She hugs her knees fearfully, praying for the falling to stop as the elevator continues plummeting to the ground floor. . If she wear to stick her handout of the ajar door, it would rip him limb clean off. Kate can feel the violent vibrations of the drop shiver through her bones. Slowly, she sense the elevator grinding to a halt, ultimately stopped by the elevator colliding with the bottom once it had no more space to fall. Her eyes, after a while of concussion, open to into to dimly light darkness and smoke of the wreckage. Her nose is flood with smells of burning metal, and can see no way out. Sharp shards of metal panels surround her, one gently cutting her knee. This only adds to the cut under her eye given to her by her abusive mother. Despite what should be a terrifying fall, she is more hurt by her mother, emotionally. She gently rocks in the same spot, quietly, on her own. The small fire that she could smell has fizzled out. She hears voices in the distance.
“Hello!” She tries to call, but her voice fades into a croaky whisper which she cannot control. She merely cries in the same position, holding her knees. She has no way out. She may be there for hours, waiting for the rescue that will never come. Hoping that her brother will come save the day. Then she sees an open ventilation system, large enough to crawl through.
Ikaris and Charlene sit tightly and securely (for now) on the room upon which she found him. She has just explained what she thinks is going on.
“T-There’s more?” He stutters.
“Yeah. A lot more,” she sighs, “I-uh, just walked past the children’s ward to get here…” This grabs his attention. It is always worse when children are involved. She simply looks away. Her body language is enough to know that there wasn’t much left of the children’s ward.
“Do you know where my family is?”
“I don’t know where anyone is.” She touches her bandages cracked skull gently, only to wince.
“Sorry again,” he says, “why are you here, anyway?”
“I work here,” she replies, “I was a supernatural detective.”
“What, like ghosts and stuff?”
“No,” she laughs, “that’s a rookies mistake. My job is to put reasoning to seemingly unexplainable events.”
“Too bad you didn’t see this one coming. Dead rising.”
“Actually, I did,” she says quietly, knowing he wouldn’t approved, “I knew about a day ago, before it got out of control. I wasn’t able to publish without further investigation.”
“Too bad,” he sighs. He is still in his hospital gown, being careful that she does not see up into his ‘private parts’.
“But, I usually work in the basement of the hospital. The science labs. I’m here because I wanted to get to the roof. I thought it’d be the best place. Rescue from helicopter, no tight edges to be get caught off guard.”
“What are we waiting for?” He asks.
“For us both to at least recover for a few hours. You’ve been majorly injured and I have concussion. We are safe here if we are quiet. They hunt by noise, I think,” Charlene ponders though. The only first-hand experience she has had with a walker is tumbling down the stairs and killing the occasional one while already attacking people.
“PUT YOUR HANDS UP!” The military order, who have just burst into the room. They comply immediately, therefore not having to be forced to the ground. After they have been cleared by the protocol of lights flashed in their eyes, they are protected by the military.
“What is your name?” An officer asks.
“Ikaris Love, hey, have you found a Quinton Love yet-“
“and yours, lady?” the man turns, not involving himself in civilian dilemmas.
“Charlene Lester. I work in the paranormal department. Connected to the police.”
“Charlene?” A voice calls. From behind the crowd of military and civilians (that include Mac, Molly and Sharon), Lee steps out and approaches Charlene, hugging her.
“I’m so glad you stayed!” He says, his voice muffled by her hair.
“Of course. I knew you’d rescue me.” But he sees the knife in her hand, walker blood on her clothes and cracked skull.
“You don’t need my help. You never did,” he smiles. She smiles back, with Sky poking around the back of Lee’s legs.
“Hey, babe,” Mark smiles, rubbing his hand through her hair, taking his eyes of the road for a few moments. She sits up, rubbing her eyes.
“No…” Alex panics in the car seat, “You’re dead!” She looks out the car window to her right. She searches outside the window and is in a place she doesn’t recognize. All she can see is a creepy woodland with a low level of mist engulfing it and the road. It is a very clear night with a huge moon.
“We have only just left the state. We’ll get to New York soon,” Mark laughs.
“Stop…” Alex cries mournfully, holding her ears tightly to block out the simulation of her boyfriend’s death. She muffles his speech, rejects his actions, and waits for the crash to occur until she ultimately jumps from under her covers, releasing a scream of sympathetic distress that wakes Justyn who sleeps on the other side of her double bed, or at least was. He should have been in the spare bedroom, but in the middle of the night, requested to spend it with her as he was afraid to be isolated. His eyes are wide as he breathes deeply, starring at her deeply with uncertainty of her behaviour. He does not say a word as he grips the sheets tightly.
“Sorry,” Alex pants. A pool of sweat gathers on her chest and embodies the sheets below her. As she rises, the sweat rolls down her body until dripping from the tips of her fingers and rolling down her legs.
