SEASON 2 EPISODE 6: Decide

            The Church is quieter now. Not silent, just quieter; less active. The air is depressed with the feelings of loss and anger. The perimeter of lined up cars around the parking lot of the student center seemed to feel much smaller in some strange way. But just outside the perimeter beside the cemetery were three graves dug. All three graves were empty, but each had their names painted on different crosses standing in the ground. Their names were painted in their favorite colors: London’s was red, Zack Castanon’s was black, and Zach Golden’s was yellow.

            Standing in front of the three graves was Timothy. His dark hair was growing longer and his facial hair was coming through more and more each day like most of the other guys. The wind blew the hair in front of his face hiding the falling tears. It has been three days since Ian and Jenna had left. The sky was growing more clouded as the fall turned to winter. Tim watched his shaking breath vaporize into the cold air.

            [Tim]: I think for the first time…I’m depressed. I feel like I’ve lost everything even though I haven’t. I know I still have people here, but that’s just it: I’m tired of here. You three are lucky. You’re all in a much better place. I want to leave here and join you. But I know I can’t. These people need me. I do my best to lead, but lately I’m just…I’m just tired.

            Tim knelt in between Zack and Zach. He wiped his face gently of the tears that didn’t cease streaming down his pale face.

            [Tim]: I’m tired of crying, and feeling depressed, and feeling so helpless and hopeless. I’m tired of being hungry, and thirsty, and hurt when I think of words to say to you two but you’re not here to hear me. I’m tired of forgetting all the people who are dead are gone. I’m tired of being tired…I’m tired of being their leader.

            Tim stood up and pulled his hair back. Sniffing hard he blinked away his last tear.

            [Tim]: I miss you guys.

           

            Rich watched Timothy reenter the Church perimeter and walk towards the balcony. Rich could see the weakness in Tim. Everyone here was weak. They weren’t willing to do what was necessary to survive. But Rich was. In a world like this, you must take risks, and you must do things you don’t want to do. Rich can do just that. He should oversee these children, not the other way around. He could still hear his son’s words echoing in his mind. There is no greater pain to a father than to hear his son choose his friends over blood. Christian had the choice: his father, or the youth group led by Tim; Christian was given the choice between the man who raised him…or Timothy Roland.

            Rich’s hatred for Tim could only grow. Seeing that skinny little boy who thinks he’s a good leader and great man solemnly climbing the steps of the balcony made Rich tense with irritation. His fists were white as the blood was pushed away from his knuckles.

            Timothy opened the door to step inside the youth center. Rich stopped him in his tracks.

            [Rich]: I need to talk to you.

            [Tim]: A lot of people need to talk to me.

            [Rich]: Well this is important. And it’s time you got yourself a wakeup call. Now, I am an adult, and a grown man who has lived longer than anyone here. I have the wisdom and the knowledge to lead and guide these children. I’ve done it almost half my lifetime. So, if you want to make things easier on yourself, and if you want to really help your friends for the better…you will put me and Mrs. Reed in charge.

            The words were almost soothing to the ear. The idea that Timothy didn’t have to care anymore, that if something were to happen to him he would be accepting of it. He wouldn’t have the responsibilities, or the weights to bare…

            But he can’t. He can’t make that decision on his own. It was his group that voted for him. If a change in leadership was going to happen it must be put to vote.

            [Tim]: I’m sorry, but the group voted for me. If you want to be in charge you will have to win their approval.

            [Rich]: You and I both know how that would go. These people here hate me. My own son chose you people over me. Nobody understands what it takes to live in this world. I do.

            [Tim]: (angrily) You left Lee in that neighborhood to die. He’s still trying to recover!

            [Rich]: (Harshly) It was something that had to be done.

            [Tim]: Obviously not. Because he is still here and we still have plenty of supplies.

            [Rich]: And if we are attacked, Lee will become a liability and possibly kill more of us.

            Tim smiled. It was sarcastic. Rich’s proposal was too good to be true. He wouldn’t dare allow Rich to be in charge. So, until they find someone else, Tim will continue holding up this grand weight that everyone rested on top of him.

            [Tim]: You don’t know what it takes to survive. As a group we have to help each other. Not abandon one another.

