Chapter IV;
Rapunzel's eyes opened up after they entered the state, for a long time, she had her head rested on Jack's lap. The moment her eyes opened, she met his blue ones. All around them were red.. They were empty looking, and her hand reached out to touch his cheek. He snapped to reality upon the touch, and looked at her.
"Rapunzel?" He asked. She smiled, even though it hurt.
"You still have me, right?.. We may have lost Emma and Sophie but.." Rapunzel's voice grew soft near the end. He nodded, a tear left his eye and landed onto the blonde's cheek, and Jack, himself, managed a small, sad smile.
Merida and Hiccup came back from a hunt, the whole place was crawling with them until Merida was able to take them all out with her bow- or at least thirty of them. Once they came back, they were surprised to see Rapunzel and Jack waiting for them. Rapunzel's hands gripped onto her biceps, a few strands of her golden hair fell over her face. Jack was only looking up at the sky.
"Well, you guys seem.. Better?" Hiccup questioned his choice of words.
"Yeah, well.." Jack started but failed to continue the sentence.
"Did you guys find Merida's brothers?" Rapunzel turned and faced the two.
"Nah, not yet. They live farther in, if I'm correct on the address." Merida explained.
"Oh.." Rapunzel replied. There was a long.. Long awkward- or just really weird feeling- silence. Merida nudged Hiccup in the ribs after a moment, asking him in her action to fix the silence.
"S-So.. D-Do you guys want to.. Uh.. Check a house together, and call it ours before we go off to find Merida's brothers?" Hiccup asked.
"Sure.'' Rapunzel said, Jack nodded in agreement.
The four went to a medium sized house, it was nice looking from the outside. It was painted white, had a white door, light blue windows and in the backyard there was swingsets and a merry-go-round, it was obvious that the people who lived there before had a child- or a few of them. Merida opened up- or tried to- the door only to find it locked, it was strange.. But Hiccup moved her aside and had pick-locked it.
"Why do you have that?" Jack asked, eyebrows rose. Hiccup shrugged. Merida pushed the door open and sat her bag down in the living room
"Hiccup and I will take the top, top floor." Merida said.
"I'll take the middle floor." Jack replied and Rapunzel sat her stuff down next to Merida's.
"And I'll search here." She said. The four went to their places, Rapunzel first went to the kitchen.
She searched the cupboards, and realized that something was weird. Everything in this house was gone- food wise.
"Where they.." Rapunzel muttered to herself. Swinging the cupboard shut which made a little loud noise, she mentally kicked herself for it. But before she could move onto the next cupboard.. She froze.. Oh, she heard the groaning noise that was hungry. It came closer, it's shuffling feet made a lot of noise.
Rapunzel instinctly reached for her knife to realize she set it down, she bit her bottom lip before turning around and grabbing the closest thing- a frying pan. Upon turning, she swung at it's head, sending it to the ground. Rapunzel panted quietly, and the moment it moved again, she didn't hesitate to slam her frying pan at its head again.. And again, and again..
It stopped moving after a few moments, Rapunzel swept to the ground. Her chest was rising quickly and then it went down quickly, her eyes were filled with fear and tears.
"Frying pans.. Oh they're a good weapon." Rapunzel mumbled to herself, before grabbing onto the edge of the counter and pulled herself up. She groaned and hunched herself over the sink, trying to keep her breathing in case if she ended up vomiting or something. Her face had no color, and her legs were wobbily.
"And I thought I was okay.."
After a long moment, Rapunzel heard the others trotting downstairs. Before anyone could ask her, they noticed the dead flesh-eater not even a foot away from Rapunzel.
"Uh.." Hiccup managed out.
"Frying pan." Rapunzel turned and swung it a little, but in the process it hit her head and she groaned in pain. "Ow.."
"You killed that with a frying pan?" Jack asked, clearly in disbelievement. Rapunzel nodded.
"Nice." Merida said, which made Rapunzel smile lightly.
"Thank you."
They settled around in the living room, Hiccup and Jack got the fireplace going up with fire, and the rest of the house was boarded for the time being. Rapunzel hugged her knees and stared at the flames. It was clear that she blocked out whatever was being said because she had to be shooked by Merida to come back to reality.
"What?" Rapunzel asked.
"Where ye not listenin'?"
"Sorry, no.." Rapunzel spoke quietly.
"She's just trying to get over the pain, also. Leave her be." Jack stood up straight.
"Fine, fine." Merida threw her hands up in the air after standing up. "Whatever." She said in her snappy tone as she walked and bumped into Jack on purpose.
"What did she want?- and wheres Hiccup?.."
"She wanted to let you know that it was getting dark out and that I took first watch duty." Jack walked over, sitting next to her once he got over there.
"Oh.. I don't feel like sleeping.." Rapunzel hugged her knees tighter.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
Jack shrugged at her question. He let the warm fire heat over himself before he stood up and walked over to the window, it wasn't fully boarded up, but it held good. His hand rested on the glass, while looking out. There was a long silence, but it wasnt awkward or anything but it made Rapunzel feel better knowing someone was wth her.
"What the.." Jack muttered, but Rapunzel got it and looked at him.
"What?"
"I thought.. I saw.. Two people.. Like a tall man and a young girl." Jack said, looking at Rapunzel. Just then, there came a yell.. Not a yell of pain, or terrified, or anything but a yell for someone they knew.
"Merida! Help!" It went.
There came running footsteps, the red-head immediately dashed out the door in just her pajama shorts and tanktop, no shoes, no crossbow or anything but the other two ran after her, when not to long after, Hiccup followed.
Rapunzel grabbed Merida's hand, stopping the both of them- which made little cuts on their feet because they both stopped unexpectedly. Merida turned her head to face Rapunzel, and she saw it. Merida's eyes were shown with tears, it made Rapunzel let go softly and watch the female run off. The voice kept screaming for Merida.
Finally Merida stopped in the middle of the street, trying to pinpoint the voice but failed.
"Hubert! Harris! Hamish!" She yelled.
Jack noticed something and ran to her, he shushed her. And whispered.
"The voice has the same tone over and over.. It never changes.. Someones tricking us.."
"Why?!" Merida tried to stop herself from blurting and shouting but it didn't help. Hiccup ran over, panting and trying to catch his breath.
"I don't know why they would trick us but.." Jack tried to, but Hiccup grabbed his arm and pointed.
"That's why."
Every single flesh eater that was hiding managed to find their location. Oh, it came closer.. But some of them wasn't the same. It looked like it was never bitten, their eyes were more red-ish than white- well if there was light, they would see that. They were faster than the others, and was ganging on their location. Hiccup reached over to grab Merida's hand, pulling her into a run which she managed to do on her own after being pulled, but still didn't let go on the brunette's hand. Jack was ahead, and when he saw Rapunzel, he stopped for a moment to turn around and crouch.
"Jump on my back."
"Wh-" Rapunzel tried to ask. "Don't ask! Just do it!" Jack yelled, Rapunzel nodded and climbed on. The moment Jack stood up, Rapunzel saw the horde come closer and the fast ones were only nine feet away. Jack turned, and ran. He caught up with the other two, and passed them.
"Oh yeah, just what he needed. To run!" Hiccup told Jack before he passed. They both ran to their car, and instead of jumping right in- since the doors were locked- Merida let go of Hiccup's hand and jumped up onto the trunk, running up to the hood and helped Hiccup on up.
Jack did the same but on his blue car. The fast ones cocked it's head at themselves before letting a loud shriek. Merida crouching down, covering her ears while the others- except Jack because he was holding onto Rapunzel- did the same on covering their ears.
"They don't know where we are, they can't climb.." Hiccup whispered to Merida the moment the shrieking was over. Merida nodded at his observant.
"Seems like it." Merida replied.
They seemed to be more blind than the others, and since the others weren't wearing shoes, they didn't make as much noise coming up onto the car. They stood for a moment before running off again. Hiccup sighed after sitting on top of his green car.
"I wonder what that was about.." Hiccup muttered, Merida nodded and sat next to him.
"Thanks, Jack." Rapunzel said after she was let down from his back. "I think I would've been the slowest or something." She continued, sighing afterwords.
"That's not why I grabbed you. You're pretty fast too. " he told her.
"Then why did you grab me?" Jack shrugged, Rapunzel looked at him with a confused look.
"I don't know, it's just.. I saw you, and felt the urge to hold yo- This is coming out all wrong." Rapunzel giggled. Jack let out a chuckle himself. "But I mean.. You scraped your feet right?"
Rapunzel forgot all about it, and moved her foot to look at it. There was multiple scratches, it was covered in slight dirt and was throbbing with pain. "Oh yeah.." Rapunzel spoke.
"See." Jack looked at her.
"Thanks.. Jack. Again, thank you." Rapunzel smiled a little. He smiled back in return.
Before the four had climbed down from the car, they had to make sure nothing else was there, and it took a long time since the Flesh Eaters couldn't climb or couldn't pinpoint their smell if they smelt them. Jack jumped down after hanging his legs off the edge, he turned himself around and his hands reached up to Rapunzel. She slowly slid herself down after placing her legs off the edge and she felt the male's hands hold gently at her waist and helped her down to avoid anymore cuttings on her poor feet. They sprinted to the house they cleared out, boarding it and they all ended up collapsing in exhaustion not a moment after.
"That was what, like a mile?" Hiccup panted.
"It felt longer.." Jack replied.
"It felt like ten!" Merida shouted, and all of them ended up laughing together.
"At least we can find some fun in ththis world." Rapunzel said with breaths being taken inbetween. Merida and Hiccup nodded in unison and Jack smiled.
They all decided that sleeping was a bad idea if they were all dressed in their pajamas, so they stood nearby with shoes- well Rapunzel still didn't have shoes- on. Hiccup had regular green tennis shoes, Merida had red converse and Jack had a light blue converse on also. Merida held closely to her crossbow, and she looked at Jack when he asked a question.
"So the names you shouted, where those your brothers names?"
"Aye."
"And that voice.." Jack asked in a way. Merida nodded in reply.
"It was Huberts. Their voices are slightly different." She said.
"Don't worry, I'm sure they're fine." Rapunzel said and looked at her. Merida smiled, and nodded.
"Yeah."
The moment the sun started rising up, they all changed and got prepared. Merida strapped her crossbow around herself before heading out first. Rapunzel ended up grabbing the frying pan, and when Jack asked her, she simply said that she was skilled with it and already attached to it. They walked out to the cars, and the boys decided to be in the same and vice versa for the girls. Before Merida got in and drove, she looked off in the distance of where she ran.
"Boys.." She muttered.
Rapunzel lightly tapped the hood of the car to get Merida's attention, it worked and then she slid herself into the passenger seat after the red head did.
They drove to a little more into the town, passing by abandoned stores, houses, until Merida stopped in front of a house that was three tier and was a beautiful shade of blue-white.
"This is the address?" Rapunzel asked, noticing something move in the living room area, the curtain did.
"Aye." Merida got out of the car, slamming it behind her and without any hesitation, the door of the house swung open and three little teenagers ran out screaming Merida's name. The red head didn't hesitate to start running them halfway- since she parked on the other side of the road, Merida and the three boys hugged in the middle of the road, all bundled and laying on the ground.
Rapunzel smiled as she watched the four red headed people giving hugs and kisses, smiling and laughing. But her famous smile ended up fading away from how hurt she is on the inside from losing Sophie, so she turned around and slid herself to sit on the ground, fidgeting with a small bracelet that she managed to take off of Sophie's wrist before being ushered out.
Once Merida's reunion was over, she introduced them.
"I'm confused, can you introduce them again?" Jack asked after the triplets were introduced, they looked so similar. Due to Jack's asking, the three of them laughed.
"You can tell-" started Hubert
"By the difference-" continued Harris
"Of our voice." And finished Hamish. At that moment, Jack and Hiccup replied with an oh sounding replying, while Rapunzel giggled.
"And you're the oldest?! No way!" Hiccup looked at Merida, her arms crossed and looked a little surprise at that comment.
"Aye?" Her voice prolonged it and sounded like a really confused question.
"I mean, they look older, your younger looking?" Hiccup tried not to sound like he was questioning himself or herself
"Oh, thanks.. I guess." Merida replied.
"You guys would make such a cute couple." Hubert spoke up, looking at the two of them. The moment it escaped his lips, Merida and Hiccup's face lit ip in a red shade of blush, and everyone except the two were laughing.