Glints of the early morning sunshine blind her eyes, so she walks to the mostly closed windows. Her bedroom was fairly large, with enough room to walk and squeeze past others. Enough to fit a desk, double bed, rather large wardrobe and girly posters of one direction. She had offered it to Josh multiple times to help his condition, who naturally rejected with politeness. One photo of Mark that holds special priority in her heart. Upon looking at it, even Justyn could tell the man in the photo was special. He did not know he was dead. Justyn builds the courage to ask a question, defying his shy nature.
“Who is Mark?” Alex stops walking to the window and stops.
“What did you say?”
“I said,” Justyn repeats, “who is…”
“I know what you said!” She contradicts herself. Alex raises her voice, sharply jerking her face towards him. The sweat boiled on her skin in anger, “you don’t mention him ever again!” After saying this, Alex recollects her calm thoughts and continues to the ray of sunshine peeking through the curtains that withdrawals the room from light, “you don’t know what it is like to lose someone.”
This comment does anger Justyn slightly, who was in fact an orphan. He had already lost everyone. Alex fiddled the curtain slightly, before pulling them open enough to look out of. On the street, there are a few strange people staggering in the early light of the morning. She knows exactly what they are, and closes the curtains entirely, leaving the room in darkness.
In short time, both Justyn and Alex are downstairs for breakfast. Josh was already at the dining table. Justyn and Alex both take a seat, Justyn’s at the far end of the table. Although still in bad condition, Josh seems much healthier than last night. The pills that Missy forced down his throat appeared to recover him. For now.
“Tomato soup for breakfast!” Missy speaks ecstatically, placing a bowl in front of all 3 of them. Missy gives Josh a loving look, remembering that it is his favourite soup. Not oxtail.
“Justyn, if you do not like it, I have some cereal!” Missy smiles, getting back to the kitchen work. Justyn’s mind is bazzled by this family’s denial. He watched television, he had watched outside the windows. He knows that there is some infection spreading around people that… changes them. In his own thoughts, the best solution seems to be to board the windows, and the doors, and only leave when they need to get supplies. Justyn thought that Josh was detriment to the group. He rejects eye contact with Alex, who feels regret for her outbreak at him earlier.
“Where’s dad?” Alex asks, swirling the soup with her spoon.
“He didn’t get much sleep and is taking a nap. Don’t worry thought, pumpkin,” Missy smiles. She is completely denying the situation.
“MOM!” A voice screams from the living room.
“WHO IS THAT?” Alex shouts. She seems very angry today. Maybe the effects of her nightmare are continuing through the day. Josh, already aware of their new company, remains at the table, eating his favourite soup with the occasional cough.
Alex and Missy enter through the archway and into the living room. Jesse is now wearing one of Colby’s spare tops, as his other had blood on it. Jesse holds his mother’s hand in his own. Her skin is dead white. Her horrific bite mark was pathetically stitched up by Missy in desperation to save her life last night, using the last of their first-aid. Jesse streams tears, shaking his mother’s arm who lies lifeless on the couch in their home. Her eyes have faded completely shut. Missy does not know what to do.
“Who are they?” Alex asks her mother.
“They needed help last night. Your father brought them in.”
“Wake up!” Jesse faintly whimpers, and then looks at Missy, “DO SOMETHING!” Jesse appears engulfed with unbeatable rage, violently shaking his mother. She never had accepted him for who he was. Never appreciated his talent in writing, never accepted his sexuality. The list goes on. But this only made him try harder for her love, and now to lose it all infuriates him. They would call an ambulance, but everyone, even Jesse, understands no help is coming. For now, anyway. After Colby races down the stairs at the sound of distress, he watches, from afar, across the room. He looks over at Missy.
“Is this what it does?” Colby asks, referring to the bite.
“I don’t know,” Missy sheds a tear also, “I don’t know what it does.”
“DON’T TALK ABOU HER LIKE SHE’S NOT HERE!” Jesse screams, now pumping his mother’s chest desperately. Justyn peaks from around the corner of the archway that connects the kitchen and living room, watching.
“SHHH! Keep your voice down!” Colby disciplines, not wanting to draw attention to their house.
Charlotte’s fingers twitch in Jesse hand, gently. Her other hand also moves swiftly in discomfort. Jesse’s anger fades and his tears holt for a single moment. Everyone in the room stares at Charlotte.
Her eyes burst open and her body is vigorously thrown by some force unnatural force onto her son, Jesse. Her limbs have minds of their own, grasping at clamping at Jesse face. The nails scratch at his cheeks and they draw fresh blood. Panic breaks lose in the house. Colby drags Charlotte off his body. Missy commands Alex and Justyn to run away as quickly as possible. Josh wants to help, but barely has the strength to stand from his chair in the other room.
