SEASON 3 EPISODE 5: The Tears At Twelve

            [Zach]: (Over communication remote) Hey man…I want you to know I’m sorry. I’m sorry I flipped you over and almost punched you that one day at The Property…I’m sorry I cut everyone off when I lost my family. That was when I needed my friends the most and I was too prideful to look for help. I’m sorry I lost it and scared everyone on that day-

            [Lee]: No man it’s all good, really it-

            [Zach]: No. It’s not. I hurt everyone that day and I don’t deserve you guys. 

            [Lee]: You had a reason. It happened and there’s nothing we can do to change it. I forgive you, Zach, I thought you died. When are you heading back home?

            The remote remained quiet for some time. Zach adjusted his footing on the edge of the highway towards Costco. He looked at the setting sun ahead of him. He looked back at the remote and held it up to his face.

            [Zach]: When I know that the people at Costco are no longer threat.

            [Lee]: Maybe it doesn’t have to be like this. We can think of another way-

            [Zach]: There’s no way we can watch their movements without someone being there watching them. This is how it has to be.

            [Lee]: …It’s cool.

            [Zach]: There’s been a lot that today. “I’m sorry”. It’s hard to think of other things to say.

            [Lee]: I know what you mean. Look, I have to go. I’ll call you again tomorrow, same time. Hopefully the remote will reach you.

            [Zach]: Yeah. I think it will. I’ll talk to you later.

            [Lee]: Yeah. By buddy.

            [Zach]: (Smiles) By buddy.

            Setting down the remote, Lee looked at the setting sun. The air was cold, and he forgot his jacket. But something kept him from going back inside. Something made him forget that he was shivering. Something made him find the warmth from within. Make it hope, joy, or a strange sense of wonder that kept him on that balcony…whatever it was, Lee simply shared the moment with the air, blowing through the stream of memories from before. The hours spent reading comics at Barnes and Noble, the ranting of the movies he watched with Zach, the arguments he had of specific comic book characters, and the fun times they spent trying to learn parkour. Then, just like the breeze, the memories blew away and Lee was left with the cold as he thought about what could happen in the future. He could only wonder. Wiping the goosebumps off his arms, Lee walked back inside the student center where the temperature was only a little bit warmer. Several of the students had walked over to Lee, wanting to know everything he said, even though they all had spent a moment of their time talking to him one on one.

            [Bailey]: What’s the update? Is he still headed towards Coscto?

            [Lee]: Yeah. It makes sense why he’s going. But it still sucks, ya know?

            [Bailey]: Yeah.

            Awkwardly looking out the window as if expecting to see Zach walk up the stairs, Hunter smiled,

            [Hunter]: I can’t wait for him to come back. Do-do you know when he’s coming back?

            [Bailey]: Or if he is? We won’t be ready for any kind of defense or attack plan for a while, so Zach could be there for a very long time.

            [Lee]: That’s what I’m saying. We need to talk about this because at any moment, we could get a call from Zach saying they’re headed towards us and if they were to do that today, we wouldn’t be ready.

            Just then, Sherman, Virgilio and Lashaun walked inside the student center with black blood splattered across their clothes. In their arms they carried several logs and dozens of small, handful-bundles of twigs wrapped in dead grass.

            [Sherman]: We cleared the remaining rovers that managed to dodge the crane, and any that managed to survive it too. We’ll clean up the mess tomorrow…if you so please, Richie?

            Sherman’s mocking smirk had lit the room so much and only added to joy. Today was a great day. In a moment where everyone feared the worst from everyone and themselves, and the church they had worked so hard to save, they suddenly found hope and was saved. In a time where they were losing themselves over the loss of those they loved, a loved one reemerged, and they find themselves too happy to be upset about Zach’s absents.

            [Sherman]: I also found a fire pit in the storage unite in the corner of the property. We’ll light a fire downstairs and start warming up.

            Mrs. Reed excitedly clapped as well in response. Everyone else just smiled.

            Brittany found herself smiling too. It wasn’t very often that she did, but then she realized how widely she smiled. She hadn’t felt the tension in her lips forming such a smile in a very long time. It felt good. The feeling of happiness was more than a feeling now. It was more of a miracle.

            But just as she stood up to walk downstairs to warm up as everyone else did, her eyes diverted to the corner where she last saw Lauren. She wasn’t there anymore. So, there was only one place she could be.

            Lauren was back in her spot in the giant closet room in the cafeteria. She loomed over her little brother, Hunter waiting with a hopeful and broken heart. She waited for a sign; an eye lid twitch, or the rising and falling of his little chest, the small movement of his fingers. Anything. But as the hours passed by, nothing happened. Only the silent still. Lauren leaned forward and braced her elbows against the table that her little brother lay. Her hands made contact with her eyes as her lips quivered a small prayer.

            [Lauren]: (Faint, shaky whisper) Oh God…show me something.

            She sobbed. A tear fell from her face and pitter-pattered onto the table. Followed by another and then followed by many more.

            Suddenly a hand touched her shoulder. She pulled her hands away and turned around. Before she could even process who she saw, Brittany pulled her in for an embrace. Lauren was slow to hug back as the tears and the uncontrolled sobbing began to shut everything else in her body down to miniscule movements. Brittany could make out a collection of vowels and syllables from her closest friend, but the sobbing blocked the clarity of Lauren’s words. As the night closed towards midnight, the room had reached its darkest point save for a little candle shining in the closet near Hunter. The shadows surrounded and covered Lauren and Brittany, and it could only add to Lauren’s struggle to speak. She fought so hard to make Brittany understand what she was wanting to say through her sobbing, yet her midnight cry forced her defeat against the silent stillness of her dying brother. Yet somehow, through the darkness, through the midnight crying, through the sobs and uncontrolled gasping for breath, Brittany knew exactly what Lauren was saying.

            [Brittany]: You need to stop thinking that. He won’t.

            Lauren tried to respond.

            [Brittany]: What you do is keep fighting for him. Trust in Bailey, and trust in God. He’s still in control. He always has been. You have to have faith that God will take care of everything.

            There was a pause. For but a moment, Lauren was completely silent. Then she pulled the air back into her lungs through Brittany’s shoulder as she slowly regained control.

            [Lauren]: …What if he dies?

            [Brittany]: I don’t think he will.

            [Lauren]: What if he does.

            Brittany thought for a moment. The last thing Lauren needed was advice on how to deal with her dead brother-who is still alive; who still has that fighting chance. But what if he lost that chance? What if he did die? What left was there for Lauren? She will have lost her entire family and failed in protecting her little brother: her parent’s dying wish. All of that will be lost. What purpose is left for her to inherit in the moment of her little brother, Hunter’s demise?

            [Brittany]: You still have a big family still here ready to love you and help you.

            [Lauren]: What is my whole purpose to be alive, Brittany? If I lose Hunter what am I supposed to do from here on out?

            What was she supposed to do? Brittany’s struggle to find the words caused the embrace to slowly break. Lauren found herself surrounded by the dark shadows as she stared into Brittany’s mourning eyes.

            [Brittany]: You survive. You live for Hunter, and when God calls you home when he pleases it…you die for the ones still living.

            A tear rolled down Lauren’s raw eyes. She nodded and Brittany embraced her again.

           

The group were all piled up next to each other surrounding the fire pit in the middle of the gym. After a while, the heat had enveloped the giant room but it still wasn’t enough. And the smell of smoke and burnt wood had officially marked its territory in the gym.

            [Rich]: Tomorrow we’ll organize what we have, determine everything we might need, and lay out a plan for the walls. I’ll need all the boys helping. Including Timothy.

            [Kelley]: He’s in no shape to work, Rich he needs to heal.

            [Sherman]: Yeah, me Virgilio and Lashaun can work. No biggy.

            [Rich]: No man, I can’t ask that of you after everything you’ve done for us.

            Sherman smiled and combed his red beard. He looked at his two friends who were looking right at him with that same smirk.

            [Sherman]: I have to be honest…after today I’ve never felt so much purpose in my entire life…’can’t say the same for these motards but…I feel good. What I do know about these guys is that they want to help, same as myself. With ya’lls permission, we’d like to stay here and help you build, and help in any way we can.

            [Audrey]: Yeesss! It’s about time we have a black chick in our group…as well as a Mexican and bearded guy.

