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