Jesse screams from underneath his mother. He does not recognize her eyes anymore. In fact, many people in the house scream in fear, including Missy, after Colby swings his foot into the side of her gut. Jesse takes this opportunity to flee upstairs in hysterics, cowering.
Alex grabs Justyn’s hand, taking initiative, and does as her mother had told her. They ran. Outside. Their mouths drop. Sunlight reflects of the blood that stains civilians’ tops that wander the street. Alex sees her neighbours. Friends. Their still ‘healthy’ and fresh looking faces slowly tilt towards the direction Justyn and Alex, who had just burst through the front door. There must have been at least six or seven infected.
Justyn cries in fear. Alex’s mouth only drops, her eyes glistening over as their jaws gnash at them from the other side of the street, only yards away. Their feet retreat slowly across the freshly cut front lawn.
*Click*
They turn around, and the front door had closed. And locked.
Payton pants, leaning against the metal gating that protects the shop from the outside war. After a few seconds, she bends round.
“Who the fuck are you?” A 14 year old girl asks, holding her brother’s pistol, angling it up, towards Payton’s chin and causing a scene. Payton cannot take any more steps back, and can feel the breath of walkers against the back of her neck as they claw at her through the very small holes in the metal plating.
“Back off,” another woman demands. There are a few shadows in the darkness of the shop. No light, except from the light of dawn shining through the metal covers, enters the shop. Some of the shadows cry, or pace. One of them approaches, most likely the voice of that last comment. She wears high heels, and a ripped dress. She looked like she had been through hell.
The girl, named Charity, who held the knife, with resistance, stormed off in a tantrum. She paused beside the woman saying, “They’re weak. They’re injured. If we die because of them, it’s on you, Kara.”
While in the shop, the riots can still be heard heavily. Gunshots, screams, and the crackling of fire. Even the smell of gasoline leaking from cars outside, waiting the burst into flames and kill a group of rebels. Kara looks down upon Adrian, who is beside Payton. Adrian had carefully rolled his jeans up, to reveal a bone intruding through his flesh. It needed medical attention immediately. A few tears winced from his eyes at the sight of his injury. The blood and fat underneath his skin mad him gag, as well as Payton. Down one of the isles, Natalie gently leans down, easing Olivia onto the tiled floor of the grocery shop. There is plenty of bottled water, and Natalie pours an entire bottle over Olivia’s crushed leg. This is the first time Natalie is able to view it with accuracy. It wasn’t even recognizable. Her flesh, muscle, arteries and bone had been crushed into a human paste that remains attached to her upper thigh. The subway crash had cauterized the leg, so the leg did not bleed. But blood had be burnt black, sticking to her leg. The water does not hurt, but provides Olivia some relief. Natalie knows her leg will have to go.
“Am I going to die?” Olivia shakes, dropping in and out of pain convulsions.
“Don’t say that. We will find our uncle. We will find a hospital. You’ll be fine.”
“I wish mom and dad were here,” Olivia says, with her familiar Russian accent.
“Me too.”
“When this is over, we are going home,” Adrian says.
“I’m not going home.”
“You’re being so fucking stupid!” Adrian screams, “look what you got me into!” Adrian uses a guilt trip, holding his broken shin, “I’ve broke my leg, Payton. Whatever shit you have with mom and dad, you can sort it out. I just want to go home.”
“There might not be a home to go back to.”
“Don’t say that. They are just riots.”
“You saw what that man did to me. He tried to rape me,” Payton sinks down beside him, “mom and dad both blamed me for those drugs. They weren’t mine. Dad killed a man. He killed Reg.”
“YOU KNEW THE MAN HE KILLED? SO IT’S TRUE?” Adrian raises his voice, but still whispering. He was trying to keep their family life private, “why didn’t you say anything!”
“Reg was a drug dealer. My drug dealer. When I was hooked on it. When I came out that room, and saw him dead, I was almost happy. When I found that Dad had been accused, we both knew that the other knew. I knew what he had done. I knew he had followed me to that apartment. I knew dad killed that man to save me. But, he saved my life. It would have done no good to start an argument with the man who rescued me. So I just stayed quiet, and thankful,” Payton says, while starring ahead of her. She reconsiders, “maybe I should go back home. Mac didn’t know I was coming anyway. It isn’t like anyone is probably waiting there anymore anyway.”
The conversation falls quiet, and can occasionally hear Natalie and Olivia crying amongst themselves at the other end of the store. Men and women bang against the metal plating of the shop in the meantime.
“Now I know why Kasey wasn’t at school yesterday.”
Charity, the teenage girl, sits at the very back of the small grocery store, in the shadows. She sits upon the swivel chair that the cashier, her brother, would normally occupy during his working hours. She holds the knife in her palms, looking at her dull reflection through the little light the room holds. Like a child waiting for their parents to come home, she keeps looking at the back entrance, waiting for her brother to come back in any minute.