            [Virgilio]: Rich and Tim have beards.

            [Audrey]: They don’t count they didn’t have beards before and Sherman’s is cooler.

            [Dylan]: That would be pretty cool if they stayed.

            [Kelley]: I don’t see why they wouldn’t! You guys are such good people and were very grateful for your help!

            Rich listened on to everyone smiling and expressing their excitement for Sherman and his friends wanting to stay, but can Rich trust them? Could Rich be comfortable with these three-people living in the same building as his son? Mrs. Reed stood up from where she sat and calmly walked up next to Rich. She leaned over so that her voice was but a whisper to Rich.

            [Mrs. Reed]: Can we talk?

            Rich nodded and rose to his feet and followed her to the cafeteria room.

            [Mrs. Reed]: So, is this happening? Are we going to let these people stay with us?

            [Rich]: I haven’t decided yet. What do you think?

            [Mrs. Reed]: The facts are: Sherman and his construction buddies saved our lives today. If they didn’t have the crane, Sherman wouldn’t have stopped the herd, and on top of that we wouldn’t be closer to get a wall built as we are now. Once we get these sound barriers around the church then not only will we be saved from the herd that attacked us today but we’ll be safe from any herds that come in the future.

            [Rich]: But?

            [Mrs. Reed]: But we literally just met them yesterday. We don’t know them. I can tell you right now: I don’t care what they’ve done to help us. I don’t trust Sherman, Lashaun and Virgilio living in the same facility as Lauren, or Brittany, or Maddy or any of us girls.

            [Rich]: I don’t trust them around Christian either. But they did save us, and maybe I can give them a chance to prove themselves. Lashaun, she’s smart, she was involved in design. Sherman and Virgilio were involved in crane work and construction. We could use these people to build the walls. What happens when were done?

            [Mrs. Reed]: If we trust them by then…maybe they stay.

            [Rich]: Leave that decision to me. So, we agree to let them help us build the walls?

            [Mrs. Reed]: Do we really have that much of a choice?

            [Rich]: Unfortunately, no.

            [Mrs. Reed]: Pray we’re making the right decision.

            Returning to the fire pit, Rich and Mrs. Reed sat down in their original spots. Hunter felt his mother’s arm wrap around him and pull him close. He hugged back. Rich stared closely into Sherman’s eyes, who stared right back.

            [Rich]: You’ll sleep down here. You are not to go near the stairs unless I give you permission. We build the walls with your help, and if we are comfortable, you can stay with us.

            [Sherman]: I know how this works. I assure you: we won’t let you down. Lemme tell ya somethin’, trust is a two-way road. You give us the opportunity and the chances to prove ya straight? We’ll prove it to ya. That’s a promise to you, folks.

            Rich smirked mockingly in reply to Sherman. Sherman’s response to that was a look of confusion and worry. The group surrounding the fire grew suddenly silent.

            [Rich]: We’ll see. But let me tell you something. You do anything to hurt my son…or anyone here; I’ll kill you and your friends.

            Sherman leaned back in his seat and adjusted his hard hat.

            [Sherman]: Hey man…we’re not like that. I know you have no reason to trust us-

            [Brittany]: We have a pretty good reason, actually. You literally saved every single one of us. If you weren’t where you and your friends were when Rich found you…our church would be overrun and on top of that, we’d never put up strong walls like we will now.

            [Bailey]: It’s good yall are here and we have a good reason to put trust in you.

            [Audrey]: Yeah just don’t do anything that will hurt that trust like kill us or something. It’ll take a while to come back from that.

            Sherman, Virgilio and Lashaun both chuckled heartedly.

            [Sherman]: We’re happy to contribute. Once I get the crane fixed up, we’ll be ready to up those walls. Until then, I’m sure we can lay out a perimeter line and start setting in steal frames.

            [Rich]: We’ll start tomorrow.

            [Mrs. Reed]: Today has been a very long and scary day…maybe tomorrow we should take it easy and focus on cleaning up the place?

            [Rich]: No. The work never stops until the walls are put up. Then we can breathe.

            Just then Timothy walks into the room. His hair was frizzled and his eyes were squinted; he had just awakened from a much-needed rest. Kelley rose up and walked over to Tim. Her eyes never left his missing hand. All it was now was a rounded stump wrapped in white gauze. Timothy subtly put it in his pocket.

            [Kelley]: You okay?

            [Tim]: Better. Hungry.

            [Kelley]: There’s some jerky in the pantry, I’ll get some.

            Tim sat down beside Brittany as Kelley got his food. Looking at the missing hand in Tim’s pocket, Brittany looked back up at Tim. There was something in his eyes; something…bright. He looked so weak and tired, so worn out and distressed, but yet there was a brightness in his eyes. It said “hope”.

            [Brittany]: You look okay.

            By now the group had swerved into conversations amongst themselves. Lauren was still with her little brother, Hunter. Mrs. Reed was holding her son who had fallen asleep in her lap. Christian was fully awake and alert looking at his dad, then Tim, then Sherman; watching, and observing as he always did. Audrey, Jenna, and Bailey spoke amongst themselves. Lee and Maddy and Dylan sat alone and quiet together staring into the fire. Kelley had already returned and passed the bag of beef jerky to Tim who immediately dove into the food parcels. Brittany just watched him eat.

            [Brittany]: I want to apologize for-

            [Tim]: Don’t do that. It’s okay…I was wrong-for being depressed and sad. I was weak, and you were right. I shouldn’t have let go then. You all needed me. But now…everything seems to be working out. We’ll have walls, which means more safety, and Zach’s alive.

            [Brittany]: Yeah. We still have to deal with Coscto.

            [Tim]: And we will try.

            Offering several parcels of jerky to Brittany, Tim actually formed a smile from the corners of his mouth. Brittany took the food from him and smiled as she ate the food. Maybe things were working out. Maybe Tim not being leader was actually what the group needed. Rich was a hard man to follow and made mistakes, but yet somehow things were better off as they were before. She had to give Rich a chance. His love for his son outgrew everyone here, but as he did what he could for him, it transferred into what he unknowingly did for the entire group. Things were going to be okay.

            The night grew closer to midnight. The dark had enveloped the sky and the moon show fully above a thick layer of fog. However, the large Costco surrounded by cars and guards stood firm against the elements.

            Anders’ back was turned to the twins. His eyes looked in the corner of his office. Hanging from the wall was an old janitor uniform with his last name “Brock” sown into the chest area. Diverting his sight to the shelves in front of him, of which were stacked with files. In his hands was a small one; it contained an address. One that seemed to have caused a lot of trouble for them it seems. It was one simple mission: invade using rovers, clear out the dead and whoever survived, then take all the supplies and go.

It was nothing they hadn’t done every other week. But this one mission, the one that went wrong…it was clear that from this mission created a monster. He destroyed Denbury, and was thought to be dead, and now Dom and Pat walk into his office and tell him that not only is Zach Golden alive, but he threatened them to stay away from The Church. A church of which contains hundreds of gallons of fuel. Fuel that they desperately need for the community to survive. Something had to be done. Slowly rotating and facing the twins, Anders set down the file and looked at the janitor uniform one last time before focusing on Dom and Pat.

[Anders]: I need to be confirmed of this before I make a decision: We attack the property on Firetower. We lose. Hard. After that, Zach strolls into my community and he’s absolutely crazy. After that, Denbury is completely wiped out and Zach’s dead body is lying in the road two feet from their perimeter! Now, you come to me and tell me you saw him a day ago with a complete make over and a freaking katana telling you to stay from a community that contains a motherload of the thing we need the most?!

Pat winced in pain. His leg was wrapped up now, but he stayed off his leg as much as possible. Dom stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the ground at Anders’ feet.

[Dom]: That’s right, man. I know it sounds insane…but it was Zach. I don’t know how. Maybe the body we saw really wasn’t him and it was all a big coincidence. But I knew him from before; I know that wrinkly smile when I see it. It was Zach.

[Anders]: Dom, Zach isn’t my biggest concern. I’m not necessarily worried that “Zach is back”. What I’m pissed about, is the fact that they have exactly what we need, and we were just threatened by a dead man to back off, or two of my best men were to be killed! That crap doesn’t pass. Not for me. We need that fuel supply. Now. We have maybe a month left before our generators run out and then we don’t have power anymore.

