Part II - Not Afraid
-Christmas Night, Weeks Later-
JuJu has gotten better mentally in the past weeks and has been more social with the others in Lori's group and has gotten to know everyone else in the community, meeting Dr. White, Haley, Carol, Lincoln's friends, David, and others.
JuJu, Byron, and Marcus have been hunting for hours on end trying to get more food, but mostly just to get outside the walls for once. The snow blanketed the floor of the woods they were in and it crunched after each step they took. Throughout the hunt, they had no luck. All they saw was more and more roamers walking around the area. JuJu raises his Honey Badger, now spray-painted black instead of the usual tan color, and aims at the head of a roamer. It drops to the ground and the other roamers don't pay attention to it because of the built-in suppressor.
"Damn, this thing rocks!" he whispers.
The other two pull out their knives and try to sneak behind the other roamers. As soon as they get behind their targets, Marcus nods and the two take out both roamers.
"Why are we out here anyway?" asks Byron as he and Marcus walk back to JuJu. "It's Christmas, shouldn't we be chillin' back at the house by the fireplace or something? Aren't you cold?"
"Yeah," he replies. "Doesn't matter to me at this point. Gotta get used to it if I'm livin' up north now right?"
"I mean, I guess. But we should be heading back. It's gettin' late."
JuJu nods and the trio turns to head back to the community. They all are eager to return to their home and be warm, next to the fireplace, like Byron said.
As soon as they get back inside the walls, JuJu sees Vonda running toward him and his friends.
"I'll meet ya at the house later," JuJu says to his friends.
They nod and walk toward their home.
"What's up Von?"
"JuJu," says Vonda. "You gotta come to the infirmary, now."
"What happened?" he replies in a concerned tone.
"You know that vendetta Lynn has with Richard?"
"Yeah, don't tell me she went through with it."
Vonda nods.
"Jesus Christ. Is she okay at least?"
"Yeah, he stabbed her in the shoulder but she's gonna be fine. White and Haley are taking care of her right now."
JuJu's eyes open widely as he sprints toward the infirmary with Vonda running right behind him. He gets to the entrance of the building and asks to see Lynn. Haley leads him to the room she's in and he sees her lying on the bed with her right shoulder wrapped in bandages.
"Lynn!" JuJu yells. "What the fuck happened?"
"Don't worry about it, bro," Lynn grunts. "It ain't a big deal."
"Ain't a big deal? Bruh, you got stabbed! I knew you were gonna do something like this, but I never thought you'd go through with it."
"JuJu, I'm good dude. The fam got my back, and I know you do too."
"Yeah, always, but what were you thinking? You know Richard is fucked in the head."
"Exactly the reason why I did what I did. I don't want him to be breathing and take out more people in the group or this community, especially my family!"
"I'll finish that pendejo for you."
"No, don't do that. I don't want you to get kicked out of here."
"What?"
"It's a long story with David. I doubt it'll happen though. Just, take my word for it. Okay? For me."
JuJu sighs and nods.
"Fine, if you need somethin', Let me know."
Lynn nods.
JuJu gets up and walks out of the infirmary when Vonda exits behind him.
"Damn, what are you gonna do?" says Vonda. "You think Richard is gonna retaliate?"
"I don't know," replies JuJu. "But I'm not letting that shit slide."
"Yeah, I feel you. Let's go back to your place, it's cold as hell out here."
They start walking back to JuJu's home, where Byron and Marcus are already sitting by the fireplace.
"Yo, you good?" asks Marcus as soon as they enter the room.
"Lynn got stabbed by Richard," he says, sitting in a chair. "She's gonna be okay though."
"Wait what?" says Byron. "What are we gonna do about it?"
"Don't know," replies JuJu. "But we gotta be ready for anything. Dude is sick in the head and if we try anything, there's a chance that we'll get kicked out of here by David or something worse."
The four sit in silence for a few minutes, the only sound coming from the crackling of the fire. They all know that the world they live in now is dangerous and unpredictable. Anything can happen at any moment, and they must be prepared to face it.
-5 Days Later-
JuJu leaves the infirmary after checking up on Lynn's health. When he walks toward his home, he bumps into Richard, limping with a cane in his hand.
"Watch out Julian," he growls.
