[the Walkin Dude]

Good chapters TG. Much suspense here in the air. The hoard of Z's at the door, Jett and Anya,will Jeb make it or not, everything about Jonah, Henry and Jennifer.

[That Guy]

Journey, Part 31

Anya looms over Jett while he is sleeping on one of the couches in the lounge. They talked a lot lost night, but she didn’t make her move. She lost the nerve. Stupid, stupid.

Jett begins to wake up. Anya quickly sits down on another couch before he catches her staring at him. He stretches his arms and legs out. “Oh man, what time is it?” He says as he gets up, rubbing his eyes out.

“Oh, I don’t know. But it is pretty bright out already.”

Jett has to squint against the bright sun shining through the large windows. It’s hot inside. “It’s best we go find the others, then. They might be looking for us.”

“Okay. Same time tonight?”

“No, I’d like to get a decent night’s rest. There are plenty of other people you can talk to, you know.”

Anya pouts as she looks down at her feet. Jett gets a chuckle out of it, thinking she’s joking.

Marc approaches them in the hallway. “There you are!” Jett doesn’t feel like talking to him. He keeps on walking, ignoring him. Marc grabs his shoulder. “Jett, stop!”

Jett jerks his arm away from him. “Don’t touch me.”

“Jett, it’s Jeb! It’s not looking good. He’s burning up.”

Anya gasps. She speed walks ahead of the two friends. They stare at one another. Marc remembers Jett saying that he was right next to Jebediah when it happened. “Are you okay?” He asks.

“Shit. Let’s just go to him.”

Russell, Jonah and Connor watch the group mourn their friend, granting them some privacy. He is still breathing air, but he won’t be for long.

Gillian put a wet towel on his forehead. Antibiotics aren’t able to get his fever down. She’s just trying to make him as comfortable as possible.

Henry is setting on a chair besides his bed. Jebediah is an old friend of his. He can’t stand seeing him like this, lying on sheets soaked in his own sweat. The dark bags under his eyes, the painful expression on his face. It’s tough, but he keeps strong. He is the group’s leader. If they see him crumble, they will all follow.

Jennifer sits in another chair on the opposite side of the bed. She holds Jeb’s stump in her hand, the only part of his body that is not heating up. She lets her tears flow uncontrollably.

Akira keeps his distance from them. He holds both hands on his katana on his hip. One on the hilt, the other on the sheathe. It wouldn’t surprise him if Jonah used this opportunity to try something.

Andrew leans on the foot of the bed. He’s seen a lot of death in his short life living on the streets. Most of those people deserved what they got. Not this one. He feels the tears pooling up in his eyes, but he holds them back.

Anya runs into the store. Jennifer sees her. She opens her arms for the girl. Anya hugs her and breaks down on her shoulder.

Marc and Jett walk inside. Jett doesn’t walk any farther than the entrance. He freezes. It could’ve been him, lying in that bed surrounded by his loved ones. Waiting for death to come take him.

Marc doesn’t move from his friend. He stands beside him. For once, Jett doesn’t mind. He is his one, true friend. No matter what he does. He is not forgiven, but there’s no one else he would rather have around him in a time of need.

It angers Gillian that he lets Marc get close to him but not her. She tightly closes her eyes as to not have to look at them, squeezing out a couple of tears.

Jebediah wakes up. His vision is blurry and he feels ice cold, even though he’s sweating out of every poor. It’s like he is dead already. “H-Henry?”

Henry grabs his remaining hand with both hands. “I’m right here, Jeb.”

“I-I want you to do it. When the time comes, you do it.”

Henry lets out a trembling sigh. “I will, Jeb. Don’t you worry. You won’t become one of them.”

“Not like Mary. I don’t want to end up like Mary.”

“I know.”

Jebediah passes out. His breathing is heavy even though he is no longer aware of anything around him. Henry sighs and says that someone has to be with him at all times. He volunteers.

“Tell us if ya need someone to take over.” Jonah says before he walks out of the store. Connor follows him. Russell quickly gives the group his condolences before he also leaves.

One by one, people leave until only Henry is left. Even a lifetime in the marines does not prepare a man for a situation like this. On the battlefield, they could always try to help the wounded. But now, nothing he can do will save him. It pisses him off.

He cocks the slide on his glock back. One round in the chamber. He ejects the clip. It’s full. He reloads the gun and removes the safety. He puts it down on a cabinet near the bed.

“You won’t be in pain much longer, Jeb. You’ll soon be with Mary again, you’ve earned it.”

[the Walkin Dude]

Damn, that one was heavy duty TG. Also getting a little worried about the Anya, Jett thing. Once she realizes it is not going to work out or happen, who knows what she will do. Other than you of course. Great Chapter.

[That Guy]

Journey, Part 32

Two weeks and three days have passed since Jebediah’s death. The undead horde outside the front door increases in size every day. The glass doors have given in. The only thing standing between the survivors and a violent death are metal shutters.

During this time relationships have changed. Marc and Jett rekindled part of their old friendship. The affair has forever besmirched what used to be a spotless relationship and will never be the same again. Yet Jebediah death made Jett see that life is short, and would rather spend his remaining time having fun with those he cared about than to die hating them.

He doesn’t see an intimate relationship blooming between him and Gillian ever again. He no longer avoids her, giving her some piece of mind. Her father’s death still left a trauma that will never fade, but at least there are no more ill feelings.

The three native Texans have proven to be valuable assets to the group. They disposed of Jebediah’s body have used their knowledge of the town’s layout to make a run for supplies that could not be found in the mall, though this is no longer a possibility. The massive group of walkers outside got too big and are now blocking the garage door as well.

Jonah warmed up to Andrew after having a talk, man to man. He respects his struggles, coming from a poor household himself. They are not friends, but they do tolerate one another. At times, they still bicker but the racist slurs thrown around are more lighthearted in nature and tone.

Anya has grown more unstable as Jett distanced himself from her. He preferred to spend time with his best friend, allowing him to atone for his mistakes. Every night, she went to the lounge, hoping he would be there. If he weren’t there, she’d be praying that he would come.

Akira took it on himself to lock the liquor store and hide the keys. Henry was left with no other choice than to reveal his wife’s alcoholism. His people were understanding. Not even Jonah made a quip at her expense.

