Ch. 11

'Choice Pt. One'

The sun had set a couple of hours ago the adults in the group prayed nothing would be laid across the tracks as they trekked through the heart of Atlanta the amount of walkers that they had run over with in the last few minutes was immeasurable.

Genevieve was sitting in the middle of the train car watching the walkers pass by as well as the buildings some of which had graffiti. 'No escape!' 'This is the end!' 'We are forsaken!' Were a few that Genevieve read with tearful eyes.

A half hour passed by and the group had to stop the train they were at the crossroads.

Summer And the group got out if the train there had to be a track switch nearby.

"Genevieve We'll need the flashlight out of your pack." Summer said gruffly.

Genevieve quickly slipped her backpack off and pulled the flashlight out and handed it to Summer.

Summer flipped on the light source and walked down the tracks followed by the group.

"Shh." Corrine said freezing. "Turn the light off!" Corrine whispered before pulling Melissa and herself into the shadows of an abandoned train car.

Summer pulled Genevieve behind cover with her they all listened and heard footsteps, but they weren't from a walker they were too steady.

Summer pulled her bow but remembered she had no arrows so switched her bow out for her pistol.

Silently Summer stalked the sound she found it was coming from the other side of the train car.

Summer stood up straight and pointed her gun forward when the person came around the corner he stumbled backwards and nearly fell before throwing his hands in air in surrender Summer could tell he was close to her age maybe a couple years younger.

"P-please. Let me go." The boy pleaded with his hands raised.

"State your business." Summer ordered trying to hide her trembling hands.

"Looking for stuff.. To help my friend..." the teenager replied hands still raised.

"What's wrong with him?" Summer asked trying to keep her authoritative tone.

"He.. He was attacked by a dog.." the mystery person replied as he started to back up but bumped into Corrine's gun instead. "Wait please!" The boy pleaded.

"Keep it down." Summer said gun trembling in her hands.

"Depending on how bad he was hurt I can help him." Melissa chimed in softly.

The boy turned and looked at Melissa with hope. "Please!" He pleaded voice breaking as if he might cry.

"Take us to him. Try anything.. And they'll shoot you." Melissa said motioning to the two women with guns.

"I won't.. I promise." The adolescent gave his word after seeing Genevieve.

The group nodded to each other before following the teen, he led them down a back alley and into the train station the group immediately saw blood drops trailing to an injured man laying against the wall with a graying skin complexion.

"Dad!" The boy exclaimed he ran and slid to his knees next to his father.

Summer internally recoiled and fell behind the group as she was flooded with her family's less fortunate state.

Melissa stepped next to the man and got on her knees. "Where did the dog bite you?" Melissa asked waiting until she asked permission to check.

"Uh.. Leg. Arm. S-stomach.." the man answered with labored breathing evident.

"May I check you?" Melissa asked moving closer to the man.

"You a... doctor or. Something?" The man asked breathlessly.

"Yes." Melissa replied simply.

"Then.. Be quick." The man said tiredly.

"Of course." Melissa said. "Where on the arm were you bitten?" Melissa asked.

"Bicep." The man answered sounding out of it.

"Well let's start with your leg." Melissa opted seeing the blood was around the ankle. "Help your father out of his shirt please." Melissa said to the boy as she pulled his pant leg up.

Once the pant leg was up Melissa could tell right away this wasn't a dog bite.

Melissa looked up at the man's face with a furrowed brow.

She noticed his skin was gray his body was hot to the touch his eyes were yellowed. "This isn't a dog bite." Melissa said concern laden in her voice.

"No.. It is!.. A German Shepherd!" The boy said adamantly with fear in his voice.

"Trevor.." the man said tiredly. "Come clean." The man said labored breathing returning.

"Dad..." Trevor said voice breaking with sorrow.

"Trevor. You were attacked by walkers weren't you." Melissa asked holding the teenager's gaze.

Summer and Genevieve's stomach lurched at the revelation of another family broken because of the monsters outside.

Genevieve stepped away and put her back against the wall breathing deeply trying to keep from crying but eventually broke sliding down the wall she pulled her knees to her chest a d cried quietly while the group decided what to do with the man.

"Shoot him in the head.. And he shouldn't come back.. Corrine said sullenly.

"What?! No!" Trevor said fear and sorrow ruling in his voice as he put his body over his father's.

"If we don't do it he will become a lurker." Corrine explained calmly.

"All of you get away!" Trevor warned the group picking up his father's revolver.

The group had their hands up in surrender to this brokenhearted boy.

Trevor froze when a small hand touched his forearm causing him to tense up slightly before pointing the gun at the hand's owner.

Genevieve flinched only slightly at the gun's presence before calming down at least outwardly. "P-please.. Don't let him be one of them.. Don't let him become a walker." Genevieve pleaded her eyes still wet from tears.

Trevor had the gun on her for a long moment before lowering the gun tears spilling silently. "Ok.." Trevor relented before turning to his father.

"Love ya buddy .. I'm.. Sorry." The man said wheezing.

"Ohh.. Dad.. I.. I'll miss you." Trevor sobbed holding the gun trembling pointing it at his father hesitating for a moment before firing.

[One month later, outside Chattanooga, Morning]

The group had arrived an hour ago and had spent the time trying to figure out how to get back in the mall safely.

"Hope this is beneficial." Corrine said quietly seeing the large amount of walkers roaming the parking lot of the mall.

"We just gotta make it to Amanda." Summer said determination showing. "She'll.. Know what to do." Summer said distantly to herself.

"Ok. Me and Corrine will get in the mall. Trevor, Melissa you hide and watch the kid." Summer briefed the group on the plan.

