S1: E6: Secure

            Zach and his brother Tanner are lying down in the dirt beside their half-built house on their grandparent’s property. Zach’s mom walks up to them with water and hands the drinks to them. The two drink it earnestly.

[Mom]: (Enthusiastically) Isn’t this exiting?

[Zach]: (Moaning) Right now? Not really, no.

[Mom]: Just think: this house will be all finished 10 years from now and you will all have kids and we’ll be having Christmas with the family and talking about how hard it was to build this house next to grandma and grandpa and you’ll look back and say “those were good times”.

[Tanner]: I’m sure we will, mom. But I’m not sure if Zach will ever have kids.

[Zach]: Shuttup.

           

            Grandpa (Tray) drove up beside the three on his ATV. He stepped off and smiled at Tanner and Zach lying on the ground.

[Tray]: Well, boys, you ready to get back to work?

[Zach]: (Moaning) I don’t want to.

[Tray]: Just a little bit more.

           

            Zach turned to look at Tray as he walked towards him and Tanner. Suddenly Tray turned into a walker covered in blood and bite marks.

[Tray]: (Monstrously) JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE!

            Rapidly waking from his nightmare, Zach hastily sat up from his bed drawing his grandpa’s 1911 handgun as if to defend himself. When he realized it was just a dream he lowered the gun. Lee and Dylan were watching him.

[Lee]: I hate sleeping.

            Zach sat up against the wall next to Lee. He, Lee, Dylan, Timothy, Josh, Nathan, Nick, Ethan, Jacob, and Roger were all in the game room sleeping on blankets and pillows.

[Zach]: Me too.

{Intro}

             

{Hannah’s narration as she writes in her journal}

            It’s been 21 days since the church. Since then, a lot has happened. I’ve already told you about dad, and grandpa and grandma. I also wrote about Mr. Balusek. Since then, parents continue to arrive and take their kids with them. Many of them were my friends. Taylor, Annie, Danielle, and many others have left the property. Winter is coming, and the days are getting colder, and not just cold, but ‘out of the norm for Texas’ cold. Shane figured out that the cold weather slows down the rovers, but that still doesn’t stop the occasional stray to grove into our yard. The adults do a good job of protecting us. Bible study was this morning. I miss the church. We’re not allowed to sing songs with the guitar and the drum with the rest of us as a group. The noise is too loud. It’s hard to remember the last time I was outside, or the last time I heard a song with instruments.

            The power went out three days ago. During the day we keep the window shades open and at night we use the many candles my grandma had in her safe. Zach was telling me that the power will affect the water pressure. He was right too: I miss taking real showers and its only been three days.

            Timothy and Kelly have gotten better since they came. I can understand how they feel with them having lost their entire family. But everyone is still depressed. Nothing good has happened since the church. Nothing. Maybe nothing good will ever happen again.

           Since the church, some of the parents that came to pick up their children decided to stay. The Merlet family and the Chances managed to make some room so that all of us can live between the two houses and the dozens of people here at the property. 

            Sometimes I hear Brittany crying at night. She misses Dustin and her mom. I used to cry but not anymore. I don’t feel much anymore. Sometimes I wish it was all over, one way or another.

            Hannah stares at her journal before closing it.

            Shane opens up the pantry to look for food. There’s hardly any food left.

[Kay Merlet]: I think it’s time we started searching some houses.

[Shane]: I think so too.

            Zach and Lee and Brittany are in the living room watching Shane.

[Shane]: I’ll get Glenn and we’ll head out.

            Zach stood up from the couch.

[Zach]: I wanna go too.

[Kay Merlet]: That’s not gonna happen.

            Zach prepares to defend himself but Shane interrupts.

[Shane]: Actually, it would be nice to get their help. The men need to start contributing.

            Kay expresses anxiety.

[Zach]: It’ll be fine. I can handle it. Me, Lee, we’ve been out there. We’ve done what’s necessary. Maybe Josh and Tim can go with us too.

[Shane]: I think you, Lee, and I will be enough. We’ll take the truck and we won’t come back until the tailgate is full.

            Lee stands up.

[Lee]: When do we leave?

            Glenn and Robyn walk into the living room hearing all the talk going on. Shane gets their attention.

[Shane]: Glenn, I would like to speak to you about something.

            The three walk inside a private room, leaving Lee, Zach and Brittany standing alone in the living room.

[Brittany]: You think they’ll let you go?

[Lee]: Probably not.

[Zach]: They’ll have to at some point. If we don’t learn; if the kids here don’t learn what it takes to survive…we won’t.

            Three walk out of the private room. Glenn stares down Zach and Lee like they were suspects to an awful crime.

