." He points out to me.
"So what are you saying?" I ask trying to clarify.
I bend down getting to eye level. I hand over the gun. "It's time we teach you the basics of survival." I say.
"This is because of what happened with Ned right?" She asks me. I look away and try to hold it in. But it's becoming harder everyday.
I hunch over and look at the blood. Still fresh. I follow it around the corner and immediately regret it.
"Oh my god. No." I say in horror, my heart beats a mile a minute. I need to get out of here before anyone sees me.
EPISODE 3 - WE STAND TOGETHER
like selena so far...and actually think i'm gonna like becker (every good story needs a good bad guy, he has a whole carver/governor thing going, very interested to see him develop) anyway this is all very well written I am enjoying immensely!!!
Wow, what a cool name of the episode!
Edited! I gave it a title at first but I didn't really like it.
I didn't notice you updated for awhile, and DAMN did shit get bad. I'm really hoping that James doesn't just creep to the shadows now that he doesn't exactly much have a group to lead.
James is still very much a leader even if he isn't in control. People from the diner are still going to look up to him.
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 1/6]
6 A.M- Daybreak
I look outside the fifth floor window, five floors down. The other buildings obscure the view of the city, but I'm pretty sure if we were on the roof we'd be able to see the entire city. I look down at the street where three people run from a horde of walkers down the street. I try and look away as this one woman trips over a biter and gets bit in the calf, others swarm around her as she gets devoured I assume, the two other guys she's with look back. Not even breaking there running stride as they just witnessed a death. I sigh while walking slowly away from the window.
"Hey move your ass!" I turn around. Trent the guard walks up to me.
"We don't have time for none of this depressive shit!" He gets closer and pushes me into the wall. Holy shit that hurt my shoulder blade like hell. I stood there in complete silence hoping he wouldn't do anything else.
"You sure are useless, you know. Couldn't hurt a fly. Martin take care of this one." He yells to Martin across the hall as he mocks me. I keep my silence until he walks away and down into the emergency staircases. The door slowly closed, I flicked him off when the large metal made a loud click when it shut completely. Martin walked briskly across the hall. I really hope he didn't see that.
"C'mon let's go." Martin tells me. I look down at his eyes as he helps me, they're a dark blue color. His hair is a dark black and kept short, shaved almost. He has a very long square face and facial features too.
"Thanks." I say.
"Saw you flick off that Trent." He said, I held my breath waiting for another push or slap or even a punch. "Well that's good. He's one son of a bitch." He tells me. I cracked a smile for a second but just a second, I didn't want to smile. Not at all.
"Better get down there now. You're late." Martin warns me. I open the door to the emergency staircase and walk down the stairs.
The Lobby: 2 minutes later
"Why are you late?" Selena asks me as I enter the lobby of the hospital.
"I don't even know, I could hardly sleep. Probably that." I tell her, even though these were the first real beds any of us had in months.
"I know what you're talking about. I haven't had a good shut eye in four months." Bridgit chirps in, her usual upbeat self says even in the bad moments like these.
"Yeah." I reply back. Half listening, half looking around the hospital lobby there must be dozens of people here in the lobby, it feels almost like life before. Crowded. "So-" an intercom shuts me up. Didn't know those worked.
“Refugees from last night. Report to the Courtayard as of now.” The intercom was a female voice, it sounded like one of those you hear at a plane terminal. Bridgit, Selena and I walked to the courtyard they apparently had. James walked up to Bridgit, Selena and I to probably talk about something.
“So an intercom can work but we can’t get any A.C in here?” Bridgit complains, holding her belly with both hands. James has his arm wrapped around her.
“Don’t worry hun, soon as we get out this hellhole we’ll go up north.”
“Wait a second, you think we’re just going to escape?” I ask James he looks at me as if I’m doubting him.
“Hell yes we will, in this heat we’ll just die of heatstroke. And it’s only going to get worse when summer hits.”
“Going up north isn’t going to help either, we’ll just freeze our asses off into some place we don’t even know.”