            Tim began to walk away. He stopped in his tracks. He could feel Rich’s angry glare from behind. Tim slowly turned around.

            [Tim]: You want to know who knew how to survive?

            Rich only stared numbly.

            [Tim]: Zach Golden. ‘Tried to show us, but it was all too fast and too soon for us to handle. If we were strong from the start he would still be here. You wanna know why he knew what it took to survive? Because he tried to help us; show us how to fight them. He didn’t fend for himself and abandon us. He fought for us, and more…and we thought he was insane. So, don’t tell me you know what it takes to survive because you don’t know.

            With that, Tim turned around and walked away. The fire in Rich’s eyes grew stronger.

           

            Maddy was sitting next to Lee who was resting after going for a walk around the student center.

            [Lee]: I think I’ll be good by the end of the week.

            [Maddy]: Cool.

            Lee could tell that Maddy was feeling depressed over the loss of London. Those two were beginning to be great friends. She taught Maddy how to use a sword, and Maddy taught her to play the guitar. Then just like that, she was killed.

            [Lee]: You okay?

            [Maddy]: I will be. I’m just…tired of losing people is all.

            [Lee]: Me too. I miss Zach. I miss joking around and being stupid with him. I miss talking about comics and movies and girls…nothing feels right anymore.  

            Maddy didn’t respond. She, like everyone else missed Zach too for nearly the same reasons. He made everyone laugh and he seemed easy to approach with whatever problems you had. Now he’s gone, and so is London, Zack Castanon, and so many others. Suddenly, Lee nudged his sister’s shoulder.

            [Lee]: Hey. It’ll be okay eventually. One day it will.

            Maddy looked at Lee. He was so sure of what he said, to the point that Maddy was almost convinced. Almost.

            [Maddy]: Okay.

            Dylan paced the lines of cars surrounding his new home. He’d always imagined living here at the church with all his friends. It would be so much fun getting to live together and have fun and not worry about school, or family problems, or money or anything. They would just be together and get through everything that came their way. Now that that fantasy is finally here, he just wants everything back to normal again. It’s not even close to how he expected it to be. Dylan got what he wanted, but there were prices to pay: people would die. Thousands, even. People including his friends and family would die awful deaths when they screwed up in this dark new world. Food, water, and weapons never came easy…and you would have to kill. Killing by the dozens, both alive and dead.

            And there were other responsibilities, like the one Dylan was doing right now. Making sure there were no flaws too great for a Rover to break through the “walls”. For the most part there were no flaws, but every so often, a rover would gain enough momentum to slide over the hood of a car and fall onto the other side. They didn’t last long after that; Dylan was getting good with the crossbow.

            Just then, Kelley Roland came walking up with a sharp shooter shovel.

            [Dylan]: ‘sup?

            [Kelley]: I wanted to help you watch the walls.

            [Dylan]: It’s alright, I got this.

            [Kelley]: I know…I just wanna start contributing. I feel like since the property…and Zach, I haven’t done anything.

            [Dylan]: Yeah.

            Suddenly Dylan’s remote activated and Tim was patching through.

            [Tim]: Hey Dylan, you there?

            [Dylan]: Yeah. What’s up?

            [Tim]: Need to talk to you and a couple of others. It’s important. Meet us in the senior boys Sunday school class.  

            [Dylan]: On my way.

            Dylan looked over at Kelley. She nodded and tightened her grip around the shovel.

            [Kelley]: It’s okay. I got this.

            Dylan trusted her, and walked back up to the student center. Meeting in the room, Dylan was standing beside Tim, Lee, Brittany, and Bailey.

            [Dylan]: What’s up guys?

            [Tim]: We were going to talk about Denbury.

            [Dylan]: It’s about time. It’s been three days since you mentioned it…and avoided talking about it.

            [Brittany]: That’s what I don’t understand, Tim. That’s something you have to tell us.

            [Tim]: I get that guys, but I wanted to wait for things to cool off after London, and Ian and Jenna leaving.

            [Bailey]: I mean…with this whole “Denbury” situation, I don’t see things cooling off anytime soon. And you putting this meeting off only worried us even more.

