"Why are you stopping? We can't stop at every place we see." Ian inquired as he moved over to gaze outside. "I just said," Jordan sets the truck in park and shuts it off. "We're going to need more fuel soon. Maybe there's oil or diesel somewhere up there."
"Who's gonna go?" Zoey voiced. Francis rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'll go. I'll check it out."
He rose for the door grabbing his gun. "Dude no, you know not to go anywhere alone. Even if it's a short walk like that." Keirstan said while he proceeded to pull it open; he glanced back at them. "I'll be quick." He assured.
The door rolled open and so did Bill's eyes. "For Christ sake kid. You ain't going by yourself I'm going-"
"How 'bout you stay right there and quit ordering me the hell around for a bit." Francis shot back harshly with thick annoyance lacing his voice, glaring at him as Beth tugged his sleeve. "You make me sound like I can't handle myself anywhere. It's not fucking far."
"Because anything can happen even as you step outside! You ain't going alone." The veteran growled, turning to fully face him. The others remained quiet.
He sneered. "I'll be back." The large man lumbered out, Bill barked something for him to ignore. He went to shut the door when the sisters darted. It startled him and he whirled around where Francis watched them stand in front of the trees. He sighed quietly. "Get back inside."
"Make me," Kayla folded her arms defiantly.
He went to push her and she scurried away. "Guys come on." He reached for Beth only for her to back up. He tried to herd them in the vehicle, stretching his arms and storming after the pair in a feeble chase uttering curses under his breath; and looking all over when they scattered. He stopped after multiple failed attempts, when both parted from either side of him. "Please just get back in the truck! I don't want anything happening to you!"
"So nothing could happen to you?" Beth darkly rumbled. "It's not just you looking out for us. We look out for you too."
He thinned his lips and closed his eyes for a moment. "Better me than you. So get inside damn it I can hold my own."
"You're not going without backup I don't care what you say." Kayla strictly defended.
Another door squeaked open for Louis to jump out as well. The biker turned to him exasperated. "Your stubbornness as karma." He mused, shutting the latch.
"I gotta piss!" Jordan announced, strolling towards a frozen brush with his back to them. His pant zipper sounded and so did a stream seconds later.
"Go already! We have to leave!" Zoey hollered from the cabin.
Francis stiffened. He stared at them for a long moment when a noise emitted from him and he raised an index finger. "Stay. Close. To me. You hear? I know you like to wander off," he warned the older sibling.
They grabbed a couple of umbrellas in caution of Boomers. The five ventured towards the gate as Amber fidgeted nervously. "Should I go so those two don't do anything idiotic?" Through the window Louis was now wildly pulling at the gate until Jordan held up a hand with sass, then proceeded to open it leaving him struggling as well. "You should stay. Francis has them they'll be fine." Ian advised, chipping dried blood off the blade of his hatchet.
Amber stole another uneasy look outside. She drummed her fingers on the window frame. "Alright I'll stay. I guess." She hesitantly decided. "Be safe!"
Jordan hauled at the gate with Francis pulling from next to him. It was heavily covered in ice that chipped and crunched with each tug. "I hate ice 'n gates." Francis grumbled. "Hold on," Jordan backs up then raised his axe high, slamming the blade into the frozen liquid. He hacked away and Francis tugged. "Why not we just climb over it?" Beth suggested
"If we find anything we shouldn't risk any containers bursting open if we throw them over." Louis pointed out as the two finally yanked it ajar. The gate stuck again much to their annoyance. Once inspected Jordan found a heavily frozen rock partially buried in snow blocking the path. "Just squeeze through. This thing will take too long to dig out."
The girls went first. Sliding through the small space with ease followed by Beth's partner. Louis had a pinch of struggle leaving Francis stuck on the previous side. He studied it while they waited. He was too big to get through. "Ah shit, ok." He handed Kayla his firearm and looked at the top of the fence then grasped onto the chain links. He struggled to catch a firm grip but pulled himself over as quick as he could and landing next to them with a heavy thud. His boots suddenly slipped from underneath him, and he and fell hard on his ass despite his startled efforts to catch his balance.
The fence jiggled stiffly when he fell into it and a chorus of poorly stifled giggles erupted from the four. "Yeah laugh it up you guys. I hear you." He mumbled, grasping the links in a daze to help himself up. He could also hear the others in the truck. Especially Bill, who was roaring in laughter now. Francis raised a middle finger high at the vehicle and led the way, taking back his gun as he passed.
