CHAPTER 7: KRISTOFF'S VENGEANCE
Anna climbed out and noticed Walkers coming out of the woods, "Kristoff, Walkers!"
"The tire explosion must have drawn them here. Take Olaf and return to camp! I'll lead the herd away," Kristoff instructed, pulling out his knives. "Sven, let's go!" Sven hopped out the truck and came to Kristoff.
"Kristoff, wait! We can all get back to camp together," Anna said.
"Anna, please! Just do as I said. We can't risk leading them back to camp," Kristoff insisted. He quickly handed Anna the bag with Elsa's weapons and ran away, yelling at the approaching herd, causing them to focus on him and the dog barking at them.
Anna grabbed Olaf's hand and ran in the direction of camp, looking back as the herd followed Kristoff and Sven into the woods. Good luck.
Despite not being pursued by the herd of Walkers, Anna ran faster. Kristoff was risking his life so they could get away. She had to get her uncle to camp and get others to go after Kristoff.
Kristoff ran through the woods with his crossbow strapped to his back and held a knife with an underhanded grip in each hand. Sven ran next to him panting heavily. The German shepherd was getting up there in years, but did well running when he needed to. Kristoff stopped to look back to see the herd still following him. It was starting to sprinkle. Oh, great! He started running again.
According to procedure established by Agnarr before his death, when leading a herd away from camp, run a few miles in the opposite direction, loose the herd and double back the long way to camp. Not every walker and slayer need to be faced. Survival was the highest priority. The more he ran, the heavier the rain became, but it didn't keep the herd from following him. He hoped it would help mask his scent, but it didn't.
Back at camp, Elsa stood in the cabin's doorway watching for Kristoff's red truck to appear. She became increasingly worried when she noticed it was starting to rain harder. What's taking them so long? I sent them to scavenge me a new firearm. How long could that take? Her attention quickly turned to the driveway when a silver truck pulled in and Mattias stepped out and reported back to her. "Found our second vehicle. It was wise to send me out for a new one in case of emergency."
"Father always told us to be prepared," Elsa said.
"He was a very wise man. It was an honor to serve beside him at Fort Michael. He saved my life you know," Mattias smiled.
"He did? How?" Elsa asked, now interested.
"During our first clean-up operation. The objective was to clear out the nearest town of the vast herd of walkers. I ran out of ammo and a Slayer was rushing me. I thought to myself…this is it. God must've had different plans for me, cause your father came out of nowhere and killed the Slayer with a single shot from his revolver," Mattias shared.
Elsa smiled. She and everyone became alarmed when Anna appeared out of nowhere with a man. "Uncle Olaf?!" Elsa yelled with surprise.
Olaf smiled, "Do I know you?"
Elsa hugged him, "It's me, Elsa. Anna is my sister."
Olaf looked at Anna with surprise, "You have a sister, Anna?!"
Elsa shook her head with a smile.
"I can't waist time here! The truck blew a tire close to camp and got the attention of a herd of walkers! Kristoff is leading them away," Anna reported with urgency, "He needs back up!"
Elsa wasn't worried, "Don't be alarmed, Anna. Kristoff knows the procedure. He's not to engage them. He'll be back. You will stay here. Kristoff is more than capable of eluding simple walkers."
"I'm not leaving him out there alone, Elsa!" Anna yelled angrily.
Back in the woods, the rain was definitely heavy, his clothes and hair were soaked from the rain Kristoff stopped and looked back but didn't see the herd. "I think we lost them, Sven."
Sven began to growl.
"What is it Sven?" Kristoff asked.
Sven was looking in different directions around them as he growled fiercely.
Kristoff looked up and noticed they were being surrounded by Walkers. There were too many. Suddenly, all the Walkers stopped when a Slayer's scream filled the air. Kristoff's eyes widened with shock when he saw a Slayer emerge from the herd, a face he saw only once…when his mother was torn apart in Fort Michael. "You."
Kristoff held up his knives defensively, glancing at the Walkers around him. What he was seeing was different. Walkers never stopped like this, but they acted like they were under the Slayer's command or control. His angry hazel eyes locked onto the Slayer standing several feet away. Sven stoon behind him, watching his back and growling at the surrounding Walkers. Kristoff yelled at the Slayer in the heavy rain, "I'm going to kill you for what you did to my mother!"