            [Lee]: Look, honestly, I would’ve done the same thing. He’s lost a close friend and so did all of us. I enjoyed getting to relax these couple of days.

            [Tim]: Thanks, Lee, but this isn’t the point. The point is, Denbury was the name of a community that I assume is responsible for London’s death. When me and…when me and Zack arrived at the police department, we found a man; what was left of him and his sanity at least. On top of that we found a hat on the ground with the name “Denbury” on it. The man there at the department kept saying over and over “the only ones supposed to live.”

            [Dylan]: Whoa…just like the blood written at Kat’s house.

            [Tim]: Exactly. After we were attacked by rovers, and Zack was…you know. I went to the insane man who was on the brink of death. Just before he died, he made a comment about Costco. I didn’t know what it meant, but I think I know now. It means whoever looted that department, made that man go insane, and killed Kat…is there at Costco.

            [Bailey]: He wasn’t insane after all.

            [Brittany]: So…what do we do?

            [Tim]: I think we need to know what we’re dealing with. Ian and Jenna need to know what they’re dealing with. We don’t know how strong they are, and if we mess this up, we could get attacked by them and then we lose everything.

            [Lee]: I’ll go.

            [Brittany]: No. Lee, you’re still trying to heal. If it gets bad you need to be strong enough to escape, maybe even fight.

            [Bailey]: Brittany’s right. You so much as run you’ll just reopen your cuts. Maybe even cause internal bleeding.

            [Tim]: I should be the one to go. I’m the most familiar with this issue.

            [Lee]: Then you need someone else to go with you. Someone to watch your back.

            [Tim]: I’ll take Christian. It’ll be good for him to take a break from everything.

            [Brittany]: You think his dad will be okay with that?

            [Tim]: It’s not up to him. It’s up to Christian. I’ll ask him.

            [Bailey]: Another issue is weapons. If this does go bad and we have to fight Denbury, we aren’t even close to being prepared. We need more guns and ammunition, and we need freaking walls. Like actual walls.

            [Dylan]: I can scavenge for guns at the property. They had a gunroom and two lockers full of guns. If we can get those supplies here we’d have twice as many weapons and we could make bullets.

            [Lee]: Plus, they had a lot of building material like concrete. Metal sheets and wood.

            [Bailey]: Then while Tim and Christian go, Dylan and someone else can get those supplies.

            [Dylan]: Okay, I’ll take Maddy.

            [Tim]: So, we have a plan. Let’s tell the others, and get this going.

            Not long after the meeting, Tim approached Christian who was sitting by the closet door.

            [Tim]: Hey Christian. I have to ask a favor. I need your help.

            [Christian]: You’re going on a scouting mission and you need my help?

            [Tim]: How’d you know?

            [Christian]: I listened to yalls meeting.

            Christian stood up grabbing his backpack and rifle.

            [Christian]: Let’s go.

            [Tim]: We should ask your dad-

            [Christian]: No, it's fine. Let’s go.

            Loading up into one of the sedans, Tim and Christian drive away towards Costco taking 1314. Maddy and Dylan took a truck and drove back to the property.

            Brittany watched the two vehicles leave the church from the student center balcony. Stomping onto the balcony behind her, Rich looked out to see the cars leaving.

            [Rich]: What is going on? Where’s Christian?

            [Brittany]: I told Lee to tell you…I guess he must’ve forgotten.

            [Rich]: …forgotten what?

            [Brittany]: This wasn’t my choice, Mr. McDowell, but Christian decided to go with Tim-

            [Rich]: What?! Where?

            [Brittany]: To scout out the Denbury community.

            [Rich]: My god…I’m following them.

            Before Rich could step down the stairwell, Brittany stood in front of him.

            [Brittany]: Hold on, sir, they’re going on a scouting mission its crucial we don't know what exactly we’re dealing with. If you interfere with that you could get Tim and your son killed.

            [Rich]: Get out of my way, girl-

            [Brittany]: It’s a scouting mission they’re not in danger-

            [Rich]: I said get out of my way-

            [Brittany]: RICH! You will get Christian killed! Your own son!