“He’ll be back,” Kara states.
“I know he will,” Charity responds quietly, not looking up. Kara had, within those short minutes, taken some appropriate clothing and changed out of her ripped dress and had substituted some trainers. She thought she might have to run at some point. She wore a cheap, but fashionable woollen jumper, with a vest underneath to not irritate her skin, and black leggings. “You changed quickly.”
“I didn’t like the dress anyway,” Kara laughs, or attempts to at least, “how long did he say he will be?”
“I dunno,” Charity says. It is clear she is containing some emotion behind her voice but not expressing it. Her eyes seem wider and glisten in the light. She looked as if she was about to cry. She needed her big brother, whether she liked it or not.
Felix and Aria. They walk side by side in the forest engulfing Louisville. They do not follow the mud tracks that Felix usually drives down to get to his house. Aria said it was ‘too obvious’ and that ‘walkers would most likely be in more civilized areas’. Instead, they trample upon the brush and foliage that grows among the dirt in luxury, collecting water droplets from last night’s weather. The droplets dampen their ankles as their feet swipe past with every stroke of the leg. The sun’s rays penetrate their eyes frequently, which becomes irksome as their eyes become irritated. They cannot see the city through the trees and bushes, but are guided by the sound of faint conflict. The birds in the forest sing gentle tunes. How mocking of them. On their journey, there is not much conversation. Most of the mud has dried and cracked from their skin. But their hair is still dirty.
“Can I patch up your shoulder?” Aria asks, wanting permission to get closer to him, “I have first-aid in my backpack.” Felix stares at her, and simply nods, sitting upon a rock. She inspects it, pouring some water over the wound to clear it of dirt and other riddance.
“It doesn’t look infected yet. The bullet went straight through,” Aria confirms, “it just needs bandaging.”
“Get it over with,” Felix spits out. Aria can’t tell if Felix is angry at her, the situation, or the wound. Without talking, Aria bandages the wound.
“I need more bullets,” Aria states, attempting to start a conversation.
“Well then, we’ll find some.” Felix is desperately trying to shut down any conversation with Aria. Aria kneels in silence, on the grass, wrapping the bandage around and around his shoulder. She finishes.
“Let’s go,” Felix barks, rising as quickly as lightning, and walking towards the city again. This time, with Aria behind him, leaving her to collect and gather all her things back into her backpack. She would never show it, but this action hurt her feelings, mostly because it is a result of her anger and violation. She was keeping him from his family. Once he was far in the distance, she was finally ready to walk to, while she held the tears behind her eyelids.
*BANG* As the wall ventilation door smashing to the tiled marble floor.
Dust is stirred out of the vent exit and swirled into the open, dark waiting room. It was a small waiting room, with a few tipped over chairs. There were no emergency lights in this section of the hospital, and the room contained no colour, but tones of black and white. Death felt most present as Quinton was the first to poke his head, like a Meer cat, and examine the room.
“It seems clear.”
Quinton, after hearing no noise or presence of danger, slides out of the vent into the lifeless room, dropping onto a few chairs that overpower the silence with metal clanging, arising particles into the air once again, only to settle. This room looked as if it had been empty for years.
“What was this room?” Quinton asks, as it is Julia’s turn to exit the vent. They were all disorientated. They had been travelling the vents for hours, in hope of finding a safe room to exit through.
“It looks… like the waiting room for operating lab 4h.”
Quinton did not understand where he was. There was no point in asking.
The walls were wallpapered with posters promoting healthy teeth and bones with enthusiastic cartoons or actors to support their messages. Half of these posters hanged by a ripped thread, dangling, waiting to fall to the ground from abuse and violence. Just like everybody else in the hospital. Neither: Julia, Peter or Quinton could hear anyone. Anyone at all, dead or alive. They wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
“Where is everyone?” Peter asks, nervously, wanting to be surrounded by more human beings. Whenever Peter talked, Quinton zoned away from the moment. He did not care what Peter had to say anymore. Not after abandoning him like that, back in the operating lab. His loyalties lied with Julia more, a woman he had just met the previous night.
“This section of the hospital was closed for maintenance a few weeks back. Not many staff members had authority to enter,” Julia responds. Julia still had blood stains on her staff clothing from the walker who attacked her in the night.
Julia sat down on one of the grey, cushioned chairs, and put her hands to her face for comfort. Peter sat too, but leaning against the wall instead. The room was dead silent. Other than Quinton’s nervous pacing footsteps that echoed down the adjacent empty hall.
“Can we stop moping? We need to find Ikaris.”
“He’s two floors down. We won’t make it. There’s an attack,” Julia states with patronisation. As if Quinton was not aware of the current situation.
“I know there is an attack! But what is it? An infection?” Quinton asks, but is only returned with silent speech. Julia sits and thinks, while Peter whimpers behind his palms.
