Hi Everyone! I'm feeling inspired to continue my RE zombie story due to the new season of The Walking Dead (can I get a woo-wooooo!) which has been a doozy so far! Also, thank you so much to those who took the time to review this story - I really appreciate it! Please note that the italic portion below is a snippet of Lisa's POV at the end of Chapter 2 but the rest of the story is written in third person.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Red Eye or The Walking Dead. I'm also not using a beta, so posting this chapter as-is. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter 3: Touched By An Assassin
The screams - the sounds of torturous screams are everywhere! And the blood - the retched smell of blood overpowers the air surrounding me…engulfing me in its aroma of death! Seeing the blood splattering, gushing and oozing red to the ground, and dripping from the mouths of the infected is surreal… so horribly surreal! But it's not the screams, or the smells, or the sight of blood that's paralyzing my body from fleeing the chaos around me. It's from seeing the most vivid blue eyes staring at me. I can't run, nor can I scream. All I can do is stare back, wide-eye at his blue eyes.
I see his mouth moving but I don't hear him...
"Hey Leese…need a ride?"
There's an inner faint ringing in my ears, with the sound of my heart pounding in its wake, leaving his words muffled and incomprehensible. Confused, I shake my head. He's clearly upset from my response and purse's his lips while glaring at me. Oh yes, it's him... I remember that look on his face…the same one he gave me back on the airplane when he discovered my secret. He's talking to me again and leans forward while resting his right hand on top of the car that's holding a pistol. I take a closer look at his lips, remembering their fullness and glance back at his eyes to see him staring at me gravely. He repeats himself and this time I hear his words loudly and comprehend their meaning clearly...
"If you want to live, then you need to come with me now Lisa!"
Miami, Florida
Lisa shook her head, staring at Jackson in disbelief. The man was dead! How could he possibly be standing in front of her and looking very much alive? Surely she was dreaming! It all made sense now – she was having another one of her nightmares. Wake-up! She closed her eyes and opened them quickly to see him still standing before her.
"Who is he?" Cynthia asked in an anguish voice. She had fallen on the ground and was huddling her twisted ankle that was in excruciating pain. "Is that – "
"It can't be him…" Lisa responded, cutting her off while trying to help her up.
Both women turned in fear when they heard a loud voice scream to their side. A short stalky woman, with her mouth covered in blood, eyed the two as if she found her next meal. She wailed out another screech and darted at the two with her arms flailing wildly around her.
"Let's go!" Lisa screamed, yanking Cynthia to her feet.
Cynthia tried to run but fell to the ground, screaming in pain, as her ankle gave out on her again. Her screams didn't relent as she watched the woman descend on them quickly. Lisa desperately tried to lift her again but stopped when Cynthia's screams sounded more torturous than before.
"I can't move Lisa! Go – Run – SAVE YOURSELF!"
Lisa defensively held her arms up as the bloodied woman was ready to leap on them but jumped when she heard a single gunshot ring out. She watched the woman collapse to the ground with her body crumpling and twisting to her side. Frantically, she looked back at Jackson, who was pointing his pistol in their direction. He had taken the woman down with one shot and was now anxiously rushing over to them.
"Oh my God – more are coming!" Cynthia screamed. Both women turned to see a crazed mob of people headed their way that became attracted by the sound of the gun fire.
"You're wasting time!" Jackson shouted, swooping Cynthia in his arms. Lisa twirled around to him in a panic and both stared at each other knowing it was either move or die. He continued back towards the car and felt her close on his heels as she followed right behind him.
He opened the rear door and shove Cynthia in the back seat, who immediately laid on her side while moaning in pain. Suddenly, she sat up and began screaming and pointing behind the two and both turned to see that the stalky woman was back on her feet and limping towards them.
Lisa stumbled towards the passenger door which Jackson was already opening and pushing her inside the car. He jumped in right behind her and quickly locked the doors while just narrowly escaping the woman.
With their bodies crushed together on the passenger side, she instantly felt claustrophobic with her lungs constricting, as she gasped for breath. Both of them bumped against each other hard when the woman rammed her head against the window, which miraculously didn't shatter the glass. Lisa grabbed Jackson's arm when the woman's white glazed eyes stared right at her while clawing and gnawing at the glass to get inside.