But now, there is a more severe matter that needs to be discussed. Henry called a meeting at the lounge.

“There’s no denying that this place is no longer as safe as it used to be.” He begins. “It looks like we once more have to decide whether to stay or leave. I think we need to leave.”

Marc protests right away. “No way, man. Those gates are holding. I’m not going back out there.”

Akira comes to his leader’s defense. “I don’t know if you’ve taken a look at our front door recently, but those bars are starting to bend pretty bad. How much more can they take before the weight becomes too much?”

“But how do you plan on leaving? They’re blocking the garage.” Jett says in support of staying. It has been a long time since he publicly agreed with Marc on anything.

Henry rests his chin on his fist, needing to think for a moment. “There are still cars parked behind the mall. Maybe if we use one of the emergency exits-“

Russell interrupts him. He knows a bad idea when he hears one. “Lemme stop ya right there. I wouldn’t do that if I was y’all.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause when we was explorin’ this ‘ere mall when we first got here, we opened an emergency exit. Alarm went off immediately ‘n’ we ain’t got no clue as to how to shut it off.”

“This place has electricity. There have to be backup generators somewhere. Maybe we can shut those off.” Gillian offers.

Marc raises his hands up in the air in protest. “Now hold on a minute! You’re talking as if we’ve already decided to leave!”

“Those walkers at our front door are a ticking time bomb, we have to leave while there is still time!” Henry explains.

Akira offers to put it to a vote, just like when they decided whether or not to trust Jonah and Connor. Henry protests to the idea, saying that he is still the leader, and his word is definite. They’re leaving.

For the first time, Akira disagrees with Henry. “So why even ask our opinions if you’re just going to ignore us and make your own decision?”

“Because sometimes you need to hear opinions from a different point of view. But right now, I don’t need those. We are in a bad situation and the only solution is to leave and make our way to San Diego.” Henry pauses. What comes next, is not an easy thing to say. He’s grown to care about all these people. “My wife and I have talked about this extensively. We are going to San Diego, with or without you.”

Jonah steps forward. He can’t believe what he’s hearing. “So, lemme get this straight, boss. Ya are goin’ to leave us if we don’ agree with ya?”

Henry fills with regret, with Jonah of all people being the moral compass. “I’m sorry. This is the best thing to do. Even if it’s just Jenny and I, we’re going.”

The group falls silent. People want to talk, but they can’t. Marc feels betrayed for a second time. He’s always had his doubts about Henry, ever since he left his friends to die in Alabama. But this is a whole new world of treachery.

“You will have time to think, but we’re leaving in three days.” Henry says before he walks away with Jennifer. The group is left to ponder what just happened.

[That Guy]

Journey, Part 33

Anya sits all alone in the dark lounge. The moon Is nowhere to be seen in the night sky. She firmly holds a flashlight with both hands. It quivers.

“Henry and Jenny want to leave me! How could they do that? And Jett, how could he be friends with Marc again?!” Anya raises her voice. She clamps on to her flashlight and looks around to see if anyone heard her.

She sighs relieved when she realizes there’s no one there. “I know, right! I would be a great girlfriend and his best friend!”

“Is somebody in there?” Anya’s heart skips a beat when she hears Jett’s voice. It’s like music to her ears. He came for her.

“I am!” She says, failing to contain her excitement.

Jett shines his flashlight inside, resting the beam of light on Anya’s face. “Who else is here? I heard you talking to someone.”

“Nope, just me.” She says, more nervously now. She doesn’t want her crush to think she’s crazy.

“Were you talking to yourself then?” Jett is wary. He is not afraid, but concerned for her mental health.

“It’s just- since my parents…” She remembers what Andrew told her; about talking to his dead parents. “I talk to them sometimes, you know? I know they’re not here anymore but it makes me feel good.”

Jett reaches for a touchscreen panel on the wall. With some delicate finger movements, he manages to dimly light the room. “There.” He says as he sits down next to Anya, who’s trying hard not to blush. “I can understand what you’re going through. You’re just clinging on to something familiar.”

Anya nods her head a few times. She doesn’t like lying to Jett, but it’s a white lie. It won’t harm him, unlike the lies Gillian and Marc have been feeding him.

“I bet you miss them. I miss mine, too. I don’t even know if they’re alive. They were celebrating their honeymoon in California when this happened.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. You don’t know anything about them, at all?” Anya asks.

“Except for that they locked themselves in their hotel room, nothing at all.” Jett looks out the window, hoping that his parents are still holed up there. “Anyway, enough about that. What a coincidence that we’re both here, huh?”

Anya looks away. “Uhm, well, I’ve been coming here every night.”

Jett looks surprised at her. “You’ve been here every night? Were you hoping I’d come or-“

“Oh, no! I wasn’t.” Anya cuts him off. She nervously rubs her hands together. “I like coming here. It’s nice and quiet.”

Jett sees through her lies. She is a terrible liar. “Anya, you don’t need to do that! If you wanted to talk, I’d have been there for you. We’re all in this together and we gotta look after one another.”

Anya averts her eyes from Jett’s. She shrugs her shoulders and smiles shyly. “Thanks.”

“So now you know what to do next time.” Jett looks up at the ceiling. He puffs. “And about your parents, I am sure, wherever they are, that they are really proud of you.”

“Really?” Anya doesn’t believe it herself. She can’t hide it in her voice.

“Really.” Jett says after he gives her a reassuring nod. “I haven’t seen you scared anymore since you killed your first walker. You’re also one of the most caring people I’ve met. You didn’t have to slave away in a kitchen to make everyone something to eat, yet you still do it almost every day. It’s appreciated.” He taps her hand resting on the couch twice, making her blush. It’s not visible to him in the dim light.

Anya figures that this is the best moment to make her move. He obviously came down here, hoping she’d be there. He’s probably too shy to do it himself.

“Jett.” Anya says, trying to be seductive.

“Yes?”

She puts her hand on Jett's. Before he can react, she pouts her lips and moves closer to his. She locks lips with him.

Jett is perplexed for a second before he jumps up. “What the hell was that?!”

“I-I love you-“

“What? You’re sixteen!”

Anya looks down at her knees and frowns sadly. “Age is only a number.”

