Ch. 20
'Stick together Part one'
[Near Static, KY, ]
Summer couldn't believe this was happening, she assumed Rainey would just hold them captive and never let them try to save Amanda, Summer, and Ian raced down the road in hopes that their friend still lived.
The duo came upon the warehouse where Ian had left her.
"A few walkers..." Summer muttered, disgust dripping from her voice.
"Let's hope she isn't with them," Ian said, scanning the undead for the familiar face, they desperately needed to her fate.
"She... Isn't, I know she isn't," Summer said, trying to convince herself.
The two moved forward paying no mind to the undead roaming nearby, who now noticed them.
Summer saw an old board, darting for it, the woman scooped it up and tossed it to Ian, who immediately swung it across the closest walker's face.
The whack of the wood smashing bone sounded throughout the area, opening her eyes, Amanda let out a shallow, shaky breath, too quiet for anyone to hear.
She watched as her friends dispatched the undead, probably looking for her, Amanda allowed a feeling of relief to wash over her, quickly replaced by fear.
The injured teen put her hands on the rotting carcass, laid across her for cover, pushing with whatever Amanda had left, she couldn't push it off of her, letting her arms fall back to their place on the ground, she watched as Summer and Ian moved further away.
"I'm... Here," Amanda called out, almost inaudible.
Summer scanned the walkers and the bodies that laid rotten on the pavement. "Where'd you leave her?!" Summer demanded, desperation inking into her voice and movements.
"I did, she was around here!" Ian exclaimed, looking for any additional threats.
Summer nearly frantic at this point, the young woman quickly jogged to the end of the lot, two walkers approached with their arms outstretched.
Summer glanced around in hopes of finding her sister, becoming more desperate as time passed. "Amanda!" Summer yelled, tears threatening to fall.
The walkers neared her, Summer's grief and desperation turned to blind rage, she felt bony hands clutch her shoulders, the young woman whirled around flailing her arms, knocking the monster's grasp away before grabbing it by the shoulders, the second came towards her but was kicked in the pelvis, taking it down.
Freed up, Summer swept the walker's legs before smashing her boot down in its face, rendering it motionless.
Summer turned around menacingly to see the other walker trying to stand up again, she kicked it in the chest, straddling it before picking up a rock and splattering its head everywhere, Summer's rage turned to sorrow, her face covered in the brains and fluids of the walker, she had just dispatched.
Summer took a breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling, standing up she walked back to the large man who stood holding the board in his hands, awkwardly tracing its lines and wrinkles.
"Let's find her..." Summer said, her voice still shaky from her outburst.
"Ya... Aight," Ian said, turning on his heel and keeping pace with the woman.
The duo scanned the lot for another few minutes before they decided they would check, in or around the shipping containers, a hole only big enough to crawl through stood in the chain-link fence.
"You go ahead, I'll stay out here and keep watch," Ian stated, taking a spot on the corner of the fence.
After a few moments of watching his surroundings, Ian was jolted when he heard Summer scream.
"Ian!" The large man jumped at his name before rushing to the woman's aid.
The sound of a hammer pounding overhead filled the area for Genevieve, trapped in her thoughts, she prayed her friend and mentor was still alive.
"Could she still be alive? Could we really save her?" Genevieve's mind raced with questions about Amanda's wellbeing.
"Hey!" The man on the ladder that Genevieve was holding yelled, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Yes?" Genevieve called up, straightening up.
"Gimme another board! I wanna be done with this before dinner!" The man barked.
"Ok!" Genevieve said as she ran for the stack of boards.
Grasping the top board, Genevieve pulled it off thumping the ground with the other end, the little girl dragged the long, wide board towards the ladder, once there, Genevieve lifted the other end towards the man, straining as she did so.
"C'mon, we ain't got all day!" The man said as he grabbed the board away roughly.
Genevieve allowed her frustration to subside as she returned her vigil to the southern road, where Summer and Ian had left.
Yet this time she saw movement, Genevieve's widened in excitement, a woman and a tall man carrying someone.
Genevieve bolted from her station upsetting the ladder and nearly toppling the man who had still been up there.
