FLASHBACK: James Hopkins
He walked around the town with Drew by his side, Vance, Ted, and Johnny walking around him. "So you think there is anything left?" Drew asked James. "I thought you would have known." Jimmy said matter of fact. "Well you know. Slim chances here and there. By the way who is that person we brought in a while back? They still haven't woken from whatever sleep they were in." Drew said. "I don't know. Never seen them around here before. Probably scouting for that group if I had to guess." Jimmy said sure as he was.
"I don't expect them to send out a single person to find supplies. It was what they were intending from what I heard. Must have been working alone." Drew stated. "Don't know. She did attack them head on as if she knew who they were." Jimmy said. "So it is a girl? Interesting." Drew stated. "Speaking of how are you and the redhead doing?" Drew asked. "Zoe? Fine I guess. She has been helping out a bunch of people. You and Pinky okay?" He asked. "Quite good actually, despite the conditions. We have been learning to deal with things more efficiently; she is quite the helper too. Kind of funny I never took her for the working or helpful type before. I guess she knows too well the situation we've been stuck with. Either way I hope to propose to her soon." Drew stated proudly as James stopped in his tracks. "You are proposing to her?" Jimmy asked.
"Of course James. We've been with one another nonstop as you know, and I think it would be a good time to tie the knot, despite all of our setbacks as of recently. I'm becoming a little concerned about our friend Smith." Drew stated as he stopped and turned toward James now stopping in front of him. "What do you mean? He is locked and guarded there isn't much he can do from there." Jimmy said. "Don't be so quick to judge. I want to keep him there longer under heavier surveillance; my suspicions are higher than normal for him. Did you know there is another path out of the library?" Drew asked. Jimmy was taken back since even he had no idea. "No." Jimmy said.
"There is. I think he has been using it to sneak out and do certain things. I'm not sure what however, but I think he has something planned for when he gets out. I can only hope it doesn't involve death. I've felt close to this setback a few times, and I have felt the cold breath of death lingering closer to the school everyday. We have to consider moving very soon before everything gets out of hand." Drew said matter of fact. "I don't think your paranoia is what is best. Maybe you should take a break from everything let someone else handle things." Jimmy stated trying to give him information. Drew looked up to a building close by and he gestured James to walk in front of him as he followed close behind.
"Maybe I should take a short break. Though things may fall apart, you only seem to have experience with running people. I have experience with running people through an apocalypse. You hardly could control them last year from what I have heard. However, they look up to you for leadership it seems despite my help. They half believe you are leader, and fully believe me to be one. Which is why I shall take leave and take care of my soon-to-be wife." Drew grunted in some sort of pain. "You okay? Does it pain you to take a break?" Jimmy asked jokingly. "Funny. No I just have a little pain in my back. Nothing more." Drew stated James taking it as a joke. He heard another grunt.
"Are you sure you're okay?" James asked now concerned. "I assure you. I am fine. Let's turn this corner and make our way back if we don't find anything." Drew stated as they followed his route and made it back to the school. They found almost nothing on the way and James stood in front of Drew trying to talk to him again. "Listen, I know we haven't been the best group of people to work with, but I want you to know everybody appreciates your help. Still I can't help but ask if you really are okay. You really did seem like you were in pain." Jimmy said.
"It's nothing my friend. Nothing at all." Drew said trying to walk away. "I hate to confess this to you, but maybe you are a better leader. Whether you see it or not they don't look to me anymore. They see you and think of everything a leader should be." Jimmy said being nicer than he usually is. Drew chuckled at the thought.
"Maybe so, but obviously my leadership won't last very long, and the power will go back to you James." Drew took him by the shoulders. "Trust me it is only the right decision to leave the original leader in charge. If you look to me as a leader you will have to trust me no matter what we go through. If I die then so be it. However, you must protect your people, and unfortunately I couldn't protect my own. If I can remember correctly that is. James you have to lead these people again soon, I will not always be here to guide you through everything. I only leave you with one favor that you have to do for me. When the time truly comes and danger strikes at the heart of Bullworth; you must lead everybody out. I have a feeling I won't be around to see it." Drew stated darkly as he walked away. "What? What do you mean you won't be around?" Jimmy asked almost angered. "My time here is almost up James. One day you will understand." Drew said walking faster than before leaving James behind as he stood there dazed.
