Chapter 11: Terrifying Truths
Back at the motor inn, everything was relatively peaceful. Vicky, Mr. Dinkleberg, and SpongeBob were fortifying the fence. Timmy, AJ, Jimmy, and Chester were playing soccer, using barrels as the goalposts. Valerie was sat in a chair on the RV, keeping watch. Tootie was lying down and drawing on a board on the floor, and Nicky and Mrs. Dinkleberg knelt next to her. Valerie frowned when she heard the leaves rustling. She quickly picked up her gun and pointed it at the forest, ready to kill any threat to step onto the sidewalk.
Suddenly, an explosion rattled the areas and everyone froze.
Valerie frowned in confusion when she saw what looked like greenish smoke floating through the trees, indicating a ghost attack, but it was way stronger than any she had ever seen before. After a few tense seconds, Valerie whistled, and everyone stopped what they were doing to hide. Bucky, Kwan, Dash, and Dale suddenly burst out of the forest. Danny followed them out a few seconds later.
"Get the gates open! We've got wounded!" Danny shouted as they ran for the gates.
"Shit, what the hell are they doing?" Valerie angrily hissed as she lowered her gun. The rest of the motel group quickly ran to the gates as Danny and the others approached. Danny pushed open one of the dumpsters blocking the gate and the hunting group entered. Everyone began talking at the same time, speaking over each other, trying to understand what was going one and who the new people were.
"What happened?!" Ms. Dinkleberg asked
"Where should I put him?" Kwan wondered, Dale still slung over his shoulders.
"Who the HELL are these people?!" Vicky screeched.
"Who's that?" AJ asked.
"What's going on?" Mr. Dinkleberg asked
"I don't have time to explain!" Danny exclaimed, interrupting everyone.
"Get him into the truck, I'll see what I can do, okay?" SpongeBob said and Kwan and Dash put Dale into the back of a pickup truck.
"Can you fix him?" Nicky asked.
"I...I don't know!" He admitted as he attended to the boy's injury.
"Danny! Danny!" Valerie shouted as she approached them. "What the hell?! You can't just be bringing new people here! What are you thinking?!"
"Hey, you wanna calm down for a fucking minute?!" Bucky snarled at her.
"No, I don't! I want to know why you thought bringing more mouths to feed was a good idea?!"
"We're the ones that shot him," Danny explained, guilt evident in his voice.
"Then you should have done the right thing and finished him off." Vicky huffed.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Bucky shouted.
"Well, hang on! We haven't even talked to these people yet! Maybe they CAN be helpful!" Mr. Dinkleberg argued.
"Come on, Val," Kwan said. "These are people! People trying to survive, just like us; we've gotta stick together to survive!"
"The only reason we're still here is that this place had food, enough for ALL of us, but that food is almost gone, we've got maybe a week's worth left, and I don't suppose these guys are carrying any groceries!" She glared as Tootie tugged on Dash's sleeve.
"Come over here and see what I drew." She smiled.
"What?" The jock frowned in utter confusion as the little girl took his hand and led him away from the fighting.
"You know, you like to think you're the leader of this little group, but we can make our own goddamn decisions!" Bucky snarled. "This isn't your own personal dictatorship!"
"You're being dramatic!" Mr. Dinkleberg said to his friend. "Everything always turns into a power struggle between you two, I'm sorry but I'm not gonna be a part of that anymore." He said and he and his wife walked away.
"Hey, I didn't ask to lead this group!" Valerie argued. "Everyone was happy to have me distributing the food when there was enough to go around, but now that it's running out, suddenly I'm a goddamn Nazi!"
"It doesn't matter who's in charge!" Danny exclaimed before anyone could say anything else. "Those people are here now, I guess we just have to decide what happens next."
"No, kid, it DOES matter!" Bucky insisted. "ONE person can't be in charge of EVERYTHING! You know, it might feel safe for you to sit on the fence, but sooner or later you're gonna have to decide whose side you're on." He snarled and he and Chester walked away.
"I don't see any of you stepping up to make the hard decisions!" Valerie exclaimed in rage and frustration and angrily walked away. After she left, the others soon dispersed as well. Danny quickly went after the dark-skinned girl to make sure she was ok. "Look, I can't do this right now." She sighed in defeat. "You understand what I'm dealing with, please do me a favor, I need you to handle the rations today." She asked and went over to the backpack next to the RV.