“I honestly don’t give a shit what you say, Rachel and you can go off to wherever the fuck you want since you’re so interested in leaving us.” James tells us. The guards in front of us and behind us are turning around and listening to James rant.
“Hey!” I sharply whisper to James. “I think you blew your big plan.” I say sarcastically.
“Where’s Zaphaeus?” I ask anybody.
“Over there.” Selena points behind us. Tony and Anton support Zaphaeus by his shoulders as he limps on his one good knee.
“Oh god. I should go over there.” I walk back to Zaphaeus.
“Hey Anton, hey Tony. I got this.” I tell them.
“You sure?” Anton asked me.
“Definitley.” I assure him.
“Whatever you say.” Tony tells me, he and Anton catch up to Selena. They begin speaking but I can’t read there lips.
“I’m so sorry.” I tell him. “If I would’ve held you back when you went crazy on the bus you probably wouldn’t be in this mess with your knee.”
“No, no. This is on me. If I didn’t freak out on the bus my knee wouldn’t have been fucked up. Matthew must hate me right now. He’s been so busy trying to protect Cynthia all this time and her crying because of me probably isn’t helping.” He tells me, his head down low and his eyes looking away from me.
“Just cut some slack.” I tell Zaphaeus. I can see the doors to the courtyard. They’re made of glass. I see Brecker outside. We walk outside as a warm breeze blows by. Piles of plywood and muddy white buckets surround Brecker as he stands above one of the pieces of plywood like it’s a stage. The courtyard is small, and there are walls surrounding every side of it. They have some areas filled with grass. It’s probably too small to farm anything. Maybe on the roof they grow food, I hope. God I’m starving.
“We are here today for your jobs today. Bridgit, Rachel, Matthew, James and Cynthia you’re boarding up windows with Audrey today.” Oh great just what I need, another confrontation with Audrey. At least Selena’s not here.
“Selena, Tony, Anton, Judy and Milfred.” He calls out. Y’all be harvesting the food on the roof with Charity.” If I remember I think that’s Audrey’s girlfriend that she brought up last night.
“And you.” He points his finger at me. Wait a second, it’s not me. I slowly turn my head to what I know he’s about to call out.
“You, Zaphaeus is it? Come here. Go on walk up here, and no limping.” He tells Zaphaeus in his deep country accent.
“Brecker, don’t do anything you might regret.” I try to warn him as politely as possible.
“Oh I’m sure whatever the outcome is I won’t regret it.” He pulls out a six shooter pistol from behind his back and takes aim. “Now walk.” He demands in a voice that sends chills down everyone’s spine.
I stare at Zaphaeus. I look down at his knee, if he puts any weight on it he’s going to hurt himself. He moves his arm away from my shoulder and begins walking.
He steps on his bad knee and lets out a sharp cry of pain. He falls to the ground, a wave of silence and suspension fill the courtyard. He tries to get back up.
But a loud click echoes the courtyard. Zaphaeus’s body falls limp and blood flows down his forehead. I let out a blood curdling scream.
“NO!” I yell, I fall to my knees and begin to bawl. But nothing comes out, Zaphaeus, one of my only friends before the world went to shit. Gone just like that. And I can’t even cry.
“HOLY SHIT!” Tony yells.
“Cynthia don’t look!” Matthew tries to keep calm and coddle Cynthia.
“Zaphaeus!” I hear Selena scream. “YOU SON OF A-“ another shot fires. I turn around. Oh god. Not Selena too. No.
I get up from my knees, Selena has blood running down her cheek. I look at her. She continues rubbing it and blood continues to flow out her cheek. It must’ve been a graze but it cut her cheek up pretty bad. Her eyes widen in horror as she realizes she should’ve died.
“There’s no time for weakness! There’s no time for MOURNING! Or an act of defiance. I CALL THE SHOTS, NOT YOU! Incase you forgot we’re fighting another war. The real enemy is out there!” He begins yelling in his country accent. He looks directly at me.