            Rich stopped trying to resist and simply glared at Brittany. He was nearly a foot taller and was just inches from her. Brittany found herself overwhelmed with fear as she looked up to this hulking man. For years she was drowned in anxiety and fear, and she was tired of this mental anguish. She hated being controlled by adults, and being controlled by men who thought they were in control of everything. She was just…tired.

            [Brittany]: You…will go back inside. Or your only son will die.

            Rich’s eyes squinted and his lips pursed into a cringed smile. He leaned in closer towards Brittany’s face.

            [Rich]: Are you…actually threatening me?

            Brittany stepped closer and braced her left hand against his chest and pushed him, the other hand gripping the gun in her holster.

            [Brittany]: I’m not the threat. You are.

            For what seemed like hours, the two just stared at each other. Rich’s feet shifted barely, turning towards the door; Brittany gently let out a sigh of relief as Rich disappeared inside the building. The moment the door shut, Brittany collapsed, her tear ducts opening and pouring tears of fear and relief. For what could have been one of the first times she’s ever stood up to someone at this particular level, she felt broken…and in a strange way…she felt reborn.

            Driving down 242, Tim and Christian were silent most of the trip. Tim made several glances at his friend as he guided the sedan down the road. Christian was tense, and he was angry. Finally, Tim found the words to say to his brother.

            [Tim]: Christian I don’t want you to hurt your relationship with your dad. I know he’s done things…and said things. But he’s your father. He still deserves your respect.

            [Christian]: I know. But he needs to know that I’m growing up now.

            [Tim]: You’re right. You’re a man now, and you can make your own decisions. But your dad needs to know when you’re leaving or staying. Whether you like it or not, your dad is a part of our family. We must help each other; have our backs…even if some of us don’t care.

            [Christian]: I know.

            [Tim]: That’s good.

            They stopped the car just a few hundred yards from Costco. Stepping out of the vehicle, Christian was approached by a lone rover. Pulling out his knife, he slashed at its skull until it was dead.

            [Tim]: We gotta keep a low profile. No matter what, we can’t be discovered.

            Just then, they heard guns click behind them. Christian and Timothy spin around with their guns in hand-

            [Dom and Pat]: Freeze!

            Cruising down the road, Dylan and Maddy enjoyed the silence. Maddy was driving, while Dylan dug the grill and grime out of his crossbow.

            [Maddy]: Dude it’s so nice to get some peace and quiet.

            [Dylan]: For real, I can’t wait for things to finally just calm down and this virus to kill over you know?

            [Maddy]: Yeah. So are we just getting guns or…

            [Dylan]: We’re getting guns first, and then if everything goes well, then we’d load up the metal sheets and concrete and other tools in those storage units.

            [Maddy]: Yeah. I don’t like going back there though. So many of us were lost…that car…We watched Shane and Josh get shot so many times.

            [Dylan]: I know.

            The two turned onto Firetower rd, and from there they could see the remains of Brittany’s car still black with fire stains and riddled with bullet holes. Slowly driving past, it, Dylan numbly gazed at the rotted flesh of Josh and Shane. All this time…they were still there. Part of Dylan wishes that they came back as one of the rovers. Anything was better than being like that. At least as rovers they were still in a dark form of living.

            Pulling into the property, the fields were almost completely absent of rovers save for a couple spread across the six-acre estate. Dylan immediately loaded a single arrow into his crossbow, pulling back the sling and locking it in place.

            [Dylan]: Park next to the gunroom. I’ll break into it and gather the supplies while you stand guard.

            [Maddy]: Okay.

            Stopping the truck next to the white shed, Dylan jumped out and kicked down the wooden door. Maddy stood guard with her rifle watching the three rovers across the property who had seen and heard the truck drive by and were slowly making their way towards the two.

            Dylan sighed with relief; they hit the jackpot. Dozens and dozens of ammo boxes and weapons lay amuck in the shed, and the bullet-crafting tools were still intact. Immediately, he shoved as many ammo boxes into a duffle bag as he could. Carrying them back and forth from the shed to the truck, Dylan smiled as the tailgate was beginning to fill with nothing but gun supplies.

            At last, the three rovers came within ten feet of Maddy, and her patience was worn thin. Setting down her rifle to grab her throwing knives, she flicked the small blades smoothly, each blade clocking into the general area of the rover’s skulls. All three-dropped dead.