“I’m twenty-five, Anya. That’s a pretty big difference.” Jett strikes his hands back through his hair to collect himself. He calms down and takes a seat. He looks Anya sternly in the eyes. “Anya, you’re a great girl and I really like you, but not like that. End of the world or not, you’re a kid.”

“I’m sorry, I thought… our talks…”

Jett rests her hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. “It’s okay, it’s just not going to work out. We’re friends, nothing more.”

Anya doesn’t say a word. She barely holds back the tears. She hopes that he won’t let go of her for a while.

Jett chuckles a little. He can't believe what his about to say himself. “Besides, even after what she did to me, I’m not over her. As long as Gillian is alive, there won’t be another woman good enough for me.”

He sits with Anya for five minutes in complete silence. Anya is too embarrassed to speak. Jett wishes her good night and walks away. The way back to the furniture store he thinks about how desperate the new world makes people. Maybe that’s why Gillian did what she did. Maybe he has been too harsh on her.

Anya clutches the flashlight she brought. It clicks as it shakes in her hands. She repeats Jett’s words over and over while she rocks back and forth. “As long as Gillian lives, there won’t be another woman good enough for me.”

“As long as Gillian lives, there won’t be another woman good enough for him.”

Anya’s hands stop shaking. “Gillian lives, no other woman will be good enough for him.”

She stops rocking and sits up straight. “Gillian dies, I will be good enough for him. Gillian dies, we’ll be together. Forever.”

[the Walkin Dude]

TG, two great chapters. But ruh roh i think Anya has reached her tipping point. Plus the walkers bending the gate and Henry and Jenny bent on leaving with or without the group.

[That Guy]

TG, two great chapters. But ruh roh i think Anya has reached her tipping point. Plus the walkers bending the gate and Henry and Jenny bent on leaving with or without the group.

You're right, Scooby. Shit's gonna go down.


Journey, Part 34

Gillian is packing her bag. She’s decided to come with Henry and Jennifer. The risk of the massive crowd of walkers breaking through is too high.

There is nothing for her here anymore. Jett might no longer actively avoid her, but there is still a lot of animosity between the two.

Connor observes her from across the store. He doesn’t want her to leave. There’s no way Jonah and Russell are leaving the mall, and he won’t just abandon them. But he also likes Gillian. She’s pretty and available.

He cautiously approaches her, stopping a few feet away from her. Gillian doesn’t see him as she’s fixated on making sure she has everything she needs.

Connor folds his hands together behind his back. He nervously wriggles his fingers. “Hey.”

Gillian snaps out of her concentration. She looks with surprised eyes at the young man. “Oh, hey.”

“You packin’ ya shit, huh?”

Gillian folds a pair of jeans and puts them in the suitcase she found. “Yes, I’m packing my ‘shit’. It’s not safe here anymore, you do know that right?”

Connor puts his hands in his pockets and shrugs. “Them bars seem to be holdin’, though.”

Gillian checks her pockets. She can’t find her wallet with the pictures of her father. She sighs when she sees it lying on the ground and picks it up. “Connor, I’m telling you, you should come with us. There will be a day when the shutters won’t hold and they’ll pour in.”

Connor’s palms become sweaty. Gillian’s concern for him gives him goosebumps. “But Jonah ‘n’ Russell, they ain’t leav-“

“-You’re your own man, Connor. You don’t have to go along with everything those two do, especially Jonah.”

Jett knocks on the wooden cabinet behind them. “Hey, you two. Connor, do you mind? I’d like to talk to Gillian in private.”

Connor walks off. Gillian picks the suitcase up and lies it down on the ground. She takes a seat on the beat. Jett sits next to her. “Gillian, yesterday I realized something.” Jett pauses, waiting for her to respond.

“Oh?”

“Well, I realized yesterday that this ‘new world’ changes people, for the worse. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I want to give us another shot.”

Gillian is overcome with joy. She almost cries. “Really!? What made you decide that?”

“Listen, I don’t want to go into details it.” Jett says as he remembers Anya trying to kiss him and talking to herself. She wouldn’t like it if he told on her. “But I love you, Gillian Lawson. Even after what you did, I still love you. I can’t imagine myself with anyone else.”

“Oh, Jett!” Gillian flies into her boyfriend’s arms. They share a passionate kiss. They’re too busy to notice Anya watching them outside the store.

“Whore.” She says to herself. A rage boils inside her. One that she has never felt before. She leaves for the store next door.

“Were you planning on leaving?” Jett asks his lover after their kiss.

Gillian still needs to recover from her state of surprise. “Uhm, yeah. Why? You don’t want to stay, do you?”

“If you’re going, then I’m going too. I’m going to talk to Marc about this. You might not like him coming along, but he’s still my friend.”

Gillian tells him that it’s okay. Jett gets off the bed and goes to look for his friend. Gillian bounces up and down on the bed in excitement. Her day has just been brightened. She doesn’t have to leave what’s left of her old life behind.

Anya nears her with her hands behind her back. She stops right in front of Gillian, not saying a single word.

“Hey, Anya. Oh man, I’ve got some great news!”

“Oh, I heard it all. You won’t take him from me.”

Gillian, in her ecstatic state of mind, doesn’t fully take in what she just said. “What?” She says while still laughing.

Anya tightens her grip on the knife behind her back. She swings it at Gillian, slicing her throat. Blood squirts out of her veins on Anya’s face. She flinches a little. Gillian falls back onto the bed, clutching onto her cut throat. She desperately gasps for air as her trachea and lungs fill with blood.

Anya takes two steps back. She drops her knife and watches as Gillian clings on to her dear life. The things she does for love.

Connor hears the gurgled screams. He rushes after the noise. “Holy shit!” He jumps when he sees the gruesome scene in the store. Gillian bleeding profusely from her neck, coloring the sheets dark red. A bloody knife on the floor, and Anya staring at the dying woman. “Help! Help! Over here!” He yells.

His cries for help resound throughout the mall. There’s no one who can’t hear them. Thinking walkers have broken through, they follow the screams.

Henry is first one the scene. When asking what’s wrong, a panicked Connor points at the store. “Oh my God!” Henry exclaims before he rushes to Gillian’s aid. He presses her hands on her wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

“What’s going on?” Jett asks as he and Marc walk up to the mob that’s gathered outside the store.