"You are the one that needs to watch out," JuJu replies under his breath, giving him a stink eye.
Richard turns around and looks back at JuJu.
"What did you say?"
JuJu turns back around and begins to walk away.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!"
Richard limps behind JuJu and touches his shoulder to turn him around when he turns himself and grabs Richard's hand.
"Don't touch me," JuJu says as he throws Richard's hand down. "You heard exactly what I said, hijo de puta. Do you feel good after stabbing a teenage girl?"
"She attacked me first! I had to do what I had to do to defend myself."
"Lookin' at you right now, it looks like she did work on you. How did you let her beat you up like that?" JuJu laughs. "You really are a pussy."
"Shut up, I should've killed her as I did with that other kid."
JuJu begins to ball up his fists and lifts his arm to throw a punch before someone stops him.
"JuJu! No!" says two voices coming from behind him. It was Luna and Sam.
They grab him by his arms and drag him away from the conflict. They bring him to the front porch of their home and talk to him.
"It's not worth it brah," Luna says. "We feel the same way you do but can't do it this way. It's gotta take some time."
"Yeah," Sam chimes in. "Besides, Lynn's gonna be okay. Don't risk anything you have here."
JuJu sighs.
"He'll get what's coming to him at some point. Come chill in the house with us for a lil' bit. My dad made something to eat."
He nods and stands up, following the two girls into the house. JuJu couldn't shake off the anger burning inside him, but he knew Luna and Sam were right. Taking immediate revenge on Richard would only lead to more trouble, and Lynn's recovery was their top priority. Reluctantly, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts.
Inside the warm and cozy house, the smell of freshly cooked food filled the air. JuJu's stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten much during the past few days. He welcomed the distraction, walking to the dining table with Luna, Sam, Rita, Lynn Sr., and the other Loud kids.
"Hey, JuJu!" Says Lana, coming down the stairs.
"Hey, Lana," he replies as he rubs her head.
"What're you doing here?"
"Luna and Sam offered me to come to the house and eat. Couldn't pass that up. Your dad is a great cook."
"Yeah, he's great."
JuJu walks with Lana to the table and joins the rest of the Loud family, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort in their presence. The aroma of the delicious meal fills the room, and his appetite grows even stronger. As they all sit together, they engage in casual conversation, momentarily setting aside the tension and worries that have been weighing on their minds.
Lynn's absence is felt, but her resilience and strength serve as a reminder of their shared determination to protect each other. The Loud family has faced countless challenges in this post-apocalyptic world, and they've always come through for one another.
As they finish their meal, JuJu looks around at the familiar faces surrounding him. Each member of the Loud family has theirown unique strengths and personalities, and they have all found a place in JuJu's heart.
"Thanks for having me over, guys," JuJu says, breaking the silence. "I really needed this."
Lincoln gets up and walks toward him. He smiles and pats him on the back. "No problem, JuJu. We're here for you. We're all in this together, you know?"
"Yeah," JuJu replies, a hint of gratitude in his voice. "I'm glad to have all of you as my extended family. We've been through so much, and I don't know where I'd be without you. And my friends too obviously."
The rest of the family nods, expressing their support and understanding. They have all forged a bond, forged in the face of adversity, that extends beyond blood relations.
As the night progresses, JuJu finds himself feeling more at ease, sharing stories and laughter with the family. The weight of recent events begins to lift, if only temporarily, and he appreciates the respite.
Later that night, as JuJu settles down to sleep in his room back at his home, he reflects on the events of the past few days. The anger and desire for revenge still linger within him, but he understands the importance of patience and strategy. He knows that acting rashly could put not only himself but also his newfound family at risk.
With Lynn on the path to recovery and the support of the Loud family, JuJu decides to focus on strengthening their group and fortifying their community. He realizes that they must work together to ensure their safety and build a better future amidst the chaos of the world outside.
Determined to protect those he cares about and bring justice to those who deserve it, JuJu drifts off to sleep, his mind filled with visions of unity and resilience. Tomorrow is a new day, and he is ready to face whatever challenges come their way, armed with the strength of the Loud family by his side.