            Just then, faintly off in the distance, Maddy could hear the sound of roaring footsteps. It had to have been dozens of them all shuffling against the dusty ground all at once. They weren’t far, and they were drawing closer towards Dylan and Maddy.

            [Maddy]: Dylan we gotta go!

            [Dylan]: Why what’s wrong?

            [Maddy]: Rovers, a whole herd of them! They had to have followed us from down the road!

            Loading the last tool into the truck, Dylan and Maddy loaded up and then raced out of the parking lot. Taking a left turn back onto Firetower rd, they slammed on the breaks when they were met with the giant herd. It was less than two seconds before they surrounded the truck banging on the sides and windows.

            [Dom]: …Timothy? Timothy Roland?

            [Tim]: Dom, Pat…how did yall find us?

            [Pat]: We didn’t we just stumbled into ya! Dude this is crazy first Zach and now you-

            [Tim]: Whoa, wait…you found Zach?

            [Dom]: Yeah man, the dude lost his mind. He came to our community over at the Costco and he was just out of it dude. He stayed for like a day before he left.

            His mind racing full of question, Tim isn’t sure what to say next. Now he wonders what the priority is: find Zach, or go with Dom and Pat and check out the Denbury community from the inside and out.

            [Christian]: You live at the Costco?

            [Dom]: Yeah, man. What’s your name?

            [Christian]: Christian…and you’re obviously Dom and Pat.

            [Pat]: Yall should come check out our community! You have anyone else?

            [Tim]: No. We’re alone.

            [Dom]: Oh ok. Well come one, let’s show you around, maybe you’ll stay.

            [Tim]: I don’t think so…we’re looking for Zach.

                        As the four walked down the road towards Costco, Tim listened to Dom speaking as he observed the community. It was surrounded by cars very similar to the church, ladders led to the roof where at least six men stood guard with rifles, the perimeter was guarded by two men on each side that Tim could see, so there were at least eight guards around the walls. They had open an view to all the terrain save for the back of the facility where a thick net of trees blocked most of the view in that direction.

            [Dom]: Dude, if you’re looking for Zach then just give up. The guy lost his mind. When we found him, he was jacked up with long wacky hair and he had a beard, okay and covered in blood…and the guy has just lost it. He dangerous.

            [Tim]: I understand that but I’m not giving up on him. I have to try to save what’s left of him. Where was the last time you saw him, and do you know where he’s headed?

            There was a slight pause that brought all four men to come to a stop. Dom looked at Pat, and Pat looked at Tim.

            [Pat]: Okay look, several weeks back, he found out about Denbury attacking his community a while back-

            [Tim]: Wait…is this place not Denbury?

            [Pat]: No, we trade with them, though. Or we used to, and then when Zach found out it was them that killed his other friends he went on a man hunt for them. Later we sent scouts to check up on the Denbury…

            Tim leaned in closer.

            [Tim]: What is it…what happened?

            [Dom]: Denbury was destroyed…literally. And overrun with the dead. Somehow Zach took down that entire community on his own. I’m telling you. He’s not Zach anymore. He’s…something else.  

            Tim looked at Dom and Pat firmly and fiercely into their matching twin eyes.

[Tim]: Where is Denbury?

            Trapped in their vehicle, Maddy and Dylan are clueless as what to do next. It had been several minutes before finally, Maddy rolled down the window and pull out her knife.

            [Dylan]: What are you doing??

            [Maddy]: Just do what I’m doing!

            Maddy jams her knife into one of the rover’s foreheads, and proceeded to kill more followed by Dylan killing the rovers on his side of the car. Suddenly, a rover reached out and grabs Dylan’s wrist trying to pull him out onto the street! Attempting to resist but to no avail, Dylan retaliates by shoving the car door open knocking over three rovers. Leaping out of the car, he kills the three fallen rovers and shoves the rest out of the way, evading them till he’s clear from the car.

            [Maddy]: Did he just leave me here?!

            Maddy looked around the vehicle from the passenger seat to see if she could see Dylan, but the thickness of the herd around the truck was too large.

            [Maddy]: Dylan!

