I do not own the Walking Dead or Linkin Park
Radiance
Chapter 8: Revealed
First POV (Tyler)
Following morning
I walked through the streets of Detroit, looking for one. Suddenly, I heard snarling. I pulled out my tomahawk and looked around a corner to find a skeleton. Here goes nothing. I charged and pinned it to the ground. I grabbed its hand and scratched my wrist just enough to infect me. I hit the skeleton's cranium with my tomahawk, killing it. I pulled it out and looked at my wound. A few moments later, water leaked from the scratch. That never happens when someone gets scratched. I smiled as I wrapped my wound. I looked up into the cloudy sky as it started to storm and yelled in triumph. The cure worked. I started up my newly repaired motorcycle and drove rapidly to the train station. Everyone was awake by the time I got back. I ran inside, happy as hell.
"What's got you jumping with joy?" Andrew asked as everyone looked at me. I looked at Drew and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"It works."
"What are you talking about?" Skyler curiously asked as I walked over to her.
"I've found our salvation, Skyler." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the vial containing the grey blood sample. "Our cure."
"You found a cure?" Mickia said as everyone got closer. They were all surprised to see it.
"Yes, and it sure as hell works." I answered, smiling.
"How do you know?" Ken replied while everyone gazed at the vile of grey blood.
"I injected it into me last night and purposely got myself scratched." I explained, gesturing to my wrapped wrist. "When the infection entered my bloodstream, the anti-bodies expelled the disease as a liquid. It works."
"Tyler, you should've told us before you injected yourself." Lauren seemed concerned. "Why'd you take the risk?"
"I took the risk because…if anything bad happened, it should happen to me. None of you should have to suffer." I explained as looked down at the ground. "No one else should die because of me." I walked away.
Later
It continued to storm as I looked at the city of Detroit. I started singing quietly to myself, changing some of the lyrics.
Turn my mic up louder I got to say something
Light weights step to the side when we come in
Feel it in your chest the syllables get pumping
People on the street they panic and start running
Words on loose leaf sheet complete coming
I jump in my mind and summon the demon that's coming
Healing the blind I promise to let the sun in
Sick of the dark ways we march to the drumming
Run when they tell us that they wanna see running
Fuck that I wanna see some fists pumping
Risk something, take back what's yours
Say something that you know they might attack you for
'Cause I'm sick of being treated like I had before
Like it's stupid standing for what I'm standing for
Like this war's really just a different brand of war
Like it doesn't cater to rich or even the poor
Like they understand you in the back of the jet
When you can't put gas in your tank
These fuckers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing the check
Asking you to have compassion and have some respect
For a leader so nervous in an obvious way
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay
And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
In their living room laughing like "What did he say?"
In my living room watching but I am not laughing
'Cause when it gets tense I know what might happen
World is cold the bold men take action
They react and get blown into fractions
Ten years old it's something to see
Another kid my age drugged under a jeep
Taken and bound and found later under a tree
I wonder if he had thought the next one could be me
Do you see the soldiers they're out today
They brush the dust from bullet proof vests away
It's ironic at times like this you pray
But a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday
There's bombs in the buses, bikes, roads
Inside your market, your shops, your clothes
My dad he's got a lot of fear I know
But enough pride inside not to let that show
My brother had a book he would hold with pride
A little red cover with a broken spine
On the back he hand-wrote a quote inside,
"When the rich wage war it's the poor who die."
Meanwhile, I'm just talking away
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay
And I am watching myself at the end of the day
Both scared and angry like "What did I say?"
With hands held high into the sky so blue,
As the ocean opens up to swallow you
"You alright?" I turned around to see Lauren walking over to me. "I'm really worried about you."
"I know." I replied as I continued to look at the city.
"We need you." She paused. "I need you." I looked at her as soon as she said that.