“That’s why everyone was hurt. That’s why they called me in,” Julia realises, whispering to herself, “I needed my career back. What was I to do?” Julia thinks about whether her children are safe. Had the infection left the hospital? Were her children dead? Was Stanley dead? Too many questions can be harmful to a drug-addicted mind.
“HELP!” Alex and Justyn belch, panicking, drumming on the front door to be let back in. Some walkers trample in their direction, making short progress. Some are still just noticing that their dinner has been served.
“LET US IN!” They scream again.
Josh, who is desperately trying to stand in the dining room, is pinned down by Missy. Burst of adrenaline attack Missy and Colby. Colby, who is still in the living room with Charlotte, or what was Charlotte, wrestles her to the ground. Charlotte’s eyes are a glossy white, and her breath smells like literal death. With every second, her strength grows stronger and her might grip clasps onto Colby’s biceps, who sits upon her, pinning her to the ground. Colby, although dismissive at first, remembers what he saw on television last night, before the power cut out. Colby attempted to punch her in the face, to knock her out, but every attempt to weaken her proved her to become more offensive.
Missy hears the children out front, banging on the front door, screaming, as if pleading for life.
“ALEX!” Missy cries in terror, releasing weak Josh and sprinting to the front entrance. Although fixed to the living room floor, Charlotte reaches out with one hand, clutching Missy’s ankle. Missy collapses into the door, whacking her head directly against the handle, falls, and lies peacefully on the floor. Colby’s rage engulfs him. This woman might have just killed his wife, the woman he loves with all his heart. He begins to shake in anger, squeezing Charlotte tighter and tighter, his fingers cutting into the still warm flesh of Charlotte.
All of a sudden, a screwdriver drops into her skull from above, piercing her eyeball. Her aggression stops immediately. Charlotte’s limbs relax onto the carpet. Colby rolls off onto his back, pulling his hands to his face in stress, flooding his face with steamy blood. Josh stand above him, the one who murdered Charlotte. Did Josh have the right to take away this life, considering who knows what it is like to be dying?
The walkers grow very close outdoors, and have reached the lawn of the family home. Alex and Justyn are pressed up right against the front door, begging for life. Alex didn’t know what to expect yet, but Justyn did. Justyn hadn’t forgotten what happened to his boss at the animal shelter. What helped remind him was her presence. His boss was one of the walkers heading towards them. They had stopped screaming for help, but instead screamed in terror as the closest walker reached out their hand. Just as it touched Alex’s arm, its head exploded into smithereens. This soaked Alex and Justyn with literal chunks of brain and old blood that had already began to curdle in the walkers’ body. It mostly soaked their head and chest, with splatter against their legs and Missy’s front door. As the dead walker’s body collapsed, onto the knees first, and then on its front, there was a strange boy standing, still, also covered in blood. Alex recognized him. He was a neighbour, around the same age as her. He was always a strange boy, with a strange name: ‘Kol’. He was holding a shotgun.
Alex and Justyn watched as the walkers bumped past Kol, heading their direction. Why were the ‘infected not attacking him?’ they fathomed. Was it the blood? They soon discovered it was the walker’s blood, because when approached again by another walker, it simply starred into their eyes, jerked its head and changed direction across their front lawn. But Justyn and Alex were silent, speechless even! God only knows what would have happened if they were still screaming. That’s when they are both pulled backwards, by the collar, back into the home. Kol is gestured in too, before the infected enter their home. They lock the door.
Stanley is caught in traffic that enters the main chunk of the city. In the distance, over the hills and through the tall buildings, he can see the riots of the city. The orange glow, complimented by the glowing sun, of the fire roars and engulfs the base of buildings. Stanley beeps his horn repeatedly, wanting to shout at the cars perched in front of his. There are families, romantic couples, loners. All waiting to enter the city, but have been separated by a barricade positioned by the army. The army is not allowing any more members into the city. Stanley, when he jumps on top of his fancy red car (which, at the moment, he does not care if gets damaged), can see this barricade, with marines positioned on top, holding rather large and terrifying guns. Lethal guns. The barricade is formed of military trucks positioned in a line, covered with military camouflaging as a bonus signal to civilians. They have already attempted to pest the queue away, but they, including Stanley, did not listen. Gunshots can be heard in the distance. With every gunshot, Stanley’s conscious breaks down in fright at the thought of his children and family. Where are his children? All he knows is his wife is at Norton Hospital, in the city centre. Or at least she should be. What else was he to do?