Month 2 Day 17
Subject: Christy Martin
"Why are you still dating that rich slut?" Christy asked as Drew sat on the reclined bed facing it. "Why do you have a grudge against her?" Drew asked calmly. "I don't know. I figured you'd be into someone better than her, now you two are married right?" Christy asked. "I don't know. I really feel like I should have waited, but I couldn't stand it. I knew one of us was going to die soon and something inside me said just go for it. Now I don't think I could have feelings for another woman, let alone her." Drew said pulling a smoke out. "You smoke now?" Christy asked oblivious to the answer.
"Give me credit, I was about to take a dip in chemicals to kill myself, and now you're worried about a smoking habit?" Drew asked. "Sorry. So you really don't think you can have a woman again? Even if she could satisfy your needs?" Christy asked seductively. "I'm not interested Christy. Even if I was these damn wounds wouldn't let me." Drew said trying to get her attention back to work. "Why? Did you turn gay or something?" Christy asked jokingly. Drew turned in his seat clearly not amused. "Christy, I just don't see myself making love to a woman anytime soon. Especially with all that has happened recently. You are an attractive young lady but I don't want to give my lustful nature the satisfaction. I will admit I have undressed a few girls with my eyes every now and then for fun. Still I can't see myself with anyone anymore. That damn girl had to get herself captured by the damned government. That's what the little whore gets for betraying me." Drew said turning back.
"That is a bit harsh. She was your big sister, little sister, whatever. Though I don't think it was all her fault though. You're judging too harshly and that will get you nowhere. I know kind of ironic coming from a girl who feeds off of rumor spreading. I've gotten past that though; obviously since people are dying and spreading rumors around will only badger peoples anger. The last thing we need is for everybody to start killing each other when there has already been others trying to kill us. Look I know things have been rough, you're contemplating suicide, Pinky is your possible wife, Gary had to get his head blown off, James is confronting you on a regular basis, and I am sitting here badgering you about girls', and as a bonus a host is feeding on your brain, while you also figured out your not-so-dead sister is an experiment; I know this is a lot of pressure and to be honest in all of the chaos you deserve a break." Christy stated sounding a lot more philosophical than usual. Drew turned to her in surprise.
"Why are you being so nice to me Christy? You usually mock and hurt anybody in your path, even as a doctor, but you can be nice when you have to. I can tell you have changed a lot. Still I can't take a break from all of this, as much as I want to leave the population in James's hands like he has before, it is too much he has to bite off. We've already had a major attack by a beast so I have heard, the walls have tumbled leaving a wide open space to reconstruct, we may have to move, and girls are pregnant left and right. I don't think James can handle all of this, and he is obviously the top gun I have around here, to be honest I think I care a bit too much about him. That is only because I know he is a better leader than I am though." Drew confessed. "What? You think he is a better leader than you?" Christy asked almost disgusted.
"I hate to say it, but yes he is. I just don't know how he'll be without my advice." Drew said as he stood up feeling ready after his checkup. "I still need to find more ammo, food, supplies, clothing for the winter, and maybe some sort of ultimate weapon. Hopefully city hall is filled with the things. Still I really need to get back to…" Drew was stopped abruptly by a kiss from Christy. He cowered back in a mixture of fear and disgust. "What did you go and do that for?" He asked almost yelling. "I love you Drew!" She yelled trying to lunge forward again this time Drew pushed her back a little. "Please! Christy just stay back, I don't want you! Please feel free to go on a lust filled thrill ride with someone else! Just not me!" Drew yelled angrily as he walked out. Christy just watched him leave as tears began to well up in her eyes. She began to lean against the wall and slide down her head dragging along the wall. She had her head to her knees as she let out tears that she never felt before. "I've never been rejected!" She yelled crying into her knees. "I love him so much!" She yelled again hitting her head against the wall. "Love who?" A greaser's voice was recognizable from a mile away.
