Zane sat against the wall on the outside of the cafe, sitting beside a small fire. He thought of the survivalist shows where a guy sits in a small little shelter with a fire in front of him. Zane always wondered what it'd be like. Sleeping in a hostile and foreign place. Weird. Zane spit a mouthful of saliva to the side and snorted. It was cold. He had a small pile of wall paper lying beside him as good fire starters and two wooden chairs that were already missing some pieces to them. Zane was using them as firewood.
The fire was starting to get smaller and he was getting colder. He picked up his axe and stood over a chair and brought it crashing down on the chair. Separating the chair pieces apart. He took a leg and back piece to toss into the fire. Zane then placed a small sheet wall paper over the fire that caught a blaze easily. He sat back down and sighed. Being alone. To himself. This is what he preferred. Zane was happier this way. Ever since he went to juvenile hall he wasn't the same. Zane used to like singing music, being in choir, he was even thinking about dance classes in hip hop and jazz.
All gone after he was sent to juvenile detention. They said he'd be out in six months. He got in trouble for a simple party bust that he didn't even want to be at. His older sister brought him so she wouldn't have to babysit him. Zane wasn't the type of party type. It was the first party he was ever at. He got forced into drinking games and smoking things. Then the cops came. His sister left him with some guy, leaving him to the cops. His Mom was furious. Zane was then sent to juvenile hall. That's where things went worse for him. Where he turned cold.
His first month was hell. He kept getting bullied and beaten up. His second day after being processed, Zane got punched because he took the last fork in the food line. After awhile of just taking the beatings, he realized he had to start fighting back or else his stay would get worse. Zane crafted a shank with his tooth brush but shaving it against the metal frame of his bed. When a older kid tried to steal some of Zane's stuff and beat him up, Zane stabbed him in the side four times. He didn't mean to go overkill. He just wanted to protect himself and the only way the older kid would have left him alone is if he learned his lesson.
Things started to go better. Zane started to stand his ground more. The guards started to treat him worse, but the other inmates gave up messing with him. To keep his dominance, Zane would get in fights or mess other kids up. One boy once looked at him wrong across the chow hall. The boy laughed with his friends about it. So Zane went to walk his tray away behind the boy. Zane grabbed him by the back of his head and smashed his face on the table. Broken nose and missing teeth. Two of the boy's friends tried to fight Zane. Zane gave a punch to one, swollen shut black eye. The other boy tackled Zane and tried throwing punches. But the guards had stopped them then.
Zane went from three months to eight. He finally had built himself up so much that the inmates left him alone, which kept him out of trouble long enough to be let out. When he did, the old Zane didn't come out. A new Zane was born in that prison. He didn't go back to choir, gave up on any thoughts of college or putting any effort toward school. Zane still got into fights. Some boy tried to bully him if he was going to choir and if he turned gay in prison. Zane beat the boy's face black and blue to the point that the nurse didn't know what to do but send him to the hospital. Zane got suspended. It didn't matter to him. He wanted out of school. Away from people.
If he could survive on his own, he'd leave these kids. Weak. That's what he thought of them. If he was in charge, everyone would have to pull their weight around the place. Half of these kids wouldn't last a day on their own. It would be like prison. A jungle. You're either the predator or the prey. Zane learned that the hard way on his own. Blocking out emotions. Don't be stupid. That's what he would always tell himself. Zane then started to hum of his favorite songs. Looking at the fire. His sleeveless denim shirt didn't help to be cold.
He then heard the door to the cafe open and the boy Quincy come out holding a steaming pool with a spoon in hand. Zane stopped humming and looked away from him.
"Hey, Dante asked me to bring this stew out for you since you're on watch and all." Quincy said. Zane didn't bother to look at him.
"Leave it there. I'll get it when I'm hungry." Zane said poking his fire with a stick.
"You sure? I mean it could get cold if you leave it out." Zane turned and gave Quincy a hard look.
"I'll get it in a second. Screw off, now." Zane said coldly. Quincy got the message. He placed the bowl down and went back inside. He had volunteered to stay up and guard the kids until he picked someone else to stay up. Zane planned to wait until everyone was asleep. He didn't want anyone keeping him awake longer than he wanted. Plus he didn't like the idea of sleeping while others were awake. Sleeping was when you were vulnerable. So he'd stay up and be sure no one was going to bother. Beside Zane was the ambulance where some of the nomads were sleeping. Mostly the children. He could see the thirteen year old in the window, leaning his head against the passenger side window.