“Get up here.” He coldly tells me. I lie in pain for a second, but I know what will happen if I don’t. He hands me an extra pistol he had in his back pocket.
“Shoot someone. Now.” He tells me.
“No. I won’t do this.” I beg him. "Please don't." The tears finally begin flowing down my face.
“Do it. Prove to me you aren’t as weak as I think you are.”
[Shoot Matthew.] [Shoot Anton.] [Shoot Cynthia.] [Shoot Judy] [Shoot Selena] [Shoot Tony] [Shoot Bridgit] [Shoot James]
[Shoot Milfred.] [Shoot Self.] [Try to shoot Brecker.]
try to shoot brecker
holy shit! brecker is way worse than I thought
[Try to shoot Brecker.]
Yes Brecker, she's gonna shoot someone.
[Try to shoot Brecker.]
When fates of Margareth and Eddard will be revealed?
[Try to shoot Brecker.]
Voting is closed! Rachel will [Try to shoot Brecker.] Things are about to get intense.
Episode 3 - We Stand Together [Part 2/6]
[Try to shoot Brecker.]
I pretend to take aim at one of the group members. I line the shot, I don't usually shoot guns but my bow and arrow taught me to aim. Then in a sudden flash I turn around at Brecker and shoot. The loud shot doesn't echo through the courtyard like last time. No bullet hits Brecker. Just an unloaded gun. No, no, no.
"You're stronger than I thought." Brecker remarked. "But you're just as stupid as your friend over there." He directs his attention towards Selena.
"What should we do with this one sir?" Trent asks. He's aiming his AK like he's about to shoot me.
"I'll have a word with this one. Everyone else grab your supplies and get to work." He yells in his southern accent.
"Just a word? She tried to kill you!" Trent tells him. If I wasn't bawling my eyes still I would go over and beat him to a pulp with his own gun. But I couldn't even if I wanted, I'd just get shot to pieces. Everybody begins walking away, even the guards. The people who are boarding up the windows grab plywood and buckets of nails.
“Rachel.” I hear a worried voice call out. It’s Bridgit, standing by the door. She sounds so much different than her usual self. James stands next to her
“Keep moving.” One of the guards poke there gun at her back to keep her moving. She walks back inside the hospital with James, holding hands.
“I oughta put more holes in her then swiss cheese.” I hear Trent say to another guard as they walk back inside.
There was a brief moment of silence after everyone left. I heard a bird chirping in the courtyard, it was in this small oak tree in the corner. Brecker pulled out his pistol and fired. The chirping stopped.
“Now you make sure to tell me the truth when you speak to me lil’ Miss and you won’t end up like your friend. Zapheaus was it?”
I gave him the cold shoulder, I crossed my arms and stuck my ground. I looked down at Zaphaeus’s lying next to me. His body that was still lying there, limp and lifeless. He slowly walked up to me, his old body looked like it could hardly move. He made his way over and whipped me in the side of the head with a pistol. I felt my head vibrating, everything was blurred. I pushed myself back up, he was surprisingly strong for an old man.
“When I say speak I mean speak Goddamnit!” He yelled at me, he slowly paced around the courtyard with his hands behind his back.
“Zaphaeus was a good man, probably had a bright future ahead of him before all this started… But who would I be if I wasn’t a man of my word? It’s all we have now that everything from before is gone. All material goods gone, family friends… You sure are lucky, judging by your reaction back then this is the first person you’ve lost that you cared about. Wasn’t it?” He asked me still slowly pacing in circles around the courtyard.
I stood in silence yet again. I don’t care if I get hit again, I’m starting to get used to this pain.
“You know what? Don’t answer. What I do know for sure is that every single one of you will be dead before the end of the week if you keep this up. First to go are probably the kids.” He states coldly.
“I should know.” His entire demeanor changed in that sentence his face gave a pained look for a moment. It was like he wanted me to sympathize with him for killing Zaphaeus. And I was sick of it.