"Shit!" He muttered in disgust as he watched the woman press her tongue against the window and smear a trail of blood and saliva all over the glass. Lifting his body slightly off Lisa's, he looked down to see her trembling hands clenching his arm, with her eyes wide and fixed out the window.
She dropped her jaw as if to scream but didn't make a sound when watching the crowd reach the car. She clenched his arm tighter, gasping out a whimper, by the sight of them thrashing and piling-up on top of the car.
Taking one of her trembling hands in his, Jackson grasped it tightly to get her attention. "Lisa, we have to get out of the city - so I need you to get it together."
She closed her eyes as tears flooded down her cheeks while feeling in complete despair. She hadn't cried at all until now and felt a numbing effect release from her body by doing so. Realizing the two were holding hands, she swallowed gently but did nothing to pull away from him. He raised her chin up so she would look at him but she continued to keep her eyes closed.
"We're going to get through this but we have to do it together." He squeezed her hand gently again and she finally looked at him. His heart quicken when she kept her gaze steady with his, as if they were finally on the same page. "You ready to do this?"
She nodded and breathed in a nervous breath while trying not to stare at the mangled faces pressed at the windows. He released her hand and quickly scooted to the driver's seat, strapping himself in and revving up the engine to the car.
"You're going to need your seat belt on," he warned, feeling the car shake harder due to the crowd going wild from hearing the engine. "You too Red," he shouted over his shoulder to Cynthia in the back seat, who didn't respond but was lying on her side while sobbing and covering her ears.
Hitting the gas pedal, he rammed his way forward, crushing anyone in his path to the ground. The car wheels bounced up and down rigorously and spun out for several feet but he was able to keep pushing forward. Looking at his rear view mirror, he could see bodies still clinging to the back of the car, which he sharply turned the steering wheel, knocking them off.
Lisa had both hands on the dashboard and held her breath as she watched him swerve past a pile-up of vehicles and drive on the sidewalk. "Watch out!" She screamed when a woman darted across their car and was yelling for help while fleeing from one of the infected. "Oh God – she needs our help!"
He looked at his side mirror to see the woman being knocked to the ground by her attacker. "It's too late for her Leese. In fact, we can't help any of these people. This is going to sound crazy but from what I've heard ...these things... these sick people out there aren't even alive... or at least they're not human anymore... like you and I."
She shook her head and swallowed hard. "It doesn't sound crazy...someone from the CDC said something similar back at the hotel. But how do you know this?"
"From very reliable sources who work for the same people as I do."
"So you're saying you know what this is? Is it some sort of chemical weapon? I thought you people were in the assassination business."
"No, I don't know what this is. And the people I occasionally work for, the Company, do provide other speciality jobs for their clients that I have nothing to do with or even have knowledge of. What you see out here...the Company knew about it before anyone else, making me suspicious that they're behind this atrocity. Their informants working for the CDC, who tipped us off, made one thing very clear…and that is to not get infected. If you get bit or scratch by one of those things out there, then you die and become one of those things out there – it's that contagious. So we don't want to get out of this car, unless necessary."
She closed her eyes at the monstrosity to how many people could become infected.
"So your death, that was a lie?" She asked in a shaken voice.
There was a long pause between the two, which he wanted to say obviously but held his tongue. "You really didn't buy that story, did you, Leese?" He looked at her somberly as if she should have known better. "If you're worried I came back here to hurt you – then don't be."
"So you just happen to be here for old-time sake?"
He sighed, hearing a sarcastic undertone to her question but thought it best he give her a partial answer…one he was still trying to figure out himself.
"I don't know Leese …maybe I just missed you." He stared at her briefly while giving her a small smile. "I know you're trying to wrap your head around why I'm here but I think its best we focus on one problem at a time…and that's saving our asses at the moment. We'll have plenty of time to talk about this later…I promise."
Hearing a hint of truth to his tone, she snapped her attention forward again, wondering if there was going to be a later.
"Hold on!" He shouted, seeing a park just ahead of them. He turned the vehicle sharply and jumped over the sidewalk, catching a short distance of air and thudding hard back on the road. He sped on the parks grassy field while jerking and maneuvering the vehicle to avoid anything in his way.