The two infiltrators stepped in through the subway entrance like Amanda had showed Summer the last time they were here.

"Hopefully it's still pretty clear down here." Summer said under her breath.

"Don't count on it." Corrine said quietly.

Once at the bottom of the stairs the duo could hear a bunch of walkers roaming the area.

Summer snuck behind one and swung her knife stabbing the walker in the temple rendering it lifeless once again.

Corrine slunk behind a walker and snapped her fingers lightly once the walker turned around she forced her knife into where its nose used to be then pulled it out and kicked one of its knees in toppling it to the ground dead.

The duo killed off a handful more before reaching the entrance to the mall.

Opening the door and stepping inside the duo couldn't count how many undead enemies there were but it would make getting to the roof interesting.

The two his behind a table flipped on its side.

"Any ideas?" Corrine asked in a whisper.

Summer shifted her weight nervously. "Well... Amanda showed us a way to blend in with the dead.." Summer admitted.

"How?" Corrine asked genuinely interested in this ability.

"We have to cover ourselves in the guts of.. One of the walkers." Summer explained with a small moment of hesitation.

"Oh.." Corrine said a little shaken by the idea.

"I know. It's gross but it'll help." Summer reasoned with the grown woman.

"Alright." Corrine agreed looking for their victim.

Corrine stood and struck one in the eye with her knife than dragged behind their cover.

"You're sure about this?" Corrine asked clearly wanting a different way to get the job done.

"I've done it before.." Summer reassured before opening the walkers stomach and slathering the remains all over her body and painting her face with the guts as well.

Corrine followed suit hesitantly. "Ok.. Let's get this ... over with." Corrine said shuddering.

The duo then stood up and walked into the crowd of undead the duo went up the stairs then up to the third floor.

Corrine was walking slowly following Summer when a walker bumped into her causing Corrine to stop in place the walker then looked at her closely growling lightly before fumbling off in the other direction Corrine took a deep breath before following Summer up the stairs to a ladder.

The girls made their way up the ladder and stepped outside seeing the expansive city and many walkers that now filled it.

"Amanda's out there somewhere." Summer said slight hope in her voice.

"What if she isn't?" Corrine piped up breaking Summer out of her bubble.

"What?" Summer asked looking at her partner.

"What if this Amanda isn't alive anymore." Corrine asked plainly.

"She's not dead." Summer said seriously.

"How do you know?" Corrine pressed.

"I don't! But.. There's no way. After everything she did. There's no way she could just die." Summer exclaimed sounding flustered.

Corrine pursed her lips knowingly. "Alright. Where are the fireworks?" Corrine said changing the subject.

"They're..." Summer said turning back to the roof they were on. "They're.. Uh.. Let's check here." Summer said walking to a square object under a blue tattered tarp.

Removing the tarp they found the fireworks after a few minutes setting them out they pulled some matches out of Corrine's pack and lit the fireworks as they went off the duo descended the fire escape.

Once on the ground the two found the walkers were emerging from the city diverging on the mall as the sun was beginning to rise.

Summer could see Melissa smearing walker guts on Trevor and Genevieve already covered up on the other side of the lot.

Summer breathed a sigh of relief before making her way slowly towards them. "C'mon Corrine." Summer whispered as she walked into the fray.

"Right behind you." Corrine whispered back following behind.

Summer watched as Melissa led Genevieve and Trevor towards the store they had been told to go to by Amanda.

Summer and Corrine made their way slowly it felt as if they had been in the crowd of walkers for an hour but eventually they made it to the store.

"Thank God you're alright!" Melissa said when the duo made it through the door.

"What do we do now?" Trevor asked.

"We... wait." Summer said awkwardly as she leaned against the counter.

An hour passed a crowd of walkers were attracted to the noise and light of the fireworks.

"How long do we just sit here." Corrine asked sitting on the floor near the front door.

"Until she gets here." Summer replied bluntly standing near the front window watching for the reclusive teenager.

"You don't think this is a waste of time?" Corrine asked in a concerned voice.

"No. I think this could help us all." Summer said gesturing to everyone.

Hours passed daytime turned to dusk the walkers had started roaming again and still no sign of Amanda.

"How long are we gonna sit here." Trevor asked while looking at a magazine.

Summer sighed rubbing her eyes tired of this question. "When she shows up.. She has to show up.." Summer said somberly.

"And when do you think she will show up? It has been hours!" Corrine said sternly with her arms crossed.

"She.. She will be here.. She'll b-" Summer started before Genevieve spoke up.

"Hey! Look?" Genevieve said looking out the window.

The group crowded the front window to see what the little girl was pointing out.

The group could see walkers roaming looking like nothing but silhouettes against the sunset.

"What are we looking at?" Summer said impatiently.

"Maybe she's saying there's nothing out here!" Trevor said in a bad attempt at being passive aggressive.

Summer took this to heart and looked down at the child immediately who was still looking out the glass door. "She! Will! Be here!" Summer almost growled at the girl.

Genevieve recoiled for a moment but then looked at Summer. "Look!" Genevieve said trying to hide her frustration.

Summer turned to look back out begrudgingly with a sigh but saw what the child saw.

One of the silhouettes was dispatching the others until only one stood.

That silhouette then turned and limped towards the store the group backed away from the window and waited for the figure to get closer.

Summer breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was Amanda pushing through the store's door.

"They have any pads in here?" Amanda asked sticking her head in the door nonchalantly.

The group looked at each other this was who Summer wanted to meet with?

"Pads?" Genevieve mouthed to the adults.

"When your older ok?" Melissa whispered with a wink.

"Well." Amanda said after a few minutes of scrounging.

"Let's move."