Time frame: Zone 14
Rating: M (for language and violence)
Established relationships: Nellis, Frochelle
Description: The survivors make their way to Zone 14, Keith-heavy chapter, reflections, friendships established. **Trigger warning: mentions of rape.
Though half of them wanted to stay an extra day in the house with the warm stove, the other half insisted on moving along being that there was only another 9 hour trek to Zone 14, where they would be safe from the elements and the endless barrage of zombies. It never let up. Every day, every time the group left a safe house, there they would be. Luckily, they were showing up in fewer numbers and the specials were not as common anymore, because their ammo supply dropped to a dangerous low and most of them resorted to using melee weapons from days ago up to this point. Nick still had several bullets, what with being an excellent shot and wasting little to no firings. Evie and Ellis also had a few to spare, but took to using baseball bats just in case they needed their guns for specials.
"I can't wait until we get to the zone. Damn I'm so hungry I could chew the crotch out of a ghost." Keith muttered, drawing a laugh from Ellis.
"Buddy, a ghost don't have a physical crotch to chew." Jared pointed out.
"The one that I seen had a full physical form. Complete with at least one fist, which was more 'n capable of using a knife" the redhead replied with a smirk.
"Keith got stabbed by a ghost when he lived in the cemetery." Ellis explained, which did not make the confused expression on Jared's face fade at all.
"A ghost...stabbed you?" He tried to clarify.
"Yep, right here, and another stab about four inches under that." Keith explained, reaching back and pointing to a spot on his right shoulder blade and another closer to his spine.
"Jesus, why- how...how did you figure it was a ghost?"
"Because he looked like in the cartoons, with a big ol white sheet on him." Keith countered.
"A sheet? Are you sure you didn't get stabbed by a Klansman?" Rochelle asked.
"What reason would a Klansman have to stab me? I'm both a non-Jewish white guy, and not a gay." He replied, nodding at Danny. He'd recently been asked to use the word 'gay' rather than the word 'queer' by the younger, very-progressive man.
"Maybe a robbery in mind?" Ylaina suggested.
"He did go through my wallet, but I was livin in a damn cemetery at the time so I didn't have no money. I guess he decided he did enough damage and just left me alone with my punctured lung."
"He punctured your lung?" Jared looked surprised.
"Yep. The second stab got my lung. As luck would have it, I passed out in the road and some very kind trucker took me to a hospital. Needless to say, I lived."
"Kid, let me get this straight. Your ass was living in a cemetery, just wandering around in the dead of night?" Bud asked, laughing and taking a drag of a cigarette that he and Nick were sharing, much to Ellis's disdain. He'd complained about it already, to which Nick replied, "I know, Mom. Cut me some slack."
"Yep."
"And that didn't strike you as possibly unsafe?"
"Hey, I wasn't bullshittin when I got this tattoo." Keith shot back, pushing up his hat and shaggy hair to expose a slightly faded blue tattoo jetting across his forehead just at the hairline reading, "I'm a moron" in small block letters.
"You weren't bullshittin, but you were drunker than you've ever been." Ellis confirmed. "I told that tattoo artist that it was a bad idea, but the guy thought this was hilarious."
"Is that real?" Jared asked, taking a closer look.
"Yep. I got a couple other ones on me that didn't burn off. I'll show ya sometime." Keith said with a beam of pride, catching note of how that comment sounded before clearing his throat and pressing on.
"Wow, these stories are way less irritating when Ellis isn't telling them." Nick added, padding along.
"I like them." John piped, "When I was travelin with Keith, he didn't tell me none of this stuff he been through. I just thought I came up on some guy that was maybe in a flaming car wreck at some point. I was worried he'd get offended if I asked."
"Oh I was in a car wreck, just not a flaming one. Broke both of my legs thanks to this asshole." Keith replied, giving Ellis an elbow to the side.
The lot of them made their way relatively quickly, skirting around wrecked cars and stopping to take down the occasional horde. Generally, the infected were spaced out and the specials that did show up were not very good at being sneaky. With a group of 12, it was easier to keep eyes in all directions. Without warning only once that day, a Hunter leapt into the air and Nick sent a bullet whizzing by Ellis's head only inches from hitting him, where it struck the Hunter in the neck. The younger man griped about 'almost being shot in the face' for hours afterward, not really stopping until the group reached the gates of the next Zone.
The 10 foot fences were still intact, but the Zone seemed much less bustling than originally imagined. The security tower was empty and people were not immediately visible from the road.
"Zone 14 is supposed to be a 4 block mini-city." Evie noted in disbelief.
"Looks like there's been a change of plans." Nick muttered.
Upon debating as to whether or not they should try to gather the attention of those inside or just keep walking, the group was tired and they figured that even if the Zone didn't look like it was supposed to, this had to be it. This was the right coordinates on the map.