She took out an apple, beef jerky, and two packages of crackers and held them out to Danny.
"That's all you're giving out?" He asked.
"If we're gonna make what's left last the week, then this is all we can spare today." She admitted sadly. "It's not gonna be enough for everyone, but... Just do what you think is right." She said and handed the food to the teen before walking away.
Danny frowned as he stared at the four food items as everyone looked at him, knowing that whether they get to eat or not was up to him now. The teen looked around, trying to make up his mind on who to feed. As his eyes wandered around he looked at the dumpsters they were using to block the gates, remembering how they had dug through those for food. Noticing SpongeBob seemed to be struggling in treating Dale, Danny walked up to him.
"Is he gonna be okay?" The teen asked.
"I don't know." He admitted. "Can you give me a hand real quick?"
"Sure, what do you need?"
"Just apply some pressure here while I try to close this up." He explained and Danny applied pressure to the wound. "You know, I thought I was starting to get used to this...sewing up people's injuries..." SpongeBob muttered before giving Danny a disapproving glare. "What were you thinking bringing him here? Even if he lives, we aren't going to be able to take care of them."
"I did the right thing." Danny defended.
"Yeah... I know you did; the right thing is just scary sometimes." He sighed. "Well, you've done all you can, Danny, thanks for the help." He smiled softly. "Go ahead and check in on the others, I need a little space here, anyway." He said and Danny walked behind the RV. There he saw that the kids were drawing pictures on pieces of paper placed on top of the cardboard. Tootie drew a cat and Timmy drew what appeared to be a house and Jimmy drew what appeared to be random scribbles, Timmy's walkie-talkie was nearby.
The Dinklebergs were sat some chairs, keeping an eye on them, and Dash sat on the ground.
When they saw him, Jimmy and Timmy ran to their teenage guardian.
"How ya doing, guys?" He smiled but noticed Timmy's hat was missing. "Where's your hat?"
"I don't know, can you help me find it?" The buck-toothed child asked.
"Sure, when did you lose it?"
"I had it a couple of days ago."
"I promise, if I find it, I'll let you know."
"Thank you."
"Why don't you go back to playing with the others for a while?" The teen smiled and the boys nodded before running off. Once they were gone, Danny looked up and saw Valerie glaring at him from her lookout spot on top of the RV. Danny frowned and climbed up to join her. "We should really talk about you, Vicky and Bucky." He said.
"What about us?" She glared.
"The arguing, it's getting pretty out of hand." He explained.
"Look, I'm working my ASS off to make sure we have a good setup here and Vicky and Bucky just don't appreciate that." She argued. "All we need is food."
"But there is no food." He pointed out. "You know that better than anyone."
"Well, we'll just have to find some."
"Maybe we should think about leaving the motel."
"Oh God, not you too." She groaned. "Look, I know Bucky wants to leave, I think that's why he's so eager to get the RV working, but this is a good spot." She explained. "We're protected, we're close to Amity Park, we have a routine now and it's working."
"For now." He muttered as he climbed back down to check on the others. He looked around and saw Dash staring at the floor, looking lost. Danny remembered who the jock tormented him for most of his school years before it didn't seem he recognized him. Danny quickly shook those thoughts out of his head, it didn't matter what Dash did to him in the past, all that matters was the now.
"Hey, is my friend gonna make it?" Dash suddenly asked him, shocking him out of his thoughts.
"I don't know, but SpongeBob will do his best, I promise." He smiled.
"I can't believe we just left Ms. Tetslaff there..." He muttered.
"I tried, I really did." He replied sadly. She might not have been the nicest teacher, but no one deserved to die like that. "I just...we ran out of time; there was nothing else we could do."
"So, how'd you guys escape into woods? Our groups gonna want to know."
"Ms. Tetslaff was the gym teacher, we were training for the playoffs, when...when everything happened."
"How are you holding up with everything?"
"Uh, well, I, uh... I keep wondering if I could have done something to help, you know? Some kind of...I don't know, SOMETHING!" Dash exclaimed.
"You'll be prepared next time," Danny promised.