Akira gently pushes him back. “You don’t want to see this, man.”

“Why? What the hell happened?” Marc asks. He gets on his toes to look over the crowd. “Oh, shit! It’s Gillian!”

“What?!” Jett pushes Akira and anyone else in his way aside. “No!” He screams when he sees Gillian.

She tries to say his name, but all that comes out of her mouth are blobs of blood. Her body twitches before her eyes roll back in her head. Henry takes his trembling hands off her throat.

Jett sees the bloody knife on the ground and the splatters on Anya’s face. “You!” He yells. “What the fuck did you do, you crazy bitch?!”

His insult hurts her. “I did it for you. We can be together now, like you said! As long as she’s alive, there’s not another woman good enough for you! But she’s dead now.”

Rage and grief nearly consumes Jett. “Get this bitch away from me.” He says with quivering lips. “Get her away from me!” He draws his gun. “Or I’ll fucking shoot her myself!”

Jennifer firmly grabs Anya by the arm and drags her away. Jett tosses his gun aside and collapses next to Gillian’s dead body. Andrew says it’s best for everyone to clear out. He and Marc stay behind for their friend.

Gillian’s hand begins to twitch, like the man who Jett saw in the streets back in Savannah. He knows what’s going to happen. He pushes her down by the shoulders.

Her eyes open. They’re no longer brown and full of live. They’re bloodshot and faded. She reaches for him but is unable to get up. Jett’s tears drip on her face.

“Do it. Do it now.” Jett says. He shuts his eyes tight. Marc takes his own gun and presses it against Gillian’s head. She looks right into his eyes, almost as if she’s begging not to do it. But he knows that’s not true. He knows it’s impossible.

Marc pulls the trigger. The bullet tears right through her skull. Her eyes roll back into her head again for the last time.

[OMEN]

Holy mother of god wow wow wow that was intense


3 chapters and an ending like that.


Great writing sir.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[the Walkin Dude]

Excellent TG, Excellent. And Omen is right, you have been cranking out some great chapters. Great writing sir.

[xHan]

Anya

[That Guy]

Anya

Why're you sad for her? She just killed someone, crazy b.

[That Guy]

Journey, Part 35

Connor and Jonah carry Gillian’s body, wrapped in the sheets on which she died. Jonah walks up front, carrying her under her arms. Connor has the feet.

Russell holds the door leading to the roof at the back of the mall open.

“Ah, shit.” Jonah says as he looks over the edge of the roof. He let’s go of Gillian’s body. Her skull thuds on the concrete roof.

Connor gently puts her legs down on the ground. “Man, have some respect for the dead!”

“Why? You ain’t had no problems tossing that other guy when he got too heavy for ya.”

Connor folds his arms under his chest. “Well, ‘cause she’s special, okay?” A single tear rolls down his cheek. He turns his head away from Jonah, not wanting him to think he’s weak.

Jonah raises an eyebrow. “Ya had a crush on ‘er? Nut up, boy. This world ain’t got no room for pussies.” He takes another peek over the edge of the roof. “Anyway, looks like we got a lil’ problem. Check it out.”

Russell and Connor join him at the edge. In the alley that was empty before, is now occupied by a single female walker. Her stomach is torn open, exposing her guts. She stretches her arms out above her to get the men on the roof.

“Shit, I’ve seen her before.” Connor says, remembering the day Gillian first arrived at the mall. “I had ‘er in my sights when the folks from Georgia showed up.”

“Well, they gave us guns, might as well use ‘em.” Jonah says before he takes the glock out of its holster. He lines up his shot. The walker is looking right at him.

“No, wait!” Russell grabs the gun by the barrel and pushes it down. “Ya moron, do ya wanna rile up that herd out front even more?”

“Fine.” Jonah puts the gun back into its holster. “Why don’t you go down that ladder, kill that thing quietly and open up that dumpster so we can toss this stinkin’ body in there?”

“Okay. Y’all distract ‘er so she ain’t waitin’ for me at the bottom.”

Connor walks to the opposite end of the roof. He screams and shouts, waving his arms to get the walker’s attention. It follows the bait.

Russell climbs down the ladder, baseball bat in hand. Jonah watches him stalk the woman dragging her guts over the ground. He casually uses his forearms to lean on the edge of the roof.

Russell hits the walker on the back of the head. Its skull cracks loudly. Russell smashes her skull again for good measure when she’s down on the ground.

“Good job for an old man!” Jonah yells from the rooftop. He claps his hands.

Russell shakes his head. He opens up the dumpster. A foul smell arises from Jebediah’s body. Russell turns away. “Just get ‘er in ‘ere!”

Jonah lifts Gillian’s body up, lying her down on the edge. He pushes it ahead of him and her body falls down on top of Jebediah. Russell quickly closes the lid again as the stench has become unbearable.

Connor walks up to Jonah, his mind troubled. “Hey, Jonah? Shouldn’t we tell the folks who wanna leave ‘bout this back exit?”

Jonah crosses his arms, giving the young one a stern look. “Hell no, boy! We tell ‘em ‘bout this, they’re gonna be even more hell-bent on leavin’ that they already are! I don’t know ‘bout you, but I’m stayin’ here, where it’s safe.”

“What y’all talkin’ about?” Russell asks as he comes up the ladder. His hearing isn’t what it used to be. He can’t make out words when people are too far away.

“Nothin’.” Jonah gives Connor an intimidating glance to make sure he doesn’t spill the beans. “Let’s go back inside.”

Jett and Marc sit at the bar in the lounge, a slowly diminishing bottle of Jack Daniel’s in front of them. Marc takes a sip. “I’m so sorry, man. For Gillian, and for what I did. Everything.”

Jett takes the bottle from him. He takes a big gulp. The burn as it goes down makes him cough. “We both lost her. I don’t know if this is the booze talking, but I forgive you.” Another sip, a small one this time.

“Maybe it is, but I’m glad to hear you say that.” Marc says as the bottle is passed on to him again. He takes two shot glasses and fills them up. He raises it. “To Gillian. To us."

They clang the glasses and down their shots. “Are you leaving?” Jett asks after he slams the glass on the bar.

“Why? Are you?” Marc responds, worried that his friend wants to leave.