"Aww," Beth cooed. The group started marching up the hill. Cautious of the woods and what may be watching among the snowy trees. "Least you didn't break your back again."
"Oh God, don't remind me." Francis groaned as he rested his head back. "You broke your back? When?" Louis proclaimed through breaths.
"About four, five years ago. I got a little too drunk and for some shit reason I didn't listen to anyone in a bar. I was heading out before I was kicked out. On my way home I crashed my bike in a ditch and send myself into some rocks ahead in the woods. Hard enough to snap it. Didn't know it was broken till I tried getting up and I heard the crunch. I realized I couldn't feel my legs but felt the pain kicking in. Laid there for two hours unable to move much, my phone was smashed so I couldn't call anyone. Finally a family drove by, saw the crash 'n stopped. They found me tryin' to stay awake and called an ambulance. I was paralyzed waist down for six 'n a half months. Then it took another three weeks to get my strength back to walk. Worst pain I've ever felt in my life holy shit. That hurt. Doctors told me I'm lucky I can walk again."
"Yeah? Sounds it. Jesus you're lucky you didn't die." Jordan said, "do you have any problems with it?"
Francis looked forward to see how close they were getting. "I used to I mean, once in a great while I get aches. But they're not enough to bother me. Other than that no. But then I have these two jumping on me from time to time." He lazily eyed the girls.
"Damn…" Louis muttered.
"So we added 'brokeback bastard' to the list of nicknames." Kayla said. He gave her a playful scowl, "well? Don't drink and drive idiot."
"Hey you know I haven't since."
Both boys laughed at the name. "There's more than Frannie?" Louis wanted to know.
"Yep. We've got those two, Francine, Francisco and Sasquatch."
"I love that." Jordan chuckled at the last one.
Unamused the biker frowned with brows furrowed while they roasted him. A booming sound suddenly echoed through the air from ahead. Kayla recoiled, her playfulness sharply cut from the noise. "I really hate that damn sound." She growled out.
"I love it!" Beth exclaimed, "it's just ice shifting on water. Why is it so creepy to you?"
"It just is, especially at night. I hate it."
They approached the top of the hill where a small group of buildings sat in the center from a cliff surrounded by trees. The survivors scanned the structures cautiously sneaking towards them. Lights were on inside. Some infected lingered around and spots the group. Jordan swung his axe through the head of one and shoved it away. It bounced off a wall while Beth ran pass another, slicing its stomach wide open, and it gargled in agony.
Francis took another look at the buildings and realized they were connected. One was a small storage shed, the other a garage with a set of fog horns on its roof. The third being a lighthouse as Louis guessed. There was a series of ladders around the three; he gazed up at the top of the tower where the light was shining off into a distance.
"Jordan and I will take a look around the shed and garage. You guys can search the house." Louis offered. The two moved off as Jordan rapidly and dramatically blew kisses at Beth who started fake-sobbing so he dragged a finger down his face with a devastated expression when he started to vanish inside the shed.
The trio stepped inside. Wooden floor beams creaked under their boots. In the room sat a bookcase, scattered chairs and a large desk. Written on a wall in thick blue marker was a message: "Maddie, if you can read this, RUN. They followed us here. Only way out was the way we came. There's thousands of them now. I love you.-Dean." Francis read it quietly.
Thousands...
He turned away disturbed. And saw a doorway stood open ahead. Seen through the entrance was a small hall leading to what looked like a bigger area. "Can we check out the top before we look for oil? I want to see the view." Beth asked. "We ain't here for sightseeing, gotta keep going hun." Francis replied. "Come on, maybe there's some up there...what? Sometimes you'll find what you need in the weirdest places." She chirped when he gave her a suspicious glance from the corners of his eyes. "You just want to see the view."
"Life is short, especially now." She snapped her fingers.
"I'll go look!" Kayla declared and walked up a set of spiral stairs. "N-guys no, we have to leave." Francis argued. The older sibling quickly eyed him then vanished up the steps and making him set his jaw sternly.
"Your listening skills are flawless." Jordan and Louis heard a sarcastic mock from the shed. The structure creaked from ascending footfall. "Nothing can kill their curiosity it seems." Louis chuckled, looking through old shelves and shaking different containers.
Jordan kicked items on the floor and picked up a gas can. "Nope." He agreed. Then started joking around by saying, "hey Louis, how's life in the apocalypse?"