[Dom]: What are we supposed to do?

Anders took a moment to think. He looked at the file next his hands that were braced against his desk. Then he looked at the uniform in the corner. He let out a sign of stressed breath. Rising tall and retrieving a glock-47 from a drawer, Anders looked confidently to Dom and Pat.

[Anders]: Rally twelve men. Load up three vehicles and be ready to head out at 11:00 tomorrow.  

[Dom]: Anders, I will listen to you, don’t get me wrong. But we’re not gonna raid them, are we? Shouldn’t we try negotiating first?

[Anders]: (Smiling) They don’t seem like the negotiating type. But no, man. We’re not gonna kill them. We’re just going to put on a display of force. They need to understand that they aren’t in the position to make threats. Now ready the men. Get the news to the soldiers of your choice. I want them ready to leave my 11 tomorrow.

Reluctantly stepping out of the office with his brother, Dom followed his orders.

The following day, the group had gotten to work carrying the bodies onto Rich’s truck and drive them to a burn pile down the road from the church. Lee suggested surrounding the burn pile with spears so that if it attracts anymore rovers, the spears will clear them out. After four trips of dead bodies to load and unload, the parking lot at the church was cleared, save for the pools of blood stains in the concrete. But given a rainy day and it will be back to normal. As soon as that was finished, Sherman, Virgilio, Lashaun, Rich, and most of the boys had gone to work marking the perimeter like that would soon rise to become The Church’s walls. Taking spray paint to mark areas to dig, Sherman marked where they would dig down for concrete and steal beams. Dylan was with him the entire time. He was always fascinated with construction and wanted to become involved in that line of work. Sherman was fun to talk to and learn from, and he made things fun. What added to the entertainment was all the times that Mrs. Reed had gotten onto him for cursing.

Mrs. Reed watched them work from the balcony. As a mother, the past year hadn’t stopped making her nauseous with stress. The first week was the greatest nightmare she had ever suffered through. She lost her husband and her youngest son. But she had learned to let go and move forward. But after them, she had grown so close to these children who had befriended her only son since before the world fell apart. She learned to love them. Her son will always be of greater importance than the others here, but her love for the boys and girls who were growing up and becoming survivors so quickly was also growing stronger every passing day. She would do anything to protect them, even give her life.

After realizing a tear had fallen from her face and pitter pattered onto her hand, she wiped her face and smiled. Just then Hunter stood beside her. She didn’t even have to think. Her arms just wrapped around her child.

[Mrs. Reed]: Why aren’t you out there helping?

[Hunter]: Well…you see…there’s a logical-

[Mrs. Reed]: (Laughing) Get out there and ask Rich and Sherman what you can do.

Kissing her son’s head, she pushed him off to work. He used to be the one thing that kept her smiling. He still was. He will forever be. But looking at Audrey doing her silly poses, Bailey punching Lee for slapping her in the shoulder, Dylan laughing at everything, Christian behind Dylan whispering to him and making Dylan laugh even harder…these people were bringing her happiness too. They will never be equal to Hunter, but Hunter wasn’t all she had left.

Mrs. Reed’s trance was unexpectedly interrupted by the sound of the communication remote ringing loudly from inside the student worship center. Running inside and grabbing the remote, she noticed the time on the screen: 10:45.

[Mrs. Reed]: Hello? Is it Zach?

[Zach]: This is Zach! I just spotted three trucks being loaded up and leaving Costco headed down 45 North! 

[Mrs. Reed]: They’re headed our way?

[Zach]: I can’t say for sure, but I wouldn’t risk it. I’m headed there right now.

[Mrs. Reed]: Be careful. Thanks for the warning.

Setting down the remote, Mrs. Reed ran out to the balcony looking over the rest of the group.

[Mrs. Reed]: (Calling out) Zach just called! The people at Costco might be headed this way!

Rich immediately dropped his tools.

[Rich]: All the women go inside. The rest of us, grab whatever weapons we got left.

[Lee]: We don’t have any guns!

[Tim]: I got my rifle. It’s got one clip left.

[Rich]: Give the rifle to me.

[Lee]: No, let me have it. I’m a good shot I’ll find a spot somewhere and I’ll be ready to take them out if we have to.

[Tim]: Sounds like a plan. Follow me, I’ll take you to the gun.

Running inside the church, the two didn’t take long to come back out. Lee sped into the bushes along the ditch line. Lashaun, Audrey, and Bailey obeyed and rushed inside the church, while Brittany stayed drawing her machete.

Dylan took up his crossbow and stayed with Christian the entire time. Sherman and Virgilio took up arms with knifes and axes.

[Rich]: This is all we have?!

[Dylan]: We ran out of ammo when that herd attacked us. We need a plan.

[Brittany]: We don’t need a plan. If they show up and we respond with sharp weapons and threats they’ll kill us. We have to try negotiate with them.

[Rich]: Brittany I’m not going to argue about this. I want you inside.

[Brittany]: I want to be out here. I’m staying out here.

[Sherman]: Let the li’l lady be out here, I think she can handle herself. Dylan, you got the arrow-shooter. Find a spot along the car line and wait for my signal to take a shot. Don’t let them see you.

Suddenly Rich seemed to have snapped. Grasping Sherman by his shirt, Rich got within inches from his face.

[Rich]: I’m in charge! Dylan stays with us, and Brittany goes inside! Christian, you go with Brittany.

[Christian]: I’m not going anywhere, dad.

[Brittany]: Last time we all stayed as a group to take them head on we lost someone and it could have been much worse!

[Sherman]: The lady’s right, brother. We Need Dylan and Lee to have ‘em in their sights. In case somethin’ goes down.

[Rich]: My word is law! Brittany! Get inside and take Christian with you!

Before anything could be established further, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of trucks coming their way. Brittany carefully stepped closer to Rich.

[Brittany]: Rich…it’s okay. We talk first. We have to try to talk to them.

Blowing her off, Rich stepped away from her. Tim brandished his machete and stood beside Brittany.

[Tim]: We’ll deal with this. If we just work together we can all make it.

[Brittany]: Yeah, tell Rich that.

The trucks parked in front of the church and the twelve troops formed a perimeter armed to the teeth with automatic weapons and side arms. Dom and Anders were the last to step out of the cars.

[Anders]: Well it looks like you guys are preparing for some construction. Walls? It would certainly be a better upgrade than the cars surrounding your property. But actually…that’s exactly what I’m here for!

[Sherman]: You want their cars?

[Anders]: No, stupid. I want your god-d*mn gasoline. As far as what Dom has told me, you all have lots of it. I want to negotiate a trade. But…I also want you all to be afraid. Very afraid.

Pointing his axe at Anders, Sherman’s friendly face suddenly formed a furious and defensive glare.

[Sherman]: We ain’t got nothing to be afraid of. You ain’t sh*t! Just a man with a lot of guns. Take that away and your nothing but a coward.

The air blowing between the tension was the only sound that could be heard after Sherman’s comment. Anders’ smile slowly turned into a laugh.

[Anders]: You’re wrong. You have a lot to be afraid of. Everyone has something to lose, but most of all, everyone has something to trade. I want your fuel- I. Want. Your. Sh*t.

[Rich]: What are you wanting to trade. You want our fuel, but what do we get in return?

[Anders]: Finally! Someone who actually doesn’t want to die! See, that’s the trade today. For now. You give me gasoline, and I give you life. You live to fight another day. Because clearly you people are struggling.

[Brittany]: That’s not gonna work. We need food, weapons, ammo. You give us what we want and we give you what you want.

[Anders]: You are in no position to make demands. Especially after your buddy Zach threatened us and then your thin friend, Tim shot Pat in the leg. I can’t let that slide. You people owe us.

Looking through the windows from inside the student center, Bailey, Audrey, Maddy and Mrs. Reed watched anxiously. There was her child, Hunter standing amongst them. He looked so scared, so confused and ignorant as to what he should do. What could Mrs. Reed do?

[Mrs. Reed]: I-I have to get my son…

Instantly grabbing Mrs. Reed by the shoulder, Bailey stopped her in her tracks.

[Bailey]: Mrs. Reed, wait. You don’t know what could happen if you walked out there. Just give them a chance.