"HELLOOOO" They called for several minutes before a group of four men came to the gate.
"Took you long enough." Nick greeted, "Hey, we're the people from Zone 15, maybe they told you about us."
The man that appeared to be the leader, a heavily bearded older gent, looked confused. He looked at his three companions and everyone was exchanging puzzled glances.
"We left Zone 15 by force. We were told to come here." Ylaina tried to explain to them, speaking in a polite voice to appeal to them.
"Ya can come on in, but I'll have ya know, we lost communication with the other Zones 10 days ago. We had a…real bad accident. A horde like none I ever saw in my time here broke through. There was so many of them big guys. We were not prepared, and we lost a lot of resources." He explained.
"You lost communications?" Rochelle asked, having been a communications major in college, "if you'd like I can try to get it back online."
The man nodded a thanks.
"I'm sure that those other assholes gave up on us," a man no older than 17 or 18 said. "They haven't sent any help. They knew what happened. We are basically livin off of the land at this point. Out of about 300 people, we got 24 left. Everyone else was either killed by that horde, fled into the woods, or died from injuries some days afterward."
The group was taken in through the gates and they were secured again behind them. Most of the buildings in the area were dilapidated, and the damaged fencing was left behind bordering the woods. What could be salvaged was used to fence off a much smaller area, close to one city block rather than four. It was a camp more than anything now, not much bigger than a double football field.
Rather than the several homes and apartment buildings that Zone 15 had, Zone 14 had a single two story Motel 6, a handful of scattered trailers, an old diner, some cars and vans scattered, and two large cargo containers where the canned and non-perishable food was kept.
"We're still tryin to clean up the mess, so those of you with stronger stomachs can help out…clearing out bodies. Normally, you'd be placed in one of the motor-homes as newcomers, but with so many dead, a lot of motel rooms opened up. Food rations here are pretty strict, though we still got enough to last now…36 people another full year. We got plenty of cans and dried rice and beans, stuff that won't rot. You can each eat twice a day, everything is real small. And those of you that aint clearin bodies out can be on water duty or firewood duty. Winter is comin, and with no electricity, we are in for a tough go." The bearded man in charge explained, leading everyone around, pointing out where everything was located.
Upon reaching the motel, people were paired into rooms in twos. Rochelle and Francis were given #16, a room downstairs with one bed. Ylaina and Evie were given #4 which was the same layout. The others were each paired in rooms that had two beds: Ellis and Nick were upstairs in #21, Keith and Jared had #7, John and Sid were in #31. Coach, Bud, and Danny were given #19 which had a pullout couch that Bud quickly claimed, stating it reminded him of the couch he grew up sleeping on.
For the first time in weeks, they were each allowed to eat enough to be full, after a long day of trying to re-secure the "Camp" 14 after their recent attack. There was not all the formality of trying to assign jobs that was in Zone 15. There was no illusion and no pretense that things were normal. The entire place looked like a post-apocalyptic dwelling, as it should. But they weren't running now. Nobody out of the previous 24 left seemed to have any falsehood and they didn't give a shit about anything aside from assuring safety again and preparing for what was going to be a miserable winter without electricity.
It was roughly 10:30 and mostly everyone turned in for the night, exhausted from both the trek and the work-load. Those that were still awake were sitting in lawn chairs surrounding a burn barrel at the bottom of the drained pool in front of the motel.
Nick and Ellis retired only recently, closing their curtain once the door was closed.
"Someone's gonna have a good night." Jared smiled, leaning back in his lawn chair.
"Yep." Keith kept it short, not looking toward the motel, which was visible from the angle the two were sitting.
"Aw, don't be so bitter. You'll find someone. How about Sid? That's her name, right? The pretty blond that hangs around John. Or are they…" Jared waved a hand, not sure of what to call unofficial romantic relationships.
"Nah, she just trusts John. They're not…doin nothin. Sid doesn't like bein touched. She has some kinda disorder, that's why she don't talk and just makes them noises." Keith explained.
"Oh, I didn't even realize. I just thought she was quiet."
"Me too, at first. But yeah, she's smart, but there's somethin. I wouldn't feel right about tryin nothin with her."
"I get that. Looks like you gotta settle for some dick, buddy. Cause we're fresh outta girls."
"Aww- no, man." Keith's nose scrunched up.
"Don't gimme that look. It's the 21st century."
"So, that don't mean I'm gonna go after a man cause I can't get a girl. I never had much trouble getting girls before. One of these women has to be unmarried."
"Nope, I checked. All of 'em are either married or otherwise involved. So like I said, either wait for a couple to break up, enjoy being alone, or *broaden* your horizons." Jared retorted, hand moving up to take a sip of beer before remembering that he was at the end of the world and there was no beer left.