[Glenn]: We’re gonna let you go. Shane is right: The men need to start contributing. That means you listen to every word Shane tells you and you obey without hesitation.

[Zach]: Yes, sir.

            Robyn hugs Lee and Zach.

[Robyn]: Please, be careful out there. Watch out for each other and come back home IN ONE PIECE. you understand?

[Zach]: We will. We’ve been out there before. We can do this.

[Robyn]: And both times something terrible happened.

[Zach]: The point is it won’t be like we’re unexperienced.

[Shane]: They’ll be safe with me. I promise. Lee, Zach, go put on some thick clothing, and we'll head out.

            Shane walks off into the master bedroom. Lee and Zach look at Lee’s parents and Brittany for a moment before walking away to prepare. 

            Timothy is sitting on one of the beds at the white house. He’s thinking about his dead parents, and not knowing if his brother Jesse is still alive. A flash back reveals Timothy, Kelley, and Jesse escaping the house through a window as rovers pours into Timothy’s bedroom. Jesse snatched his AR-15 on his way out. Rovers begin to stumble their way towards the three.

[Jesse]: Run! Get to the Golden’s!

            He begins firing at the rovers, their heads popping like water balloons. Timothy draws two of his great aunt’s swords that belonged to her late husband: a katana and a civil war general’s sword.

[Tim]: No! Not without you!

            Kelley is clinging to her brothers for protection. The walkers keep coming. Jesse runs out of ammo. He grabs the civil war sword out of Tim’s hand and decapitates a walker. He firmly grabs Tim by the shirt, his bloody hand staining Tim’s v-neck.

[Jesse]: Take Kelley, protect her, and get to the Golden’s. Do as I say to protect what’s left of us. Don’t let the Roland’s die here today. I love you brother.

            Tim starts crying as Jesse throws himself into the herd of walkers, continuously jabbing and swinging. Tim carries Kelley away who is screaming her older brother’s name as the rovers surround him and overwhelm him.

            Tim woke from the flashback. He looked at his hands which were grasping his great aunt’s katana. It was sheathed in its black casing. The black leather wrapped around the foot-long handle was stained with blood. Suddenly Dylan walks in the room.

[Dylan]: Hey man.

[Tim]: Hi Dylan. What’s going on?

[Dylan]: Nothing, dude. Zach and Lee are going on a supply run with Shane. They’re getting ready right now.

[Tim]: Hope they’re careful.

[Dylan]: Yeah man like, they’ll have guns and stuff so they’ll be fine.

[Tim]: (Startled) Guns?

[Dylan]: Yeah…why?

[Tim]: They can’t use guns.

            Timothy rushes out of the white house and runs to the green house where Shane, Lee, and Zach are. He bursts through the door.

[Tim]: You guys can’t use guns!

[Shane]: What do you mean?

[Tim]: I know I never said this while Kelley and I have been here, but the rovers…

[Lee]: They’re attracted to sound. We know. We found that out when we were attacked at the church.

[Tim]: Then use melee weapons!

[Shane]: For now, all we have in our possession are knives. It’s too risky getting that close to them.

[Tim]: And it’s even more risky firing off guns. So what y’all need to do is take me and Dylan with you, we bring knives, and we add melee weapons to the list of supplies. But seriously, we can’t use guns anymore.

[Zach]: Tim’s right. Everything bad that has happened was because we fired off guns. I don’t know about you, but I’m putting away my dad’s rifle. I know where a couple of axes are so I’ll get those. 

            Shane isn’t sure how to respond, but after a few moments gives in.

[Shane]: Alright fine. See if Dylan or Josh wants to go.

[Tim]: Dylan is already prepared to leave.

            Just then, Dylan walks through the door with jeans, his hooded jacket, and a large buck knife in its case hanging from his belt.

[Dylan]: We’re going right?

            Shane slightly grinned.

[Shane]: Yes, you’re going. 

            Zach is walking outside by himself towards the storage unite on the side of his property. He reached the corner of the first row of storages and as he turned the corner he sees a rover eating a stray cat on the ground. Zach quickly hides behind the wall of the storage unit. He pulls out a knife and closes his eyes. He feels so much fear, but in a few seconds swallows his anxiety and anger and turns it into fuel. He turns the corner walking towards the rover. The rover is so distracted with his meal that he doesn’t see Zach coming. Zach jams the knife into the rover’s skull. The rover slumps over face down into the dirt. For a moment Zach stares at the rover. He sees the tracks it made in the ground via droplets of blood and other bodily fluids. It made its way onto the property because of the access through the woods between two gaps in the fence line. Zach realizes that not only is it vital to have food supplies, but that their home is secure, even if for some of the people it is just a temporary home.