"Next time?" He asked fearfully, his eyes going back to the ground. Thinking he wanted to be left alone, Danny walked over to the kids, planning on giving them something to eat.
"Here, guys, you need something to eat." He smiled as he gave Jimmy and Timmy two halves of the apple, Tootie the piece of jerky, and AJ and Chester the two packers of crackers and cheese. Danny smiled and saw the Dinklebergs staring at him. "Sorry I ran out before I could give you any food," He sadly explained to the couples.
"Hey, don't feel bad." Mr. Dinkleberg chuckled.
"I'd almost rather starve than the children." His wife reassured. "Besides, you've done plenty for us already." She smiled, causing the teen to blush slightly before he went to check on Kwan.
"What should we do about Dash and Dale?" Danny asked the Asian teen.
"If it were up to me, I'd let them stay for a while, their two of my best friend's and I know they can be an asset." He explained. "But that's up to the others, and with the lack of food, I don't want to get on anyone's bad side." He sighed. Danny didn't know what to say to that so he simply walked away to see what Bucky was up to, hoping the man hadn't seen his... incident. He sat with the man on a couch behind the RV.
"Word's gettin' out that you wanna leave the motor inn," Danny said as they looked out to the forest.
"That ain't no secret, Danny, it's probably our best bet." Bucky snapped as he stood up and turned to the teen. "Look, you've been good to me and my boy, you saved Chester from those monsters, and ya stood up to Vicky at the drugstore." He explained. "I won't forget that you and your boys are welcome to come with us when we get to Bikini Bottom."
"The coast does sound like a smart idea." Danny nodded before looking at the kids. "But we have a better chance of surviving as a group."
"Our BEST chance of surviving is to get away from the mainland!" He glared. "My mind is already made up, first chance I get I'm taking my son and we're getting out of here." He insisted as he sat back down.
"The woman in the beartrap." Danny suddenly said. "You think we gave up too early? I think if I had just another minute or two I could have saved her."
"You saw her, her leg was completely mangled," Bucky reassured. "Even if you got her out, what then? I had my family in mind, and you gotta think of Jimmy and Timmy; we gotta stay alive for them."
"Valerie has a point about these new people being extra mouths to feed."
"I know, but...maybe the problem isn't that there isn't any food, there just isn't any HERE!" The former baseball player exclaimed. "We've gotta think about moving on; you saw that explosion, something even more dangerous is on its way here and I don't plan to be here when it comes." He growled, glaring at the forest as Danny's stomach dropped.
"Y-Yeah I hear you." He chuckled nervously before going off to check on the last of their group.
"How's it going, Danny? From up here, it looks like you're playing favorites." Val suddenly called from on top of the RV, but Danny paid her no mind as he approached Vicky, Kwan, and Nicky working on the fence.
"Will you hold the damn boards steady?!" Vicky growled at her shaking mother.
"I'm trying honey, I-I didn't realize I was getting this weak already." She muttered in fear.
"What do you want? A handout?!" She shouted. "I got 60 cents in my pocket if you'll shut up and quit being such a pansy!"
"Hey, Danny." Kwan smiled as the teen approached. "You know it was an accident, right? I didn't mean to shoot him." He said.
"I know." He promised the jock. "It was crazy back there, he acted stupidly." He glared at the truck where SpongeBob was still treating Dale. "Val's still pretty pissed at us."
"Well...what did she want us to do, just leave a couple of teenagers to the monsters? I think she's forgotten we all used to be friends in high school, her, me, Dash and Dale."
"That's exactly what you should have done, friends or no friends." Vicky snorted.
"There are too many people hanging around here as it is," Nicky stated nervously, worried she would be shouted at again.
"Try not to make too much noise." Kwan glared as Vicky started hammering against the wall, causing a clanking sound.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm not stupid." She snapped.
"Come on, Vicky what is it between you two?" Kwan asked in annoyance. "Why do you have a personal grudge against Danny?"
"He knows why." She growled and went back to hammering the wall. Danny glared at the back of her head before, he approached Valerie to tell her he had distributed all the food.
"Well, that's it." He sighed.
"Not such an easy job, is it?" She asked, sympathy evident in her voice.
"Never said it was." He replied. "I don't envy you, I don't know how you have the strength to do this every day."