"I-is she?" Genevieve trailed off hoping someone would finish for her, Genevieve skidded a moment before coming up beside her friends.
"Ya, she's still breathing," Ian said as he rushed toward the infirmary.
"Amanda?" Genevieve called out, no answer to be heard, the little girl slowed to a stop as her elation vanished replaced with dread at the thought that she may still die, Genevieve went numb at the thought of losing another person she loved, the little girl saw Summer turn around with concern, Summer said something but Genevieve couldn't hear anything, Summer suddenly looked passed her, almost instantly Genevieve felt herself hit the dirt hard.
Genevieve was sprawled across the ground when she looked up she saw the man that she had left.
"I almost fucking fell because of you!" The man screamed at the little girl as he raised his hand to strike again.
Genevieve put her hand up to stop the attack, squeezing her eyes shut, she never felt the blow, opening her eyes, the little girl saw Summer had charged the man and was now standing between her and the man.
"Get outta the way!" The man growled, visibly shaking with anger.
"Stay away from her!" Summer snarled, standing her ground.
"Get the hell outta my way!" The man yelled, moving forward.
Summer put her right foot back to brace herself and shoved the man back when he got too close, sending him back a few feet.
"I said get away!" Summer rumbled, her fingers shaking with the jitters.
"I'll teach you your place!" The man said menacingly, moving towards her again with murderous intent.
"This is my place." Summer said quietly, waiting for the inevitable.
"What's going on here!" Rainey bellowed as he stepped between the two forces.
"That kid nearly got me injured!" The man shouted, gesturing at Genevieve now standing a couple of feet behind Summer.
"How?!" Rainey asked, not believing what the man accused.
"Nearly knocked the ladder over because she saw her friends!" The man explained angrily.
"Did you do that Genevieve?" Rainey asked sternly, looking at the little girl with a serious face.
"I didn't mean to," Genevieve confessed, staying behind Summer.
"I don't wanna hear this kinda thing happening again, understand?" Rainey said with the same stern tone.
"Mm-hm." Genevieve nodded quickly.
"Good, get!" Rainey said, Genevieve immediately ran towards the infirmary.
"She was my helper today! I still need help finishing that roof, Mort!" The man argued.
"Well, you shoulda thought about that before you put your hands on someone else's kid!" Rainey shouted, his southern drawl flaring.
The man went silent.
"Go, get to work!" Rainey said sternly, before turning his attention to Summer.
"Thank you..." Summer said, trying to calm down from the confrontation.
"If you ever put your hands on one of my men again I'll let him beat that kid! We clear?" Rainey said deadly serious, lowering his voice.
Summer's brow furrowed in shock. "What do you mean?!" Summer exclaimed.
"You heard me, Are. We. Clear?" Rainey said again with a warning in his tone.
"I was defending Genevieve, you saw him hit, her!" Summer cried, jitters returning.
"And she deserved it!" Rainey said seriously. "We clear?" Rainey reiterated.
"If he tries again, it won't end well for him!" Summer threatened, trying to keep a lid on it.
"Then I'll throw that new girl out on her ass!" Rainey said, ever so calmly.
"How could you?" Summer said, immediately quieting down.
"Do you understand?" Rainey asked once again.
Summer couldn't say the words, only nodded slightly while looking at the ground.
"Good," Rainey said, walking away. "Have a nice afternoon, congrats on finding your friend," The middle-aged man said, over his shoulder.
Summer pursed her lips and gulped hard, wondering if she would have to test his words, breathing out through her nose, Summer turned on her heel and started towards the infirmary, feeling heavy with fear.
Turning the knob and stepping inside, Summer saw Melissa finish setting up an IV, Summer walked slowly to her sister, covered in muck and grime, smelling of rotting flesh.
"Will she be ok?" Summer asked quietly, placing her hands gently on Genevieve.
"I'm not sure yet," Melissa deadpanned, hanging a bag up, on the fluid drip.
"You can make it Amanda," Summer whispered to her barely conscious friend. "Please... Just hold on..." Summer added, gently squeezing Genevieve's shoulders.
The group took a collective moment to catch their breath, Summer eased her hand up Genevieve's neck, before resting it on the already forming knot, just above and behind the ear.