“So what? You want me to feel sympathy for you because you lost what!? Your grandkids? You killed my friend out of coldblood!” I spat back. I felt cold as stone and wanted to see him spill over.
“What did Trent say again? More holes than Swiss cheese?” He spat back.
“You use fear as one of your tactics to make people do what you want? Is that it? That’s why you killed Zaphaeus wasn’t it?” I said again. The rage had completely filled my body, I might get shot but I don’t even care. It felt like I was red all over and it felt so good.
Brecker walked up to me slowly. Nose to nose facing me. He had the worst breath I had ever smelled. His grey goatee and his dull blue eyes were rather uncomfortable to look at up close. He pulled a dagger and let it gently touch my face.
“You’ve got a very, unique face you know. Grey eyes, dark skin, black hair.” I was a Filipino-American wih light grey eyes and a bit of Native-American blood on my father's side. My mom used to always said how lucky I was to have such nice eyes as a kid. It’d be a shame to see that pretty face get cut up lil’ lady.” The knife gently slid across my throat. His radio suddenly went off.
“Brecker, we’ve got increased walker activity outside. Backup’s needed.” The voice said. It was Cameron- the guy with Audrey.
“Shit, This again. Guess I gotta take care of this. I’ll send you your ways and we’ll get you boarding windows with the rest.” He handed me piles of plywood and sent me my way back to the lobby.
“Don’t fuck this up again.” Brecker warned me as I opened the door back inside. I begin to walk back inside the hospital.
I walk through the plain white hall. I saw the lobby just ahead 64 DAYS SINCE LAST ATTACK. The whiteboard ahead said. I walk past the halls There's these two guys talking with each other. When I get close to them they stop talking. One of them looks to be in his late 20's with black hair, he stares at me with his light brown eyes. The boy he's talking to is only a teen no older than 15 with light brown hair and dark brown eyes and was wearing a blue hoodie and gray sweatpants. The time I've been here I don't think I've seen a single one of Brecker's people smile. The only thing I did know was that I hated it here. But I was ready to do the labour in order not to make Brecker angry. To not end up like Zaphaeus.
I'm in the lobby now, the natural light from the wall length windows are the only thing keeping this area so bright. With beauty comes some danger I assume, that glass could give at any moment. It's a shame that we have to board them up, the windows are stain glass, and two stories tall. I look outside, the others are already out there working.
"Brecker wanted to put a gate around the hospital." I look behind me to see it's Martin. "For the 'well being' of the community." His voice shifts to a more humorous tone.
"I'll take it that you're not quite the fan of Brecker that you let others believe you are." I lower the supplies onto the ground. "Well if he wanted to make a gate he'd have to make a lot more supply runs into town."
"I'm not a fan? I can name a dozen off the top of my head that aren't."
"Is it really that bad?" I ask. If his own people don't respect him, then there has to be a reason, and I'll dig it out of Martin if I have to.
"No, no. It's not terrible. He's not a terrible guy if you've seen what he's been through." His facial expression softens.
"And that is what exactly? Because the last time I checked, not so terrible guys don't kill there prisoners for not completing simple tasks."
"He killed? Who?"
"Zaphaeus." I say. "He was my best friend, and he's dead because of that prick."
"That was unjustified. But we need to give him time to recoup. His wife died, last month. A member killed her when they were running away. It went by so fast, and then... one just bit her in the wrong place and it was all over." I never knew Brecker had a wife, I try to invasion his hand? Did it have a ring? I don't know, all I see is his hand wrapped around a trigger.
"Life's unfair." I say without inflection. "That's all I got to say." And before I can look and see what register's on Martin's face, I've already collected my stuff and leave.
"Hey guys." I say as I make my way outside.
“Jesus your head.” Bridgit points out concerned. I rub it out of curiosity. It’s where Brecker hit me just then, must be bruised.
“Yeah surprised I’m not dead with all these injuries coming my way everyday.” I half jokingly say. Dead, just like Zaphaeus is right now. I don’t think I’ll ever forget today.