            Outside the car a few feet away, Dylan pulls out a small derringer from his pocket and fired three shots into the air, attracting the attention of most of the rovers, and drawing them towards him.

            [Maddy]: (Mumbling to herself) Dylan you’re so stupid, you’re gonna get your butt freaking chewed off if not from them, then from me! 

            Unsure of how to get back to the truck, Dylan shoots his last shot at one of the rovers, and then stabs two others with his knife.

            [Dylan]: I did not think this through.

            Peering out of the window of the truck, Maddy screams as loud as she can over the roaring of the dead.

            [Maddy]: Run through the woods till you get to 242, I’ll meet you there!

            Immediately, Dylan sprinted through the thick woods, the rovers slowly following him as Maddy drove away, reaching 242 within a couple of minutes, and it was ten minutes after that when Dylan burst from the woods covered in mud and gore. Climbing into the passenger seat, the two finally drove away from the property.

            [Maddy]: (Smiling) Well, don’t you look just fabulous.

            [Dylan]: (Smiling) Uh, yes Lord.

            Tim pulled the truck onto the side of the road next to a fallen sign that said “Denbury”. Before the world fell apart, it was a plant where they made oils and fuels. The funny part was…it was not even a mile away from Tim’s house.

            [Tim]: This whole time Denbury was just a few hundred yards from my house.

            [Christian]: That’s crazy.

            [Tim]: Stay quiet and stealthy, we don’t know if Pat and Dom were telling the truth.

            Quietly moving through the woods, they climb over thorn bushes and fallen trees. Sap and moss dangling like miniature vines of goo and fungi. Minutes went by before the trees cleared and in front of the two was a chain-linked fence go around the property of the community. What Tim and Christian saw was a devastating sight to behold.

            The entire community was overrun with the dead, fire and smoke engulfed half the structures, the grass had been burnt black to a crisp, and bodies lay burnt and bloodied all across the facility. The smell was overwhelming and dark; blood and smoke filling Tim and Christian’s lungs, ashes floating in the wind nearly blinded their vision, the clacking of the flames nearly deafened them.

            [Tim]: …my God.

            [Christian]: Zach did this?

            [Tim]: Possibly. Doing so wouldn’t be too tricky. The whole community is surrounded by woods so they wouldn’t see anybody coming, and if Zach was the one that brought all these rovers, and if he was a good shot, (which he obviously was) then yeah, he could have easily taken down this community.

            [Christian]: What happens now?

            [Tim]: Ian and Jenna don’t know about Denbury’s current state. Once they do, hopefully they’ll come back to the church.

            [Christian]: The fires still burning and the smoke is still pretty dark…what if Zach’s still here?

            [Tim]: This is fuel though and this place had lots of it. It would be burning for a long time. But…he could still be here.

            Yelling out Zach’s name at the top of his lungs, Tim scanned the area of any sign of Zach coming. The only thing that Tim’s calls got the attention of was the dead.

            [Christian]: We should go before we’re overrun.

            Christian rushed back into the woods toward the car, killing a rover along the way. Tim stood there for an extra minute, hoping that Zach will appear out of the smoke the very last minute…but nothing. Wiping away a straying tear, Tim vanished behind the woods.

            Returning to the car, Tim was about to climb into the driver’s seat when he noticed Christian standing in the middle of the road. He was standing so still…almost lifeless. His eyes were wide with fear and is mouth was slightly open. He was just…he was just standing there in the street!

            [Tim]: Christian?

            Walking towards Christian, he stood beside him and touched his shoulder. Christian’s head slowly rotated towards Tim’s eyes, and he pointed down the road a hundred yards away. Out in the distance just barely noticeable was a body lying in the middle of the road with a backpack beside it. It was black, with an Airforce symbol on it…the same backpack that Zach owned.

            Tim sprinted towards the body, doubting that dark possibility until he smelt it: the scent of rotted flesh and death.

            [Tim]: (Thinking) Maybe it’s not him…maybe it’s just coincidence!

            But no. He reached the corpse, and the body was nearly unrecognizable. The top of the head was decapitated, Zach’s backpack laid beside him, and he was wearing those basketball shorts he wore all the time, and in his hand was a machete. Tim knew in his heart that it was Zach. There was no other explanation; no other sliver of hope. His closest friend to have lived in this dark world was dead.