Jett buries his face in his arms on the table. The alcohol is getting to him. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. I’m gonna see what the other are gonna do. If it’s just Henry and Jen, I’m stayin’!”

“But what are we gonna do with crazy Anya?”

Jett throws his hands up in the air. “I don’t know. I don’t care. I hope they take her with them. She’s dead to me. For all I am concerned, we shoot her in the head and be done with it!”

“But she’s just a kid. We can’t just-“

“She is sixteen. She knew damn well what she was doing!” Jett takes the bottle and chugs down. Marc snatches it away from him. “I need to lay down.” Jett gets off his barstool. He lets himself fall down on the couch. “Tell everyone to leave me alone!”

[the Walkin Dude]

Ah, a secret way out. great job TG

[Operational Security]

Good chapters. That was horrible what happened to Gillian, just when her and Jett made up I do think Anya has to die. I don't see how anyone in the group would be okay with her hanging around after what she just did.

I look forward to reading the next chapter. I have a feeling those metal shutters won't hold much longer.

[That Guy]

Journey, Part 36

The day has come. A choice has to be made. Stay within the safe walls of the mall, and take a chance with the walkers outside, or face the horrors of traveling on the road.

“Well, who’s coming with us?” Henry asks bluntly. No need to dance around the issue. “Due to the circumstances we gave you a week to decide instead of three days.”

No one in the room answers. They look around and at one another, waiting for someone to say something. Akira steps forward. “We haven’t even talked about what to do with Anya yet. We got her locked up, but it can’t stay that way forever.”

Before Henry can give an answer, Marc interjects. “Maybe it’s time to live up to your ‘life for a life’ speech a few months ago.”

“I won’t kill a kid!” Henry shouts. He covers his mouth with his hand, looking down at the ground to collect himself and calm down. “I am not killing a kid.”

Jonah gets up from his chair. This is a chance to avoid the topic of leaving. “Then Whaddaya want to do with ‘er, boss? Girl’s fuckin’ batshit crazy!”

“You keep out of this!” Jennifer snaps at him. “You’re an outsider, you don’t have a say in this!”

Jonah crosses his arms. “So the guy how took y’all in and saved your lives ain’t getting’ a vote, but the drunk does? Yeah, that’s fair.”

Henry gets up in his face. He looks him straight into his eyes. His gaze is threatening, not afraid of anyone after decades of combat experience. “You shut your mouth and sit your ass down!” He’s not going to let the redneck degrade his wife.

Jonah looks to Connor on his left and Russell on his right. Both take a few steps away from him. They’re not going to support him. Jonah knows when he is defeated and reluctantly sits down.

Henry walks back to his spot, next to his wife. She mouths ‘thank you’ to him for protecting her honor. “Jett, what do you want to do with her?”

Jett looks up from his chair. He hasn’t really been paying any attention. He’s lost in his own thoughts. The love of his life hasn’t been dead for a week yet. “I don’t care. I honestly do not care.”

“Fine, then. I’ll ask again: who’s coming with us?”

History repeats, as no one answers once more. Akira breaks the silence. “I don’t think anyone wants to leave.”

“I know I don’t.” Andrew confirms Akira’s statement. “The chances of survival are still bigger in here than out there.”

Henry lets his eyes go around the entire group. No one objects Akira and Andrew. “Then it’s just me and Jenny. Very well.” Henry reaches for his back pocket. He pulls out a folded map and unfolds it. “I highlighted the route we plan to take with a marker. Should you change your minds, you know where to go.”

Akira takes it from his hands. “Thanks, friend. I’ll miss you.” Akira hugs henry with one arm. He gives one to his wife as well. “Be safe.”

“You, too.”

The rest of the group comes to say their goodbyes, Connor and Russell included. Jonah watches things unfold from the comfort of his chair.

Andrew thanks them both for taking him in. Jett’s goodbye is absent-minded. He shakes Henry’s hand. When he goes to shake Jennifer’s, she hugs him. He simply stares over her shoulder instead of returning it.

“You poor thing.” Jennifer whispers in his ear.

Marc says that even though they were never friends, he has a tremendous amount of respect for Henry for taking charge and making the hard decisions that he himself would surely not have been able to.

Connor hesitates for a moment before he approaches them. “There’s a back exit that won’t trip the alarms. I’m sorry we didn’t tell y’all sooner.”

Jonah balls his hands into fists. He told him not to tell them.

“Why didn’t you tell-“ Henry brashly walks up to Jonah. “You kept this from us, didn’t you? And to think I trusted you!”

Russell comes in between the two men. “Whoah, don’ fight on ya last day ‘ere! I can hotwire y’all a car. I used ta be a mechanic.”

Henry backs off. Russell’s right, there’s no need for another fight. These people have been through enough. “Alright, alright. We’ve already packed our bags. Russell, show us the way.”

The remainder of the group watches them as they walk away. It’s a sad day for everyone. Andrew says a little prayer for his comrades’ safe journey.

Jonah rubs the stubble under his chin. It seems his worries were misplaced; the revelation of the back exit hasn’t motivated anyone else to leave. He still glances disapprovingly at Connor, who shrugs it off. It’s like Gillian said, he’s his own man. He doesn’t have to do everything Jonah tells him to.

[OMEN]

Just a question that has been nagging me brain


Never mind ill ask you later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[That Guy]

You're a... peculiar man, Mr. OMEN. I answer your question in a PM.

[the Walkin Dude]

Very nice TG, like the fact that Connor, told them about the secret exit.

[That Guy]

Journey, Part 37

The undead use their rotten hands to push and pull the metal bars to get to the men barricading their last line of defense inside. A bar snaps out of its socket, a sound that resounds loudly through the main hall.

Connor drops the bench he and Akira were carrying at the loud noise. “Oh shit!”

Akira lifts the bench up on another one against the shutter by himself. “I think we might have made the wrong call staying here.”

Jonah drags another bench behind him with one hand. “Yeah, well, ain’t shit we can do now.” He says as he pushes the bench in an open spot in their makeshift barricade.

Marc, Jett and Russell all carry one trash can each. They place them on Jonah’s bench.

Jonah takes a step back to admire the structure they created, resting his hands on his hips. Their wall is slightly taller than he is. It consists of anything they could find. Wooden benches, trash cans, two by fours, pallets. Anything.