            Zach walks back into the house with two axes and two pick-axes. Shane, Lee, Dylan, and Tim pick their melee weapons: Lee and Dylan picking the axes, and Tim and Shane left with the pick-axes.

[Zach]: I’ve decided to stay. There are other jobs that need to be done here.

[Tim]: What other jobs?

[Zach]: I killed a rover just a minute ago.

[Tim]: What?! Are there anymore?

[Zach]: No, but there are gaps in the property that allow rovers to come in. Those gaps need to be filled. Me and Uncle Glenn, Mr. Chance, and Mr. Merlet will secure the property.

[Shane]: That’s fine.

            Shane and his group begin to leave the house.

[Shane]: We’ll be back soon.

[Zach]: Be careful.

            Kelley Roland is sitting on one of the beds in the white house across the property. She looks as if she had been crying. She’s watching videos on her phone of her and her family members. the house was buoyant with obnoxious noise as the younger Merlet kids are running around the house and playing around. Maddy walks into the room and sits next to her.

[Maddy]: It’s so freakin annoying in here.

[Kelley]: Yeah.

            Maddy side hugs Kelley.

[Maddy]: I’m really sorry.

[Kelley]: You know what scares me?

[Maddy]: No.

[Kelley]: Eventually, the battery on this phone is gonna run out, and I probably won’t ever get another chance to see them.

            Maddy was quiet for a little while.

[Maddy]: My battery died a while ago. I miss seeing the pictures of my friends. I still don’t know if my older brother and sister are alive. They’re probably not.

[Kelley]: I hate this so much. (Sobs) I hate everything right now. I wish it would just stop!

            Maddy hugs Kelley again.

[Maddy]: Things will get better. You just gotta live on without them and be happy with who you got left.

[Kelley]: (Sobbing) I just want my mom, and my dad, and my brothers.

[Maddy]: I know.

            Mrs. Merlet is in the green house grabbing some of her belongings as she gets ready to move to the other side of the property.

[Kay]: (Loudly) Alissa?

[Alissa]: (From another room of the house.) Yeah?

[Kay]: Come help me to the other side of the property.

            Alissa meets with her mom as they leave the house. Along the way Alissa sparks up an important conversation.

[Alissa]: So are we staying here?

[Kay]: I don’t know, sweetie.

[Alissa]: Lee’s parents were saying they were planning a couple of weeks ago that they were gonna leave and that hasn’t happened yet.

[Kay]: Yeah I was wondering the same thing. I don’t think anyone is leaving, but I don’t think everyone here has decided that they’re officially staying here either.

            The two turn around hearing the vehicle that Shane’s supply group left in. They watched as they drove away from the house. Mrs. Merlet and Alissa kept walking.

[Alissa]: I kinda wanna stay. I overhead Zach saying he was gonna try to fill in the spots on the property that doesn’t have a fence. Maybe later down the road we can strengthen them so that the rovers don’t get in.

[Kay]: The what?

[Alissa]: That’s what-

[Kay]: You guys are giving them names? They used to be people just like you and me. They’re not monsters.

[Alissa]: They killed people mom.

[Kay]: They’re sick. I don’t know how they’re able to stay alive after a bullet wound to the chest but somehow they are, and surely they can be cured.

[Alissa]: But for now, they’re dangerous. Some of them have to die so we can live, you now that right?

[Kay]: I do but Alissa-

            Suddenly, a rover stumbles right behind them growling furiously. Kay staggers back to avoid the rover. Alissa pushes it away. The two are screaming loudly. Josh (Alissa’s brother) comes running out of the white house. He starts running toward them with a baseball bat just as Zach comes running from the green house with a knife.

[Alissa]: Get inside, mom!

[Kay]: No!

            Alissa grabs a large rock, and beat the rover in the head. The rover stumbled back and Alissa stayed on guard. Zach and Josh reached the two. Josh was about to go in to take down the rover but Zach stopped him.

[Zach]: No wait, Josh, wait!

[Josh]: That’s my sister, man!

[Zach]: Get your mom out of here, Alissa has to do this.

[Kay]: Zach, what are you doing?!

[Zach]: We have to do this!

            Zach moved up beside Alissa with his knife.

[Zach]: Take my knife, give me the rock.

            Alissa did as Zach told. The rover slowly began to stumble towards the two.

[Alissa]: Zach I don’t wanna do this!

[Zach]: We have to, Alissa; we have to know how to make it! Hold it up high use your other arm as a guard.

            Josh and Kay watched nervously. The rover came into arm’s length of Alissa. Zach moved in closer in case Alissa failed. She finally braced her hand against the rover’s chest. The rover leaned in closer but Alissa kept it away from getting too close.

