(Quick note: Ok, I'm officially leaving on my trip, hope you enjoy the chapter. See you next week guys!)

Her caramel eyes focused on the city ahead, looking at the ruins of some buildings. The city wasn't that big, but they wouldn't risk driving their car into a place that was most likely infested with walkers.

- How was it?

Molly asked the two men who were approaching. She stepped away from the car and walked a few steps towards them, taking the somewhat light backpack from Lee's hand, who sighed and put his hand on her neck.

- We didn't find much. A flashlight, some batteries.

He answered, leaning slightly against the car and looking at Kenny, who was filling the car with the little gasoline he had managed to get.

They had been on the road for some time, they didn't know exactly how long, but long enough for the physical changes to be noticeable.

Molly's hair, which she had always tried to keep short, had grown to just below her neck.

Kenny's beard was already much longer, as was his hair. It was obvious that they had been on the road for at least a few months.

Lee's beard had also grown quite large, especially since he had not shaved at any time since the apocalypse had begun.

- It's not much gas, but it's enough for a few more miles.

Kenny said, opening the trunk of the car and putting away the gallon. Once he had done so, he closed the trunk again and walked towards the other two, adjusting the rifle on his back.

- We still have plenty of food. But it would be nice not to sleep in the car tonight for a change.

Molly said, crossing her arms and leaning against the car, right next to Lee.

- We saw some places on the way to the pharmacy that might be good for the night. High places, we can climb up pretty easily, while the walkers can't.

Kenny said, putting his hand on his waist and looking back at the road he came from, focusing his eyes on the entrance to the town ahead, where a few zombies were walking aimlessly.

- As long as it doesn't stink of death, I'm not complaining.

Molly said, opening the back door of the car and grabbing her backpack.

Lee walked to the side, getting into the passenger seat, but a desperate scream caught the trio's attention.

Molly stood up and closed the door, standing next to Kenny as she looked to where the scream had supposedly come from.

-You heard what I heard, right?

She asked, and the cry of despair echoed again, almost as if it answered her question.

They looked at each other, Kenny locked the car, and they started running towards the scream, into the forest ahead.

It didn't take long before they found the person who was shouting.

The trio crouched down just behind the bushes, watching the scene unfolding ahead.

A man was beating a woman. She was struggling violently, trying to free herself from the already slightly bloody hands of the man who was beating her.

Around them, several other men were looking at the scene, some even smiling. They all seemed to just enjoy the woman being beaten, as if they were watching a movie.

She wasn't in a very good situation, besides the blood dripping from her forehead, her clothes were just rags, she was dirty and really skinny, unlike the men, who were clean, apparently healthy and with clothes in good condition.

Lee grabbed the pistol at his waist and looked at Kenny, signaling to his friend that he was going to flank the men.

Kenny nodded back and picked up his rifle and walked in the opposite direction of Lee, leaving Molly right in the middle, who pointed her pistol in the direction of one of the men.

After a while, the first shot echoed through the forest. Lee came out through the trees, walking toward the men as he fired. Kenny and Molly did the same.

The men were caught off guard, some even tried to raise their guns and shoot at them, but they couldn't, they weren't fast enough.

The man who was beating the woman became desperate, but acted quickly. He pulled the woman by the hair and put her in front of him, using her as a shield, thinking that it was the rest of her group that had arrived.

The three of them pointed their guns in the direction of the man, who seemed to become more and more desperate.

- ... What did she do to deserve to be beaten?

Lee asked after a few moments of silence. It was even a bit hypocritical, shooting first, asking later.

But no matter what the man said, he was going to die anyway.

No one who beat a defenseless woman was a good person. The same thing with those who watched it happen right in front of them and did nothing about it.

-... She stole from us! She stole our food!

The man replied, somewhat irritated, but clearly uneasy, and even a little intimidated.

Lee turned his head a little to the side, as if trying to get a better look at the man's face.

- Look at her... dirty, skinny... Fuck, her condition is fucking miserable! If she is being beaten because she stole to eat, then what should I do with you?

Lee asked, in a dangerously threatening tone, as he took a few slow steps toward the man, who was trying to walk away.

The man looked deep into Lee's eye, unable to look away from the one eye that seemed to see all his sins. Cold and dark, the look of a killer.

He had killed before, but his eyes were not like that, his eyes did not have that pressure, did not have that feeling, that glow.

That eye, although it was just a single solitary eye, conveyed the look of someone who had the talent to kill.

And in this day and age, that was something extremely dangerous.

- Easy there. What's going on here?

A voice, deep and rough, caught the attention of Lee and his two friends.

He and Kenny turned to the side, pointing their guns in the direction of the approaching man. Molly just continued to point her pistol in the direction of the man who was still holding the woman hostage.

-Troy... what happened here?

The man's tone was not friendly at all, and he was looking in a somewhat "dangerous" way at the guy named "Troy".

-I... sir, she... we caught this woman stealing from our food and...

He tried to explain himself, looking at the man with a frightened look.

- No, shut up! shut up! shut the fuck up!

The man said, approaching Troy angrily as he pointed his finger in Troy's direction.

He sighed, and then looked at the surrounding fallen bodies. Finally, he focused his gaze on Kenny, analyzing him for a few moments, then on Molly, and when he fell on Lee, his gaze lingered longer.

Lee and the man in front of him fought a battle of stares, where neither seemed to give in to the intense, threatening look on their faces.

The man let out a nasal laugh, moving a few steps closer to Lee.

- You're not with her, are you?

He asked, but Lee knew that the man already knew the answer.

They didn't answer, but the man just smiled. He quickly took out his revolver and shot the woman in the head, causing Troy to back away a little startled, and the trio to point their guns in his direction.

