Ch. 8
'Friend or Foe Pt. Two'
[Chattanooga, TN, Midnight]
'Bump'
Amanda rolled over in her sleep ignoring the sound.
'Bump'
"Wake up." Blake said shaking Amanda's shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Amanda asked rubbing her eyes before being pulled up. "What the fuck?" Amanda asked after being lifted up by her arm.
'Bump'
"What is that?" Amanda asked picking her backpack up.
"Corpses." Blake answered. "They're hitting the support pole under us."
"Not purposefully.." Amanda said in disbelief going to the edge and peering over.
They were moving aimlessly in every direction they just couldn't see the pole, so they just kept walking into it.
"We gotta get off this." Amanda determined quickly. "Everyone wake up!" Amanda barked tossing Blake his backpack.
"What's going on?" Melissa asked voicing everyone's question.
"We need to get --" Amanda started but platform they were on gave way splitting right down the middle.
Amanda had made a dive to the ledge grabbing hold only barely.
Summer made it to the ledge as well Amanda helped her up.
Blake had grabbed Genevieve before running to the ledge but had to grab a pole jutting from the former flooring they were on.
Melissa and Jenny grabbed on to Blake at the last second, trusting him to not let go.
"Aghhh..." Blake strained from the weight of the extra people.
"Blake!" Summer yelled trying to reach them with no success.
"Fuck! It's breaking!" Blake shouted feeling the pole begin to bend from the weight.
Hearing this Amanda turned to look around the construction area finding a rope, Amanda grabbed it quickly off its hook and wrapped it around a pillar still intact and tossed the rest towards Blake.
Blake grabbed the rope, but he couldn't climb up the rope due to the extra weight.
The rope shook as it was clawed by the undead below.
"Listen.." Blake shouted over the roar of the horde. "See that ladder?!" Blake shouted straining to hold on. "I'm gonna swing us over there!" Blake yelled.
Blake set his feet on the slippery slope of the platform and moved as far left as he can before running as quickly as possible grabbing the ladder the sudden stop caused Melissa and Jenny to start slipping from Blake's waist to his legs pulling his feet out from under him nearly pulling him and Genevieve down with them.
"Agh!" Blake struggled against gravity hoping the ladder could take this much weight.
"We have to help them!" Summer screamed at Amanda.
"We've done what we can!" Amanda said. "Gotta trust Blake To get them through this." Amanda explained.
Blake got his other hand off the rope and onto the ladder, groaning in pain Blake could feel his arms giving up on him and the others.
"Fuuuck!" Blake yelled in desperation.
Blake's fingers slipped from the rung, and they all fell until his hand caught the last rung on the ladder the sudden jolt of movement and stop sent Jenny falling away from safety.
"JENNYYY!" Summer screamed in horror at the event unfolding before her eyes.
The fear in Jenny's eyes when she knew what was coming as she whimpered trying to find a hand hold until there was nothing but air underneath her then she hit horde possibly killing a couple that she fell on she watched as the Sky above was shrouded by withered hands of the undead the growling quieted as a teenager's screams replaced the noise she attempted to get up but was grabbed and bitten by one then another one went for her throat ripping it out leaving the girl gurgling and thrashing for her life before succumbing to her injuries.
Summer screamed at the monsters to leave her alone and cursed them to no avail if Blake hadn't grabbed her she would've jumped after her friend.
"I'm sorry!" Blake said in a hushed tone having wrapped Summer up with a hand over her mouth. "I need you to understand.. If you be loud right now. The rest of us could die." Blake explained holding back tears of his own.
"Calm down you can't do this right now.. Do this later." Amanda spoke coldly.
Summer's grief turned to rage in an instant Summer attempted to throw herself at Amanda but was still subdued by her brother.
"Stop!" Amanda spoke quickly. "This is a chance. We have to take it!" Amanda said thinking strategically.
Summer relinquished her rage for the moment listening to her brother's words.
"If we go down this way.." Amanda pointed down the other side of the now destroyed platform. "We can get to the mall. Less people awake right now." Amanda briefed the group.
"Lead on." Blake said sniffling.
"Be as quiet as possible." Amanda whispered in a no-nonsense tone before sliding down into the shadows.