It took him a moment to register as a fun conversation. His face lightened, "oh! Oh, you know. It's alright. A lot of the time we're being chased by murderous sick people and mutated monsters."
Jordan rummaged through a chest. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," Louis gathered some half-full oil tins. "We crashed and burned in a helicopter-literally. Sometimes we have acid spat our way, or we're puked on; or we have a car or truck thrown at us. But everything's fine."
"Everything's fine?"
"Everything's ok." Louis grinned, "we're still breathing." Both laughed lightly as they moved out, there wasn't much more they could scrap from. "I think we've done well with avoiding being vomited on though." Jordan rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uh well, the four of us had all gotten it before we met up. It's disgusting."
The pair headed for the garage. "Really? I thought it'd be refreshing." Was the sarcastic reply.
"So refreshing."
...
"See Frannie? Told you there could be oil up here. They probably use it for the light." Beth boastfully said, turning to him and holding up a large bottle. He glanced down smiling "yeah I see it. Is there anymore?" Beth ducked back into the cabinet she found it in as he searched a storage room. "Yup, there's a few more. How much do you think we'll need?"
Francis picked up a jar to examine what it could be. "Not sure so let's take whatever we can find."
"Ok." She gathered the bottles as he pushed old, empty containers away on shelves to reach towards the back. His flashlight illuminated inside with his other hand. It was empty with dusty cobwebs. He crouched down to the lower level and rummaged around.
"Yo ho!"
With an quirked eyebrow, Francis looked back as Beth stared upwards oddly. Kayla had her hands on her hips with one boot on a crate and a face full of seriousness. She stared out a window at a large frozen lake beyond the lighthouse. "Guys. I've decided my fate."
"What the hell's that?" Francis mused.
"I've decided, I'm gonna quit this apocalypse shit," she grabbed Beth's katana and unsheathed it gracefully, pointing it at the waterscape as she spoke. "And join the PIRATE'S LIFE!"
Unknowingly, all three envisioned each other in pirate uniforms in unison. They could also hear ocean, sea Bird and yelling, rioting men sound effects in their heads while standing on a wooden ship as salt water sprayed against the boat. "It's gonna be glorious!"
"But today's pirates suck. Do you mean pirates from the 1700's?" Beth guessed.
"Yes."
"What if they're vampires?" Francis reminded. "Zombies." Beth corrected from beside him. "They're vampires Beth!"
"You're both wrong. These things are aliens you scrum. Alas, I'll tame 'em or throw them to the Sharks."
"You do realize this isn't the ocean right?" Beth pointed out. "It's a lake."
"How would you pull that off?" Francis asked.
She blinked thoughtfully. "...Alright," their imaginative display faded back to reality. "I need more time to think."
They were about to resume searching the room when a loud clanging abruptly filled the air. "Son of a fuckingsaurus!" Kayla shouted in a cracking voice, jolting backwards into a wall and letting go of the katana. It soared out the window as the other two jumped with her. "My katana!" Beth yelled in sorrow, running, but could only watch it fall out of sight.
The clanging continued until protesting shouts erupted. Francis stormed over and peered down at the forest floor, spotting a startled Louis feet away from the impaled weapon and Jordan holding a metal rod standing by an oil tank. Staring up at them suppressing a laugh. "I go to scare you guys and you throw a sword at me?"
The girls peered down as well from beside him. Kayla looking murderous, Beth appearing strained. "Great way to get attention. Did you find anything?" The biker asked.
"We did." Louis held up and jiggled a full container. Two more next to him. "There was a fuel pump in the garage."
"We found some oil up here. Think we're good?"
"Should be."
Beth took in the view as Jordan and Kayla were flicking each other off now and spewing insults at one another until the ice boomed again. She abruptly stopped to stare at it stone still. "Fuck this noise I'm out." She grumbled and returned inside. Her sister stayed by the window. Relaxed and leaning against the frame. Jordan watched her and smiled. She loved the water after all.
Her brother waited behind her. "It's nice up here. I wish we could stay."
"I'm sorry we can't."
"Why are you sorry? I know. It's pretty."
Francis smiled weakly. Sorry they couldn't enjoy these moments anymore. Eventually, after a quiet time Beth straightened. They collected their umbrellas dropped on the floor to head downstairs. "Fuckingsaurus?" Francis repeated, "is that a thing?"
"Is now."
He chortled. "Aright."
"What Francis, have you not made up your own dictionary of curses and insults?" Beth demanded.