The next day, JuJu arrives at the park in the center of the community with Marcus and Byron, all wearing winter clothing. The three stand in the front with the Louds, especially Lynn, and the others in the group as Dr. White stands next to David in the middle while he's giving a speech to every resident of the community. JuJu gives Lynn a nod with a smile to show that he's happy to see her out of the infirmary and she smiles back. David talks about the incident with Her and Richard until Richard limps with his cane toward the middle.
"Wait!" He yells.
JuJu looks at him as his anger starts to grow inside his body. Lynn puts her hand on his shoulder giving him a look to relax. He sighs and listens to what he has to say.
"Everyone, look at me! Are you just going to believe the words that came out of David's mouth? In case, you haven't noticed, I had two arrows stuck in my body. Lynn, my attacker, had the intent to kill me! I mean, how many of you believe I'm an actual threat?"
JuJu crosses his arms and keeps his mouth shut. Marcus and Byron look at JuJu and back at each other, wondering why he hasn't blown a fuse yet.
Richard goes on to ramble about his innocence, talking about how he was trying to defend himself, how Lynn is just a kid, and so on. He looks at David but he doesn't say a thing as other survivors in the community murmur amongst each other until he finally breaks his silence.
"You're staying… for now," David says. "But you're not getting off that easy."
JuJu looks back at Lynn, seeing her look down.
Dr. White tells everyone to go home and everyone including Richard listens but the group doesn't.
"I'm thinking about placing Him in the prison," David says. "You too Lynn."
Lynn picks her head back up and yells, "What? Why?"
JuJu still stays silent but looks at David with a mean look. Rita, Lynn Sr., and the other siblings react negatively to David's suggestion.
"House arrest!" yelled Lincoln. "Please let us keep her inside the house! We promise she won't leave until you decide to free her!"
David sighs and nods, agreeing with Lincoln's idea as he walks away. The group then splits up and heads to their homes. Lynn gives one last look at JuJu and shrugs before she walks home with her family as he sees the defeated look on her face.
"JuJu," says Byron as the three walk back to their home. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Yeah," Marcus butts in. "We thought you were gonna go off on them."
JuJu sighs. "I have no say in this. It wouldn't matter 'cause I wasn't there when it happened. I wish I was, but she's fine though. That's all I care about right now."
JuJu's friends exchange concerned glances, realizing the weight of his words. They understand the depth of his feelings for Lynn and how much he values her well-being. Marcus places a comforting hand on JuJu's shoulder.
"We get it, J," Marcus says, his voice filled with empathy. "You care about Lynn, and we all do too. But you can't blame yourself for not being there. It happened so fast, and you've been doing everything you can to help her since."
Byron nods in agreement. "Yeah, JuJu, you've been looking out for her since it happened, and she knows that too."
JuJu takes a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts. He appreciates his friends' support and realizes that dwelling on what he couldn't change won't help Lynn or himself. He needs to focus on what he can do in the present.
Later that night, JuJu gets out of bed and puts on black clothes. He checks to see if everyone in the house is asleep. He walks to Marcus's room and peeks through the door. He sees his friend passed out, then to Byron and sees the same thing. He goes back to his room to grab his weapons and head downstairs quietly. He opens the door and exits the house, walking toward the infirmary.
"I'm not gonna let you hurt anyone else here," JuJu says to himself. "And I'm gonna make sure of that."
He walks toward the building and hears voices talking to each other, noticing that he realizes the voices. David and Richard. He peeks through the window and sees the two talking as Sergei and George stand by the door. He hears the whole conversation but something that Richard says catches his attention.
"I'm leaving. No one's exiling me. No one's punishing me. I'm going out there and I'm going to live my life. I'm sorry, but I can't live under your weak leadership. You're a soldier, not a leader."
JuJu sees Richard pack his things and leave the infirmary toward his home. JuJu hides behind a bush so the others don't see him. When Richard gets far away, he rotates to a new hiding spot, unseen, to get close enough to him.
"He's leaving? Just like that?" JuJu whispers to himself.
He takes out his Honey Badger and aims his sights at Richard's home, waiting for him to exit. After some time, he finally exits the house with all of his belongings in one hand and his cane in the other. JuJu is hesitant to take him out but never pulls the trigger and watches Richard exit the Community through the front gates with the fog and darkness making him disappear.
"He left," He says. "I guess we're good. For now at least."
JuJu puts his rifle back in the sling and sneaks back into his house as if nothing happened.