"Oh my God!" Lisa shouted frantically when a horrific realization came to light. "We're going the wrong way!"
"What?! This is the right way Leese - away from the sicko's back there!"
"But my Dad – we need to go back and help him!"
"There's no way we're going back through that - "
"Turn this car around or I go on my own!" She demanded, putting her hand on the door handle to jump out.
Jackson quickly stepped on the brakes, stopping the vehicle abruptly while looking at her as if she was insane.
"Have you noticed what's going on around here? You want to go back through that hell? And how does Red feel about going back?"
Both turned to look at Cynthia who was lying unresponsive in the back seat. Lisa jumped up and leaned over her seat, shaking her body.
"Cynthia – Cynthia!" She screamed but saw no response from her. Taking a closer look at her, she could see her chest moving. "She's still breathing!"
"She's ok…she just fainted."
Turning around and knowing she couldn't leave her friend behind, she looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please Jackson, we need to help my dad. He's alone...plus I know of another way to get to his house...away from the main streets. We don't' have to go back through the city - please."
Shaking his head, he reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out his cell phone, handing it to her. "Call him – that's if you can get through. He could be on the run like us. If you can't get a hold of him, then we keep moving."
She nodded and began calling his number but both flinched in their seat when a woman jumped on the hood of the car and punched at the windshield. She was missing her top, revealing bites and scratches all over her chest and neck, and stopped to stare in the car with her eyes glazed white. She motioned her arm to punch the window again but Jackson quickly shifted the car in reverse and knocked her off the hood and on the ground. They watched her stand and lunge towards the car but he quickly sped forward again, side-clipping her when she tried to jump back on the vehicle.
Lisa breathed in a nervous breath while shaking her head but focused on dialing her father's number again as they continue racing across the park. To her frustration a public emergency recording came on the line. She tried his number again but the same recording came on. "I can't get through – SHIT! Please – we have to go back – I know he's home!"
Seeing the look of anguish on her face, he clenched his teeth in frustration, knowing what he was about to say and do. "How do we get to Dad's from here, without having to back track in the city?" he finally asked, sounding anxious himself.
"Pass the end of the park – make a right ...it's all residential the back way. It'll take longer but it's away from the main streets." She looked at him with tears in her eyes, relieved that he'd help her father. "Thank you."
"Alright Leese," he sighed. "But you do know it's our funeral."
Backwoods of Georgia
Daryl Dixon rolled up the window to his truck while driving steadily up a lone dirt road. He was breathing in the roads dust that his brother Merle was kicking up with his motorcycle ahead of him and was wishing the SOB would slow down. Both had been driving for hours and had finally reached their destination, which was their Uncle Beau's remote cabin in Georgia's high country.
In spite of what both had recently been though in their home town, his brother looked relaxed and care free while driving ahead of him. He could tell by his body demeanor, that the man had a smug smile on his face, which was no doubt from being satisfied that he'd given the folks of his town a thrashing of a lifetime. One that Merle had been fantasizing on doing for a while since his reputation made him the least liked Dixon kinsfolk in the county.
Hours earlier, they had narrowly escaped the hordes of flesh eaters that took over their town, which many of them were the townsfolk themselves who became infected. Seeing Merle in action was like watching an old western film where the outlaw gunned his way out of town to make his escape. But in this show-down the outlaw made it out of alive, taking most of the town folks down in the process, and with no regrets. The man was in his element and it showed, since he escaped without a scratch on him. Anyone, who didn't remotely appear human and tried to attack him, met their demise by his rifle or colt revolver. For Merle, the infected were like target practice and easy pickings since they moved real funny, as he would say. For Daryl, every shot was one of hesitation and remorse, but in the end, he took down anyone infected who got in his way. Now they had little ammo left for the weapons and he was praying that his uncle's back-up stash was still hidden in the cabin.
He slowed and rolled down his window when seeing Merle sitting on the side of the road and waving him over. They finally reached a steel gate, with bob-wire fencing flanking each side, that bordered the surrounding land.
"Damn it – we forgot about the gate - it's locked - SHIT!" Merle shouted out, through the sound of his motorcycle engine.