            Tim lost all feelings. He couldn’t feel his face as the blood rushed to his core. He couldn’t feel his hands as they hit the concrete. He couldn't feel his knees buckling as his body crumbled to the ground. He couldn’t feel his throat as his screams echoed throughout his darkened surroundings. He couldn’t feel his beating heart as a piece of it was torn. He couldn’t feel his life as it faded a darker shade of grief and depression.

            Christian was beside him trying to hold Tim together as his brother fell apart. Tim was broken, and Christian desperately through his own tears worked to mend his friend back together.

            [Christian]: (Sobbing) We have to go, Tim…we have to go.

            Stumbling to his feet, Tim was barely able to walk back to the truck, Christian took the driver’s seat and returned back to the church.

            Standing outside, Lee took a deep breath of the cold air. His body was weak, but recovering. He thinks he’ll be back up and about within a week or two. He turns to the sanctuary. It was broken and covered in ashes, and memories of his past flicker across his mind. He remembers his parents preparing to leave to go the farm, and then upon arriving at the church, everything changed. He thinks that his other family members might have gone there, and who knows: if the Church didn’t work out, maybe the group could journey there.

He remembers life at the Property, and how intense those first several days were, of how all these students were being taken home, and how he had to chop off his own dad’s arm, and how Dylan cut his wrists, Zach’s dad, brother, grandma and grandpa all died in one day, and how Dylan’s family was lost that same hour.

The action didn’t stop there. Since then, people have died, new friends were found, other friendships were made, conflicts with other communities arose, and life just got…more difficult. So many responsibilities and so much to think about and protect and so much to do…it made other things like relationships and girlfriends seem less important. Compared to love there was too much going on to have something like that to worry about.

Lee’s thoughts were interrupted when Tim’s truck pulled into the church. Christian and Tim slowly stepped from the vehicle and towards the Student Center. Something was wrong.

As soon as Timothy and Christian set foot inside the building, Rich McDowel pushed Tim across the room, making him stumble and fall on his back hard. All the other students gasped in horror.

[Rich]: You took Christian without my consent!

[Christian]: Dad please don’t, it was my-

[Rich]: Tim is your leader! In the end he made the choice to leave and take you without me knowing!

Tim wiped the tears from his raw face and slowly rose to his feet.

[Kelley]: Tim…what happened?

The group stood silent. Tim opened his mouth to speak, but only tears downed from his eyes. Christian cleared his throat before mumbling the news to everyone.

[Christian]: We found Denbury but it was completely destroyed…not far from Denbury…we found Zach.

The group gasped and moved in closer towards Christian.

[Christian]: He was dead.

Everyone was silent. Tears fell, and the sound of silent sniffling and sobbing filled the room.

[Rich]: This doesn’t excuse what needs to happen. Tim has proven himself to be a poor leader more than once! Multiple people have died under his leadership, and it’s time we saw some change, and the only right way this can happen is if the adults are in charge.

Rich stormed directly in front of Tim’s face. His eyes met Tim’s red ones. He glared into the broken form of Timothy Roland and slightly smiled underneath.

[Rich]: Timothy…I am the leader now.

Tim’s eyes fell, and his head just barely visibly nodded back and forth.

Brittany stood in complete shock as well as most of the other students. Dylan and Maddy stepped inside the room completely confused just as Rich turned around facing the rest of the students.

[Rich]: A lot of you think I’m a bad man. Everything I have done was to protect me and my boy. Now that I’m leader, I will do what I can to lead and protect all of you. As long as you listen to what I say, and to what Mrs. Reed says, you are welcome here at the church, and you will live. Tomorrow I’m going out to get Jenna and Ian because obviously they have no need to be gone now that Denbury is destroyed. This is how life is going to be now. There is no council, or group of leaders. I am the leader now, and you will obey me without hesitation. This isn’t a democracy. I am king now. My word is law. Do you understand?

The room is quiet save for the sobs and sniffles faintly breaking the silence.

[Rich]: I take that as a yes, sir. Meeting adjourned.

THE END