She hadn’t felt the nausea in a long time, but as they reached noon, Mrs. Reed had begun to feel sick. Her mouth watered and her stomach felt like it was hit by a train. What could be done?

[Anders]: All you have to do is give us half of what we want, and we’re out of here. The end. Or, you can be selfish, try to withhold your stuff after threatening me, I kill you, and take all of your fuel. It’s up to you, either way I win.

Rich looked at Sherman, and then at Brittany. Brittany nodded agreeing with their terms. Sherman shook his head, disagreeing and prepared for a fight. Rich found no helpful advice from either and frankly, he was surprised he looked to them at all. What was going to keep his son safe? Agreeing with their terms. At the cost of half their fuel supply, and what happens after that? They have the power to completely control them forever. It wasn’t going to end with just this.

What kind of life was there to spend if it basically summed up to slaving for those stronger than them? Rich was strong. His son was of his blood which makes him just as strong. It didn’t matter if all these people around them died as long as he and his son lived. With Lee and Dylan ready to kill, they could prove to be enough of a distraction for Rich to make a break for it and escape. It could work in case things got ugly. It could.

[Rich]: No. We won’t become slaves to barter. I know how this works. It won’t end here. I want you to leave. Now.

The pause between exchanges was even longer than before. On top of that, Ander’s didn’t laugh like last time either. This time his face was still, and lifeless. He took three steps towards Rich. The next moment, Anders had pulled out his glock-47 and aimed directly at Rich’s face. Lee almost pulled the trigger and blasted Ander’s head clean off. Had it not been for Sherman glaring at him and very subtly shaking his head, Lee would have done it too.

[Anders]: You think I’m bluffing. You think I actually came all the way over here with my trucks and my guns to pretend to threaten you? No, I will kill you if you don’t give me what I want.

A stream of sweat ran down Rich’s forehead. But he stayed silent. He only stared into Anders’ eyes. Anders’ looked back. Oh, he wanted to squeeze that trigger so bad and watch the front of the man’s face just pop like a balloon. He could do it too. It would be easy with no consequences.

But something caught his attention. Something drew Anders away from Rich’s eyes. There was a boy, maybe fifteen years of age. He was scared and confused and yet he was out here with all these grown ups carrying a weapon. He kept looking behind him at a window. He was looking at something. What was he looking at? Someone was looking back, Anders thought. Someone special to him, and vice versa.

Anders gun lowered down to his hip. He smiled and looked at Dom, then back to Rich.

[Anders]: Nah! I’m not gonna kill ya. That’s not what I came to do. Every group needs their leader. Right? However, you people have crossed many lines. I need what you have, and you drew blood. I came here trying to negotiate and all I’ve gotten are threats. You people need to understand that you have no right, no voice, no room to negotiate because I overpower you, and that right there was a major understatement. Would you like to hear another major understatement? Here it is: you drew blood…so it’s only fair for us to do the same.

His hand holding the glock-47 lifted again. It stretched out to arm’s length before turning past Rich and towards a completely different direction. Anders’ finger squeezed the trigger and the gun rang off. Rich winced as the others gasped in reply. There was a pause. Rich didn’t want to turn around and look. He could smell the gun powder and the faint scent of blood. He didn’t want to know who has died and yet as he fought the urge to look he was already turning and looking at everyone behind him: Christian, Brittany, Hunter, and Tim.

Please don’t be my son, was the only thought that went through Rich’s mind. His eyes fixed on his child who was just as shocked as he was. He was so frightened and shocked that it angered Rich. He never wanted to see his children scared. It burned his heart and boiled his blood. Yet as he continued watching his child, there didn’t appear to be any signs that he was the on who was victimized by Anders’ shot.

Then from the corner of Rich’s eye, he sees a body lean forward and collapse to the ground. The thud was so loud. There were no arms to brace the victim’s fall, no knees to hit the ground and slow their collapse. The body just leaned forward and fell onto the concrete road. The boy was dead. There was no life in him anymore. He was gone, and yet the only thing that Rich could process in his mind was “thank God, not my son”.

What was that? More gunshots? Rich couldn’t hear it all that well, not anymore. His ears were hurting. All he could do was stare at his son. He was panicking. Why was he panicking? The guards that came with Anders were all pointing in one direction shooting madly. One guard fell; he had an arrow in his forehead. Brittany dropped her melee and picked up the rifle that the guard was using and started shooting too.

Rich had to turn around and see what was going on. He forced his legs to rotate him. His eyes turned from one sight to the other. He counted three bodies…now four…now five. Everyone was running, including Christian. They all ran for cover. Maybe Rich should run too. Anders men were running to their vehicles, including Anders and Dom. Dom was helping Anders into the tailgate…was that an arrow in Anders’ leg? Another body fell from the truck before it climbed into the passenger seat. Wait…what happened to his head?

By the time Rich broke from his hypnotic trance, Anders had escaped with half of his men lying dead on the ground. Sherman was on the ground. His thigh and shoulder were bleeding profusely. Timothy was clinging to his temple, which was dripping with blood. Lee and Dylan were running from their spots and towards the two men who were wounded. Everyone else were running inside. Then someone came out from the student center.

Was this actually happening? Was this real? It all felt so scripted, so fake and acted. It was all so fast, and yet she could smell the smoke and the bodies. But her eyes remained fixed on just one of them. Her only child…he lay so still on the ground. He was nestled in a pool of his own blood. He lay so peaceful. It wasn’t real, it couldn’t be. Yet she was kneeling in his blood and cradling him. Her little boy’s face was destroyed, but he was still the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She wanted to say something to him…but she couldn’t. She felt trapped inside herself, and the only thing that came out were tears. They fell from her eyes and onto her son’s face, mixing with the blood.

Bailey came up behind her, seeing Hunter’s lifeless form. There was nothing to be done. Sherman and Tim were being helped inside. Everyone but her, Mrs. Reed, Lee and Dylan stood surrounding Hunter’s body. Quietly stepping towards the circle, Zach looked over his old friend’s corpse.

[Zach]: I…I was too late…

Stepping away from the circle, Bailey ran inside the building. Lee and Zach could hear her sobs. Lee dropped the rifle he was using. He was suddenly disgusted by it. Why didn’t he pull the trigger sooner? If he would have ignored Sherman and took the shot maybe Hunter would still be alive.

Slowly stepping away from the body, Lee disappeared inside the student center. Thus, there was Zach and Mrs. Reed. Zach slowly fell to his knees.

[Zach]: I’m…sorry.

Mrs. Reed didn’t hear him. Suddenly she couldn’t cry anymore. The tears seemed to have just run out save for one last tear running down her cheek. It hung from her chin before dropping and pattering on her son’s hand. She looked at the time on her wrist watch.

It was twelve.       

THE END

S3E4: GOOD BETWEEN THE MADNESS CHAPTER REVIEW

So for everyone who tried to read tonight's chapter, we apologize for the technical difficulties, but unfortunately, the chapter had to be canceled. Later Tuesday night we will be posting the fifth chapter of The Walking Dead Revelation. But first, we will give a brief review of the chapter that should have been posted tonight. 

Zach Golden was believed to have been killed in the early chapters of season two when he destroys the community of Denbury believing that they were directly responsible for the death of his friends and family at The Property. However, during the fight he was severely wounded and thought he was going to die. Lying in the road, he sees a blurry figure draw a sword and to Zach's misconception, had decapitated him and killed him for no apparent reason. But Zach was wrong. He wakes up in a room thinking he was in heaven, but when a man calling himself Xander wearing the robes of the ancient Japanese, Zach began to realize that he never died to begin with.

After this, Xander gives Zach the opportunity to redeem himself, seeing how broken the young teenager was emotionally. Claiming to know many forms of combat and harmonizing tools to find inner peace, Xander convinces Zach to train him with hopes to renew him and make him worthy to rejoin his friends.

As part of training, Xander brought Zach to the road where he believed to have been decapitated. However, what they found was a rover that Xander had killed that had almost come behind Zach and killed him while he lay wounded and disoriented. Xander then had replaced Zach's clothing with robes and donned the dead corpse with Zach's clothing, symbolizing that Zach Golden was dead and gone, and that the young teen was given a chance at a new life. Choosing to call himself Taylor, because it was his middle name, and because identifying himself by the name between the two names that were cursed with insanity, he and Xander continued on in their training by going to Zach's old home: The Property.