The nomads were offered to sleep inside the cafe with the majority of other teens. The children were sleeping with one older kid watching over them. Zane didn't care about them. He felt a slight bad and hoped the children would get somewhere safe soon. They'd die without protection. That's what it was like. They needed walls around them. Zane smirked at a irony thought. He'd probably be safer in a prison. Zane sometimes questioned if he'd ever want to go back. When he was behind those bars, he wondered if life would ever go back to what it was like. It didn't. Zane preferred prison than the outside. Life in prison was easier than the outside world. At noon he'd get fed. He would be permitted at the minimum of daylight to go outside and into the courtyard.
He liked those hours. The majority of those times a fight would happen that he liked to watch. He learned how to play basketball on the streets. How to smuggle that was valuable. Cigarettes, painkillers, gum. Zane learned to cut a hold on the inside bottom of his shoe and dig out some of the insides to make room for his valuables. Zane wouldn't usually smoke cigarettes. They were better to trade. Kids would give up their whole meals at chow time for one cigarette. Zane once got ten bucks for half a cigarette. Zane spent a lot of time in his cell working out. Push ups every ten minutes. Pull ups from the cell bars every twenty minutes. Crunches every thirty minutes. That was his life. He didn't get to do much in that six by eight cell. Zane started to read more than ever. At some point he stopped reading series books because the prison library didn't have all the editions. He also even started to write music. Mostly grungy stuff.
Suddenly in the corner of his eye he noticed something move around the ambulance. He didn't care much since it was the Nomad's problem. Not his. But Zane had the urge to plunge his axe into something. He rose and walked over, axe in hand. It was small and fast, he could only see it's shadowed figure from the poor light of the fire. It moved quickly into the alley. That's when he noticed it was two legged and short up to his hip. Zane slowly walked around the corner and found it peeking beside a dumpster down into the alleyway. Zane then reached out and grabbed it by the neck then threw him to the ground. He heard the thing grumble with pain. Zane reached into his pocket and drew his Zippo lighter and flicked it on. The light revealed the small long blonde hair from the Nomads.
"The hell are you doing out here." Zane mumbled at the boy. He seemed a bit frightened at first, leaning against the cafe building's wall. He looked into Zane's eyes.
"I saw something in the alley. Things. I think they're greenheads." He said confidently. The boy then stood up and pulled out a switchblade, flicked out the blade. "I was gonna kill 'em with this!"
Zane smirked. Snatched the switchblade out of his hand. "You think this was gonna cut it? Where the hell you find this?" The boy crossed his arms.
"Niall's pocket. He was sleeping. So I borrowed it."
"Stole it."
"What?"
"You stole it. Admit the crime thief."
"Fine, I stole it. I was gonna give it back when I took care of the greenheads."
"You talking about the freaks?"
"Freaks, greenheads. Same thing."
"Pip Squeak. You ain't gonna be any use dead. Don't be stupid." Zane turned and looked down the street. Still though. The kid things that there's something down here. Better check and see so it doesn't sneak up on Zane while on guard.
"So lil' man. You saw something down here?" Zane asked holding his axe near the cold steel wedge.
"Yeah, I did. Somethings. And the name's Gus." Gus said with an emphasis on the somethings.
"Alright Gus. I'll take care of these bastards." Zane then stepped out from behind the dumpster when the boy Gus tried to follow.
"Hey, what you think you're doing Pip Squeak?"
"Coming to kill the greenheads."
Zane grumbled to himself.
"Look, you aren't going to be much use to me. Besides I need room to deal with these fools."
The boy then drew a flashlight from his pocket.
"How's about this? I borrow this too."
Zane couldn't help but smirk a second. The kid had balls. Cocky. But a cute kind of cocky. He was a child.
"Fine. Stay right beside me. Shine that light directly in front of me and no where else then. A'ight?"
