Why hello there! So here is another chapter. I'll update daily until we get back to the original point! Hope you like it and please leave me any questions, suggestions or comments you may have! ❤️
Nothing was happening though. The Rotter had stopped the savage attack and was just panting audibly. Wait. Rotters didn't stop they had no mercy, a lesson Jude had learnt the hard way. That meant…
"Living?" The voice of his opponent questioned delicately. Not able to speak clearly with the crimson liquid accumulating in his mouth Jude cranes his head side ways. Spitting sluggishly Jude manages to answer.
"Yeah. Living." His answer is reciprocated by a heavy laugh. Confused by this he manages a reproachful: "Why's that so funny?"
"Well, for a second I wondered why it was so easy to beat you." Pure arrogance dripped off this guys voice and it infuriated a still dizzy Jude.
"Funny." Jude stated with sarcasm thickly coating his words. "Now could you get off me?" he demanded thrusting his hips upwards in an attempt to knock the boy off.
"We are touchy aren't we?" Commented the stranger as he relinquished Jude's arms and swung a leg round so he was no longer pinning him to the dusty aisle floor. Not finding the ordeal nearly as funny or as dismissive as the other, Jude felt a sense of loathing for this guy generate at his core.
"I just don't like being pummelled by arseholes." Jude retaliated with venom lacing his tone.
"Owch." The stranger quipped. "At least you can admit when you've been beaten." The cocky persona was really staring to get on his nerves. He didn't have time for this. He needed to get out of there, find the others and get back to base before dark.
"Look, whatever your name is, I need to go so if you could help me find where it is you dropped my club, I'd appreciate it."
"Connor." The voice says instantly.
"What?"
"My name. You said '…whatever your name is…' so I told you." Connor said with a patronising air to his voice as if explaining one plus one to a simpleton. "This is the part where you tell me yours."
"No, we aren't doing the whole name thing. Once I've found my club I'm leaving. Alone." Connor gave a sly chuckle.
"What you mean this?" He taunted as he held up something that in the dim half light Jude could just about identify as his club. Lunging forward he made a grab for it. "Uh uh uh." Connor chimed. "I want in."
"In too what?" Jude stammered.
"With fighting skills like that you obviously haven't survived this long on your own. I'm guessing you have a group, right?" Trying to bluff his way out and deny his attachment to a group was no use. Unfortunately this Connor guy wasn't an idiot.
"Its not my call." Jude excused with as much courage as he could manage.
"Who's is it then?" Sneered Connor.
"My, um, my older sister. Callie." Although not wanting to tell this guy too much he knew it was in his best interest not to lie if he could avoid it.
"Alright, um, seriously what's your name?" Remaining mute he heard Connor sigh, "Listen I've been knocking around on my own for a while. You know what hell's like alone?" Admittedly he didn't so again he said nothing. "It's bad, okay? Look if I could go with you and spend sometime with actual people that'd be awesome." He couldn't. "Please. You don't know what it's like. To slowly go insane because its you and those, those things." The desperation was clear. Jude could tell this guy was being honest when he said he was just looking for some company. Despite all his reserves and better judgements he couldn't help himself. If mankind turned there backs on each other than they stood no chance in the future.
"Okay." He croaked after several minutes of consideration. "On three conditions. One: You give me any weapons you have. Two: I will blindfold you once we get nearer the base. Three: If Callie says no you leave." All to eager Connor hastily accepted the offer even tearing a strip off of one of the theatre chairs and handing it to Jude to use as a blindfold when the time came. Fumbling for each other's hands they shook on it then began to shuffle there way towards the exit. Jude figured the other two would have followed the rule protocol and headed straight back to base instead of look for Jude. When they finally broke out into the fading daylight Jude got to cast his eyes on Connor. Not what he was expecting he diverted his gaze.
Exceeding his height by an inch or two the boy was sculpted with defined arms displayed curtsey of a once white t-shirt. Unsure as to whether the dried blood was his or something else's Jude shuddered. The jeans Connor had on were shredded at the knee with fraying ends. Facial wise the boy had handsome features with full lips, brown eyes and sandy hair to match. He actually looked fairly decent for an arrogant twat Jude thought.
Proceeding cautiously they made there way out of the town and through a large open field with short cut grass. Generally speaking the journey was effortless, the starter horde long passed. They said nothing to each other for most of the way which was mainly due to Jude internally freaking out as to how the others would react. This guy was far from Blake but nowadays it was near impossible to judge a person accurately straight away. They were about a mile away now so Jude got Connor to stop.
"Okay this is where I blindfold you."
"Fair enough. One thing though." Connor said airily. Jude cocked his head sideways as if to indicate for Connor to continue. "You never told me your name. How can I trust that you won't lead me into a pit of Rotters if I don't even know your name?" It was a fair enough question.
"Jude." He breathed as he tightened the blindfold over the other boys eyes. With that they closed the final distance.