A walker rips off the skin on its arm, reaching through the metal bars. It grabs Akira’s shoulder. His martial arts training kicks in, grabbing it by the wrist within the blink of an eye.

As he firmly holds on to its wrist, the walker does not stop to try and get to him. “It’s like they don’t even understand that they can’t get to me.”

“We ain’t callin’ ‘em ‘shit-for-brains’ for nothin’.” Jonah jokes from his spot in front of the fountain.

Akira lets go of it. The skin of a walker does not feel pleasant. The walker continues to extend its arm into the mall, even with Akira being far out of its reach.

“Hey, Akira.” Marc says before his katana wielding friend goes off in search for more supplies to build their barricade. “I wanna try something. Do you think you can cut off its arm?”

“Sure.” Akira says before walking back to the gate. “You stand in front of it to distract it.” When Marc gets in position, just a few centimeters out of reach of the walker’s grip, Akira raises his sword above his head and lops the arm off.

There’s barely any resistance from the soft and rotten bones. No blood squirts out of the wound. There is only some black blood on the blade. Akira remarks that its heart probably doesn’t pump anymore. How they can still walk around is beyond his comprehension.

Marc picks up the arm, as far away from where it was cut off as he possibly can. The skin feels dry. He immediately feels like he needs to wash his hands.

He holds the stump against the gate to see if the walkers will try to eat it. They completely ignore the dead meat, preferring to get the fresh one inside.

“Huh.” He remarks to himself. “Imagine how great it would’ve been if we could’ve caught some of them and use their meat as a distraction.”

Russell joins the two men. “It’s too bad, indeed. We tried ta distract some of ‘em once with a fresh steak, but they ain’t goin’ for that shit either. They want it alive.”

Akira inquires whether they know if they eat animals or specifically target humans.

“They ain’t picky. Animals, people, as long as it’s alive, they’ll eat it. I saw ‘em chase a cow once. It’s where I got the ‘steak idea’ from.”

Marc tosses the amputated arm in one of the trash cans. “Well, there goes that idea. Has anyone seen Andrew around? I just noticed he isn’t here.”

“Probably nappin’ somewhere, you know what they are like. Lazy.” Jonah remarks in the racist fashion people have come to expect from him. They ignore it.

“Last time I saw him, he was with Anya.” Akira answers.

Jett offers to go find him. “I need to have a chat with Anya anyways.”

“How could you do it, Anya? Gillian was one of my best friend in the group.” Andrew asks of Anya behind bars.

Anya sits in a chair in the back of the clothing store, her knees pulled up to her chin. She says nothing.

“I liked you, Anya. I mean I really liked you. I want to understand what went through your head. I’ve been asking myself all week. Why?”

Anya doesn’t move. Neither does she speak. She rocks back and forth a little. The voice keeps telling her she did good. People will understand eventually. They need her.

“Anya?” She recognizes that voice, the man she loves. She jumps out of her chair and jogs over to the shutters.

“Jett! You came back to me!” She says, her hands on the metal bars.

“We were never together. And we never will be.” He replies coldly. He stares emotionless at the murderer of his girlfriend.

“I did it for us.”

Jett punches the shutter, causing Anya to let go of it. “I never asked you to kill the love of my life, you crazy bitch!”

Anya’s eyes begin to tear up. Her lip quivers.

“Don’t act like you’re the victim here. You’re not. You will never be. You can rot for all I care.”

The shutters creak loudly. It’s a sound that goes through bone and marrow because of the consequences attached to it.

Jonah looks down on the goosebumps on his exposed forearms. He takes a few steps backwards. “Not havin’ a good feeling ‘bout this.”

Another beam snaps. The fence begins to give in, being pressed down by the walkers. The snapped beam created a hole big enough for a grown man to barely fit through. Squeezing one’s body through it would cut the skin deep.

But the undead do not feel pain. The walker whose arm they cut off pushes his body through the opening, cutting its stomach open on the sharp beam.

Connor spots it when it just sets foot inside, leaving a trail of guts in its wake from the cut on its stomach. He presses the barrel against its head and pulls the trigger. The bullet pierces the back of its skull, blowing out a chunk of brains and blood.

The gunshot riles up the crowd of walkers. The gate begins to shake back and forth violently. Another beam snaps, followed by another, and another. Beam after beam snaps loudly.

Akira takes action, pulling Russell by the shoulder. “We’re getting out of here! Russell, you’re with me! You hotwire a car while I watch your back! Rest of you, gather what you can and meet us on the parking lot behind the mall!”

Jonah watches the two men run away over his shoulder. “God damn it! I’ma get our shit!” Jonah runs off to the store where they stashed their supplies.

Walker pour inside, tipping the barrier over with their massive collective weight in a manner of seconds. Connor climbs on top of a small kiosk to try and pick off walkers.

Marc has prepared himself for this. He storms up the escalator, into the furniture store. He pulls a duffle bag from underneath his bed. It’s filled with food, survival gear, weapons and ammunition.

He knows where Jett is. He runs as fast as his feet allow him to with the weight of the duffle bag across his back.

Jett and Andrew shift their attention away from the locked up Anya when they hear the gunshots resound through the mall.

“That doesn’t sound too good.” Andrew remarks, his voice trembling. He fears that his worst nightmare has come true.

His fears are confirmed when he hears Marc yelling for them. “They’re breaking through! We gotta go!”

“What about the others?” Jett asks.

“Akira and Russell are probably outside already! Jonah and Connor are still at the main hall!”

Jett nods. The possible loss of those two, he can live with. “Let’s go.”

Anya runs up to the gate. She clings to it. “What about me?!”

Andrew stays with her. He can’t do this. “We can’t just leave her!”

“Watch me.”

Jonah picks up the scope hunting rifle. He slings it across his left shoulder. His eye lands on a pump action shotgun. He slings it across his other shoulder. He picks up various packs of ammunition. In his haste, he does not bother to check the labels. He stuff them in a backpack.

Walkers begin to surround the kiosk Connor has taken refuge on. He takes out he ones closest to him.

Jonah exits the store, shotgun ready for use. “Boy, I’m leavin’!”

Connor turns around. Death surrounds him. “I can’t! Please, help me!”