While there, Xander and Taylor rebuilt and repaired everything that was damaged. The houses were fixed up, and even the lawn was mowed and at the end of all the work, the property looked as if it had never seen the end of the world. After this, Xander trained Taylor in everything he knew. How to find spiritual rededication with God, how to fight the dead using a fighting style that Xander specifically designed for the dead, and finding inner peace within Taylor's mind. Once this was accomplished, Xander burdened Taylor with one final test: destroying The Property for good.

Throughout the entire chapter, Taylor struggled destroying Zach Golden and dropping his regret and anger towards himself, and Xander knew the only way to do that was to destroy what made the Golden name. Xander had Zach spread gasoline all across the property, and in one final moment, Taylor manages to spark the flame that would destroy the property. As seen in earlier chapters of this season, we remember Brittany and Lee driving down Firetower rd and seeing that the two vehicles burnt on the road were missing, and the whole property was burnt to ash. This communicates that Taylor and Xander had accomplished burning the place to ground some time before Brittany and Lee arrived.

Leaving the property for good, Taylor and Xander are later attacked by raiders who manage to kill Xander. However, after killing one assailant, Taylor manages to escape. He decides to go to church, believing that his friends are there. Upon arriving, he realizes that his time to reveal himself has not come yet. So he holes up in the cemetery home several hundred yards from the church. Then one night as he is praying he sees Dom and Pat scouting the perimeter of The Church. For those who remember, this was the last scene of the 2nd season finale. Dom and Pat were ordered to check out the community and as they did so they were approached by a shadowy figure. The last words said in the season were "...Zach?" which is exactly how this episode ends. This scene later continues in the previous episode when Timothy Roland sees the three figures and runs after them, where he later encounters Dom and Pat and then later Zach.

Well there you have it! Once again, we apologize for the technical difficulties, but we'll have the next chapter posted very soon!   

       

SEASON 3 EPISODE 4: THE GOOD BETWEEN THE MADNESS IS CANCELED. CHAPTER 5 WILL BE RELEASED ON THE EVENING OF 5-22-2018

BLOG GOING THROUGH TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!!! WE HOPE TO HAVE IT FIXED AND THE NEW CHAPTER POSTED DURING THIS WEEK!

Season 3 Episode 3: Give A Hand

[Mrs. Reed]: Where is Alyssa?

            Brittany blinked hard. Tears ran down her face and she quickly wiped them away. Rich humbly walked over to Mrs. Reed and whispered the answer into her ear. She covered her mouth, dropping to the floor and sobbing. Hunter knelt beside her and put his arm around her. Everyone else just cried.

            Then the sound of footsteps silenced everyone. They all quietly grabbed their knives, spears and machetes and stood at the ready. The footsteps grew loud, and the pace and the timing between them seemed all too familiar. They had heard these same footsteps before in the past. Whoever was walking towards them down the hallway towards the entrance doors was a friend. Someone they knew from before. Then the person appeared…

            It was Timothy. He was covered in blood. In one hand was a communication remote, and his left hand was missing.

            [Timothy]: (Panting) There’s something…I have to tell you.

(Thirteen hours ago.)

            Night had fallen. It was at this time that the rovers were most active. Probably something about the air; the coolness of it when the sun goes down. Because of this no one was allowed to go out at night. No one. But Timothy Roland had rebelled against most of the rules and the responsibilities since the confirmation of Zach Golden’s death. Tim knew he had lost it, but he truly didn’t care anymore. He just wanted purpose; he just wanted to breathe the coolness of the air. He was standing on the balcony of the student center looking off in the dark distance watching the rovers wave off in the open grassy area slowly drift from one side of the property to the other. They were barely visible; little black dots floating across the grass like a leaf in a pond.

            Then he saw quickly paced movement in the corner of his eye. He turned and faced the direction of the movement. His eyes widened when out in the distance along the property line of vehicles he saw three figures standing in the darkness. One was standing tall beside a tree, the other shadowy figures knelt down in front of one of the cars. They stood there for some time. They seemed to have been talking to each other. Suddenly after what seemed like hours, the three dark figures sauntered off into the darkness.

            Wasting not a minute longer, Tim rushed into the student center. For but a single moment he thought about calling out for Rich and Kelly to come and help, but something stopped him. He had opened his lips and felt the air come from his mouth as if to cry out, but nothing came. Why didn’t he call for them? Tim wasn’t sure why, but something in his gut told him not to. Whether it was God, or just his rebellious nature it didn’t matter because Tim had already decided on not speaking, and had already taken his AR-15 and his only box of ammo remaining with him. Pulling over his jacket and shoving the small box of ammo into the hand pocket, Tim pulled the hood over his head and raced back out into the cold dark night in pursuit of the three dark figures.

            Clinging to the shadows like a blood thirsty nightcrawler, Tim crept swiftly towards the wall of cars lining the property. If he could just reach the wall he could try to spot them from where he stood. Yet even as he kneeled down behind the black sedan and looked over the rusting hood, he knew that through the developing, chilling, fog that had settled above the tall grass, meeting with the black night, there was no way Tim could see them from where he stood. He had to move forward.

            Carefully climbing over the car, Timothy raced through the cemetery towards the nearest tree and stood behind it peering over the side. Still no sight of them. He had to get closer. Kneeling down low, he moved much slower this time towards a tree about ten yards from the one he came from. Along the way he passed multiple grave stones with names he didn’t recognize. There was an eerie way the fog ripped and curled around the stones…almost as if the fog was avoiding the names engraved into them. Reaching the tree, Tim pulled his gaze from the gravestones and held his steamy breath. He slowly leaned over to look around the mossy trunk for his eyes to only meet a raspy growling rover that had spotted him.

            [Tim]: (Whisper) No!

            Setting down his rifle, Tim braced his arms against the rover as it clung to Timothy’s jacket with its rotting, bony fingers. The growling was so loud…significantly louder than usual. They were going to find Tim if he didn’t get this rover to shut up. But it was so strong; so furious and hungry…it was disgusting to think but this rover was so energized it almost seemed…alive.

            Forcing his feet to regain footing, Tim slowly overpowered the slender, rotted beast and bent it into the ground. Grabbing his knife from his belt, he slammed the blade into the top of its head, and yanked it back out, allowing the corpse to slump down in front of the gravestones.

[Dom]: We didn’t want to be seen.

Immediately rolling behind the tree and retrieving his rifle in the process, Timothy angled himself around the to the other side of the trunk and pointed the barrel towards the voice.

[Dom]: We weren’t here to cause trouble…just to see what this place was all about.

Dom’s twin brother, Pat came up behind Timothy with his weapon pointed at him. No matter how fast Tim might be with a gun, there’s no way he could get out of this situation unless he surrendered. Tim slowly lowered his firearm.

[Tim]: So. what are you doing here?

[Pat]: The people at Costco wanted us to scout the community here; see if there were anything worth trading for any possible negotiations.

[Tim]: I wouldn’t hardly call it a community. There’s nothing to trade here. We aren’t worth your time. Plus, they all know that Denbury was linked to the death of many of our loved ones. The same Denbury you people traded with. They would never agree to a negotiation.

Lowering his weapon, Dom walked closer towards Tim. Pat kept his weapon up.

[Dom]: That hardly sounds like the truth. You have a lot of cars lined up around the student center. We checked a handful of them, and…they don’t have gas in them. So, our theory is…you have fuel. Lots of it, actually. Now, I know Costco and you guys can work up some kind of deal. What is it yall need? Weapons? Ammunition? Food? Name it, and we’ll work something out, I’m sure.

[Tim]: I told you: they won’t do it.

[Pat]: That’s the second time you’ve said “they”. It seems like you yourself don’t think it’s that bad of an idea.

[Tim]: It’s not for me to decide whether we trade with you or not.

[Dom]: But you have a voice amongst them, I’m sure. I mean, this is Timothy Roland we’re talking about. I’m sure they’d listen to you.

[Tim]: I don’t think so. Not anymore at least. A lot has happened.

[Dom]: Zach’s death. Right.

Taking a step forward; his interest peaked, Tim’s eye drove into Dom’s like knives.

[Tim]: How do you know about that?

[Pat]: How do you think we found this place?

Taking a moment to think, Timothy did the math in his head. He turned and looked at Pat, who was still aiming his firearm, then back at Dom.

