Brendan Parish had done what he had to. He told himself his assailant was already dead anyway. He was – had been – a funeral director, after all, he could tell.
He was merely returning the dead to the earth.
His aim wobbled as he held the spade up like a spear, the walker he had knocked against the shed shelving seeming to gather its senses, gazing up at him with sunken, milky eyes, it's snarling mouth open and hissing-
He struck downwards, and the spade head burst through the zombie's brain casing like an axe through rotten timber.
If he was alone, he would've taken the time to bury the body. But Lily was in the battered, mustard yellow car they'd commandeered.
Brendan had come into this little shed just by Big Jake's garden supply, intent on searching for supplies to get them wherever they might be going. He returned to that task quickly, hoping that Lily wasn't growing worried. He found gasoline, building materials, aspirin – and a weapon stash in the cabinets. Guiltily, he put the shotgun back into the locker, reluctant to leave the owners with nothing.

+

He opened up the driver door, getting his large frame into the seat as he heard Lily pipe up behind him.

"Find anything?"

He mutely showed her the SMG that he'd claimed from the shed before placing it down in the passenger's seat.

"Safety?" Lily asked.

Brendan sighed, passing the gun back to her. He figured it would be better if she was holding on to it. She likely knew where the safety was, and would be far too busy tinkering to lecture him.

"Where're we going?" She asked.

"East Marshall," Brendan replied, "Big place, should be someone there who can tell us what's going on." They drove the car to the east before looping south across the bridge, careful to avoid or outmanoeuvre the dishevelled, staggering men and women on the roadside. Despite the fact that they were in a vehicle and reasonably well armed, Brendan felt hemmed in. He'd lived in this valley all his life, and yet… he felt like he was a stranger in a strange land, and these 'zeds', as Lily had christened them, didn't take kindly to their trespass.

+

He pulled up on the outskirts of town, the sun at their backs and painting the town in its dying light. "Lily, gun?" He asked. The dirty-blonde teenager obeyed, passing the SMG to him.
"I'm going on ahead, just to see if there're good people in there. If things go south, I'll squelch the radio, like this-"
He clicked the radio send button, eliciting an electronic click.
"-and you do the same if you have to abandon the vehicle. I'll know to come back if I hear that. Alright?"
Lily nodded, trusting him implicitly. Brendan had that effect on people.
Brendan closed the door, and began his slow and steady progress into the heart of East Marshall.

+

Gabriel's hazel eyes had been watching the south wall beneath the rim of his rain hat when he saw him. Big man with a kind face, sporting dark clothing. A beanie, a ribbed jacket, jeans-And the muzzle of a silenced SMG pointed right at him.

"Nice piece." Gabriel quipped, putting on a big smile as he kept his hands where the stranger could see them. He could reach for the pistol down the back of his jeans, but he wouldn't draw fast enough. He'd have to wait for his moment. Get one shot off, and the walkers would be able to tear this guy limb from limb.
All assuming this stranger was a bad sort – a possibility that grew all the more distant as the stranger spoke.

"I need a place to stay for me and my daughter." He said in a hushed voice.

Gabriel rose an eyebrow, but the smile never left his handsome, heart-shaped face. "We could always use able hands and good people. D'you wanna lower the gun, by any chance? Makes me nervous, conversatin' at gunpoint."

After a moment, the stranger relented, relaxing his stance.

"Gate's on the west side. C'mon." Gabriel said, turning his back on the stranger. A show of trust as he went for the gate. He heard the big man on the radio, straining his hearing to catch a snippet of the conversation.

He pushed the black gate of the Alamo open, coming face to face with the stranger.

"Brendan." He went on to offer his hand.

Gabriel nodded, shaking the proffered hand. "Gabe. Good to know you."

+

We found a place to crash, for a few days at least. A quaint little tex-mex eatery called the Alamo. I'm not two feet through the door before they're putting me to work. Amazing(!)

Gabriel seems like a good guy. Natural born leader. He tells me he used to teach. Think it's fair to assume he's been the guy holding the other two together. They hadn't gotten round to organising kitchens, beds or cold storage, but I imagine that's because he's not fond of confronting Josue. Good guy, but not too inclined in saying hard things

Emilio is enthusiastic to get to work with tools. We're hilariously low on all supplies here, but as soon as that problem is sorted, a workshop will pick his spirits up – and we can put him to work making us firebombs and silencers. We're in a serious population centre, and Emilio tells me that if the shamblers catch fire, they burn out fast.

Josue… worries me. He boasts about being an athlete, Trumball raised like myself, but whenever Gabriel calls for him, he's nowhere to be seen.

Lily's taking to this place like a duck to water, already on the radio and seeking out supplies for us. God bless her.

Back to what I was saying writing, I've just arrived and they've got me escorting their trade deal. Gabriel put it together, and I don't want to step on his toes. Emilio's riding with us, on account of us taking on building materials for meds. He wants to know if they're up to snuff.

Still, we're in a precarious situation. Josue's back from his survey, and the walkers are all around. May need to think on a plan B Let's hope for the best, and haul ass to get the supplies we need.

Maybe they won't march right on top of us.

Author's note: Friend of mine recommended that I give State of Decay a go on their account, and... I'm hooked. Seriously enjoying it, and thought I'd have a crack at trying a Breakdown run and using it as inspiration for a written account.

If you enjoyed it, wish to see more or want to offer constructive criticism, by all means, leave a review! Much love.