Jonah takes aim. A single shell pulverizes a walker head, spraying bits of bone and brain all over. He cocks back and takes another one out. “Ya gotta jump!” He yells when the shots attract the attention of three walkers. They stumble up to him.

Connor takes two deep breaths before taking a leap of faith. He clears two rows of walkers. His foot slips when he lands, twisting it. He screams in agony, shifting all attention away from Jonah and back to him.

He gets up to his feet. He plants his sprained foot down, but it hurts too much to stand on. Hopping on one foot, he shoots a walker that grabs him. He shoots another one in the head to his right, then to his left. “Jonah, man! Help me!”

“Fuck!” Jonah makes the decision to leave him. He runs away.

“Jonah! Wait up, man! Wait-“ Connor’s cries for help are silenced when a walker tears out his Adam’s apple with its bare teeth. The horde pulls him to the ground and consumes his flesh. After all those weeks, they can fulfill their only purpose: they feed.

The escalators to the second floor are now engulfed in walkers. Some of them make their way up while others ignore it and walk around, looking for the man they saw run away.

Realizing that the stairs are no longer an option, Jonah busts through the emergency exit. The alarm rings. Jonah closes the door behind him, but it won’t fully close. He accidentally broke the lock.

Jett and Marc reach the rooftop. They see Russell working on a car at the end of the parking lot. Akira watches his back, katana ready to strike.

Jett spots Jonah making a run for them. “Hey! Jonah! Is Connor with you?!”

He does not stop running . “He’s dead!” Jonah yells back.

Andrew springs to Jett’s mind. He opens the door from where they came. The hallway is empty. “Damn it, Andrew isn’t here! He’s probably still trying to save that crazy girl!”

It pains Marc to even say this, but there’s no other choice. “Then we- we have to leave them!”

“No! Anya is not killing anyone else! I won’t allow it.” Jett gestures to the ladder. “You go and tell them what’s up. I’ll be back, trust me on this one!”

Marc watches Jett run downstairs to his doom. He wants to go after him, but he can’t. With a heavy hearts, he descends down into the alley.

“They’re here!” Anya yells in great panic when she witnesses the first walker reaching the top of the stairs.

Andrew finally finds the right key on the chain. He unlocks the padlock. “Yes!”

“You got it! Pull it up! Pull it up!”

Andrew grabs the bottom of the shutter with both hands and pulls. It goes up a few centimeters before it gets stuck. “Fuck! It won’t budge!”

“Watch out!” Anya yells when a walker nears Andrew. He pulls Rob’s revolver from his back pocket and presses it under its chin. After pulling the trigger, he’s showered with bits of skull and brain matter.

The second one was right behind it. It takes a hold of the young man, forcing him to hold it offer with both hands. Moving his gun hand would mean the walker gets its next meal.

Someone presses a gun against the walkers temple and shoots it. It slides down Andrew’s chest.

Anya jumps up and down, excited to see Jett come to her rescue. “You came back for us!”

“I came back for him.” Jett retorts.

“I won’t leave her!”

“You will if you want to live.” Jett gestures with his head behind Andrew. More walks set foot on the second floor.

Andrew begins desperately trying to pull the shutters up. They won’t budge at his every try. Jett keeps yelling for him to just forget about her and save his own life.

“God fucking damn it!” Jett realizes he won’t convince Andrew. The walkers keep getting closer. He grabs the shutter. “On three! One, two, three!” With their combined effort, they manage to pull it up high enough for Anya to crawl under it. “Now can we go?!”

The three survivors escape in the nick of time. The walkers gather around the store like there’s a sale going on.

Jonah jumps over cars that are in his way. He’s not going to waste time by going around them.

Under the car Russell is working on, a walker missing a foot is feasting on a rat. It knows of Akira’s presence, but he is standing too far away. It prefer to lurk until another easy prey comes by. Two feet being firmly planted down on the ground draws its attention. It begins to crawl up to them.

The car engine roars. “I got it!” Russell exclaims, relieved at getting it to work. “I did it! I can’t believe I did-“ Russell screams in agonizing pain as the footless walker tears out his Achilles heel.

Akira impales it with his sword through the top of its head.

“Hell no!” Jonah says when he sees his old friend’s wounds. “Not you, too!”

Marc arrives on the scene as well. “Oh, shit! Maybe we can cut it off, maybe this time it’ll work-“

“If it ain’t work on Jeb, it ain’t gonna work on me either, son!” Russell stares at his bleeding ankle as he comes to term with his fate. “If this is what God has in mind for me, I’ll gladly accept it.”

The three others have made their way to the remainder of the group. Jett almost boils over with rage at the fact that they lost a good man like Russell instead of Anya. Maybe if he would've been there, he could've helped. But no, he saved an insane murderer instead

“Good, y’all are ‘ere. Leave me, ya’ll need all the room in the car ya can get.”

There is only time for a quick goodbye as walkers exit through the emergency door Jonah opened. He hands Russell his gun, saying that he left one round in the chamber. Russell retorts that he won’t have to give away precious resources and tells him to go.

Jonah jumps in the car with the others, taking a seat in the back. Akira takes the car off the break and drives away.

Russell leans on a car to stand up straight. He watches the herd make its way through the parking lot, awaiting his inevitable death. “And so the day of reckonin’ has come.”

[the Walkin Dude]

WOW Tg, thatt is all WOW good chapter sir. Shame losing Connor and Russell.

[OMEN]

Dang that was pretty intense


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[Florida Walker]

Best chapter yet!!!

[Operational Security]

Nice chapters. Like the others have said, very intense. I can't wait to see what awaits for the group on the road.

[That Guy]

Journey, Part 38

The remnants of the group stopped at an abandoned gas station on the side of a lone desert road. The roof above the fueling pumps provides cover from the piercing sun, but ample protection from the scorching heat.

Akira unfolds the map Henry gave him and spreads it out on the hood of the car. He follows the highlighted road with his finger. “We’re somewhere around here.” He taps on a spot on the map. “Twenty miles out from the mall.”

Jonah carries a jerry can over to one of the pumps with the intent to fill it up. He curses when he can’t even fill it up a quarter. “Son of a bitch! This place is tapped.”

Andrew worries about him. Jonah has been on edge since they left the mall two days ago. “Are you okay, man? You knew Connor and Russell longer than we did.”