In the strong heat of late spring, May, the tarmac of the road released toxic odours. Almost as toxic as Stanley’s worrying thoughts. Stanley spectates from inside his car, from his windows, families crying, and many injured people. The car next to his, is a black lady, who looks rather mysterious. Her car template spells out ‘Na0nka’, with a zero. Her hair was bright pink. Bad ink stained her skin with roses and family members. She appeared as if she had literally crawled from the ghetto. Her countenance was serious and almost determined. ‘But for what exactly?’ Stanley thought. Stanley, so unaware, so oblivious to the situation at hand, and what was about to come. Every now and then, the two share a glance. The glance made him uneasy. She stepped out of her classy car, reflecting sunlight of the mirrors into Stanley’s eyes, and walked, slowly, with pace, out of sight and down the motorway jammed packed with cars. She kept eye contact with the barricade behind her. Stanley figured the military played a major role in her plan. Moments before she stepped out of sight and faded into the unknown, she clutched a knife from her back pocket. She was lost behind a family of five and their car. Some of the families had even began pitching tents and unrolling sleeping bags, ready for the night. Stanley had brought nothing with him. Stanley was curios of this mysterious woman, ‘Na0nka’. Her eyes, before she left, suggested a plan. A mischievous one.
The only reason Kol was allowed permission into the Hughes home was being a neighbour. And young. Only 16. Alex’s age. They were kindergarten lovebirds. Kol and Alex played Mary and Joseph once, and even actually kissed during the play. The round of applause was insane for their acting. Missy captured the moment, and framed it. It is beside all of her treasured photos and swimming medals, high on a shelf in the living room, where everyone, other than Jesse crowds. Some of these medals and photos lie crashed on the carpet, in the shadows of the furniture, soiled by Charlotte’s attack who lays centre of the room. Charlotte’s dead body has the opposite of gravity; everyone is pushed to the corners of the room except for Kol, who’s shotgun hangs from the tips of his fingers.
“It was fathers,” he says, “I knew where he kept it, in case we got robbers,” he pauses. His father was dead now. And his mother. Who knows about any other family members. Kol’s torso is still soaked in crusting blood. Alex and Justyn are too. Alex clings tightly to Missy, transplanting the blood onto her clothes as well. Justyn clings to his knees at the far end of the room. Colby paces. Josh coughs up phlegm on the sofa, still battling his cancer. Jesse hides upstairs. Walkers bang on the windows, walls and doors from the outside. At at least six or seven. Maybe even ten. The growl, snarl, spit and gnash their teeth, slowly cracking the paint. Then the cement… then the walls… then the windows… until they break in and rip them all open. They keep the curtains drawn, as they have the last 24 hours, not wanting to view their future in case of a mental breakdown, which they were all close too.
“How?” Alex asks, rising her head from her mother’s breasts, which she hugged for comfort. Even though she was a teenager, everyone needs their mother, no matter how old. Missy was there for her. Alex directs this statement to Kol, “They walked right past us. How?” Everybody turns to Kol. A sixteen year old.
He clears his throat, nervous, as if planning a speech, meanwhile the walkers can be heard banging violently feet away.
“They- they- if you wear the blood, they can- they can’t tell the difference. The difference between you and them,” Kol stutters, “they walk right past you.”
The entire household, even Jesse, deep down, knows they cannot stay here. The walkers will break in and kill everyone without mercy. Jesse, who was tranced with fear, slumped down the stairs, and starred down at his mother blankly, focusing on the screwdriver stuck in her eye-socket. As a group, they planned an escape, considering every method. But Kol had a very clear idea.
“Why not her?” He asks, looking down at Charlotte, “we use her as camouflage.”
“No. No- that’s not an option!” Missy complains, broadening her voice and scowling her brows, while rocking Alex. But Kol seems confused.
“It is an op-option,” he says confidently, “It’s your only option,” Kol stutters again. He has always had a bad stutter. It makes him seem unconfident in himself, which is not the case. He is very brave. Missy looked too Jesse, who was distraught but without tears. He shook his head painfully, and collapsed into a ball on the floor, by the stairs, almost out of sight, partly hidden by a wall. How was he supposed to wear his dead mother to survive? He wouldn’t have the strength, he thought to himself. He would have to stay behind, that’s if the others have the emotional strength to go ahead with Kol’s heartless plot.
PUBLIC VOTE: Jesse is too emotionally unstabble to use his mother's corpse as comoflauge from the walkers. Too give Jesse strength, type #HelpJesse in the comments. Anyonce can vote! If a certain number of tags is not reached, then he will be left behind. The goal of how many tags were needed will be revealed next episode, along with his fate. So tag away!
QUESTIONS ABOUT CHARLOTTE:
(A seperate blog will be creatd as tribute too her death, including trivia facts. This is too help settle her best moments)
1. Her best quote?
2. Her best moment?
3. Was her death sad, relieving, predictable (any other adjective)?
4. Anything else to say about Charlotte that you feel you should say? Opinion overall?
GENERAL QUESTIONS:
1. Favourite character at the moment and why?
2. Opinions on new characters (Charity, NaOnka, Kol)
3. Kate's alive bitches
4. Can you foresee any event?
5. Because we have had our first major character death, I would like to know who you are CONVINCED is going to die soon and why. Give me your top three?