[Tim]: There were three of you here.

[Dom]: What?

It only took a moment. Tim’s long arms knocked the firearm behind him in a single swift motion just as his other arm balled its fist and knocked across Pat’s face. Dom attempted to reach for his weapon but Tim had managed to yank Pat’s gun from his grasp and side stepped to point it at the twins before they had the chance to counter. Rubbing his bruised jaw, Pat motioned Dom to lower his gun.

[Tim]: Lower the weapon. You don’t want to start a war just as much as I do. There was a third person with you. Where is he?

[Dom]: Look, Tim it’s complicated-

[Tim]: There’s nothing complicated about pointing. Now, tell me: where is the third person?!

[Dom]: Look, man, he didn’t want us to say. He threatened us not to-

Tim fired a single bullet into Pat’s leg. The bullet went through and popped into the ground behind him. Pat dropped almost instantly screaming in agony.

[Dom]: Okay, okay! Stop shooting! Look it was just one of our guys he’s scouting down the property line.

[Tim]: There will be rovers everywhere in about five to seven minutes. He can’t walk without your help so if you want to survive this you will tell me the truth.

They could already hear multiple rovers coming from the shadows in all directions.

[Tim]: Will you look at that? Sounds like they’re hungry tonight.

[Dom]: Okay look…he’s on that big grassy dirt mount behind the metal shed in the far corner of the property. He told us not to say who he was though man he said he’d kill us if we did.

Tim’s interest had officially met its peak. The three could make out the wobbly, dark figures shuffling towards them through the gray fog.

[Tim]: Tell me who he is and I’ll help you to your vehicle.

[Dom]: I…I can’t.

[Tim]: You have two choices: tell me and face a chance of getting killed, or don’t tell me and I shoot you in the face right here and now.

[Pat]: (Hyperventilating) Look, Tim it was Zach!

His voice echoed across the cemetery…as if the graves knew the name and began to whisper amongst themselves. For a moment, Tim thought that they had either completely lost their minds, or they were actually attempting to lie to him. But neither would make sense considering Timothy was so ready to shoot both of them; they wouldn’t dare lie to him. They also knew of Zach’s death just as they had claimed to have known.

[Tim]: That’s not possible. We both saw the body.

[Dom]: Look, man. I don’t know what to tell you except that we were approached by him tonight and he warned us to never come here again and then he walked away towards the dirt mound. I’m not lying, man I swear.

The rovers were slowly closing in. They had maybe three minutes.

[Tim]: This is your final chance, guys. Tell me the truth. How could Zach possibly be alive?

[Pat]: (Wincing in pain.) Tim, we don’t know we’re just telling you what we both saw. Now help me up and get us to our dirt bikes!

Tim kept his rifle up. What could he possibly do? His friend was dead. He saw the body-the decapitated and rotted body lying in a pool of his own blood on the asphalt. Zach was dead. How could he suddenly be alive? But Tim could see in the twin’s eyes: they weren’t lying. But somehow in some way they weren’t telling the truth either. As Tim considered his options the rovers were gathering even closer.

Losing his patience, Dom bent down and helped his brother to his feet. Tim put his finger on the trigger in reaction…but eased off and lower his weapon. He couldn’t let these two men die. He knew them from before. He had to help them survive the night.

[Tim]: Stay behind me. Where are the dirt bikes?

[Dom]: The Valero at the intersection.

[Tim]: Let’s go, then.

Steadily moving through the cemetery, the three weaved through the foggy-wooded area avoiding the rovers as much as they could. They were coming within meters of them as they closed into the gathering crowd of the dead. One rover came all too close to the three, but was swiftly picked off by Tim as he escorted them closer towards the gas station.

[Dom]: How’re you gonna get back to the church? The place will be packed!

[Tim]: I'll figure something out. Just focus on getting to the bikes as fast as you can!

[Pat]: Serves you right for shooting me…and punching me!

            The way to the bikes got tighter as the rovers began to close further in. Popping a second rover in the forehead, Tim managed to clear a path that bought just enough time to get the twins on the bikes and away from here.

[Tim]: Get on the bikes and go!

Helping Pat onto his bike, Dom jumped onto his and looked at Tim one last time.

[Dom]: We’ll talk again.

Speeding out of harms way, the twins disappear into midnight fog leaving Tim to deal with the herd of dead corpses walking towards him. However, to his fortune, most of the herd had been drawn towards the loud speeding of the bikes, so having thinned the crowd, Tim was able to move back through the cemetery with little confrontation. But he had to know. He had to know if the twins were telling the truth.

The moon light was full tonight, and it shone bright blue light in very center of the sky. Reflecting off of the metal storage building in front of the dirt pile, the night light in the sky shone a perfect amount of a dim glow that the landscape around Tim was almost completely visible, safe for the thick blanket of fog nestling on the ground. However, as Tim reached the dirt mound, and as he took quiet steps up the side of it, he reached the peak of the fog and everything else became clear. Keeping his gun raised, Tim slowly stepped onto the top of the hill. There was a man kneeling down in the tall grass. He had a katana sheathed in his leather-armored back that had a very samurai-styled design to them, yet it was much lighter and conforming in size. The gray long sleeve was tucked in his sand colored BDU pants, and the lengthy, dirty-blond hair hung just below the neck.

[Stranger]: (Chuckles) You used to always be the quiet one. Look at what this world did to you. I heard you coming all the way from the gas station. Or maybe that was just my instincts?

[Tim]: Who are you? Stand up, turn around and face me.

There was a long pause before the stranger stood up. There was a feeling of breathlessness that gripped him. Maybe it was the adrenaline because he felt himself ready at any moment to shoot this stranger without hesitation. The stranger stood up, suddenly. His height and build looked very much like Zach. Then, before Tim could full process everything that was happening, the stranger turned around and looked him dead in the eyes.

The gun gripped in Tim’s fingers suddenly fell, yet his hands remained afloat as if he didn’t realize he lost his weapon. The stranger bared Zach’s face. He had that same smirk on his face that Zach always had. He had the same wrinkles on his face that had come from smiling so much. It looked just like Zach, but there’s no way it was him…right?

[Stranger]: Now see if you were in a shooting competition you’d be disqualified…for like the entire weekend.

[Tim]: I don’t…I-

[Zach]: I get it. You have a lot of questions. And I can assure you. It really is me, Tim. I used to come over for lunch at Aunt Dorothy’s, we used to meet up at Lonestar and hangout with Zack, we wrestled each other in your front lawn and I beat you…twice.

Tim couldn’t believe it…

[Tim]: Okay…tell me something only you and I would know.

Zach thought for a moment.

[Zach]: One time, you, my dad, and me were driving to my house. You had a bag of candy but you couldn’t get the bag open. You were struggling for a while trying to rip it open, so you started using more and more strength, until finally it just burst open and all the candy blasted everywhere in the car. (Chuckling) You wouldn’t shut up! You couldn’t stop apologizing and I couldn’t stop laughing. It was a great day. I miss those times…I miss the man who lived those times.

Zach’s rant was suddenly interrupted when Timothy embraced his friend; his brother. Zach didn’t waist a second hugging him back. He could hear the pitter-patter of Tim’s tears hitting his leather padding.

[Tim]: (Whisper) How are you still alive?

Zach let go of his friend and looked at him hard. Tim looked back. Zach could see the weakness in his eyes. Much has happened, Zach knew it. He just didn’t know what exactly. Maybe he had been away too long. Maybe this was the perfect time for his return. Maybe Zach was feeling guilty seeing a friend, who he had never seen cry before, break down and be seen torn apart by the world. Tim needed an explanation; he needed reassurance.

[Zach]: Zach Golden destroyed Denbury. He killed them…every last one of them using the rovers as help through most of it. But he was careless, and he got shot and injured multiple times. He was gonna bleed out. He knew it. He fell on the road and it was there that he knew he was gonna die. A man approached him, he had a sword; a katana. He…he killed a rover that had almost bitten Zach from behind. Zach had believed that he had been killed in that moment. He was so disoriented, he didn’t hear the rover, and the blood that fell down his face had developed in a pool under him; he thought it was his own blood. Zach Golden thought he died that day…He was right. I woke up on December 12^th, 2018 in a bedroom of white. After that, I was taught and trained by someone who helped me destroy the person I was. See, physically, Zach died that day on that road. Then I destroyed him over the course of several weeks of training from the heart; from within. I was taught to control what I feel, thus controlling my reactions, determining my decisions, and finally, deciding whether or not I live or die. I am not Zach Golden. At least not anymore. I go by a new name; Zach’s middle name: Taylor. That was the name that was between the two names Zach went by; the name within. When he died, the only thing left was the good that my master brought out: and his name is Taylor. That is who I am.