"Screw her." Summer said voice broken from crying earlier.
"Think of the child. We gotta get her medicine." Blake replied before taking a hold of Genevieve and sliding down.
Melissa slid down as well.
Summer turned to look at the monsters devouring what was once her friend looking at her face from this distance she seemed like maybe she was just... sleeping..
Summer then slid down after her group.
"Just in time." Amanda commented on Summer's arrival.
Summer resisted the urge to strangle this girl where she stood.
"Less walkers back here." Amanda concluded stabbing one stuck under rubble in the head. "Help me pull him out." Amanda added grabbing the walker's wrists Blake grabbing and pulling as well.
Once they released the dead monster Amanda stabbed it beneath the sternum and pulled down its stomach.
The group around her took a step back in disgust.
"W-what are you doing?" Genevieve asked holding to Blake's jeans.
"Survival shit kid." Amanda said cleaning her knife on her pants.
"You said a bad word..." Genevieve said with spite.
Amanda only scoffed as she put her hands in the cut and pulled it wide open releasing the stench of rotting flesh and organs hit everyone's nose.
"What are you doing?" Blake asked disgusted with this behavior.
"This is how we'll get past the walkers." Amanda said truthfully.
"How?" Blake asked.
"The walkers are distracted by your friend --" Amanda started stopped short as Summer charged in to tackle her.
Amanda stood up quickly and let her lunge using Summer's momentum against her flipped Summer over.
Landing hard on her back with her breath knocked out she laid breathing heavy with tears running down her cheeks. Amanda kneeled next to her. "Listen. I know your friend just died. But right now we have to work togeth--" Amanda tried to explain before getting picked up and thrown across the space.
"Don't even think of laying another finger on her." Blake warned in a low voice.
"She attacked not me." Amanda clarified rubbing her bicep after its rough treatment. "We can hate each other all day. But first let's get through this." Amanda said hoping the group would see reason.
"What's with the corpse?" Blake asked shortly, helping his sister up off the ground.
"The walker?" Amanda asked. "We need its guts." Amanda answered assuming corpse was their word for the dead.
"What?" Summer asked in disbelief hunching from her back pain.
"Yes." Amanda said kneeling next to the dead walker again. "Observe." Amanda said as she spread guts blood and bits of skin on her clothes and on her face. "Don't get it in your eyes." Amanda said finishing herself up.
Amanda watched as the rest of them slowly applied their camouflage.
Summer threw up due to the smell and the situation around the vile scent.
"Now's the fun part." Amanda said standing near an opening in the wall. "You're a walker now. Don't speak and don't run. Or they'll kill you." Amanda explained to the group before shambling out the hole into the crowd of undead.
The group watched in disbelief who was this girl and where the hell did she learn how to do that?
Hesitantly they emerged from the wall Genevieve stayed close to Blake as did all the others a walker wearing a name tripped over nothing in front them, so they went around it Genevieve noticed the monster's name had been Phil.
The group followed Amanda through the streets until they made it to a clearing.
"There's the mall." Amanda announced crouching next to a car.
"Thanks. We'll take it from here." Blake said crouch walking passed the girl.
"I wouldn't use the normal doors." Amanda said not moving from her spot.
Blake stopped and looked back at her. "Where would you go?" Blake asked sitting on his heels.
"Follow me." Amanda said starting to crouch walk a different way.
"Oh you're gonna help us now?!" Summer said passive aggressively.
"Sure." Amanda said simply. "Although I'd leave the kid." Amanda added turning back to the group. "Do you trust anyone besides Blake?" Amanda asked the little girl.
"Um.. Melissa.." Genevieve answered nervously.
"Cool. Would you stay with her?" Amanda asked the gears in her head were turning. "Then I'll take you." Amanda said pointing at Blake. "And ... You good with that bow?" Amanda asked Summer.
"I sure am.. wanna see?" Summer replied sarcastically.
"Yep. C'mon. Follow me." Amanda said sneaking away with the siblings in tow.
Amanda led them down into a subway tunnel. "Careful." Amanda whispered. "Probably some walkers down here." Amanda assumed quietly as they snuck through the darkness.