"It's none of your business Peanut!" She yelled. He came over to her and rubbed her shoulder. She looked up at the auburn haired greaser; it almost felt like he was a brother from the way he acted. "I'm sorry Peanut, I wish I could tell you. I don't want this getting out." She said matter of fact. "I won't tell. Though I kind of think I love you Christy." He said shyly. Christy looked at the greaser tear filled eyes. "Really? You do?" She asked. "I fucking love you more than anything. Anything you want I got baby." He said smiling. She giggled at the thought. "I don't know Peanut, you might be more man than I could handle." She said lustfully. He grabbed her by the face and planted a kiss on her red lips. Soon they were in another world, as the two unlikely lovers would cross paths again in the near future. "I have to admit that was one crazy thing that just happened." Peanut said after it was all said and done.
"I don't fool around much. When I want something I get it." Christy said giggling. "Though I have something to confess or whatever to you Christy." Peanut said as Christy sat up in interest. "This was actually my first time. I've never had another girl despite all my talk with Lefty or whatever." He confessed. Christy almost felt ashamed at the fact this was probably her third or fourth time. She lost count after her quick one with Johnny Vincent in the bathroom stall two years ago. "I have two confessions for you, and after them I want you to answer a question in return. Don't get mad either." She said. "Okay hit me." Peanut said still satisfied with how good Christy was with certain parts. "One, this isn't my first time." She said matter of fact.
"So, I don't think any girl here is pure." Peanut said jokingly. "Two, I love Drew. Well I loved him, now that I know how good you are!" She said giggling. "Really? I don't blame you." He said. She looked at the greaser she always questioned the sexuality of. "You love him?" She asked. "Yeah right! I'm just saying that Pinky fell for him and he didn't have any money or presents to give her. You ask me that girl is dumb, but you aren't." He said cuddling her under his arms. "Now the question part. I've only heard certain things but, do you like Johnny Vincent your leader?" She asked. "Of course Johnny is my friend you know." He answered. "No I mean do you like him?" She put emphasis on the like. Peanut thought about it and Christy knew that this probably meant a yes.
"I hope I'm not a queer. Bisexual at most but not all the way queer, still I don't even want to be bisexual. Johnny is my best friend and I would do anything for the guy, but I don't think I would actually date him." He answered. "Not even for some one on one?" Christy asked. "That is gross Christy. I slept with you didn't I?" He asked angrily. Christy scoffed and broke the cuddle. "So that was all I was? Just a simple confirmation of how straight you are? You're just as disgusting as the next guy in this school!" Christy raised her voice. "Says the girl who has done a little more than fondling with a bunch of us greasers!" Peanut yelled immediately regretting it. "I only did it with Johnny Vincent, and it was in a bathroom!" Christy yelled.
"Johnny was with you? Christy I didn't mean for it to come out like it did. I just get a bit jealous. I'm sorry." Peanut tried compromising with her. "It's too late for an apology Peanut. Please make your way out. I can't believe you would even say something like that, so all I ended up being was your ticket to being straight? I still think you are a more flaming gay than Vance, and he is bisexual!" She yelled.
"I'm sorry I though that was an insult I heard. I guess it is just some tough girl redhead trying her best to not be a loser! You're a funny girl Christy Martin, you really are, you try your best not to be an outcast despite all of your best efforts, and yet you still are a bitch. Why can't you just accept the fact that no guy in his right mind wants to be with someone as slutty as you are? Nobody wants you; all you are to other guys is just another slut waiting by the door. I can't believe I even wanted to be with a girl like you, all you do is cause trouble, and I fell for it. Hopefully I can still remain a patient someday, if that day comes, and if it does you better do good or you are finished! You hear me? Finished! Goodbye you little harlot! I hope you catch a virus of some kind, maybe the one that is eating your love alive!" Before Peanut could say anything else a pair of arms snapped his neck right in front of her. She was still naked and felt embarrassed by anyone standing there. Peanut fell down and revealed who it was that snapped his neck.