For a moment, Tim stood blankly at his friend. He didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know what to believe. A man teaching Zach to destroy himself?? Name himself Taylor?! It seemed so outrageous. But Tim knew Zach. He knew that he wasn’t kidding around. Everything Zach said was completely truthful in his eyes.

[Tim]: You really expect me to call you Taylor?

[Taylor]: (Laughs) No I do not. I’m ready to train myself to respond to that name.

[Tim]: Why didn’t you ever come back? You finished your training, why didn’t come back immediately?

Taylor combed his hair with his hand and licked his lips.

[Taylor]: I uh…I understood that Zach had destroyed trust in his lifetime before he died. Because we share the same body, I knew that you wouldn’t accept me. So, I waited, and while I waited I observed you and the group, killing rovers that posed a threat to you and our friends. You can’t imagine how many I’ve killed since the past couple of weeks I’ve been here.

[Tim]: You mean to say you have been alive and here watching us this entire time?! We needed your help! Lee got into a serious accident, missions went haywire, and you have no idea how hard it was to line up all these cars around the church. We needed you, Zach!

Just then, rovers began to snarl from the bushes and circle around the hill. Some of them tried to climb up but all attempts failed; the steepness of the hill provided plenty of safety. But the numbers developed, and soon the entire hill was surrounded by dozens of rovers.

[Taylor]: I…wanted to help so many times. I wanted to intervene, I wanted to help. But for the longest time God told me not to.

[Tim]: Oh, so you reconnected with God while you were away too?

[Taylor]: Yes. I did many things while I was gone. Since my rededication, I’ve been able to hear him speak in my prayers. I felt it in my heart: He didn’t want me to intervene till He said so…I begged him and asked him every hour, and the same reply screamed at my soul…until now. I felt him call me to reveal myself to you when I heard you coming.

Tim could only stare. He was so baffled by everything that Taylor said that no words seemed to be capable of slipping past his lips. All of this just seemed unbelievable.

[Tim]: Why are you dressed like that?

[Taylor]: Part of the training was making armor of own personal design that matches my physical attributes. But as part of the training it had to bear resemblance to the armor worn by the Samurai.

It felt like with every question Taylor answered, more questions arose. Nothing made sense. Tim was happy to see his friend back, but it didn’t feel like Zach Golden was standing in front of him right now. He felt like someone else. That’s exactly what Taylor has been trying to tell him.

Taylor took multiple glances at the rovers attempting to climb up the dirt hill. Each time slipping at one point or another and rolling back to the bottom.

[Taylor]: Well we can’t stay here forever. We’ll draw them to one side and we make a run for the cemetery office building.

[Tim]: Wait, why there? Why can’t we go back to the church where you belong.

[Taylor]: Well, dude, first of all we’d be bringing all the rovers with us. Second…it’s just not time for me yet. I’m sorry.

[Tim]: Don’t expect me to understand. But fine, we’ll go to the office. Lead the way.

Nodding in reply, Taylor drew his katana from the leather sheath in his back. Leaping off the hill and rolling into the ground behind the group of rovers circling the hill. Automatically gaining the corpse’s attention, they turned around and shuffled towards Taylor. After a few moments, the rovers around the hill were pulled towards the action, giving Tim enough space to make a break for the office building. But he didn’t leave yet. He wasn’t going to leave Zach to die a second time.

[Taylor]: Go, Tim, I got this!

[Tim]: No, not without you!

Agreeing not to argue, Taylor charged sword first into the herd of the dead. His chrome blade dipped into the rover’s skulls like a knife into butter. It became a blur as it spun all around him lopping off skulls and slashing into eye sockets. Before even Taylor realized it, he was already climbing back up the hill with Tim. The two sprinted to the other side, climbing down and running as fast as the wind could carry them towards the building. The fog hadn’t risen at all yet, and the darkness around them grew dark as the trees blocked the moonlight.

They were so close to the doors. They would have reached it within the next few seconds for sure. But the rover came out of nowhere; like it was waiting for them. It burst from behind a tree, grabbing Tim and sending both bodies tackling to the ground. Throwing the body off him, Tim bashed the butt of his rifle into the rover’s face, buying him time to scramble to his feet. Not wasting anymore time, they sped to the building.

Bursting through the doors, Taylor locked the entrance and barricaded it with chairs and tables. It was dark inside, and it wreaked of death and gore. Taylor stepped towards the center of the room and turned on several battery-operated florescent hand lights. It was just enough light to dimly light the lobby. After that, he walked towards a corner of the room where several bags of supplies were piled. He opened one and pulled out two cans of corn and a bag of chips.

[Taylor]: You hungry?

[Tim]: I’m okay.

Putting away one can he sat down next to the pile, opened the can and spooned the corn with his hand.

[Tim]: You’ve been here all this time?

[Taylor]: Yeah. I’m actually kind surprised ya’ll never checked this place.

[Tim]: We didn’t want to. Something about breaking into a place that held dead people in world ruled by the dead just didn’t seem…

[Taylor]: Right.

[Tim]: Yeah.

Tim suddenly felt searing pain in his left hand. It was so sudden, it felt like fire and knifes dancing in his wrist. Timothy looked at his hand: his heart sank when he saw the bite mark imprinted into his hand. The next thing He saw was Taylor grabbing his hand, and without another moment passing, Taylor’s second hand holding the katana swept across Tim’s arm, then his hand above the wrist was no longer there. So much blood spilt. Everything happened so fast. He felt himself fall down on his back as Taylor tied off the end of Tim’s hand with zip ties. Then everything went black.

Tim woke up. He opened his eyes and looked at daylight that had seeped through the building. He slowly sat up. He felt weak. His head felt like it was run over by a train. He went to rub it and that’s when he noticed his hand wasn’t where it used to be since the day he was born. It was just…gone. Like it never existed; wrapped up in gauze and medical tape. He remembered how it felt to move his fingers, and he could feel his hand moving his mind. But there was no longer anything there to move.  

Moving his tearing eyes away from his hand, he looked around him. In the far corner of the room, Taylor was on his knees praying. In his hands was a Bible. Tim slowly rose to his feet and quietly stepped towards him. He sat down besides Taylor and watched him for a moment before he opened his eyes.

[Taylor]: You should eat.

Handing him a can of corn and the bag of chips he had last night, he motioned his eyes to the food, telling him to eat. Taylor had already opened the can for him as well as unraveling the bag of chips. Tim began to eat. 

[Tim]: So, about your name…I understand why. But your name is Zach. You have always been Zach. I’m sorry, but I think it’s kinda ridiculous to go around calling yourself Taylor. One of these days you’re gonna come back home and we’re all gonna call you Zach. I think you should too.

[Taylor]: I was trained to destroy my dark side. I used to be so dark and evil. I was depressed and ready to die. I destroyed my friendship and their trust for me…and I became a murderer.

[Tim]: Zach…this world changed people. In different ways for different people. It changed you drastically. Sin and depression had broken you when you lost your family, and your relationship with God had become so broken with it. That day at Denbury…you didn’t die. You were broken. Then…whoever it was that saved you, and taught you to move forward…obviously God seemed to have worked through him to rebuild you. Now you are made new. But you are not a different person. Just a person who is different than the person he used to be. You are, and always will be family to me.

Tim put his hand on Zach’s shoulder and shook him gently.

[Tim]: Hey. You’re my brother. Not Taylor. You. And everyone else in that church is your family too.

It was a long time before Taylor responded. Tim had already finished the can of corn and most of what was left in the bag before Taylor replied.

[Taylor]: The people at the church went on a mission this morning.

[Tim]: I think I overheard something about them getting concrete sound barriers to make walls.

[Taylor]: I scouted their movements and the rovers around them while you were unconscious. They’ll succeed in getting the barriers to the church, but the rovers headed their way will wipe them all out. They’ll need our help.

