It was late at night and no one was awake but coach. He was keeping watch on the full moon which at first he was a bit hesitant but gave in for the welfare for his new friends. As his eyes began to flutter shut clenching his gun to his chest he heard a gurgle come from outside the door. He poked out his head seeing movement he shot his head back in quickly discarding the pain from hitting his head on the bar. He heard the noise again "hey y'all I hear sumthin."

The fat man said gently trying to wake someone up without startling the noise resulting in a grunt from nick rolling over and stretching his arm around Ellis. While they were all disturbed Rochelle rolled slapping her hand across Ellis' face grunting in pain he flipped over burying his face into nicks chest. Rochelle made a slight sigh and nick pushed Ellis away. Coach stared silently "ahw the young and the restless" he said referring to horse loving hick much younger than the others and the older paranoid gambler. He jumped at the sound of crashing clouds 'storm must be comin' he thought to himself turning around attempting to fulfill his responsibility again.

He used his gun to prop him up after almost falling out of his chair from sighting a great shadow thick and almost the same size of himself if he had a series of tumors. His eyes widened and the breathe was pulled straight from his lungs when he realized 'boomer' he called in a frail voice that was no louder than a whisper due to his fright. Wondering why the other hadn't launched his attack yet coach stood himself against the door cautiously. A strange feeling pervaded through his body he felt safe or not in danger to be more correct. Slowly picking up his hand "I don't mean you no harm now" the boomer but blinked to his comment as if he had understood.

His hand reached through the bars to touch the mysterious infected, dark chubby fingers trailed up the silhouette's torso. Coach began to tremble but couldn't help his curiosity. His hands danced up to his blemish covered face his palm caressed the boomers cheek for a few seconds before a roar came from the distance quickly coming toward them and without time to move coach's arm was engulfed by the swarm of flesh eating mongrels. A blood shattering scream broke the others half sleep daze to his immediate aid. After a violent affair of tug o' war coach was blood splattered and winded collapsing onto the floor of the safe room.

"oh god" said Rochelle examining his injuries. Nearly all the flesh on his arm was ripped off and bile shove deep into his wound. Coaches body stung with pain that lingered for hours even after his treatment.

"shoot man they tore ya' up good dint they? " Ellis asked rhetorically

The bearded man stared at ellis "Good? Shit son that hurts like hell ain't nothing good 'bout that"
"sorry I was just sayin," ellis looked hurt when the elder snapped back.
"Ellis! Just go boy I don't want to here it right now"

"Its some ones time of the month today" nick said for the first time that day

"nick…."was all he could say as he stumbled onto the couch of the safe room in pain for a nap

The next day he awoke with heavy breathing like he just ran the 100 meter dash and felt it hard to swallow his words. 'Whats going on 'he thought to himself

"hey you feeling alright you're looking a little green" Rochelle asked sincerely

"yeah Ro' im fine just a little hungry" coach answered lying through his teeth, he felt horrible.

"hmm okay then ill see what we can find"

"thanks" coach replied as he had noticed nick staring at him with a strange look

"what are you looking at nick"

"im looking at you and wondering how im gonna kill you" nick shot back

"hey I haven't turned yet and I aint gonna either" coach said. Nick nodded slightly in agreement, Rochelle came out with whatever she could scrap together wich surprisingly was enough to feed them all. After they ate coaches stomach began to rumble strangley "Bughh!" gurgled coach "ugh I don't feel so good you guy's" nicks attention was magnetically brought to him

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU!" nick shouted at coach

"its nothing the food was just bad"

That same night coach sat in the same spot just sitting there his mind was fluttering blank. He became cold very cold and shut his eyes for a second, he couldn't control his actions; a noise came from out of the door, a familiar gurgle came from the door. Paused for a slight moment he jumped up from his spot and ran to the door again slamming into the door like before. Though this time he couldn't see anything, opening the door he walked outside cluelessly , without weapons, without protection, and reason.

Searching frantically for the sound he heard he was not attacked infact he hadn't even come across any infected even with all the noise he was making. The noise echoed through his head again and followed the noise down the streets the zombies he had ran past were not even acknowledging him. He found a special infected in a fight with a common infected his eyes glowed and he sped forward on his toes charging at the familiar fat man.

"I know you!" he shouted coming fast toward the other

Meanwhile 2-3 minutes earlier

Ellis was up to check on his friend to find that he was missing quickly he turned back and trotted to the sleeping nick that was near him when he was out.

"nick! Coach's gone !" he exclaimed waking Rochelle aswell.

They ran out as quicley as they could with the sound of bullets flying out after them,

back to present times

as the converting man ran to jump on the still boomer nick took one lucky shot since the others were afraid to shoot theyre friend. The bullet was planted deep into the boomers left pectoral causing him to erupt all over coach in mid-air.

"aaaaaahhhh" the newly insane man shouted at the conman.

"oh no you've done it now nick" Rochelle blurted

"I think hes turned" nick replied with ellis stepping closer to his back to stricken with fear to speak
the fat man began to deform. His skin greased with blood and sweat while his flesh was bubbling.
his arms and legs bent back and forth flailing. He flew up to his feet. Almost completely turned now locked eyes with his interests shooter and started fast at him. Nick struggled to get his gun reloaded but luckily before he was killed Ellis poked his gun out from behind him and over nicks shoulder,a small moment passed to aim as former coach made his leap. Suddenly "bang." Then he pulled the trigger planting the bullet in to his skull immediately killing him.

"NO COACH!"said Rochelle "WHY DID YOU DO THAT NO !"

"Ro' we had to" Ellis defended

"DON'T CALL ME RO' LIKE HIM"

"it was for the best we had to "nick announced attempting to ease the hurting woman's pain

She collapsed over his dead body sobbing. " I cant believe he's dead, really dead Ellis this is all your fault. I don't ever want to look at you again."

"fine then you're going to have a hard time surviving this mess without anyone else" nick said in a saddened voice
nick grabbed Ellis' wrist to walk away while out of sight and in a clearing nick brought up what had happened again. "Ellis," he murmured

"what nick-" he stopped himself from calling him Nicky

"uh thanks for saving me back there" Ellis could tell that was hard for nick to say and stayed quiet

"i-I probably would have died" Ellis looked up to nick and turned a light pink, looked down and back at the conman pressing his lips against his cheek and pulled away slowly looking down. They fell silent and nick reached out holding his chin, with three fingers; pulling the younger mans lips up to his own.

"Ellis lets go home"

"Alright"

The memories of coach and Rochelle almost never left their minds for the rest of their long adventure back to they're new location to call they're own.
END