[Zach]: The head, Alissa, it’s gotta be head.

            Alissa wiped her tears, and angrily rammed the knife into the rover’s forehead. Blood splattered onto Alissa’s face. She let go of the knife as the rover dropped to the ground permanently dead. By then, Mr. and Mrs. Chance, and Aunt Robyn and Uncle Glenn came to help.

[Robyn]: Is everyone ok? Was anyone bit?

[Zach]: We’re ok, everyone is fine.

[Kay]: No we’re not! Everything is not fine! My daughter just killed one of those people because you forced her to do it, Zach!

[Zach]: I had it under control she wasn’t going to get hurt!

[Kay]: (Screaming) No you don’t get it! I don’t want my kids to end up as stone cold murderers constantly struggling for the next meal and killing people to survive! I want them to live happy lives and go to school and get married! I don’t want them to end up without parents or missing arms or legs or going crazy! I don’t want them ending up like you!

            The group was silent for a few moments. Alissa was shocked at what she did. She was sitting on the ground fighting tears. Zach slowly backed away from group before turning and walking away.

[Josh]: Come on, mom. Let’s get inside. Come on Alissa.

            Mr. and Mrs. Chance helped her to her feat.

[Mrs. Chance]: Let’s get you cleaned up, ok?

           

            Zach is walking towards the storage unites again. He pulls out sheets of metal and starts stacking them where they need to be placed. He used a post-hole digger to dig deep holes. He mixes concrete in a 5-gallon bucket and pours it into the hole as he sets in a pole. He does this along the line he created to build the necessary fence line. He then strengthens the weak points of some of the fences with replacement parts and hammer and nails. He’s struggling at one point to keep the wooden fence stable as he hammers in the replacement pole. Josh comes to his help and holds the fence up as he hammers it in.

[Josh]: You ok, man?

[Zach]: I feel terrible.

[Josh]: Yeah.

            Zach finishes hammering in the fence and it’s just like new.

[Zach]: I know it feels wrong to all of you. It feels wrong to me too. It doesn’t mean it isn’t. We have to start adjusting to this new world.

[Josh]: I agree. But there’s a right time for it though.

            Zach is slow to respond. But then nods in agreement.

[Zach]: You’re probably right.

[Josh]: You gonna talk to them?

[Zach]: Yeah…but not now.

[Josh]: Ok.

            The supply group made their first stop in an abandoned neighborhood. Walking up to the front door of the first house, Shane knocked several times on the door. There was no response of any kind. With that, Shane was the first to enter the empty house. He was followed closely by Tim, Lee, and Dylan. They scan the living room area and a few of the rooms downstairs.

[Shane]: Tim, look for canned goods, non-refrigerated foods, and water bottles. Lee, look around for batteries, flash lights, and any medical equipment. Dylan I need you to check the garage and look for any cans of fuel, and if you find any melee weapons grab those as well. I’ll check the rest of the rooms for clothing and weapons. Be careful, and listen carefully for anything.

            The four dispersed around the house. Tim kept his pick-ax in front of him as he snuck into the kitchen. The kitchen was clear, so Tim set his pick-ax on the counter and pulled his back pack off him and starting looking for food.

            Lee began opening drawers looking for batteries and flashlights and everything Shane asked him to look for. He opened a drawer and found three triple-A batteries. After that he moved on to the next drawer.

            Dylan walked down a hall way that led towards the garage of the house. He stopped when he heard the sound of scuffling and growling on the other side of the door.

[Dylan]: Hey Lee…

[Lee]: Yeah.

[Dylan]: There’s a rover on the other side of the door!

            Lee soon came to catch up with Dylan.

[Dylan]: What do we do?

[Lee]: What do you mean “what do we do”?

            Lee walked towards the door and held up the ax as he grabbed the door knob.

[Lee]: We kill it.

[Dylan]: Wait, dude, shouldn’t we get Shane for this?

[Lee]: We don’t need three guys for one rover. You can do this. They’re slow and weak. You attack first and go for the head. Keep the ax in front of you. You ready?

[Dylan]: (Laughing) No, man hold on a second!

[Lee]: You don’t have a second…you have three! Three…two…one.

            Lee opened the door and the rover stumbled out  towards Dylan. Dylan gasped at first, staggering back with his ax.

[Lee]: You got it bro just charge it!

            Dylan nodded. He stared down the rover and stepped towards it. He lifted his ax and slammed it down on the rover’s head. The swing just grazed its face, bone cracked and flesh dribbled onto the floor.

[Lee]: Get him again!