Daryl looked at the thick chain around the gates latch, knowing it would be a son-a-bitch to break open. "Hold up!" he shouted back, knowing he packed his tool box. "I might have something that can break the lock!" He jumped out of his truck and walked to the back to look for something sharp.
"That's what I like about you little brother - always thinking!" He flashed him a cocky smile and turned the motor off to his motorcycle and reached in his jacket for a pack of cigarettes. He got off the bike and looked around for any signs of movement and seeing none, finally lit his cigarette. "How far do you think this shit's spread to?"
"Don't know - the news said people are infected everywhere."
"Mmmm-hmmm" Merle muttered, tasting the tobacco from the cigarette. "I'm going to need to find me another carton of these…"
Daryl looked at him for a moment, knowing his priorities were off. "What we need is shelter and some water."
"Relax - were almost at the cabin and the water tank up the hill should already be filled up. And if it's not, then we can always pump more from the creek. "
"That stagnate shit in the tank?"
"Beggars can't be chooser's."
Ignoring his brother, he continued moving boxes in the back of his truck to find what he needed.. "Here we go!" he said, holding up a hatchet while looking at the blade's edge.
"Well - go at it boy!" His brother ordered, while taking another puff from his cigarette. "Let's get the show on the road incase more of those fuckers appear. I don't want to be dragging your sorry ass around hells creation if they show up and we haven't gotten through."
"You just relax Big Brother and I'll work this out for the both of us," Daryl responded sarcastically while walking over to the gate.
"Wooo-hoooo! You're a spunky one, aren't you? But that's why I keep you around - you take care of business for the both of us!" He chuckled loudly.
Daryl shook his head and took a heavy swing at the lock on the chain. It didn't break, so he swung again and again, chopping at it hard. Finally after a good minute of fighting with the lock, it broke. He looked back at his brother with a smirk and opened the gate, which Merle was smiling back at him and nodding his head.
"You know I would have broken that lock in one swing, don't you Bro?" Merle said mockingly while still smiling. He watched Daryl walk pass him, without giving him a second glance. "Ah, come on – I'm just messing with you…, I would have broken it with at least two swings…three tops!" He let out another obnoxious laugh while slapping Daryl's back with his hand. "Well, let's not stick around here anymore. We're gonna fire-up the grill and heat us up a can of those pork and beans we brought. Nothing but gourmet tonight for you and me Brother!"
Daryl nodded his head and walked back to his truck, tossing the hatchet on the passenger side of the truck. He was hungry and hoping the gas tank had propane in it so they could cook a hot meal on the stove. He watched Merle fling his cigarette butte on the ground, and hop back on his bike, taking off ahead him down the road. Gritting his teeth, he walked to the cigarette and stepped on it, while feeling his patience growing thin with the man. It didn't take long for that to happen when it came to Merle.
He got back in his truck and drove just passed the gate and stepped out again but with the engine still running. He walked back to the gate, wrapping the chain around it several times, securing it in place but without the lock. He looked back down the road from where they came, knowing their hideout wouldn't be easy for anyone to find since it was a mile off the main road. Even though the place was only surrounded with bob-wire fencing, he finally felt safe.
Honk! Honk! Honk!
Hearing the sound of Merle's motorcycle horn blaring in the distance made him look up the road in a panic but he was nowhere in sight. Shit! He was going to alert all flesh eaters of their location and by night fall the two would probably be fighting off another swarm of those bastards. With new-found determination he got back in his truck and quickly made his way up the road. First thing he was going to do at the cabin was look for the back-up ammo. And if he didn't find it, then the cabin's kitchen knives would have to suffice for protection.
Seeing Merle waiting ahead of him and pumping his arm in the air like he was a champion in a boxing ring made the dread of being held up with him disseminate. Only one person in the world had his back and that was Merle, and when the shit hit the fan he wanted no one else by his side then his big brother. Even if he was an ass-hole.
AN: My mind is running amok on how this story can play out. My goal...to get Rick Grimes in the picture with Lisa...which Jackson won't like one bit (oh the drama!). That's just one idea but I guess we'll see. Anyhow, thanks for reading and if you can, please leave a review. :)