After a moment had passed, Summer breathed in deep. "Sorry I didn't get there sooner," Summer whispered breathily.
Genevieve understood what the woman was trying to say. "You came for me... That's all that matters," Genevieve said, genuinely.
After an hour of sitting with Amanda, Summer and Genevieve decided to head back to the house to have dinner.
During their walk, Summer took a moment to truly observe how much the little girl she cared for had grown since they met, three and a half years ago, Genevieve's hair was obviously shorter but the little girl had grown accustomed to that, the dress she had worn for so long was gone, replaced by jeans and sneakers, Genevieve was still small but she had grown considerably in the last few years, no longer was the little girl a mere three and a half feet, she may be four and a quarter, if Summer had her say, Genevieve would get to grow taller than that.
Summer was jolted out of her train of thought by the first step on their porch.
"Are you ok?" Genevieve asked as she opened the front door.
"Ya..." Summer said, freezing at the bottom step. "I think I'm gonna go figure something out," Summer said looking up at Genevieve.
Genevieve nodded. "Do you want me to wait for you?" Genevieve asked.
"Uh, Nah, go ahead, we'll have some of the venison, I'll be back," Summer said, turning around and disappearing down the road.
Genevieve watched her until she was out of sight, stepping inside the threshold of the door, Genevieve closed the door, before making her way to the kitchen.
Summer strode through the street, turning towards a house at the end of the main street, taking the steps two at a time, Summer stopped at the front door, taking a breath before knocking.
A moment passed before a form walked by the window, then opened the door.
"Good afternoon, Summer," Rainey greeted. "Do you wanna come in?" The man offered.
"Where's A.J.?" Summer asked, avoiding the pleasantries.
Rainey's mood immediately dropped, replaced by the look he wore earlier today. "Come with me," Rainey instructed, stepping around her and walking towards the northern road.
Summer followed, noticing that she was being led into the woods, Summer felt a weight on her chest as she continued to follow the middle-aged man, after a minute they came to a clearing where a tall wooden fence separated the woods from the clearing, Rainey pulled a ring of keys from his coat pocket and proceeded to unlock the door.
"What is this place?" Summer asked, putting her hands in her pockets, feeling a knife in her right pocket, willing to pull it if he tried anything.
"This is where we rehabilitate the delinquents that drift into town," Rainey explained, opening the door, revealing a single bed in the middle of the enclosure.
Summer's eyes widening in shock when she saw A.J. tied to the bed frame, with a rag taped in his mouth, the young woman closed the distance quickly. "How could you do this to someone?" Summer asked, turning to look at the man with malice.
"If you don't show them force they will not understand!" Rainey said, in a nonchalant tone. "If he were let out right now, do you think he will have learned his lesson?" Rainey asked, shutting the door behind him.
"Yes!" Summer exclaimed, not understanding Rainey's calmness with the situation.
"Well, then... Here," Rainey said, tossing the ring of keys to Summer. "Make sure you put those in my mailbox by tomorrow morning," Rainey instructed, opening the door again. "And if he acts up again, I'll kill him, and that girl... What's her name..." Rainey wondered aloud, lingering in the doorway.
Summer had been trying to find the right key when Rainey asked that question, Summer turned her head slowly, no one had told him Amanda's name.
Rainey stood there racking his brain before it came up. "That's right! Amanda!" Rainey exclaimed dramatically, turning dark soon after. "She's purty, I'd hate to see her die," Rainey said darkly, shutting the door gently, disappearing from view.
The man's words chilled Summer to the bone, Summer pushed away, the feelings for now and unlocked the shackles, and undid the gag, Summer helped the badly bruised man off the bed, he shivered and his clothes were still damp from the rain that had passed the other day.
"Why'd you help me?" A.J. asked, throwing his arm over her shoulder for balance.
"We won't make it outta here alive without sticking together..." Summer declared, opening the door and throwing it shut behind them.
"Amanda's alive?" A.J. asked with a disbelieving tone.
Summer saw a light in the window of her house knowing Genevieve was waiting for her, the young woman thought of her sister's potential ending before she answered.
"She is... For now."