            All the yelling brought Tim and Shane to the hall. Just then Dylan swung again and dropped the ax straight onto the rover’s head. The rover’s skull split open, its brain drooling like salsa as it slumped to the ground. Dylan levered the ax back out of its head just before leaning over and puking on top of the rover.

[Lee]: Better out than in. How's it feel to have a pair? 

[Shane]: You ok, Dylan?

[Dylan]: Dude…

            Dylan looked up at Lee.

[Dylan]: It’s just like the movies.

            Alissa is in the bathroom of the white house’s guestroom washing her face. The water pressure is decreasing. She wipes her face off with a towel and steps into the guest room where her mom is waiting.

[Kay]: Are you ok, baby?

[Alissa]: I’m fine.

[Kay]: Are you really?

[Alissa]: Yeah, really. It was scary and disgusting and I don’t ever wanna have to do it again…but I have to.

[Kay]: You agree with Zach?

[Alissa]: He wasn’t right to test me in that moment. We were caught off guard, and I didn’t have anything with me but a rock. But that doesn’t mean Zach was wrong.

[Kay]: (Tearing up) I just want my children to not have to go through what he did.

[Alissa]: We won’t mom. We won’t if we learn how to do everything it takes to make it. This is the new world now, mom. We gotta learn to survive it.

            Kelley is walking through the house. Ethan Merlet and Julia Merlet run behind her and scare her.

[Kelley]: (loudly) Stop! Just be quiet ok!

[Julia]: Come on! We’re playing tag!

            Julia tags Kelley.

[Julia]: You’re it!

            The two kids run away. Kelley sat down against the wall of the house. She pulled out her phone. She was hesitant to turn it on at first, but finally pressed the home button and started watching home videos again. Then suddenly the screen went dark with a caption saying: ‘Please charge immediately’. Kelley was frozen with shock for a moment and then burst into tears. Haven noticed Kelly crying and rushed beside her and hugged her.

[Haven]: It’s ok, don’t cry.

[Kelley]: They’re gone! They’re gone forever.

[Haven]: No they’re not. They’re always gonna be there in your heart. They’re in a better place and they are happy. Don’t cry, please.

            Zach is with Josh walking away from the fences they put together.

[Zach]: Tomorrow we’ll check the concrete and get started on finishing it if you’re up for it.

[Josh]: You got it.

            There is a slight pause.

[Zach]: Thank you, Josh for understanding. I was wrong in my own way, I know that now.

[Josh]: I’m with you, buddy.

            The two stop in their tracks as Shane’s vehicle pulls into the property with the help of Lee opening up the gate.

[Zach]: Come on, let’s go help them unload.

            Upon reaching the truck, Dylan, Shane, Tim, and Lee are carrying several boxes of food into the green house. Aunt Robyn and Uncle Glenn came out of the house to help them as did Josh and Zach.

[Robyn]: How was it? Did you run into any trouble?

[Shane]: Nothing we couldn’t handle. It went very well. We have six flashlights, an entire box of batteries and medical supplies, and enough food for…at least a month.

[Robyn]: That’s wonderful. Where did you find everything?

[Lee]: In a neighborhood. We scavenged the houses.

            Glenn looks at his son as Lee looks at him. Glenn understands his son was right about searching homes. Zach walks into the house with some supplies. As he walks in he notices some of the kids are staring at him and staying clear from him.

[Zach]: What?

[Roger]: We heard about what you did.

            Brittany slapped Roger’s shoulder. As she walks by Zach she apologizes. 

[Lee]: Wait what...what'd you do, Zach? 

            Zach looks at the other kids staring at him before leaving the house and going to the white house. As he walks in he hears a conversation going in another room. He sneaks closer to hear. Mr. and Mrs. Chance, Aunt Kay and Uncle Chad are talking to each other.

[Mrs. Chance]: It’s clear to me, that he’s a danger to everyone here!

[Kay]: I understand how you think, but he’s been through a lot-

[Mr. Chance]: He forced Alissa to kill that person or get killed! Your own daughter!

[Chad]: Honey, he did do it. Who knows whether or not he had good intensions he risked the lives of our daughter, and your life as well.

[Kay]: I know…

[Mrs. Chance]: He’s dangerous, and he’s crazy! I’m not letting him in the same room as my daughters I don’t know about you. Ever since his family died he’s completely lost it.

[Kay]: We can’t just kick him out of the property!

[Mr. Chance]: Why not?

            There is a slight pause. Zach wipes the tears from his face and backs away from the door. He walks back out of the house and stands in the middle of the yard for a moment. He looks at the ground, and then glares at the forest on the other side of the fence and nods. He knows what to do now. 

THE END