"How about Ylaina? She's real pretty. You think her and Evie-"
"Nope. 100% not into guys." Jared answered, knowing where he was going before he finished.
"Shit. Well, I guess it's just me and…me. Cause the only dick I'm touchin is mine."
"Unless maybe your buddy Ellis decided that his old man don't cut it for him no more. Unlikely though, that Nick seems insatiable." Jared laughed.
"This is really the opposite of funny." Keith grumped, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Lighten up, Keith. I'm kiddin. You know I'm kiddin, right?"
"Right."
"Hey, man. Really, I'm sorry. I know you got a soft spot for him. I shouldn't be pointin it out like I do. It sucks being the guy that didn't get picked." Jared patted his friend on the back.
Keith sighed, "It aint that."
"I know I musta hit a nerve. I mean, you did kiss him so I went with it, but-"
"Okay, I'm gonna tell you the truth about that whole thing, so that maybe your ass is gonna get why I aint the biggest fan of talkin about it." Keith cut his friend off, speaking more quietly.
"When I said that Ellis and me got drunk and kissed one time, it happened. We did kiss. But that aint all that happened. It wasn't just one kiss. See, it was on his birthday. He just turned 17 and I took him to a concert. It was his favorite band and since it was in a backwoods area, no one cared that we was drinkin so much. We had a great time, had so much fun and got so drunk. By 2am, we stumbled back to his truck way back at the end of the parkin lot. It was almost in the woods.
"Well, we knew for sure we had too much to drink, could barely walk much less drive, and since it was a real hot night, we just were gonna sleep in the bed of the truck, lookin up at the stars. We were talkin about somethin. Don't remember what but I think it had to do with El's ex dumpin him. We were facing each other and everything just went quiet and we kissed. I don't know why, but we did. And we didn't stop. It wasn't just that single kiss that we both let people think happened. It got real heated and I told him that I loved him plain as day. We made out for a good 20 minutes in the back of the truck. We had our hands all over each other, except for the crotch bit." Keith was still speaking quietly but wasn't necessarily whispering. His pace was slow, very steadily telling his story.
"Is that all that happened?" Jared asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, after we calmed down, we went to sleep. I remember closing my eyes with my best friend in my arms, thinkin like an idiot that we were gonna be together the next day. He was more of a light weight than me, though and he didn't remember anything that happened, cept that we kissed 'once'. We woke up again at just before sunrise cause I forgot to set the parkin break and the truck coasted backwards into the creek just a couple yards down. We were both alert and neither of us talked about it ever again afterward."
"That blows. That was a real important thing to forget, and makes it more shitty bein that it was the extent of your experience with men." Jared's voice was sympathetic.
"Not quite," Keith corrected.
"I didn't tell ya about the others. I was embarrassed. But there were two other guys after kissin El. See, there was this guy that my brother Paul was friends with. Derek used to be around the house a lot, and he was usually pretty cool. I would smoke weed with him and my brother sometimes. Well, a week after that happened with Ellis and me, I was in my room, having some 'alone time' if you catch my meanin. I didn't even know that anyone was home, so I was lettin myself enjoy it. I…said Ellis's name, just as Derek opened my door to ask me something. He saw me, and heard me.
"Shit." Jared says, to show he is listening.
"Tell me about it. He was at least decent enough to get out and shut the door. As soon as I got my clothes on, I looked out in the hall and he was still there. He came into my room, closing my door again and was askin me what the hell that was about and I didn't know what to say at all. I thought he was gonna tell my dad or beat me up or something. But he just asked again, what the hell it was about. He asked if I was gay, if El was my boyfriend, and I said no. We went back and forth and he wouldn't just let it go. Eventually he wormed it out of me that I was in love with Ellis, but that nothing *ever* happened between us, and that he didn't know nothin about it. I insisted that Ellis was straight and that he didn't know my feelins for him, because I still didn't know what Derek was gonna do.
"I don't remember all that was said no more, but the situation calmed down and Derek told me that he liked guys too, and he kissed me. So in real bad judgment, I let it happen. I was so lonely and I felt real bad after what happened. There we were, on my bed making out and he starts to get too aggressive, puts his hand in my sweats and touches me.
"So, you and Derek had sex?" Jared asked when his friend paused, gathering himself.
"I told him that I can't, that I'm not ready, and that I'm in love with Ellis. He seems like he's angry but tryin to cover it up. Says its okay, that he would talk to me later and he storms out of my room."
"Ah, so the whole bein in love with another guy kinda scared off a potential boyfriend for ya?"
"Yes…and no. Jared, we been friends for a while now, so can I tell you somethin? It aint somethin good, but I never told no one. I don't know why it feels right to tell you cause not even Ellis knows. But I feel like tellin you. You have been real nice to me, like a real good friend and if I told Ellis it would only hurt him."