The Slayer screamed again and Walkers started coming to Kristoff. Sven sank his teeth into the decayed flesh of the Walkers that got close, desperate tearing them apart so they could get to Kristoff. Kristoff quickly stabbed the Walkers in the head as Sven brought them down. The Slayer watched as Kristoff and the dog fought off one Walker after the other before joining as well. When Kristoff turned, he quickly blocked the Slayers snapping jaws while the Slayer's hands tore at his clothing to harm him. Kristoff quickly raised his knife to kill it, but the Slayer blocked his hand and grabbed his other hand. Sven was too busy fighting off other approaching Walkers to help Kristoff as the Slayer overpowered Kristoff, slowly forcing him on his back in the mud as its boney teeth opened once more to tear into him. Kristoff's eyes widened as death slowly became certain. "Sven!"
Sven barked, hearing Kristoff's call, but was surrounded by Walkers and couldn't help.
There was suddenly a chorus of gunfire ripping through the heads of all the Walkers. The Slayer was distracted briefly by the noise but focused on Kristoff instead. Anna came out of nowhere, yelling as she jumped onto the Slayer's back with her mother's knife. The Slayer pulled away from Kristoff to deal with Anna and grabbed her by her red hair and flipped her onto the ground before going in for the kill, but before it could, Kristoff slammed into it and onto the ground before repeatedly stabbing it in the head. Vengeance burned in Kristoff's eyes and echoed in his yell. Anna grabbed his arm which got his attention before he fainted from exhaustion in her arms.
"Kristoff! Kristoff! ELSA!" Anna's voice called urgently as Kristoff's world went black.
Kristoff woke up in the cabin back at camp with Anna by his side. Her face lit up when their eyes met. "Elsa! Everyone! He's awake!" Kristoff looked up and noticed everyone was there. Elsa. Mattias. Tuva. Sorenson. Kai and Gerda. Olaf.
"You gave us quite a scare, son," Mattias said.
"What you did for this group…we won't forget," Gerda said and other agreed with her.
Kristoff was speechless by everyone warm welcomes but his eyes widened when he remembered Sven. "Sven! Where's Sven?!"
"He's right here," Elsa said and Kristoff looked by the side of the bed and saw Sven laying asleep. "Aside from a much-needed bath, Sven had no injuries. He's a fighter."
Kristoff smiled and reached down and stroked the aged German Shepherd behind the ears, accidently waking him up and looking back at Kristoff. "Good boy, Sven. Good boy." Sven barked and his tail began wagging happily. The others left leaving Elsa and Anna alone with Kristoff and Sven.
Elsa sat back at her desk. Anna giggled when Sven hopped on the bed and was licking their faces. Kristoff gave Sven a hug before glancing at them. "Thank you, you two. You saved my life."
"Now you owe us," Elsa smiled from her desk. "It was more Anna. She deserves your praise. If she didn't insist everyone to go find you-"
"Elsa," Anna whispered embarrassed when Kristoff looked at her.
He took her hand. "Thanks, Anna." She blushed which made Elsa smile. Anna quickly pulled away, "You're gorgeous."
"Wait, what?" Kristoff asked, not quiet catching it but Elsa did.
"You're welcome. I said, you're welcome. I'm going to go check out that thing," Anna answered awkwardly before heading out, but noticed Elsa covering her mouth to stifle a giggle and Anna gave her a pouty expression before quickly walking out.
"You know what that was about?" Kristoff asked from the bed.
"Oh, nothing," Elsa smiled getting up from her desk.
Kristoff got up from the cot and Elsa quickly got up to block his path, "And where do you think you are going?"
"I think I slept enough," Kristoff insisted trying to get past her, but she got in his way, not smiling when she asked, "Are you sure? You almost died, Kristoff. If Anna didn't recklessly run through the herd of Walkers when she did, that Slayer would've killed you."
"I'm fine, Elsa," Kristoff replied. Elsa stared at him more and he promised, "Really. My mom can finally rest knowing she's been avenged. I'm more than fine." He squeezed past her awkwardly accidently smelling her hair. She watched him as he left. She wasn't convinced because she knew better.