"Haven't put much thought in it."
"Get outta here then!"
"Why?" He cried, "sorry I've been-"
"Sorry's no excuse. You're falling too far behind if you don't have one of those."
"What's with the sass."
"Can't handle my sass?" Beth shot back, Kayla laughed to herself as he grinned. "I'll sass your ass till your grandchildren's children feel it."
They were approaching the hall where he threw his hands up in defense. "I never had kids! How'll that happen?"
When he received no answer he exclaimed,"yeah, yeah! Exactly!"
"Hurry the hell up you're slower than death!" Jordan called from the entrance.
"Shut your ass up or I'll move slower just to piss you off." Kayla threatened as they pass a door in the corridor. "And you can't leave me 'cause Sasquatch won't allow it."
"Damn it!"
Louis burst into laughter again. "Sasquatch! Ahahahaha!"
Then Francis heard something from behind the threshold. He barely caught it over everyone. It became slightly more audible once he was alone. Francis froze, listening intently. Turning his head back and shifting his eyes. It sounded like a voice.
"...So...why…"
He looked at the door from over his shoulder. Francis carefully approached it, leaning his ear close to the wooden barrier. From the void he could hear soft whimpering and scratching against a surface. It was faint. As though far away. The voice sounded feminine.
"...Left...me…"
He raised a fist and almost timidly, knocked. "Hello?"
The sounds stopped.
"Are you coming?" Jordan appeared in the entrance. "Hang on. I think I heard someone." He tried the doorknob. It was unlocked.
"Hello?" Francis voiced again. "I'm coming in. Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."
The girls stood by Louis at the front entrance, looking at Jordan. Perplexed at what was happening.
"Hey I'm coming in ok?" Francis turned his flashlight on, then carefully cracked it open. It creaked at the motion, the sobbing started up once more. Louder.
"They left me! They left me!"
"I-it's alright," Francis stuttered, shining his flashlight at the ground. "We were left behind too."
"What's he doing?" Louis hoarsed. Causing Jordan to eye him. "I think he found someone."
Their faces lightened in wonder. "Someone…" the analyst repeated.
Francis peered inside. His light illuminating the floor; a part of a figure. "I'm here to help." He said softly. He moved the light up at the same time the figure shifted, and he tensed in fright at the sight of a girl around the siblings' ages. She faced him with head bowed and was terribly skinny. Chunks of blanched skin were ripped from the side of her face he could see and bare arms. Revealing bone. Clumps of light red-brown and violet highlighted hair draped across her, and her flesh she dropped on the floorboards. She was in the middle of tearing out another handful. Although stopped, her clenched fist at her head holding a bunch. The girl held her stomach with the other. A long green T-shirt she wore covered in dark-almost black blood around her abdomen. Her naked legs were also caked in it. Several scratch marks covered the walls nearest to her.
She silently gazed up towards him with sad milky white eyes.
Francis hardly had time to react when the girl sprang up with unnatural speed. She was racing for him.
He spluttered and flailed clumsily, shooting off a poorly aimed bullet. It caught her arm however, causing her to jerk and drive her into further rage. He tripped and fell through a window across the hall from the room as she swung. Barely missing him. The glass shattered loudly and Jordan hopped away. Unprepared as she barreled pass with everyone else rushing over, alarmed by the bullet. She growled menacingly, leaping through the window in a crazed way and grinding grossly stained teeth. Showing bits of skin and meat stuck between.
Jordan ran for the window, "what happened?!" Beth shouted.
"She's infected and after him!"
"Who?"
"Her!"
He motioned at the girl and the two jumped through as well. Louis and Kayla jogged across the room out the door. Francis hastily backed up with panic sprawled all over his face as he fired at his attacker again. Glass splinters rained off him when he turned to run, twisting his body to fire more with Jordan and Beth appearing behind her; hollering at the girl. The other two sped around a corner, pointing their guns. She moved too quickly, and most of their bullets missed. The ones that caught grazed her skin and tore her shirt. All four ran to catch up, and Louis tried to tackle her away; but the girl shoved him back with a swipe sending him into the snow and mud.
So Kayla pulled out a knife when she was close enough and went to strike. She missed when the girl rammed into the biker with so much force and speed, he slipped and they tumbled down the hill into the forest together.