Why wouldn't they?" Summer asked curiously.
"It'll attract walkers." Amanda pointed out. "Even they can't be that stupid." Amanda finished her explanation.
"So what do we do? You two got knives and I got fists. They outnumber us so what's the plan?" Blake asked sitting back.
Amanda sat back on her heels thinking to herself. "Summer stay back and take shots here. Amanda started her plan. "Blake you and I will try and sneak up on them from different sides." Amanda finalized her plan.
Summer nocked an arrow. And waited for the other two survivors to male their move.
Blake made his move first after finding a 24 Blake swung it like a bat hitting one of the seven men in the head sending him crumbling to the ground lifeless.
Amanda reached up and sliced the throat of her man when he fell to his knees Amanda plunged her knife through his eye.
Summer fired an arrow hitting one in the chest having him scream in pain.
The remaining four fell back within the stock house.
The trio pushed up to the last barricade before the entrance to the stock house.
"They're trying to bottleneck us." Blake said shaking from adrenaline.
"Won't work.." Amanda said trying to see into the former store. "Summer you might wanna see if that arrow survived." Amanda advised. "Summer?" Amanda called quietly before turning to see Summer looking at the man she had shot.
Tears streaming down her face Summer thought she might retrieve the arrow but saw the man was still alive gurgling, sputtering and spitting his own blood trying to stay alive he looked at Summer when he was abruptly killed with a knife stab to the face.
Summer was horrified at lack of hesitation from Amanda. "How could you.." Summer asked.
"It's necessary." Amanda answered. "Better than suffering." Amanda said pulling the arrow out and handing it to Summer.
Summer took the arrow but didn't answer.
"Oh shit! Scavengers!" Some men from the lower levels shouted as they spotted the trio.
"Scatter!" Amanda exclaimed jumping behind cover.
Blake and summer vaulted over a table and Blake flipped it over on its side.
"They killed Mike! And Jacob!" One of the bandits yelled.
The four inside the stock house emerged guns at the ready.
There was now eight armed men.
"Shit! We're in it now!" Blake exclaimed looking for something to help out he saw the one Amanda had killed within arm's reach.
Blake lunged out and grabbed the body and pulled it behind cover.
"Ok! Ok.. Yes! Here." Blake said handing a pistol Amanda. "Know how to use it?" Blake asked.
"Is a Smurf's ass blue?" Amanda retorted. "But if I use this walkers could be attracted." Amanda reiterated.
"We might have to deal with the walkers at least they won't shoot at us!" Blake pointed out.
"Fair point." Amanda concluded.
"They're right here!" Summer warned.
One stepped around the corner his rifle pointing in Summer's face before being shot in the face point-blank by Blake.
"They got guns!" A bandit yelled as his crew got behind cover.
"Pull him behind here!" Amanda said referring to the dead bandit Blake shot.
Summer set aside her disgust and pulled the body into cover with her Summer then checked the body and found a beer bottle with a rag coming out of the top.
"Here's this." Summer said handing the bottle to Amanda.
"Whoa... awesome. Anyone have a lighter?" Amanda asked ducking her head as shots started ringing out.
"Check the guy again." Blake suggested quickly.
Upon a second inspection Summer found a lighter. "Here." Summer said tossing the lighter.
Amanda caught the lighter and immediately flipped it emitting a small flame lighting the Molotov she waited for a moment before throwing it over a barricade near them three men came out screaming in pain from being set on fire.
"Gotcha." Amanda said quietly to herself.
Shots were now being fired from the stick house.
Blake practically tossed Summer over the other side of the barricade before jumping over himself.
Amanda vaulted over but mid-climb a bullet hit Amanda in the back of her right knee.
"Agh!" Amanda cried in pain as she fell on the safe side of the barrier. "Fuck! Ahh shit!" Amanda cursed from the pain.
"Shit! No!" Blake exclaimed as he fired a shot missing his mark.
Summer saw a man come out from where the others were burned. "Blake! Help!" Summer cried cowering behind him.
Amanda saw the man was brandishing a machete. "Aaaghh..." Amanda breathed heavily. "Go .. To hell!" Amanda yelled as she threw her knife hitting the man in the neck.