Lee looked with some regret at the woman's body, getting quite annoyed to see another person being killed in an unfair way, and for a trivial reason. But he kept his face unchanged.

- So, may I at least know, why did you kill my men?

he asked, putting his revolver back in its holster.

-... They were watching that piece of shit over there... beating up that woman you just killed.

Lee said in a seemingly calm tone, but anyone paying close attention could see that those simple words were covered with anger and even a hint of threat.

The man smiled slightly again, which made Lee narrow his eyes, not liking the way he was acting.

- Hah, so we have a punisher among us, the protector of the oppressed. I agree with you on something... Troy is a real piece of shit, but, he's still one of my guys. What's your name, Punisher?

he asked, clearly mocking Lee. But there was something in his voice, a certain threat hidden in that bastard's words.

All of Lee's instincts were warning him.

That man was dangerous.

-What is YOUR name? - Lee asked, aiming his gun precisely in the middle of the man's forehead.

- Oh, yeah, sure, I apologize for that, I didn't mean to be so rude. Bill, but you can call me Carver.

The man took a few steps forward, not intimidated by being at gunpoint. Lee stood still in the same place, he was still too far away to try to take the pistol from his hand, and he knew that Molly and Kenny covered his back.

-Don't worry Kenny.

Lee said, listening to Kenny's footsteps, who was approaching him.

Carver looked at him for a few moments, then turned his gaze back to Lee. He didn't know why, but Lee felt as if that man was enjoying looking him in the eye, as if he was interested in his gaze.

- I already know the answer to that, but I'll ask anyway... Wouldn't you like to join me? Be part of my community?

Lee arched an eyebrow at the question, quickly shifting his gaze to the woman's body not far away.

- Being part of a community of people who kill a defenseless woman like it's nothing? No, I'll pass.

He said, looking deep into the eyes of Carver, who still had the same self-centered smile on his face.

-You killed my men like they were nothing.

- Because they weren't... neither are you. - Lee replied, looking murderously at Carver, who seemed to be amused by the situation.

- That look... you and I are not that different... but those eyes... whoops, I mean THAT eye, hahaha, it's special, it's... different. You are a very intimidating guy. Let that beard grow a little longer, and you would definitely be someone I wouldn't want to mess with.

he said, almost in an amused whisper. Lee didn't answer, but just stood still, staring at the man.

- Now, you see...

Carver began, making a hand signal. Lee narrowed his eyes, confused by the man's movement, but then widened them.

He turned back, trying to warn Kenny, but it was too late. Two men came out of the forest, both pointing their guns at Kenny and Molly, who cursed softly and raised their hands.

-You killed my men, and you will have to pay for it, I hope you understand.

Carver approached Lee, taking the pistol from his hand and tossing it aside.

In one swift movement, Carver punched Lee in the stomach, who bent over, groaning in pain.

-I wouldn't do that if I were you.

Molly's voice called Carver's attention, and the girl wasn't intimidated when she felt the rifle barrel touch the back of her head, she just kept looking towards Carver, who had an amused smile on his face.

- Oh really? And why do you say that?

he asked, but Molly just smiled "gently" in his direction, causing him to look at her in confusion.

Lee recovered and straightened his posture, taking a deep breath as he closed his one eye.

He was using only one arm to do everything.

Literally, everything.

Every. Fucking. Thing.

Lee might not be the most agile guy in a fight, but he sure had a pretty heavy fist.

He opened his one eye and looked deep into Carver's eyes, and in one swift movement, he returned the blow.

A punch to Carver's face, strong enough to send him crashing to the ground, strong enough for the sound of Lee's fist smashing into his face to echo through the place.

Carver felt his brain rattling in his skull, and he was stunned.

Kenny and Molly took advantage of the general surprise and turned around. Kenny punched the man in the face and advanced on him, trying to grab the rifle from his , the man recovered quickly and head-butted Kenny, who stepped back slightly.

However, the man recovered quickly and head-butted Kenny, who stepped back slightly.

But, just like him, Kenny recovered quickly, and punched the man in the stomach, then punched him in the face, causing him to drop the rifle.

Molly kicked the man's leg, and then his stomach. She tried to grab her pistol, but was knocked to the ground by the man.

Lee runs towards his pistol, picking it up and turning around, he shoots towards Troy, hitting him a little above the chest.

Carver recovers and advances against Lee, taking the pistol from his hand and trying to punch him in the face.

Lee dodges, taking advantage of the opening, he lands a powerful punch to Carver's stomach. He then kicks Carver in the leg, bringing him to his knees.

Quickly, he throws another punch to his face, sending the man backwards with blood dripping from his nose.

Lee grabs the knife at his waist and kneels on Carver's chest.

He tries to stab him in the head, but Carver is quick enough to grab his arm. But that didn't stop Lee, who just pushed down harder.

Carver despaired slightly as he saw the blade of the knife slowly approaching his head, he tried to struggle, to get up, but couldn't.

A sharp scream escaped his throat as he felt the knife scratch his skull.

Lee saw that he couldn't sink his blade into the man's skull, so, taking advantage of Carver just pushing him up, he rotated his fist forward and pulled his arm hard, tearing Carver's skin from his head to his neck.

Carver cried out in pain and despair, feeling his strength rapidly leaving his body.

Two shots echoed through the trees, and Lee looked at his two friends, who had just killed the two men who had surrendered them.

Lee looked at Carver once more, seeing that he was already getting weaker and weaker. He was going to put the man out of his misery right there, however, shots came out of the woods, one of the bullets hit the ground right next to his foot.

Lee looked forward, then stood up, grabbed his pistol and started running back to the forest, beside Kenny and Molly, dodging the shots that hit the trees around them.