In front of them was a large complex that once housed prisoners of war during World War Two. Since those days it had been refurbished and converted into an institute for troubled youth although it had not had the opportunity to open as the whole living dead thing meant all of the would be members, became flesh eating monsters scattered around the country. The complex was perfect for survivors to stay in as the high perimeter wall with a walkway allowed patrols to monitor the ground below whilst the two building inside were separated by a large stretch of grass and reinforced doors. One building housed a canteen with cooking appliances and a shower house whilst the other had dormitories and a library. As the modernisation had happened recently the complex used solar power to run lights and automatic lock systems (as a precaution they had manual locks as-well). Generally speaking the place was impenetrable; there very own fortress of sanctuary.
From way above Jude could imagine the calls of Wyatt, who was on wall patrol, letting the others know that firstly, he was alive but also that he had company. Without needing to knock the huge gates granted them entrance. The moment the gates were shut Jude removed the blindfold. Connor's eyes grew wide in awe at the expanse of the place. He whistled to connote that he was impressed.
"Not bad, Jude." Stretching out Jude rolled his eyes then, about to say something, he stopped as he saw Callie and Emma sprinting towards them. Here we go.
"Jude, where the hell have you been!" She cried pulling him into a ensnaring embrace. In an effort to push her away he detected a sound of laughter that going by the 'up his own arse' nature had to be Connor. Callie obviously heard it too. Freeing him she squared up to Connor straight away. "Who are you? Jude, explain. Now!" Anxiety had taken over and he couldn't choke out one syllable. Callie had raised a knife that she kept in the holder strapped to her thigh, to Connor's throat. "Don't use that tongue to tell me who the fuck you are and I might have to cut it out." She threatened in an uneasily calm voice. Connor, not knowing how crazy my sister can be when it comes to protecting us, just brushed her away.
"You really know how to welcome a guy." Snarling Callie let the blade dig into the skin around Connor's throat. Emma who had been observing at a safe distance took the opportunity to put a maternal arm round Jude's shoulder. "No need for kitty to scratch. The names Connor. You must be Callie?" Snapping her head towards Jude she looked like she was ready to punch him.
"You told him my name?" Sheepishly looking away he gave a tiny nod. "Jesus Jude."
"Leave him alone Cal. Look at him; he's had a rough time." Emma intervened heroically.
"We said that about Blake!" Emma gave her a warning glare.
"Callie." She cautioned as the blade sunk even deeper, the welt now a cut.
"Fine. We'll talk about it later. As for you," she turned to eyeball Connor "What are you doing here?" Finally understanding the gravity of Callie's power he eased up on the arrogance.
"For the last four months I've been facing hell on my own. It…it does things to a person…I met Jude and convinced him to let me come back with him. He said it would be up to you. Listen I'm begging you to let me stay. I know you have no reason to trust me but on that same note you have no reason not to trust me. Please." Sighing Callie thought. She didn't want a repeat of the whole Blake thing but at the same time this boy was younger than most of the guys at the complex: probably the same age as Jude. Sure he had a bad attitude but she could hardly condemn him to face this twisted world alone, not now he knew there were other survivors.
"Fine. You can stay. But only if you follow our rules." Connor was moving his head up and down saying thank you over and over again. "Your sleeping in the quarantine unit until we know we can trust you." Jude was amazed at his sister. He thought that after Blake she'd never again let anyone in. Callie had a good heart though, she knew the difference between right and wrong which was why they'd voted her leader after…the Liam incident. "Jude since you bought him in you are to watch him night and day." Beginning to protest he was stopped by Emma, digging her finger nails into his shoulder. Her eyes warned him not to push Callie's patience. "We'll have a group meeting in a few days to decide if he can stay for longer but if a majority votes you out, that's it, got it?" Connor nods. "Okay, Jude until the vote you'll take him on supply runs." Far from okay with that both boys just grumbled a yes. "Alright, Jude take him to the Quarantine cell whilst we wait for the others."
"They're not back yet?" Jude inquires a spike of fear surging over him.
"No, what happened anyway." Emma answered in place of Callie who had begun to worry, no doubt about Brandon. Glancing at Connor, Jude shook his head.
"We heard a starter horde so we legged it and we got separated. I'll explain more later but I think I should take Connor first." Emma gave a sign of agreement as Jude walked Connor away leaving the two girls to converse in hushed whispers.
"I think that went well." Connor beamed. Shaking my head I was beside myself, angry at the thought of being stuck with this guy for possibly the rest of my miserable existence. We soon reached the cell. Locking him up he gave me a cheesy grin before I left.
Not long after, Brandon and Jesus arrived and we all gathered in the canteen whilst I explained what happened too me and vice versa. Everyone is in agreement with Callie's choice except Marianna who is still not sure. Taylor helps clean up my battered face before lights out and I hear her tell Daria to back off asking me questions.