Sorry this episode too so long to come out. It was a long one too, preparing for the mid-seasonal finale! But I hope you find it enjoyable. So kick back, and enjoy the literal sweat and blood I put into this episode while listening to inspiration musical just to keep me motivated to keep writing because i'm adicted to sims 4!!! #Goingdownhill#dontcarethou
1. Favourite character at the moment and why?
Payton is always great but wasn't really I the forefront compared to others this episode, same for Felix and Aria.
The episode was largely on Missy's family and Co. All the characters involved there have moved up my list in terms of favourite characters (even Jesse, although I won't help him get over his mother :D)
2. Opinions on new characters (Charity, NaOnka, Kol)
Charity: Brave, obviously has deep love for her brother. Not much else I can think of at the moment.
NaOnka: Very unique compared to most the characters. Looks to be very aware of the situation and could firm some awkward friendship with Stanley (maybe like Michonne and Rick, but not romantic)
Kol: Obviously has a very good mindset and knows what he's doing. Highly resembles Glenn from TWD or even Nick from FTWD (without the addiction). Could be interesting and fun down the road.
3. Kate's alive bitches
I was actually really shocked. The introduction was great and I'm pumped up already for her and Macs reunion (if it happens)
4. Can you foresee any event?
I feel like there will be less separation and that lots of characters will be unites in some way. Obviously expecting some deaths, especially one or more from Missy's group as they embark on the "guts" trick. Sadly, someone from Julia's group looks to be headed for a death, or more positively a reunion with Ikaris. Aria and Felix will be fine. Lee and Co. look to be fine, but a death there wouldn't be the most shocking thing. The people at the shop is very blurry, unless they go out or someone comes in. They are rather large so possibly. Macs group will be fine (possible reunion with Kara could be happening).
5. Because we have had our first major character death, I would like to know who you are CONVINCED is going to die soon and why. Give me your top three?
Well I've shared my opinions on areas on where people will die but not exact names. So going to give my top 4 actually, based on that (no specific order).
1: Jesse (if he doesn't go with)
2: Someone from Missys family (most likely Josh, a sacrifice possibly?)
3: Quinton or Peter (maybe our first big character confrontation??)
4: Adrian (very bold, but could possibly happen)
Well this episode was great and was a great payoff after the long wait! Amazingly sets up the mid season finale, and this might rank as my best yet (gonna re read all of them after the midseason finale and make a ranking). Might rank the characters, but that's still up to to debate.
HaloKing I would like you to do a summary of sorts and lots of lists (Best characters, Episodes, Moments, etc)
GENERAL QUESTIONS:
1. Favourite character at the moment and why? Kol. Because lovebirds with Alex and such a charmer too
2. Opinions on new characters (Charity, NaOnka, Kol) Love all of them and they're strength to fight #NaOnkaisthiswalkingdeadsMichonne
3. Kate's alive bitches OMFG WEOW I never actually thought they would happen.
4. Can you foresee any event? Kol and Alex dating.
5. Because we have had our first major character death, I would like to know who you are CONVINCED is going to die soon and why. Give me your top three? Idk really I can't tell its too good.
1.Kol,Alex and Missy.I do read everyone's storylines,but I only pay close attention to my character's storylines but the scenes involving them was amazing
2.I love Kol out of the three
3.OMFG YASSSSSSS SHES ALIVE!
4.Mac and Kate's reunion OR Molly killing Kate before Mac can reunite with her
5.It was pretty big her death,but I feel like Jesse,Quinton and Josh will die #NotsavingJesse
TheStan thankyou for the lengthy response! I always love reading them! I love feedback haha!
YOUR GONNA RE-READ ALL OF THEM? You are crazy haha! Is that not hours? But I appreciate how engrossed you are, I really love it!!!!! :) :) Can't wait to see your character blog after EP 8, we can havea discussion about it :D.
And about the lists thing, you may have to remind me, but once the season is up I was going to do like an awards blog: "best character", "best episode", "saddest death", etc, and I was gonna get a group to do poll vote on :P. I thought that'd be fun after every season. Also, after every death, I was going to have a tribute page to the dead character, remembering the best moments about them and some trivia.
Macda27#notsavingJesse SAVAGE! And sorry about not seeing too much of your characters this episode, Macda! Because of how things are set up for the mid-finale, I do not know if much of them will be seen next episode either, but I promise I will try to think of a way to find a spot for them!
I will be going to Florida for the week starting tomorrow, so if the mid-season finale comes while I am gone, mail me for when I get back. I can try to log on while I'm down there, but there is no guarantee in that.
QUESTIONS ABOUT CHARLOTTE:
(A seperate blog will be creatd as tribute too her death, including trivia facts. This is too help settle her best moments)
1. Her best quote?
I can't think of one. She was pretty forgettable.