Jonah lets go off the hose, leaving it dangling alongside the pump. “I ain’t known them before all o’ this. I’m fine.”

“But they were your friends.”

“I’m fine!” Jonah snaps at him. He doesn’t need a black man patronizing him. “Lemme deal with this on my own. Mind ya own damn business for once.”

Andrew throws his hands up in the air. He doesn’t know what the man wants, but he’s beyond the point of trying. “Sorry for caring.”

Anya has her hands tied with rope. All she can do is sit in the backseat of the car and watch the men outside. The car is like an oven. She’s sweating all over.

Nobody cares for her anymore after the crime she committed. They only let her out of the car for bathroom breaks and her hands are tied at all times.

Marc takes a closer look at the map. It’s his turn to drive. He follows the highlighted route as closely as possible. “Do you think they’ve gotten far?”

Jett shrugs as he leans against the passenger side door. “It’s been two days. But who knows what kinda shit got in their way.”

“Like a herd?” Marc asks.

“Possibly. Or a roadblock. They’ve probably been driving non-stop, if I know Henry well enough.”

Jonah approaches the rest. “Well, this is all I managed to scrounge up.” He wiggles the jerry can from side to side, making the gas inside splash a little. “Don’ bother with the store, picked clean.”

Akira opens the trunk so Jonah can put the can in there. “You need anything, Anya?”

“No.”

Akira slams the trunk shut. “We’re off, then.”

The wind rushing through the open windows somewhat cool the car down. The warm gusts are not refreshing, but they keep it manageable.

Jett holds the map open, giving Marc directions as he drives. Marc would never admit that he can’t read maps.

They enter a forested area. A cool breeze strolls through the windows, truly cooling the car down. It’s relaxing, a feeling they haven’t felt in a long time.

Marc sees something down the road. A stranded car. He slows down. He thinks there might be something worth taking.

As he passes the car, he is shocked. The windows are stained from the inside with blood. He only has eyes for whatever horrors must have happened in that car to watch the road. The front right wheel bumps up. He ran over something. He stops the car.

“Why you stoppin’ ‘ere?” Jonah asks. He doesn’t feel comfortable. The blood is still fresh, dripping out from the door that’s open a crack.

“I hit something. I’d rather remove it by hand than to risk damaging the car.”

Jonah reluctantly opens the car door. “Fine, fine.” He tries to hide his fear underneath bravado. He walks around the car to see what they hit. A pair of legs stick out from under the car. “It’s a body.” He informs them through Jett’s open window.

He grabs it by each ankle with one hand. He takes in his surroundings as he drags the body. Aside from a few chirping birds and the wind blowing through the leaves on the trees, it’s very quiet. Too quiet for a place where a gruesome murder took place.

Jonah shifts his attention back to the task at hand. “Oh fuck!” He exclaims upon seeing the dead man’s face.

“What’s the matter?” Akira asks.

“Y’all better get outta the car. Ya might wanna see this.”

Confused, the rest steps outside. The confusion clears up when they get a look at the bloodied visage of the dead man. Even with a bullet hole between the eyes and a face covered in blood, they recognize him as their old leader. Their friend. Henry.

Anya falls to her knees besides the man who has been a father for her since hers died. She holds his face with her hands still bound. Her tears drip onto him.

Andrew holds the back of his head in his hands. “Oh God, this isn’t happening! This isn’t happening!”

Although Akira keeps his cool, he can’t stop his right hand from shaking. He covers his mouth with it. “Wait. Where’s Jennifer’s body?”

Jett runs to the other side of his dead friend’s car. He looks around the road. He sees nothing. The passenger side door is open.

He peeks inside, finding the car empty aside from a fresh new coating of blood. Their supplies are gone. Probably stolen, he assumes. They must have been robbed. Either Jennifer wasn’t shot in the head and turned or they took her.

Jett feels a cold and round object being pushed against the back of his head. “Don’t move!” A man orders him.

“Come out slowly and keep those hands up in the air where we can see them!” Another man shouts.

Jett does what they say. He raises his hands above his head and slowly backs out of the car. This might be the same people who murdered Henry.

The man behind him firmly grabs him by the shoulder and turns him around. He pushes him against the car.

Jett sees three soldiers, all three armed with Carbine rifles. They have them trained on him and his group. The man holding him against the car has his weapon trained on him. His hair is sandy brown in the sunlight. His expression is equal parts furious and disgusted.

The other male soldier is a younger than the other two. He hides his eyes behind aviator glasses.

A black woman is with them as well, donned in a military jumpsuit and a bullet proof vest. Unlike the two men, she wears a cap. “If you don’t drop your shotgun, I will take you out right here, right now!” She shouts at Jonah.

Jonah refuses to be bossed around. “Y’all drop your weapons! We just found our friend’s dead body ‘n’ then y’all show up, pointing guns at us when we stop? Way too convenient!”

“You guys didn’t do this?” The soldier loosens his grip on Jett. He lets go of him, but does not let him out of his sights. “Why are the girl’s hands bound?”

“Long story.” Jett answers after he catches his breath and the initial shock wears off a little.

“She’s… unstable.” Akira explains with his hand still raised in surrender. “Please, we didn’t do this. We found the car. Whoever did this killed our friend: Henry Jones.

The soldier lowers his rifle. He is met with protest from the man with glasses, but he quickly shushes him. He lets the rifle dangle from his shoulder while he shows his hands. “I lowered my weapon. If you really didn’t do this, you’ll lower yours.”

“Okay.” Jonah takes one hand off his shotgun, slowly lowering to with the other.

The soldier pats Jett on the shoulder as a way to apologize. “No one needs to get hurt. You’re lucky it was us who found you and not them.”

“Them?” Andrew asks. He still doesn’t fully trust the soldiers. From his experience, in the army a man’s word is only as good as his uniform. “The people who did this.”

“I’ll explain later. We’re not safe here, out in the open. I’m Sergeant- Oh, what does it even matter anymore? I’m Shaun. Those two are Cassy and Jake. Follow us. We’ll take you somewhere safe.”

[Operational Security]

OMG! Henry

Wow... just wow. I was not expecting that. I look forward the next chapter. I can't wait to find out more.