"I Surrender"~A Day to Remember
=^.^=
While Jobani dealt with the group of people, seemingly in their early to mid teens, Abby remained in the gym with her new friends.
"Ethan can be a little hasty," Austin admitted sheepishly.
He smiled as he patted Abby on the shoulder before leaving to check on his friends. She watched his retreating figure outlined in the moonlight. The boy was certainly mature for his age. His demeanor was unlike any other teenage boy. He seemed to plan out his every move with caution and tactics. Abby couldn't help but smile as he looked after Catlin, the youngest at only thirteen. His kind eyes sparkled when she laughed at an inaudible jest the auburn-haired girl told. Abby's silent observations did not go unnoticed by Lesli. The teenage Einstein was far to keen for that.
"What?" Abby asked innocently after she noticed Lesli's knowing glace.
"Nothing," she answered with a sly undertone. "Just thought you should know nothing goes unnoticed by my trained eyes."
Abby laughed her first true laugh in a really long time.
"I suppose your trained eyes would have seen anything worth investigating right?"
A grim expression flashed over Lesli's face.
"I have seen much, but heard little," she admitted, "it would seem they really want us for their own benefit though I haven't determined what their big scheme is for us."
She stopped for a moment to guarantee no one else was listening. Once she was satisfied with the security they had, she whispered, "You see, no one suspects Ethan, because Ethan isn't really in charge. Reba is."
"Ethan is just a cover?" Abby gulped.
"He seems to believe that he is the leader, but I think-now, don't laugh-that Reba has put him under a spell."
Abby couldn't believe it. Could there possibly be another like her? A person capable of overcoming the thoughts of others, melding their beliefs to suit their own?
"A Torrent," Abby whispered, hardly even audible.
"You know of them?" Lesli raised her eyebrow in suspicion.
"I've heard stories," She corrected. "If she really is misusing her abilities, shouldn't we warn Ethan?"
Lesli shook her head. "While I admire your optimism, I think you misunderstood. I didn't mean a magical spell. I meant, a love spell. He is so enamored by her, it just hazed his thoughts so she basically rules through him."
"Oh," Abby blushed for the third time that day.
The doors burst open suddenly, causing everyone to gasp at the intrusion. The black-clad girl's eyes shined with enough fiery intensity to match her hair color.
"Speak of the devil…" Abby muttered.
"You are all needed in Ethan's office," she commanded.
Lesli and Abby shook their heads in disbelief. They trailed behind the others, Abby bringing up the read. The hallway was filled with dust and shattered glass. Walking down the hall in single file form made each and everyone of them feel like prisoners on judgment day.
They shuffled through the doors, Austin, Catlin, Ryan, then Lesli, and finally Abby. She was shocked to see Jobani was already there.
The chair at the desk spun to reveal Ethan grinning mischievously.
"Welcome," he said, "to my humble abode."
When the rest of the group remained quiet, Abby took it upon herself to be the first to speak up.
"What are we doing in here?"
Ethan flashed a Cheshire smile, "Everyone works very hard to keep this place up and running. Lately our resources have begun to dwindle due to our increase of personnel. That is why I am sending you all to gather more from the Wal-Mart not too far from here. It has been abandoned since the beginning, just waiting for a lovely crew such as yours to shamelessly take what we need."
"You are sending us alone?" Lesli asked. "Some of us don't have much experience."
"That's why we have a more proficient team accompanying you." Reba informed.
Just then three others walked into the now overly crowded office. Abby didn't know who they were however Jobani seemed to. A tall, muscular boy around sixteen gave Jobani a fist bump. He wore a solid green t-shirt with a few spots of blood splattered across his broad chest. The matching fisherman's cap was completely out of place on his head.
A girl with untamed blonde curls flashed him a dazzling smile that made her bright blue orbs glitter with mirth. She fiddled with the hem of her oversized white tank top that fell mid-thigh over her onyx colored shorts. Abby guessed she was no older than fifteen.
Finally, a short girl sporting a frown blatantly ignored the rest as she walked in. She had her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, allowing her bangs to hang loosely at either side of her face. She wore a green shirt that made the jade flecks in her hazel eyes pop. She would have been pretty if not for the brutal cutthroat expression she wore.
"This is Clark, Savannah, and Alex," Ethan named them off in the order in which they appeared. "They will be guiding you on your journey."
And with that said, the individual packs merged to form one team. Though they were unsure what awaited them, each person faced the task with brave grins.
As daybreak altered the ruins of the tarnished city into an almost beautiful model of exquisite gold, the newfound team strayed out of the high school to begin their journey. Leaving the memories of the previous night behind, they focused on reaching the store for their little shopping spree.