“Listen Rachel, I’m really sorry about Zaphaeus, from what I saw he seemed like a pretty good guy.” Audrey tells me. Her black eye only looks like it’s gotten worse. Some other bruises and a cut lip appear on her face also.
“Sorry? You’re sorry? This is all your fucking fault!” I yell at her. “If you hadn’t dragged us to this hellhole we wouldn’t be here!” I continue to jab at her.
“I’m sorry-“ I cut her off.
“Shut the hell up. I wish Selena would’ve killed you last night.” I tell her. A tear flows out of her one good eye.
“I’m sorry. Okay? For trying to save everybody.” She storms off out the lobby into a dark hallway.
“That wasn’t very nice!” Cynthia tells me slightly annoyed. She’s still wearing my blue backpack I gave her when we first met. She’s holding a hammer that look’s too big her tall skinny frame.
“Maybe you should go talk to her.” Matthew tells me. “We need to board up the windows in that hall also.” He tells me.
“I guess so.” I sigh. Maybe I should talk to them before I go first.
Talk to Bridgit
“Hey Bridgit.” I tell her.
“Yeah?”
“How you holding up?” I ask her.
“The question is how are you holding up? He was your best friend before the apocalypse right?” She tells me.
“Yeah, him and Selena.” I let out a sigh.
“It’ll be okay, but the baby. We can’t just stay here with it coming.” She rubs her tiny baby bump.
“Things here are going to get a lot worse before they get any better, and I don’t want to be here when that happens.” James says.
“So what are you saying?” I ask him.
“We’re busting out first chance.” James tells me.
“I think we’ll need a plan to go with that.” I say as I walk away.
Talk to Cynthia
“Hey Cynthia.” I tell her.
“Hi.” She stops hammering and waves sadly.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“I miss Buttons.” She tells me. I was a little sad too. I thought that cat was pretty cool.
“Yeah me too, good news is he’s probably still alive.” I tell her.
“Probably?” She begins lightly weeping. I walk off before I make things more awkward.
See Audrey
I pick up some plywood and walk down the hall. I make my way down the hall and enter a hospital room. Audrey’s hammering a nail into the plywood over a window when she turns around and looks at me.
“What do you want?” Audrey asked with a melancholic tone in her voice. “Here to berate me some more?”
“I may have overreacted. But to be fair you did try to kill me.” I tell her.
“If I wanted to kill you then I could’ve killed you… Nobody was meant to get hurt.” She tells me. A silence fills the room for a moent
“Go on.” I tell her, helping her nail the boards.
“You know what’s crazy? If you told me four months ago I’d be here I would’ve never believed you. But who would? My girlfriend Char had pneumonia when things started going to shit. When she finally got better we couldn’t go back, not like this. Everybody I had ever known, gone. Just like that… Brecker and his growing community showed up and saved us. We owed him everything. But I really never knew how bad it was. He lost his wife one day and… He just wasn’t the same after. We were stuck here.”
“Oh my god. Audrey.” I say. “I’m-“
Audrey’s radio cuts me off. There’s a static sound coming out of the radio but I can’t make it out. Audrey begins to say something but I shush her.
“We need to keep quiet, everyone else in this hospital with a radio can hear this.” I warn her.
The static starts fasing away a distinct voice of a woman with an Irish accent begins speaking.
“Hello? James? Bridgit? Zaphaeus? Milfred? Anybody? It’s Margareth I’m at the diner where are you guys? I repeat it’s Margareth from the diner.” She starts speaking.
“It’s Margareth!” I quietly whisper to Audrey. “Oh my god they’re going to kill her, we have to warn her!”
“Woah, woah. We tell her to leave and what do you think’s going to happen to us? Brecker just killed for not being able to walk on his own, imagine what he’ll do if we basically help someone escape? At worse they’re just going to bring her in.” Audrey whispers to me.
“We don’t know that.” I defensively whisper back to Audrey.
[Speak in radio.] [Stay quiet.]
[Speak in radio.]
[Speak in radio.]