Barely Safe: Leave Her

Jing is at home, her sister is smiling while she is playing with her dolls. Her mother is making breakfast in the kitchen, it smells delicious. Father is reading the newspaper in his comfy couch as usual. It makes Jing smile, it feels nice. Her smile quickly fades as she sees what's in the newspaper. The TV is turning on, the anchorman is saying there is a disease, and it's spreading fast. Suddenly there are walkers all over the place, her little sister is getting swarmed. Jing isn't aware of what is happening. She rushes towards her little sister, but sees that she became one of them...one of those things.

'Mom, help me! Leia is going crazy!'

She runs towards the kitchen and sees her mom dying, she got bitten too. With her final breath she says: ''Jing, run! Run as fast as you can...I love you.''

Jing opens her eyes, she starts crying. A couple of minutes later Shawn enters the barn. He looks at Jing's face smiling, until he realizes that she had been crying.

''Are you okay?'', he asks worried.

'Yeah...it's okay. I just...nevermind. Don't worry about it.'

Jing smiles back at him. However, her smile does not look very credible.

''Uhm...I plan to build a fence around the farm. I figured that only barbed wire won't hold back the walkers. Would you want to help us with that?''

'Ofcourse, I don't know about Sebastian, though.'

''Oh, he already started.''

Jing sees that Sebastian is gone.

'How long have I been sleeping?'

''A couple of hours, your friend said that I couldn't wake you because you actually have to rest.''

'I'm fine. I'll be there in a minute.'

''Great! Thank you.''

An excited Shawn leaves the barn. This gives Jing some time to think about her dream. You couldn't really call it a dream, but she never had one of those. It was a flashback of the outbreak and then her family suddenly gets ripped away from her. Jing decides not to think about it, and leaves the memory of the outbreak for what it is. As she exits the barn she sees Shawn and Sebastian working on the fence. Shawn offers her something to eat. She frowns as she sees the rotten banana.

''The banana doesn't look that healthy, but it will taste good.'', Shawn says smiling.

'Wow, this fence is progressing fast. How long have you been working on it?'

''Three to four hours, maybe.''

'You shouldn't be here, Jing.', Sebastian says while he is continueing to work on the fence.

''Why not? I'm fine really, you worry too much Sebastian.''

'No, I do not! You got shot yesterday.'

''Don't yell, do you want to attract walkers?'', an angry Jing whispers.

Jing walks away, when she suddenly hears Shawn screaming for help. She quickly turns around and sees him stuck under a tractor. She rushes towards Shawn and tries to pull him free. His screams remind her of her little sister, they are attracting nearby walkers and Sebastian who is on the driversseat of the tractor is getting pulled back by a walker. Jing has to think fast, or he will die. She grabs a nearby axe that they used for the wood to cut of the arms of the walker that is pulling back Sebastian. Shawn however, has been bitten in the neck by a walker. Sebastian brutally kills the walker that's on Shawn. Wyatt and Caroline rush to Shawn.

''Oh no, Shawn! Caroline get the supply kit!'', Wyatt desperatly yells.

He knows it's too late to save him. But he did not want to believe it.

'Dad, there is nothing we can do about this.', Caroline says crying.

''What happened here, Sebastian?'', Wyatt asks.

'Shawn asked me to move the tractor so we could work on the fence, but I lost control and Shawn got stuck under a wheel. He started screaming and...and that's when the walkers came. Jing tried to help him but then a walker got me too, so she had to choose.'

''Ofcourse, she would help you, over my son!''

'I am so sorry, sir. I...really am.', Jing says carefully.

''Just leave me. Get of my land, both of you.''

Jing and Sebastian are walking towards the gate that seperates the farm from the forest. When suddenly Sebastian stops.

'What is it, Sebastian?'

''They can't send us back into that shithole full of walkers, it will be our deaths.''

'Well, we can't do something about it. It's their farm.'

''No discussion about this Jing, I am going back. Your leg isn't even fully healed. That is my biggest concern right now.''

'Again, you worry too much.', Jing says while she is smiling.

Sebastian enters the house and asks Jing to stay outside. He sees Wyatt working in the kitchen.

''Why are you still here?'', Wyatt asks when he sees Sebastian standing in the opening of the door.

'We need to stay, Jing still needs to rest.'

''You killed my son! I can't have you here.''

'We didn't kill him, it was an accident. Look...if you want, I will leave. But that woman, she needs to stay, her leg has to heal. This was my fault, and my fault only. You can't blame her for not being able to save two men.'

Sebastian can see Wyatt doubting.

''She will probably want to go with you.'', Wyatt says.

'I will leave at night, she won't notice. Please just let her stay.'

''Okay, she can stay. But I want you gone by morning.''

Sebastian leaves the house. And takes Jing under his arm, smiling.

'And? Can we stay?', Jing asks.

''Yes, I fixed it.''

'I can't believe he would let us stay after what I did.', Jing sadly says while she is looking at the colorful leaves that are covering the ground.

Sebastian takes her by the chin, and lifts her head.

''You didn't do anything wrong. You just weren't able to save both of us. It is not a crime.''

'Why do I get the feeling that you are constantly trying to protect me? I don't need it, Sebastian I can take care of myself. I should have been able to save Shawn.'

''I am not trying to protect you, I'm just saying that this was not your fault.''

'Whatever, I am going to sleep. It is getting dark and I am tired.'

Jing is gently awakened by Caroline the next morning.

''Good morning. Did you sleep well?''

'Yes. I slept very well actually.'

''Good to hear. Are you attending Shawn's funeral later?''

'Will your dad mind?'

''No not at all, he actually asked me to get you.''

'Okay, I'll be there.'

Jing is walking to the tree where Shawn will be burried. As she is walking, she is trying to find Sebastian, but she doesn't see him.

'Wyatt, where is Sebastian?', a concerned Jing asks.

''He left.'', Wyatt says.

'What? But why?!'

''In order for you to stay, he had to leave. So he did.''

'Why would he leave for me?'

''It's pretty obvious...he loves you.'', Caroline adds to it.