[Tim]: What?! Well then let’s go, Zach what are we waiting for?

[Taylor]: The general speed of the herd is moving at three miles an hour. We have about seven minutes before they get to a specific point of advantage that me and you will have to meet them at. Even if we both helped the group at the church we would get overrun. But if we thin the crowd; distract a group of the herd from the church, they’ll have a chance at surviving. I’ll need you with the gun.

Rising to his feet, Taylor collected his sword and stashed away his bible.

[Tim]: As much as I am all for it, I’m no good with a rifle. I mean, look at me.

[Taylor]: I don’t expect you to shoot rovers. I just need you to pull that trigger and get the rover’s attention. If you just so happen to hit a rover while you’re at it, then less trouble for me. But we have to go now.

Standing up and take his rifle with him, Tim checked his clip as they stepped back outside and towards the intersection.

[Tim]: I’ve got five shots left.

[Taylor]: Make them count. You ready?

[Tim]: I’m tired, I’m weak, I was bit last night before I got my hand chopped off, and before all of that…I found a friend who I thought was dead. 

Laughing in response, Taylor patted Tim on the back.

[Taylor]: It’s okay, buddy. I remember from before all this, you and I use to fantasize how fun it would be to be in the apocalypse.

[Tim]: Those were good times but we didn’t know what we were asking for. This is really happening now, and I haven’t been ready for anything that has happened and yet somehow, I manage to pull out what it takes to make it to the next day.

Reaching the intersection across the street from the Valero gas station, the two-lay low in a ditch.

[Taylor]: Then let’s pull out what it takes to survive today.

Looking back at the church, Taylor took note of the crane and all the trucks that made it safely back home. All except one truck. As Taylor observed the church from where he was standing, the herd poured into view.

[Tim]: Here they come, Zach.

[Taylor]: There’s a truck missing. Someone didn’t make it back.

[Tim]: …What do we do?

[Taylor]: We wait for the herd to pass us and then we attack from behind. That will thin the group hopefully enough to make the battle at the church winnable.

[Tim]: Do you know who was in the other truck? The one that’s missing?

[Taylor]: I don’t know…pray it doesn’t come to worst.

The roaring horde began to pass the two brothers. It had to have been at least several hundred rovers. Tim and Taylor had to carefully pull back into the brush to avoid being seen or smelt. The noise was unlike anything they’ve heard before. It sounded like the ocean in a blasting storm.

[Tim]: There’s so many of them…was the mission worth this?

[Taylor]: Our people obviously didn’t think to draw them out like we are now. If whoever is in charge planned it out, they did it very poorly.

[Tim]: Rich McDowell is in charge.

[Taylor]: Christian’s dad? I’m surprised the group didn’t pick you as the leader. You would have been good at it.

Tim didn’t respond. He didn’t know how to.

The silence amongst the two brothers were interrupted by the sound of a truck speeding in their direction. Peering through the brush, the two saw a white truck with a trailer latched in the tailgate carrying several of the sound barriers. Looking closer, Zach could make out Lee driving the vehicle and Brittany sitting in the passenger seat.

[Taylor]: There they are. They must have gotten separated.

[Tim]: Thank God.

Turning the corner, the truck sped along the horde of the rovers between the road and the ditch. After gaining several hundred feet, the truck met with the herd of rovers, running them down like a mower over grass!

[Taylor]: Alright, you ready?

[Tim]: Let’s do it.

Rushing from the brush, Tim lifted the rifle with one hand firing all five shots into the horde of the dead. Almost half of the herd turned their heads towards the noise.

[Taylor]: How many did you get?

[Tim]: I think I got one.

[Taylor]: You had five bullets!

[Tim]: I also have one arm!

[Taylor]: Because you were carelessly running through the woods in the middle of the night!

[Tim]: Because it was your idea!

[Taylor]: I’m not the one who shot Pat in the leg!

[Tim]: Well it’s their fault for coming here and spying on us.

As the herd got closer towards the two, Tim dropped his rifle and took out his buck knife. At the same time, Taylor drew his katana from his back. 

[Taylor]: Very well. If we die, we’ll blame it on the twins.

[Tim]: Fine, Zach, sounds good.

As the herd came closer towards the two lifelong friends, Taylor began to think after his brother had just called him by his real name once again. Even amongst the chaos, Taylor and Tim were able to joke around and have a memorable moment. Much like the times the two would team up for airsoft. Those were good times lived by a good man who was made corrupt…

…made corrupt…

…made new. 

Taylor’s master was wrong. He trained him to destroy who he was. He never changed in the first place. All that happened was that God revived him. Rededicated him. Rebuilt him.

Taylor looked at Tim as the rovers came closer and closer.

[Taylor]: You were right. I’m not Taylor. I’m Zach Golden just as I am.

Smiling in response, Tim nodded.

[Tim]: I’m ready now.

[Zach]: Good. 

The herd med the brothers. Knife met temples and sword swept across necks. Zach was in constant motion. His foot work spreading across the road like a dance as he defended himself and Tim from rovers that got too close. The passion behind the blade, the fury and inspired bloodthirsty drive fueling the hearts of the brothers kept them alive, kept them fighting, kept them stabbing, kept them swinging, beating, breathing, roaring and above all, kept the blood running through their veins; the entire difference between the rovers and the humans.

The herd had begun to shrink further and further with every passing minute, with every passing swing or jab that brought a rover down. Blood filled the streets and drained to the ditches. The blood ran through the grass and between the roots. It turned the dirt into sludge, and tainted the roads with crimson. It stained the clothes on the brother’s backs, it splattered and ran against their skin. The red mist filled the air and filled their lungs, it escaped their breath and ran from their mouth as they foamed with fury. Zach had managed to take down enough rovers to buy Tim enough time to catch his breath. He soon realized that Tim was too weak to continue. He couldn’t make his brother keep fighting. He wasn’t going to make it if he did. Grabbing his friend and dragging him farther from the herd, he pulled a communication remote from his belt sack and gave it to Tim.

[Zach]: Take this and go back home. I’ll contact you when I clear the herd.

[Tim]: (Panting uncontrollably) What…? No…you have to come with me, we can do this. Why won’t you come with me?

[Zach]: The twins will speak to the leader of Costco, and they will come here. You have to prepare and I have to find what they are planning and what they are doing. I can’t be here and protect my friends at the same time. Go! You don’t have much time!

A memory flashed across Tim’s mind as he recalled the good days when the two would say their goodbyes after hanging out. They would grasp each other’s forearm and quote one of their favorite films by saying “strength and honor”. It had been a long time since they had done that. Offering his hand to his brother, Zach knew exactly what he was suggesting. Cooperating and grasping his forearm covered in dripping blood, the two mumbled the words from their mouths.

[Tim and Zach]: Strength and honor.

            Letting go, Tim ran away from the battle as Zach faced off against the remaining rovers that had were within a few feet from him. There were about two dozen remaining. This would be easy.

[Mrs. Reed]: Where is Alyssa?

            Brittany blinked hard. Tears ran down her face and she quickly wiped them away. Rich humbly walked over to Mrs. Reed and whispered the answer into her ear. She covered her mouth, dropping to the floor and sobbing. Hunter knelt beside her and put his arm around her. Everyone else just cried.

            Then the sound of footsteps silenced everyone. They all quietly grabbed their knives, spears and machetes and stood at the ready. The footsteps grew loud, and the pace and the timing between them seemed all too familiar. They had heard these same footsteps before in the past. Whoever was walking towards them down the hallway towards the entrance doors was a friend. Someone they knew from before. Then the person appeared…

            It was Timothy. He was covered in blood. In one hand was a communication remote, and his left hand was missing.

            [Timothy]: (Panting) There’s something…I have to tell you.

Standing in front of the desk, the twins waited for Anders’ response. He looked at Pat’s bleeding leg, and he looked at Dom’s infuriated face.

            [Anders]: They have enough fuel to keep us going for a long time. Or at least until we can get enough supplies to make the trade with Houston. What they have…is a necessity to us.

            [Pat]: So we’re gonna talk to them?

            Anders smiled. He opened a drawer, a drawer containing his fire arm. He pulled it out and holstered it, standing stall above the desk and above the twins.

            [Anders]: Yes. We’re going to…talk to them.

THE END