As soon as the man fell dead he dropped the machete. "Could you get that for me please?!" Amanda asked looking to Summer as she held her injured knee.
Summer nodded and crawled on all fours grabbing the machete and bringing it back.
"T-thank you.." Amanda said breathing heavy due to pain. "Blake?" Amanda called holding the machete out to him.
"Yes?" Blake asked as dropped back down to cover.
"Could you break the handle off.. Please.." Amanda asked her breathing starting to become more even.
"Uh.. I can try... sure." Blake said not understanding the reasoning behind this.
After a couple tries Blake succeeded in getting the handle removed then handed the blade back to Amanda.
Pulling Duct tape out of her hoodie pocket Amanda then handed it to Summer. "Help me with this.. Please." Amanda asked.
Summer shuffled closer and unrolled some duct tape.
"Not too tight. I like my leg." Amanda said with slight sarcastic edge. "Start up here." Amanda directed placing two fingers across her thigh.
"Ok.." Summer said placing the machete blade flat under Amanda's leg.
"K. Then wrap it all the way down to here." Amanda coached putting two fingers across the mid of her shin.
"Ok.." Summer said going as fast as she could.
"Easy! Agh.." Amanda exclaimed breath hitching from the roughness.
Blake had managed to dispatch to of the four left. "Two bullets left.. Two people." Blake muttered. Before replacing the magazine and turning around the corner firing hitting one in the chest firing again Blake missed. "Shit!" Blake muttered to himself.
"Did you get them?" Summer asked finishing Amanda's leg.
"One left.. Stay here I'll take care of him." Blake said picking up the board again and setting the pistol in his waistband.
Blake went from cover to cover silently trying to get the angle on the armed man.
Summer nocked an arrow wondering where the reinforcements were.
"They sound like they got their hands full." Amanda breathed.
"What?" Summer asked looking at the injured girl.
"Go.. Look over the rail." Amanda said shifting uncomfortably.
Summer got up and looked over the edge and saw the rest of the men barricading the front door Summer could see hundreds of walkers outside through the large window. "Oh no.." Summer said under her breath.
"Gotcha asshole!" Summer heard behind her she turned and went back to where she left Amanda and saw she was alright Summer then knew it was her brother who was in trouble Summer rushed around the cover to see a man facing away from her holding a rifle in Blake's face without a second thought Summer pulled the bow back and fired hitting the man in the back making him miss his shot.
Blake took the opportunity to get back to his feet and wrestle with the now injured man after a moment Blake overpowered his opponent ripping the gun from the man's hands and swinging it down hard on the bandit's face.
Blake took a moment to breathe them turned to his sister. "Thanks." Blake said honestly.
Amanda had gotten up and was using the cover for balance and to keep of her right leg. "Get what you can carry fast." Amanda said tiredly the siblings as gunfire again echoed throughout the mall.
Blake and Summer ran into the stock house finding many weapons clothes and medicine.
"Grab what you can fast!" Blake shouted running to one side of the room and Summer the other.
Blake ran to where the medicine was on shelves in the back of the room picking up a handful of meds and stuffed them in his backpack.
Summer ran to the clothes looking for anything they might need coming across a small pair of tennis shoes Summer hoped they would be close to Genevieve's size.
Blake and Summer met up afterwards Blake handed Summer a hunting bow and some arrows. "Here. It'll do better than what you have." Blake said quickly.
"Thanks. Got the meds?" Summer asked taking the new bow and shrugging out of the old.
"Ya. Here. This too." Blake said handing a pistol to his sister.
"Ok.." Summer said taking it slowly before putting it in her waistband mirroring Blake.
"Ok. C'mon let's go!" Blake exclaimed taking off for the exit.
The siblings ran out of the stock house finding Amanda bracing against the barrier just outside the stock house.
"Hey. You gonna be able to make it? Or you want me to carry you?" Blake asked laying a new rifle against the barricade.
"You're gonna leave me." Amanda said plainly.
Summer straightened up surprised by the teenager's sacrifice.
"You want us to just leave you here?" Summer asked bewildered at the idea.
"Yes. There're guys coming up the stairs. I got your backs." Amanda explained picking up the rifle. "Got extra ammo?" Amanda asked noticing one round in the chamber.