With Clark as their more than able guide, they followed obediently. Based on their actions, it was evident the three newcomers lived by one rule: Every man for himself. Though Abby did not approve of that method, it did make the trip a lot quicker than if she had to protect the others or vice versa.
In no time they were at the abandoned building. Clark entered with intense caution. Once he gave the signal, the others mimicked his actions as they proceeded. They passed by the remnants of the women's apparel section. Catlin couldn't resist picking up a rather revealing sundress.
"Yo, Ryan! This is just your size!" She laughed.
"I dunno, Cat. I like to keep the boys guessing," he joked back.
Savannah gave a curt giggle while Alex, oblivious to the jest, set Catlin straight.
"This isn't a game. You need to be more serious." She warned.
Austin tensed up, not liking the way Alex had treated his little sister. Abby and Lesli held him back by placing a hand on his shoulder. Jobani pushed his way to the front of the pack where Alex was reproving Catlin's amusement.
"Hey, I think we can all use a good joke from time to time," he protested, all the while giving Alex an unsettling glare.
Alex simply crossed her arms and walked ahead of the group. During the entire debacle Catlin had only been staring doe-eyed at the distraught teen.
"Who spit in her bean curd?" She asked, earning enough laughter to detoxify the situation.
Everyone continued as though nothing had happened. They rounded the corner to the non-perishable and began to stock up. Lesli and Abby suggested going to the hunting equipment for ammunition and a few gutting knives. Clark looked them over and shook his head.
"It's a good idea, but I can't let you go without some experience."
The girls both felt insulted, as they had been fighting for their lives on their own since the beginning, before they found their team. Abby had many years of defensive courses from living in such a menacing city even before the outbreak. Lesli was originally from Mexico, where she had to know how to protect herself from the corrupted neighborhood. However, they didn't have a chance to express their opinion, Clark spoke once again.
"Alex will go with you two."
She grunted. The duo was unsure if it was out of approval or annoyance, but she lead them nonetheless. They eased their way over to the opposite end of the store to locate the hunting gear. Walkers crossed their path from time to time, but it was certainly nothing they couldn't handle. When they reached their destination, Abby couldn't help but wonder how they others were holding up.
"I bet there is candy!" Ryan said, a broad smile overcoming his face.
"I love jellybeans!" Jobani added.
"Yay, sugar!" Catlin practically screamed.
"We don't need any candy." Clark scolded while stuffing another can of corn into his bag. The trio ignored him and sprinted to the candy aisle.
"Dang it!" Catlin whined when she saw three walkers hunched over a carcass. Blood was coated over the aisle and most of the merchandise. All three walkers stood up.
"Here they come," warned Ryan.
The trio lifted their weapons, preparing themselves for the fight.
"Look out!" Lesli screamed.
Abby had only zoned out for two minutes, but that was all the time the walker needed to sneak up on her. The walker, a man with half his guts spilling out, grabbed her by the throat. She flailed about, trying to break out of his rotting hands. Before she knew it they were both falling.
"Abby!" Lesli screeched, lurching forward to pull her off the zombie before she toppled over.
The worm infested creature moaned as he hit the ground with a thud. Lucky for Abby she was wearing a thick metal bracelet that protected her from the bite the zombie had attempted to steal.
Alex rushed forward and pierced its skull with a slender pole she had found. The movements of the squirming dead ceased.
"You saved my life," she thanked Lesli.
"It was no problem. I'm sure you would have done the same for me," the heroin patted her back and hoisted her up.
"I hate to break y'all's little heart to heart, but we need to get a move on," Alex said.
Abby smiled and expressed her gratitude through a hug.
"You're a hero, too," she insisted, "You killed that thing before either of us could react."
Alex shoved her off and created enough distance to ensure she wouldn't be bothered.
"I'm no hero," she seethed.
The three of them socialized no further as they added more than enough bullets to their backpacks.
In an elaborate case, Abby saw the most incredibly breathtaking weapon she had ever laid her eyes on. With an extended charcoal handle studded with small ornate rubies and an elegant arch of the metal blade, the scythe was beyond gorgeous.
"That must cost a fortune," Lesli noted.
"Good thing I'm not payin'," Abby smirked. "I'm taking this baby with me!"
She shattered the glass with the heel of her boot and snatched the beauty in her hands, earning herself a dirty look courtesy of Alex.
"Why do you need that hunk of junk? It'll only slow you down."
"Whoa, girl! First of all, she is NOT junk. Second, she's not just a scythe. She's also a customizable high impact sniper rifle, complete with a fastening strap to make for easy travel."
Alex's complaining was drowned out by the sound of a scream originating from aisle ten: The candy aisle.
The walkers were faster than any of them expected. Most of the ghouls Jobani had encountered could barely walk, but these were practically running.
A chubby woman with rotting skin rushed towards Jobani. He barely had enough time to lift his spear before her teeth clamped around it and her hands grabbed the end. Jobani held her off for a moment. The wooden hilt on the spear was pressed against the creature's throat only prevented from moving by her decomposing hands. Jobani watched his opponent struggle. He seized his opportunity when the women's wrists snapped. He brought his foot up and twisted to launch a powerful kick to her chest. With the satisfying crunch of her ribs, she stumbled to the ground, giving Jobani just enough time to bury his spear into her skull.
Jobani leaned against the shelves to catch his breath. He took his moment of peace as an chance to observe his surroundings. Catlin was brawling with a scrawny teen. In only three seconds she had it pressed against the chocolate section with her long knife sticking out of its brain. Jobani shifted his gaze to Ryan. He was fighting a male zombie with immense muscles. It was obviously a body builder with a physique like that. Luckily most of its muscles had decomposed. Ryan lifted his metal spear and knocked it down.
"I could use some help over here!" Ryan called out.
Before anyone had a chance to react the zombie stood up and sank its teeth into Ryan's forearm. Everyone's shock left them paralyzed in their place. Ryan did his best to fend off the biter. After quite a fight, it fell to the ground unmoving. Ryan clutched his arm. His breath intake was rapidly increasing. Ryan let out a shout of pain. They all knew what the bite meant. It was a death sentence.
At the shrill noise that filled the atmosphere, Abby, Alex, and Lesli stood straight up, dismissing their prior argument.
"We need to get back!" Abby exclaimed. Lesli nodded and quickly added another box of ammo to her backpack. Alex looked at both of them depreciatively.
"The others can handle it…" she absent-mindedly grabbed a gutting knife from the top shelf and tossed it into her pack.
"But Alex!" Lesli cried, "What if our friends are out numbered? What if they are wounded? They will need us!"
Abby agreed with her, yet Alex wasn't convinced.
"If I know Clark, he won't let any harm come to them." She said.
Abby felt a gnawing at her stomach that left her feeling nauseous. She had no doubt that Clark was a strong young man. He easily towered over everyone in the group. However there was no way he could watch over all of them.
Without warning Abby sprinted in the direction of the shout, her new weapon in rifle form. Lesli followed close on her tail. Alex stood alone for a while, observing her surroundings. It was excruciatingly quiet. At the sound of a walker's moans, she sprinted after them.
"Wait for me, guys!" She called.
The girls reached the area in less than five minutes. The sight was a truly frightful one. There were three immobile zombies sprawled on the ground. Jobani had his spear raised to strike a body hidden behind the legs of the others.
Lesli wedged herself between Jobani and Clark. The sight of Ryan covered in cold sweat brought her to her knees in tears. The change threatened to break through. She reached out her hand to touch his wound, but Alex held her back.
"Let me go!" she squealed.
Her eyes were filled with desperation at the sight of her dearest friend turning into one of them. Ryan's mouth twitched up in a forced smile.
"It's okay, Les." He whispered, "I know this isn't how we planned, but this is the way it has to be."
Abby placed her hand on Jobani's arm so he would lower his spear.
"How long has he been like this?" Lesli asked, "perhaps if it hasn't been too long, we can amputate it before the contaminated blood reaches his brain. Maybe we can save him?"
The heartbroken girl peered into Jobani's eyes, begging for signs of hope, anything to let her know that there was still a chance.
"It's too late." He sighed. "We either take him while he is still human or we wait until the symptoms worsen and his mind is infested by illness."
"It'll take a few hours or so for the change to happen, but it will happen." Jobani explained.
Lesli buried her face in her hands, trying to hide her tears. Ryan tried to sit up but fell back to the ground. Abby kneeled down next to him and said, "No, no. Don't strain yourself. We'll get you back to camp."
"Who said we were taking him back." Alex said with a slight edge in her voice.
Abby looked at her, genuinely surprised.
"We can't risk bringing an infected back to camp. He could escape and bite others! The next thing we know the camp is teeming with ghouls and we're all dead!" Alex raised her voice.
"We are bringing him back." Austin interjected. "You leave him, you aren't going to have a team at all."
Alex turned about the group. She knew she wouldn't be able to talk any of them out of the decision.
"Fine!" she sighed. "But as soon as we're back we are quarantining him!"
"Of course we are," Clark said then, turning to Austin, instructed, "Help me carry him, we need to head out soon."