"Yeah buddy. Anything you need to talk about, I'm here for ya." Jared scooted his chair closer to his friend, concerned.
Keith took another deep breath, not making eye contact as he started to speak again, voice quivering.
"I wish I wasn't sayin this, but it has really messed me up, haunts me all the time, every time I think about havin a boyfriend. This is why the third guy I kissed was only a kiss. He was so hot, looked like John Stamos, but I couldn't do nothin with him cause…well. About another few weeks after Derek and me, I was at school and Ellis missed class, so I called his phone and he had stomach flu but wanted me to come over for the weekend anyway. So after football practice, I was walkin through the woods to El's house at about 5:30. There was a trail but people usually didn't walk it.
His voice paused more, became more unsteady and his breathing was uneven.
"I came across Derek again, but he was with his friend Jason and four other older guys I didn't know. We talked a little but everythin Derek was sayin was really hostile. He didn't mention what happened between us, but he mentioned me and Ellis, me bein in love with him. But it wasn't bein said in an understanding kinda way. It was about how I was sick in the head and a pervert and all that shit. So we got in an argument and it got way outta hand. Meanin that Derek beat the shit out of me. Guy had the strength of a gorilla for not bein built big at all. I was on the ground, rolled up in pain…and…Jason and Derek took turns raping me… while those four guys watched.
The Texan's jaw dropped, freezing for a moment, eyes locked on his friend's face that locked onto the ground in a mixture of shame and pain.
"Jared, it hurt so bad. I passed out, and I don't know if it was from pain or from bein so damn scared. When I came to, it was dark and I was freezing. It was the first cold night in fall, and it was black as pitch in the woods. I had to crawl around and find my pants because I had a lighter in my pocket. So I found my clothes and got dressed with just a bit of light and I found my way to Ellis's house where I just broke down in his shower. I was in a lot of pain but I kept it together cause I didn't want him to worry. Dumb kid thought I was abducted by aliens. I remember turnin the water as hot as I could get it, which wasn't too hot cause he didn't have a very new heater. But I looked at myself and I was just covered with bruises. The ones on my thighs…looked like hands."
The mechanic stopped speaking at this point, throat becoming too tight to force anymore words out.
Having grown up in a large family that was full of love, Jared went with his first instinct, pulling his friend to his feet and embracing him like he would any of his siblings when they were still alive.
"Keith, I'm so sorry, buddy. If I woulda known, I never woulda said any of the shit that I said." He assured, suddenly feeling like complete garbage.
"That's why I never had a boyfriend. Loving a guy was what got me into that situation and I didn't want to be hurt again. I never trusted anyone after that, cept for girls that I could over-power and escape from if I needed to." The redhead sobbed into his friend's flannel shirt.
"That wasn't your fault. None of it. That guy Derek was just a real bad son of a bitch, man. But there's nothin you coulda done to deserve what he done. I'm real sorry that happened to you."
"Me too. This whole thing really fucked everything up for me. Man, I shoulda been able to defend myself." Keith tried to reason.
"Against two guys? Buddy, if you somehow managed to take down those two, there were four more waitin. You didn't stand a chance."
"I had to sneak to a clinic in a different town, weeks later. I got time to worry about diseases, and I was so embarrassed that I told the doc that I slept with a girl that might not have been clean cause I didn't want them to know. I just had to be sure I wasn't gonna die and not have it somehow get back to my dad. If he woulda found out-" Keith trailed off.
Jared didn't prompt him to speak anymore. He let the other go silent, hoping to comfort his friend until this wave of sadness went away, completely lost as to how to provide sufficient help. Had it been any time before the outbreak, he would have tried to be comforting by getting drunk, playing some fun drinking games, having a movie marathon, hitting up an all you can eat chicken joint, making a day of dangerous stunts four-wheeling at the lake, anything. But there was nothing to do now but stand there like a fool as several silent minutes passed.
"Hey buddy?" Jared whispered finally.
"Yeah?" Keith sniffed.
"Would it maybe make you feel better if we took some of those hollow points that Harold said we could use, and maybe went out and shot some shit?"
"I think so." Keith agreed, slowly taking his friend's lead, nodding to the security on for the night while they positioned on top of one of the towers and fired on any unfortunate zombie that happened to be within the scope's reach. Oddly, after about 20 minutes of head shots, both were in a better mood. Keith was actually starting to act like his regular self again, happy and congratulating his friend on good shots, taunting on bad ones. It went on like that until it was Keith's choice to turn in for the night.
"Jared?" Keith called, turning off the light by his bed across the room from his friend.
"Yep?"
"Thanks for bein so cool with me."