She wailed as he cried out painfully. Bouncing off tree trunks and snow covered rocks. Bullets flew overhead during the fall when he finally landed hard on his front and his firearm clattered in fallen branches out of reach. He slowly pushed himself off the ground, voices yelling mixed with frantic footfall and gunfire from above and now ahead of him. Francis looked up seeing the girl rising, breathing aggressively. He clambered onto his boots when she charged, he shoved her away knocking her on her back and pinned the girl down with a knee against her chest; unsheathing his machete.
She squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed. Digging forming claws into his pant leg. Tears trickled down her ruined face. "Why didn't they want to help me? Why did they leave me all alone?"
At the sound of her voice, Francis hesitated. His expression slowly softening from a hardness. An infected was speaking.
Her agony, lament and how human she sound made him freeze. He stared down at the hysteric girl. His weapon quivering in his hold.
She was forgotten like they were. But they were immune. As far as anyone knew.
"How are you so lucky?..." She whimpered. "I miss my dad. My mom. They left me behind. Where'd they go? Where are they? I don't want to be here. I want to go home…"
They had a chance.
She had nothing left.
They were survivors.
And she was going to die. Afraid. Hopeless. In pain. She was so young too. Looking as young as his sisters.
Francis lowered his arm subconsciously. His heart fluttered, his chest and throat tightened. Screams of infected began to fade as the numbers dwindled into nothing. Here he was holding one down at his mercy. Unable to bring himself to end her suffering.
"I'm sorry...this happ-"
Both were interrupted when another gunshot exploded somewhere near them. The bullet drove through the top of her head and she went still.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" A furious voice made him gaze ahead. Bill was storming towards him with anger unlike he's seen. "Get up! Now!"
He obeyed, he stared down at the girl until Bill spoke again. "What was that boy? Do I seriously have to remind you? You don't hesitate! Hesitation will get you killed!"
"I had 'er calm your tits."
"Really." Bill overlapped his words. "Didn't look that way to me."
Francis retrieved his gun and looked at Bill glumly. "Well I did so you can back the hell off!" He snarled. Amber, Ian and Zoey were on standby, listening with somber looks on their faces. They must have seen it too.
"If she was after one of your girls would you hesitate like I just saw? They're not people anymore!"
"I know Bill!" His arms flew up in retaliation, "I fucking know! God!..." He turned away, arms dropping by his sides and bowed his head.
He shook his own disapprovingly. "Move your ass," the veteran growled "that was fucking stupid."
At this, Francis felt anger swell. He went to shout something back, though stopped. He glowered at the old man and cursed at himself, shoving his melee weapon back in its pouch roughly, glancing at the body. He moved back over and knelt next to the girl. Amber and Zoey joining his side.
"What happened?" Zoey softly asked.
"...She could talk." He said quietly. Barely audible. Francis closed her eyes, then gently pushed her head aside. The side of her face that wasn't degloved.
He rose again staring at her then looked at the sky. He downcast his orbs with a quiet sigh and walked off without another word.
...
Keirstan and Ian were pouring gas into the tank and stored leftover fuel in a cabin on the side of the truck. It was turned over, the back door slammed shut and they drove off. Leaving the lighthouse and its deceased occupant behind in the cold snowy forest on that cold snowy hill.
Much of the group was quiet again. Kayla watched her brother in concern from next to Beth and Keirstan as Francis watched the outside in an exhausted state. It's happened to everyone who was left in this nightmare. But he couldn't shake how disturbed he was for that girl. She was left to die. Just like that. By her own family and from what he understood, they didn't even try to help her. She was unsavable once she contracted this fucking disease; but they hadn't thought of ending her either.
It hit him harder than previous times because, it made him think if she was immune in the beginning. These thoughts faded into another possibility. A possibility that absolutely terrified him.
What if one or both of his girls started losing their immunity and caught it?
What the hell would he do?
He remembered the silly conversation they had, of what special infected the three thought each other would be. It now bothered him more than it should.
Beth noticed his behavior and moved over to him to place a hand on his shoulder. He felt his throat thicken a second time, though tried to push the sadness and loss he could feel for the victim down. "I'm ok."
She heard his words tremble. "I'm not asking if you are. I know you're not. She isn't suffering anymore, remember that."
"I know. But…"
Francis didn't finish what he wanted to say. Beth waited patiently in case he going to. He never did. He hadn't looked at her, she settled in her spot next to him.
He thought of how everything left became so much crueler since the world died. It was either find who you could or you were alone. It didn't matter. At the end of it all, if one was unable to escape, it was fatal.