It was Johnny Vincent. "Sorry Peanut. I knew this day would come, and I just never saw it so soon." He pulled out a knife and stabbed Peanut in his head. "What did you do that for Vincent?" Christy yelled. "You really couldn't see the obvious bite on his neck? I figured it was obvious." He said. "That isn't a zombie bite it is a…" She was interrupted by Johnny; "I know what you are about to say, but last time I checked stuff like that doesn't bleed a lot. You don't see the little bastard maggots crawling around in there?" He pointed as Christy looked over and saw a leech of some kind eating away. She vomited into the toilet on the far side as Johnny waited. She came out and wiped her face with the sheet. "You have a pretty weak stomach for a studying doctor." He said chuckling.
"Very funny. How did you know he was in here and how you saw the thing so fast?" She asked. "Everybody heard the yelling, I just happened to know Peanut's voice, and as for the bite, I've known for a bit now." He said casually. "You knew he was infected and didn't tell anyone?" She asked. "Don't worry it won't hurt you if that's what your hidden question is. As for the worm the other lady doctor said it was the same viral worm host in Drew. She wasn't sure if it moved on from his brain to a more open wound. So we should try and be careful. I already took care of it and put it in a jar." He said. "Why?" She asked disgusted. "So the lady doctor can take a look at it. If it were the same host she would find out and find a way to maybe cure this thing. Hopefully save some lives." He said a little more pep in his tone. "Yeah that worked out great with cancer." She said pulling clothes back on finally. "Yeah the whole cancer cure thing was a lie by the government." He said. Christy looked at him with surprise and possible doubt. "How would you know?" She asked curiously.
"Apparently the scientist who worked on this stuff was international terrorists, former CIA operatives, and high grade scientists. They could blow shit up, cover it up, and poison the American people. How the company got hired nobody knows, but the lady doctor was basically on the good side of the entire battle. She didn't know how after years of research, that company found the cure in a matter of months. The thing is though, the president in office hired the guys to find the cure, unfortunately things didn't turn out as well as everyone expected. Turns out the president was a former operative with these guys, and of course betraying old friends wasn't necessarily on his list of things to do. So he knew the guys, hired them, and he wanted to help kill his people off and make himself look like the good guy in the end. The company the lady worked at got hired as a backdoor consultant, they got paid extra to keep their mouth shut, and make another cure. The virus spread a lot faster than he previously thought so he shut down the terrorist program, but those guys had other things in mind before the government could get their hands on this virus. Little did they know the president snuck a piece or two out one day when they were having a little chat. So he went to the lady's company, sold them the virus to study for a permanent cure. Unfortunately not everything turned out so great, the terrorists booked it to another country when things turned Hell upside down, the president ordered the cure to be found, but the company had other things in mind. Which is where Drew and his old sissy pie came in. They were chosen completely at random from the selection of people, they staged the church infestation and descended chaos, got them separated long enough so they could get the girl out, and come back for him later. They planted the virus in both of them, it heightened his fighting ability, brainpower, and physical stability, hence why he can take a hefty amount of bullets, and she got strength beyond the norm, knowledge beyond her years, and they both had memories erased. He got a freewill they weren't expecting, she didn't. Somehow they absorbed the virus and made it their own, and the people once dead or dying, they became a nuisance. They rose from the dead and made their way to eat on the living. Now she wants to study it and make a real cure for the virus, despite the fact her mouth would have been shut ages ago. Luckily she's with us and hopefully can get us in the right place and bring the undead back to a real normal living human again. The host in his body she isn't so sure about, and he could be stuck with it for a long time." He finished explaining.
Christy stood back in shock and wasn't sure how Johnny Vincent of all people could remember and understand all of it so clearly. "I have to go now…" She said with all of her clothes on as she walked out of the room as fast as she could.
A/N: So here we are with another couple of chapters! I'm going to be pumping these out a bit faster than usual, primarily because the story has officially been wrapped up, and there will probably be about six or seven more chapters after this one. Looking back on it I probably should have filled more chapters, but I won't say anything else about it. Expect the chapters to come probably two at a time until it reaches the end.