"I don't have a choice." She sighed. After realizing that there was no food left for today, Bucky stood up and walked over to Danny.
"Bucky, I know I ran out of food before-"
"Hey, it was a tough choice, but you took care of the kids, that's what a real man does." The man smiled at him in reassurance. "I'm serious about that offer to come with us, you've more than earned a ride on the RV with me and Chester." He offered until he saw Nicky, Kwan, and Vicky come towards them. " Still, I guess some people aren't gonna be happy with your choices."
"You're out?!" Vicky howled. "What happened to MY food?!"
"There's none left." Danny glared, crossing his arms.
"You keep treating people like this and your days in this group are numbered!" The tall girl warned.
"You're one to talk, bitch." Bucky huffed.
"Yeah, well, I don't see you working on that wall!" She snarled as she walked away in a rage and Bucky returned to his seat.
"Danny! Kwan! Come here, please." SpongeBob suddenly called and the teens walked over to him. As they walked over to the blonde man, they both saw his defeated expression and the dark blood painting the back of the truck.
"He didn't make it, did he?" Danny asked sadly.
"He lost too much blood," SpongeBob admitted grievously.
"Goddamn it! I'm getting sick of this fucking shit!" Kwan exclaimed as he threw something against the RV and stormed off.
"That kid you brought here Danny..." SpongeBob started. "I tried, but he was never going to survive that gunshot."
"Well, at least he's not our problem anymore." He muttered morbidly.
"What about the other kid?" He asked, looking as Kwan told Dash that Dale didn't survive the gunshot; the blonde jock lowered his head and Danny swore that he saw tears rolling down his cheeks. Danny was about to say something when all of a sudden an infected Dale shot up from behind SpongeBob and grabbed his shoulder and face. He screamed and Danny rushed over and pushed the zombie away from the man. The teen turned around to grab his sword.
The infected Dale grabbed onto him and pulled him into the truck bed.
Danny growled and smashed its head against the sides several times. He raised the sword, preparing to strike. He shoved the monster away, and its head hit the back window shield. It slumped down just as Danny swung the sword down, missing and completely shattering the window. Danny tried to pull on the sword to free but it was stuck. The infected continued crawled toward Danny. The black and white-haired teen quickly placed his foot on its chest, trying to push it away from him.
SpongeBob suddenly smashed the board on the infected Dale's head as Danny kicked it away.
The skinny teenager finally managed to pull his sword free as he crawled backward, falling over the edge of the truck bed and onto the ground. The infected jumped onto him, and he embedded his blade in between its eyes. The monster went limp before turning into a green puddle of ectoplasm. SpongeBob crouched down next to him as the others ran over.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, thanks." The teen panted as he got us.
"Why'd you bring him here in the first place, asshole?!" Vicky snarled
"Honey! Please calm down." Nicky pleaded, only to jump away as her oldest daughter snarled at her like a wild animal, before returning her glare to Danny. The two had an intense glaring match before Vicky walked away, her mother and sister following closely behind her. Bucky turned to a confused Dash and saw red as he grabbed the blonde jock by the collar.
"Why didn't you tell us he was bitten?!" The man shouted. "He was bitten and you didn't say a goddamn word!"
"But he wasn't bitten! I swear!" Dash cried as he trembled in Bucky's iron grip.
"Well, your 'not-bitten; friend here came back to life and tried to kill our friend!"
"What?!" Dash gasped, before freezing in realization. "Wait, you all don't know?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Bucky as he slowly lowered the teen back to the ground and everyone in the group moved closer to Dash to listen to his explanation, including the children.
"It's not just the bite that does it! You come back no matter how you die." He explained. "If you don't destroy the brain or the heart, that's just what happens, it's gonna happen to ALL of us eventually."
"We're all infected?" Danny asked in horror.
"I-I guess so, I don't know..." He admitted. "All I know is that I've seen people turn who I KNOW were never bitten." He insisted. "When I first saw it happen, we were all hiding out in a gym and everybody thought we were finally safe, but one of the girls, Mia O'Shaughnessey, I think, I guess she couldn't take it, she took some kind of pills, a lot of them; someone went into the girls' room the next morning, and... God..." He whimpered as he went pale.
Suddenly the bells on the group's alarm system began ringing...