2. Her best moment?
I think her only relevant moment was back in Episode 1 when she made her first appearance. And of course when she got bitten.
3. Was her death sad, relieving, predictable (any other adjective)?
It was to be expected. It's surprising she didn't die sooner, but I'm kind of glad you waited till now to kill her off.
4. Anything else to say about Charlotte that you feel you should say? Opinion overall?
I am not sad about her dying. I never cared much for Charlotte, so her dying does not in any way affect me.
GENERAL QUESTIONS:
1. Favourite character at the moment and why?
It's still Lee, but Charlene is starting to get up there too. I feel like I really began to know her in this episode.
2. Opinions on new characters (Charity, NaOnka, Kol)
Charity seems pretty aggressive, but still very clearly a kid and probably immature. More will be revealed in the midseason finale assessment.
NaOnka is a try-hard name now because it is an obvious play on Survivor. As for the character herself, I'm not sure what to think of her.
Kol seems to know what he's doing, but his stuttering might get annoying if he does it too often.
Of the 3, Charity is right now my favorite.
3. Kate's alive bitches
Yeah, that was really shocking. Thankfully we had an "UnMemorium" with Glenn in Season 6, so yeah, I will do the same trick in my next assessment.
However, I do need to ask how many stories Kate fell down. Scientifically, human beings can only survive up to a 5-story fall down while being trapped in an elevator, so if it was more than 5 stories, then this would be very hard to believe and would be a bit ridiculous for her to survive.
4. Can you foresee any event?
At this point, you don't know what to expect. I knew Kara was still going to be alive after her scare a few episodes back. Also, I suspect that there will be a huge event happening with Lee's group.
5. Because we have had our first major character death, I would like to know who you are CONVINCED is going to die soon and why. Give me your top three?
Jesse, I am also not saving him. We need room for more active people to be able to bring new characters to the table.
Josh is second place. He has cancer so he won't be able to survive, I don't think. He was able to kill Charlotte. Good for him. Doesn't change my prediction, as much as I like the character.
Colby. I know this is a stretch to say, but other than Josh, someone from that family will die, and I feel Colby would end up being that guy. Alex needs to develop more, Justyn needs to develop more, and Missy is basically the glue holding the family together. That leaves just Colby.
I am also adding a few more:
Like someone said, Peter vs. Quinton could very well happen, and Julia could end being a part of it too. That means one of those 3 could end up getting the ax.
Adrian. He got injured like Olivia. Olivia could get a new leg like Merle was able to get a metal arm, but I don't see both Olivia and Adrian being saved, and I feel like Adrian will be the one to get cut short.
Stan. Another long shot, but I don't think NaOnka would keep him safe for the long run. I think she would backstab Stan once she no longer needs him and would kill him.
This means Payton could very well be the only one from her family to survive.
Oh, and Felix because he isn't very fond of Aria. Like, he NEEDS Aria right now, and I feel like his anger and isolation will cost him dearly.
Also, I like that Aria cried in this episode. It shows she has feelings underneath her badass exterior.
Episode 7 was pretty good, not gonna lie. But yeah, you might have made a flaw in having Kate survive the fall because of the scientific error I explained about in the questionnaire.
1. Aria because she is a bad ass but we still get to see her emotional side to see how the world hasn't affected her human side completely.
2. They all seem cool but i think NaOnka will end up being my fav out of all 3.
3. YES!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
4. NaOnka and Stanley could become friends.
5. Jesse since know one wants to help him out so i will do it. #helpJesse
Icarus_Mark she did fall more than 5 stories, but I tried to create the impressions that it grinded to a stop, the stop being the floor. Although she did impact the floor hard, I wanted to create the impression that the elevator did not crash with full force, hence why she is still alive. Sorry for any confusion!
Icarus_Mark and even if she still would have probably died, just pretend it was a 1 in a million chance of surviving :) and she was lucky. But great feedback thankyou! When you said Missy is the 'glue' of the family, I am so glad you said that because that was the key word I've been holding in my head about her for weeks. I'm glad it was conveyed through the story. And I like how you think Olivia and Adrian are in serious danger. I think that for most people, it hasnt registered actually how serious it is for Adrian. Olivia can get a replacement leg when she gets help, but Adrian's broken leg will take weeks to recover from. That's weeks of no running. I'm glad you noticed the dilemma! So many people are injured atm,
Josh= cancer
Olivia= useless leg
Adrian= Broken leg
Kate= fell down elevator
Ikaris= no ear
Felix= shot in the shoulder and there are probably more!
Thu Jesse is stubborn and the story would be more realistic if he couldn't build up the courage to wear his dead mother. What I like about this episode is Josh managing his way over to save Colby. Hit I in the heart, would've taken a lot of strength to get tgere