"A'ight!" Gus then clicked on the flashlight and shined bright around the dumpster. Zane put away his Zippo lighter and let Gus shine the way. Zane moved down the alleyway with the axe in both hands, ready. He was really looking to chop up some freak. If the kid was right, freaks. Even better. They continued moving into the back alley where it was an intersection. The two looked both ways. Left then right.
"You see where the somethings went?" Zane asked.
"No! I could only see them in the alley way from the window of the ambulance."
"Fine, fine. We'll just have to search the left side and right." Zane moved to the left of the intersection and had Gus shine the way. They quickly came to the barrier's that Troy had the group make. It was of junk from the alley way that the group didn't need. They made the barrier out of junk to keep the freaks from surrounding them. The barrier was made from a dumpster, which was tipped over, nailed down pallets, and a few poorly made spikes out of wood point away from Zane and Gus.
"Looks clear." Gus said. Kid was right. Nothing here. They then turned around and started to walk back towards the intersection.
"Care to explain why your group let you out of the ambulance?" Zane asked as they continued down the street.
"They didn't exactly let me. I kinda made it happen for myself."
"You sneaked out?"
"Sort of, not really, yeah. I did."
"How?"
"Waited till Niall wasn't focused on us and dozing in and out of sleep to hop out of the ambulance. Next question?"
"How effing dumb are you?"
"Whatcha mean?" Zane turned to the kid and stood over him. Looking hard at him.
"Going out to fight freaks on your own. That's stupid. Really stupid. What'd you think you were gonna do? Kill all of them with that dinky little shank? Dumb idea. Don't be stupid." Zane said coldly. Gus looked down and moped.
"Just wanted to help protect the group." Gus said sadly.
"You leave the fighting to the older kids. You're small. You'll grow. You can help in other ways than that." Zane said flatly.
"Like lighting the way for a fight." Gus asked with a small glint of life. Zane rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, this time. Don't be stupid again. It could and will be your last."
He didn't care if he hurt the kid's feelings. He needed to learn. One way or another. Zane didn't like repeating himself so he made it clear to the boy. Zane and Gus then continued down the alley way towards the next barrier. Gus shined the light around the alleyway, giving Zane a feel of what he was looking at. That's when he noticed a green dumpster tipped over that was a barrier. But around the corner of it, he saw a pair of feet that was on it's knees. The legs were wearing shorts, revealing it's hairy and moldy green skin.
"Freaks." Zane mumbled to himself. Gus switched hands he held up the flashlight.
"What do we do?"
"I am going to kill these bastards, you stay a few feet back behind me." Zane commanded. The boy was clearly scared. His forehead was covered with sweat and he was frantic. Zane walked forward with his axe ready in hands. The light guiding him was a little off since Gus was a few feet behind him. Zane rounded the corner to see two freaks eating something. The one short man with it's back toward Zane turned around, holding a kid's black skinned arm. The freak's mouth was covered with blood and with a chunk of flesh in it's mouth. Zane looked at the black skinned arm. Sacha. He thought to himself.
Zane sprung forward and swung his axe from his left shoulder down toward the freak. The axe plunged right into the freak's lower neck where it meets the shoulders. The freak groaned with pain. Zane kicked the freak's chest to free the axe from it's neck and send the freak out of commission. The second freak was a skinny mother wearing a plain pink shirt. She noticed Zane standing over her dying friend's body. She rose and moved forward. Zane swung his axe perfectly horizontal that sliced the freak's throat. She held it's throat as it bled out horribly, falling face down on the pavement. Zane then stomped on the back of her head, crushing her face in, ending it's struggle.
Zane smiled at the bloodshed he caused and cleaned the blade of his axe off the pink shirt of the freak. Gus came up and held a hand over his mouth.
"Pretty gruesome eh?" Zane said flatly.
"Totally cool! You killed those greenheads no problem!"
Zane was still leaned over the dead female freak, cleaning his axe blade, while looking at the boy.
"Cool? This thing would have ate your effing face. Kids died every day by one of these things. It isn't that cool." Zane said. He looked up at the boy, his face was now frozen, pointing behind Zane.
"Look out!" He screamed.