Hamish explained after they were all done laughing about how he knew about the Flesh-Eater invasion, and without even a second, he and his brothers stocked up on months worth of food- because the place was completely packed and everyone was running about taking stuff so they joined in- and lived in the place they had rented since the first day, not once did they come across anything or anyone.. But something seemed really wrong about that story to Merida, nonetheless, she believed them.
They stood around, huddled next to the warm fire they made in the fire place. They told stories of their life before the apocalypse, just randomly drinking the beer the triplets had stocked up on- however, except Rapunzel. She prefered water.
"My mother and father were so much in love, got married after college was over. My mom was crazy over having kids, my father.. Not so much apparently. The moment Emma was born, he decided to leave. Leave us hanging, not play child support, anything.. I yelled, cursed- and I was only fourteen." Jack smiled and took a sip of his beer, while Hiccup and Merida laughed. He continued after. "But, my mom took care of us no matter what. The moment I turned sixteen, I immediately got a job." He smiled a little, remembering the moments, then he looked at Hiccup. "Your turn."
"Yeesh, uhm.. Where- Oh, I'm an only child. My mother passed away when I was only a baby, she got a rare illness that had no cure and she was on a time limit, and according to my dad- She... She took me anywhere she wished to go. I was learning to talk back then, and she took me to many places- Like the zoo, lessons to play piano or guitar, she was really into piano." Hiccup smiled.
"What about Astrid?" Rapunzel asked.
"We grew up together- well, no she was always my next door neighbor and I thought she was way out of my league when we got older. Well, we did end up dating but now it's over. Just only two years." He shrugged. "She was fiesty, but really.. Really clingy." He laughed a little, before lightly touching the back of his hand onto Merida's bicep. "Your turn."
Merida exhaled a little.
"Start with mom and dad!" Hubert spoke up.
"A'ight, A'ight. My- Our- mom and faither, they loved each other since seven years. They got married- after College- so thats somethin' similar to Jack's parents. " Jack chuckled. "My mom, she was strict. My god, was she.." Merida's voice trailed off, remembering her memories, how much she missed them. "My faither, he kept teachin' me archery. It always made me happier when I was down. Came along the triplets, wee little devils. They were able to get away with murder if they wanted! "The triplets laughed along with the others, Merida smiled before taking a sip of her beer. "Life was simplier."
"Punz, your turn."
Rapunzel took a moment before replying.
"My dad had this.. Swearing problem.. He would swear at stubbing his toe, burning himself, hitting a wall.. He was always swearing even when the tv was acting up or wouldn't play channels, but.. He may have swore, but not to any human being ever. When my mom was pregnant with me, she made him quit for weeks and weeks. And he did. He recently started it up before all this happened and I always coached or yelled at him, and we would always laugh.. my father was not only my hero, but he was my best friend. A nice, swearing, best friend." Merida smiled.
"You were close huh?" Jack asked. Rapunzel nodded. "Yep." She replied.
Hubert turned his head, and he saw something out the window- but he didn't tell them, all that happened was him shaking uncontrollably.
"We best get to bed." Merida said after they all finished their beverage, clearing her throat. "I'll sleep out here, this house has two spare bedrooms as I see, right?" She turned to her brothers.
"Yeah." Hamish replied. Hiccup stood up, walking over to his backpack to take out and unfold a green sleeping bag, laying it right next to the couch.
"I'll sleep out here also." He looked at Merida and smiled, who returned his smile with another.
Rapunzel slept in one of the spare rooms with her pink blanket she had stored in her backpack, Jack in the other with his blue blanket and the triplets all slept in one room that had a bunk-bed and a spare bed on the other side of the room.
They all slept through the night, but the two in the living room was unaware of the door being open.
"Oh pity, she found her brothers.." A semi accent was hinted in a smoothing, dark voice from a male, his hand ran along the sofa while he looked at Merida, peacefully sleeping.
"Sir, we need to go-" a sweet voice spoke.
"You're right, Tori. We do." The male turned and was about to walk out the door, turning to the younger female whose brown hair was shining in the small fire, her hair had pink and green highlights in it, her face was small but likeable, adorable in a way, her unusual pink eyes shone also.
"Oh, I mean Doctor Toothiana." And the door closed after they left, who was the man though?