"Sure.." Blake replied handing over what he had. "I can carry you." Blake reiterated.
"I don't plan to die." Amanda replied. "Got any rope with you?" The teenager asked.
"Um.. Ya." Blake said handing it over.
Taking the rope in her hands Amanda tested the rope for what she could before looking up to Blake. "Now go." Amanda said calmly before moving to the railing and tying one end.
The siblings ran to making their way to a pillar they could use to get the second floor where the maintenance door was.
Amanda had pulled a small stool to sit her up in position on the barricade rifle supported by her cover Amanda's hands were trembling from pain? Fear? Adrenaline? Amanda shook her hands quickly before grabbing the rifle again leaning her shoulder into the stock the first man came up the stairs met with a bullet to the face.
Amanda pulled the bolt back ejecting the spent shell setting a fresh one in and putting the bolt in its original position.
Another came up and was hit in the chest causing him to fall back down the stairs taking some of his friends with him.
Amanda knew they would come up in force now she had to get away if she wanted to live.
Amanda set the rifle down and started to stand immediately falling from the pain Amanda dragged herself to the railing where the rope was and stuck her good foot in a loop on the end of the rope she had made earlier the other side attached to the railing.
Amanda ducked under the railing the glass that had once been there was now smashed out looking down Amanda was now nervous but scooted herself off the ledge falling through nothingness Amanda had closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable end of the rope.
Blake and Summer had made it to the maintenance door but decided to wait for Amanda hoping she would make it.watching the staircase the two saw motion over the rails above them and peeked out in time to watch the teenager pull the daring move with the rope they saw as the rope went tight and swung her into the third sending her cascading across the floor the duo ran up the stairs and found her trying to catch her breath.
"You're crazy!" Summer exclaimed as she hurried to Amanda's side.
"Kinda.. Help me up.." Amanda said between breaths.
The trio made their escape through the maintenance door and out of the subway tunnels.
Walking briskly to where Melissa and Genevieve had originally hidden finding they were missing.
"What?! No!" Blake exclaimed trying to stay quiet with the horde of walkers two hundred yards away.
Summer put a hand on Blake's shoulder in a comforting manner.
"We never should have left them." Blake lamented the newly fallen members of their group.
"There's no blood." Amanda pointed out. "Even if they reanimated. There would be blood." Amanda explained.
Blake perked up at the new hope. "Then we gotta find them! Now." Blake said starting to walk in the direction of the city.
"No need." Melissa said walking up to the group holding Genevieve's hand.
Blake closed the distance between him and the girls. "Are you ok?" He asked them both as he picked up Genevieve.
"We're alright." Melissa confirmed with a smile.
"Are you ok?" Genevieve asked looking at Amanda.
Amanda Now leaning on a board looked down to her leg. "'Tis but a flesh wound." Amanda said in a weird sounding voice to Genevieve.
"Ok." Genevieve replied simply.
"Ya.." Amanda said looking at the ground for a short moment before turning and pointing away from the city. "There ya go." Amanda announced. "Maybe you can grab a car. Make it easier on yourselves." Amanda hoped.
"Aren't you coming?" Summer asked.
"Nah.. Pretty good set up here." Amanda answered trying to keep weight off her leg.
Summer accepted the reply without further information, Summer didn't really mind her not coming.
The group parted ways with Amanda.
"Be safe." Blake called after her.
"You too big guy." Amanda replied plainly. "And.. Summer.." Amanda called.
Summer turned around expecting some sort of snark.
"About your friend..." Amanda said contemplating her words. "That's a tough deal.. And .. I'm.." Amanda attempted to express her condolences.
Summer realized this and was touched by the gesture so Summer said the only thing she could think of. "Thanks." Summer said honestly.
"If you're ever back in Chattanooga." Amanda said pointing to the top of the mall. "There're fireworks up there light em off and I'll come find you. Wait in that store across the street so you won't get trapped by the walkers you attract." Amanda said before turning on her good leg and walking back to the city looked back and said her final goodbye to the group.
"See ya round."
09/11/1994 - 06/25/2012 Jenny Morrison