Zane turned around to be tackled by something. By the smell of how bad it reeked, it was without a doubt a freak. It was a hooded teenager freak with a bandana around it's head. Zane kept his right forearm into it's throat while trying to keep it's right shoulder away by pressing his left arm against it. But it was pointless. The freak was stronger and broke away Zane's forearm, leaning in closer. Zane then held the freak by the slimy and nasty neck, keeping it's jaws away. But the freak was leaning in more. Getting too close. Zane then took initiative. His axe was underneath him, his only weapon. He had to go old fashion.
Zane clenched his teeth and dug his thumbs into the freak's eyes. Brown juicy liquid came out of both and a disgusting squishing went off that was probably it's eye balls bursting. The freak howled with pain but kept trying to chomp it's teeth into Zane. Zane tried to jab his thumbs in deeper, but couldn't get the thing to stop. Then a switchblade went into the freak's skull, killing it. The freak then went limp in Zane's palms. He threw it to the side of him, in the process he freed his thumbs from it's eye sockets.
Zane looked to Gus who had dark murky blood on his hand from shoving the switchblade into the freak's head. He seemed petrified. Zane rolled onto his side and pulled himself up.
"Killing freaks still cool?" Zane said. Gus looked at Zane and smiled.
"Totally!" Zane almost faced palmed himself, but remembered he had freak eye juice on his thumbs. Zane pulled out the switchblade from the freak's head and picked up his axe. Zane looked at what the freaks were eating. The girl Sacha. Apart from the arm that the freak was eating. There wasn't much left of her. Just a bloody slop of her body and a pair of shoes.
"Wonder what they were eating." Gus said curiously. Zane smacked the back of his head.
"Her name was Sacha." Zane then turned around and began walking back to the ambulance. Gus moved quickly to keep up.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"Don't worry about it. I barely even know the girl much."
"She was still part of your group though?"
"Yeah, don't mean a lot. I'm not exactly buddy-buddy with everyone."
"Why?"
"I ain't exactly a friendly guy."
"I can see that." Zane then turned and glared at Gus. He backed away a little more.
"I mean, you're not the nicest of guys."
"Good. I do that for a reason."
"But why?"
"So I don't get close to anybody."
"Why?"
"Because everyone is temporary. The people with us right might not be with us tomorrow, or forever. I've grown to know to not get close to anyone in this way of life. Nobody is good enough for that. I like being alone. People aren't reliable. People aren't resourceful. I know there's one person I can always count on. Me. That's how I am. Now you listen, we don't talk about this. Ever. Or you'll be covered in black and blue." Zane said grabbing Gus' collar of his shirt and dragging him on. He grumbled at being tugged around but complied. It was good. Zane was in a good mood. He'd love to smack some sense into the kid. It'd benefit himself and the boy. Zane, because he was getting annoyed to be babysitting him. It'd benefit the boy to see how harsh life is and he should be appreciative. Making him tougher. If he were to survive longer than Zane would expect, it'd be best for him.
Zane in the end was glad that he went to prison. He became tough and who he is. Some people said he was just cold. Cold blooded. That's okay. Nobody messed with him. It was better that way. The one boy in the Nomads though, Mason. He needed a lesson. If he wasn't careful, he'd learn quick. Tough guy. Big. But not experienced in the stuff that Zane went through. Fighting was way of survival to him. Zane learned that life was basically as though everyone were lions. If you didn't succeed in fighting or getting over others, you'd die. Failure wasn't an option.
Zane eventually reached the back of the ambulance and hammered his fist against the door. He heard someone coming to the door and opened it. It was Niall boy.
"Why you waking us up man?" He asked rubbing his eyes. Zane pulled Gus into the light so he was clearly visible.
"One of your children fell out of the crib. Keep a better eye on your kids." Zane said pushing Gus into Niall. He didn't bother to hear them talk it out. Zane walked right back to his fire pit and sat back down, throwing another leg of a chair on the fire.
Just like that, he was back to being by himself. Sitting down and gazing into the fire. The warmth of it's heat burning to his skin, making the goosebumps on his arms disappear. Even though the world had turn sour with all the parents becoming cannibal monsters, Zane liked it this way. No longer was he on a leash of society. If he didn't like something. He didn't have to listen. No more rules. He could make up his own rules, follow whatever rules he wanted. Zane spit to his side and smiled. He started to think of one of his favorite songs. "John the Revelator" Zane smirked and began to sing to himself.
"Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
Who's that writin', John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Well who's that writin', John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals."