IV - Cold Days
-Six Weeks Later-
She dug her fingers inside the can, trembling as she made contact with the cold metal. Lori grabbed a small piece of a bean and placed it inside her mouth. She dropped the can and lied on her narrow bed, hearing a scratchy cough in the cell next to her.
Leni fell off the bed, coughing her throat out on the concrete floor. When she stopped, she held her stomach and whimpered. The pain of hunger agonized the innocent girl and her close ones.
Luan looked at a dead rat from the corner of the room. She stared at it as her stomach rumbled. She then shook her head and kicked it out of the cell. She sat back on her bed and placed her necklace against her face.
Rita rubbed her freezing hands together. She breathed out a puff of air that held the remaining heat in her body.
Lynn Sr. lied on his bed, his eyes rested on the small, dim light bulb on the ceiling. His unshaved mouth was graying and seemed frozen. Leni's cough broke him out of his trance.
Footsteps hounded the prison. A man wearing the same tactical gear that Sandy wore back during the liberation of Houlton held a bucket. He tossed all sorts of grub at all the prisoners, including the Louds.
They quickly grabbed the canned food and chunks of bread from the cold floor before stuffing it in their mouths.
General Black and Major Brown walked into the prison. Black stopped at the adjacent cells that held the Louds.
"Didn't expect much from you people," said Black before turning to Lori. "You were never really a prisoner at Unit A. Can't believe I didn't see that. I didn't see who you truly were."
"Is that why we're here?" asked Lori. "You wanna know who we are?"
"Not necessary," said a woman in a slight Russian accent, near Lori's cell. "I know who you are, Lori Loud."
The woman wore black high-waisted cargo pants with leather boots and a leather jacket of the same color. She also sported a dark-green beret and a cobalt blue scarf that dug into her almost-completely zipped jacket. Her blonde hair matched Lori's hair– only shorter– and contradicted with her own style of clothing. However, she was slightly taller than Lori.
"How do you know my name?" asked Lori.
The woman held a folder. She grabbed a picture from the folder and showed it to Lori. It was a picture of her when she was in Detroit, when the guards asked her who she was.
"My name is Krissen. But that name doesn't matter to you now. What matters is what you know."
Lori felt her heart beat faster as her name bounced around her head. She had to remember that name.
"Hey, you listening to me right now? How did you know about Black and his operation in Houlton?" asked Krissen.
Lori stared at her eyes. Her icy eyes studied Lori's face.
"Won't speak? Okay. It's fine. Honored to meet you, Lori. You're a good survivor, and good survivors make up a good Earth."
Krissen looked at Black.
"Go ahead. Find out what we need to know. And then break her."
Krissen walked away with the men in tactical gear. She opened the door for the prison and walked to a nearby helicopter. The helicopter lifted her off the island that held the prison in the sea.
Black stared at Lori with the abyss in his left eye socket before leaving the prison.
Lori wondered where she was. She had no idea that she was more than a hundred miles away from Houlton.
Back in Houlton, the civilians longed for the return of Lori, Leni, Luan, Lynn Sr., Rita, and Carol.
Lynn sought comfort in Clyde. After weeks of Clyde using Dr. Lopez's therapy methods, Lynn learned to not blame herself. She knew it wasn't her fault.
Lana fell deeper into depression. Even though most of the civilians held hope for the five Louds and Carol, she was convinced that they were dead.
Luna found herself to be in charge of her siblings and spent most of her days watching over Lily and Lana. She wanted to scout the area around Houlton, but found it too painful to find no one.
Bobby and Lincoln spent their days formulating plans with David and George in their search for Lori and the others. Most of the old group would join in these searches, plus some of the civilians in Houlton.
Dr. White would assist by listing military bases and possible camps in Maine. Then, he would work with Lisa on other projects to keep Houlton standing. However, they also worked on a particular project that would help with the search.
"Dipole is necessary," said Lisa. "How many pennies can we find in this town?"
"Not a lot," replied Dr. White. "We have a whole lotta aluminum, though."
"I rather eat a roamer's eyeball than make an antenna with aluminum. Hmm. I have an idea. Why don't we collect the TVs and unused electronic devices in the town?"
"That's right. There's bound to be copper wires in those. Smart, Lisa."
Benny and Lynn walked inside the laboratory.
"How's the plan going?" asked Benny.
"We just started," said Dr. White.
"We're not going to Medway soon?" asked Lynn.
Lisa shook her head. Benny stormed out of the lab. Lynn followed him.
"Looks like we gotta do everything ourselves," said Benny. "Let's go."
"Go where?" asked Lynn.
Lynn and Benny walked out of the east gate. After an hour of walking in the ice and snow, Lynn and Benny arrived at a Canadian town that has been partially cleared out. Lynn held her bow while Benny carried his ninjato.
Benny found a roamer hanging from the branch of a tree. A noose tied around its neck. It stood still with frost in its body. However, its golden eyes still moved around and it growled faintly.
"I can sympathize with that roamer," said Benny. "Sad. Alone. Stuck in life. Nothing to live for."
"Benny…" whispered Lynn. "What am I doing here?"
"I considered it. Taking this roamer's place. But it's stupid. You're here because I wanted to prove to myself that I'm never alone. I won't forget, Lynn. I won't forget about my other family. Your family."
Lynn stood close to Benny and gave him a hug. After giving him a hug, Lynn grabbed an arrow from her quiver and drew it back in her bow. She loosed it and struck the roamer in the head, ending its misery.
Ronnie Anne reassured Bobby that he was going to find Lori.
"There's nothing she can't do," said Ronnie Anne.
Bobby felt much more comforted but at the end of the day, he failed to keep his promise. However, he didn't reveal it to anyone. He thought it was better that he kept it to himself.
Lincoln sat on his front porch. Clyde, Rusty, and Tabby reminded him that he had his other sisters to protect. After Clyde and Rusty left, Lincoln sat alone with Tabby. What felt different about this interaction was that the sense of awkwardness was nonexistent. Lincoln wanted someone to be with him.
"You're one of the strongest people I ever met," said Tabby. "Selfless in an apocalypse. You didn't deserve this."
Lincoln placed his head on his hand and felt the urge to hug Tabby. But he felt too depressed.
"You worked to find them. Worked real hard these past weeks. I'm so sorry you have to go through this. But your sisters. Your friends. We don't see you enough anymore. You leave town on a hunt that fails at the end of the day. The least you could do is take us with you."
"No. Your lives will be in danger out there," said Lincoln.
"What about your life, Linc? I really like you. I-I understand that this isn't really the right time to tell you, but I just wanted to be honest with you. I hate to see you like this."
Lincoln grabbed Tabby's hands. They both smiled at each other.
"I hear you," said Lincoln. "I'll calm down with the search. In those times I go out… you can come with me."
Ronnie Anne walked downstairs. She saw Clyde downstairs and wondered what he was doing home. Clyde told her that he and Rusty already tried to comfort Lincoln. She knew she could comfort him. After all, she was her closest friend besides Clyde.
Ronnie Anne walked out of the house and turned towards Lincoln's house. However, she found Lincoln holding Tabby's hands as they kissed each other softly.
The sting in her heart returned, and she walked back inside the house. She walked back upstairs, ignoring Clyde and lied on her bed.
"At least Lincoln's not depressed," she thought to herself.
-Three Weeks Later-
Black swung his Bowie knife downwards into the table, causing Leni to flinch. She yelped and struggled to set her hands free. The cuffs on her wrist were locked on to the table in a small cafeteria.
"So you have no idea why you went to Houlton? Not a goddamn clue?" yelled Black.
Leni shook her head. Black slammed his fist in the table. Leni flinched again and whimpered.
Lynn Sr. and Rita huddled together in the back of the cafeteria, begging Black to stop terrifying their daughter. Lori seethed at the sight of this interrogation. She knew Leni's mind was fragile, but Black was never going to get his answer because she just didn't know. However, Lori couldn't speak as the rogue soldiers held their weapons at the Louds, threatening to shoot them if they disrupted the interrogation.
Black took out his Desert Eagle. He cocked it and aimed it at Leni's head. Lynn Sr. and Rita cried out.
"Were you in Royal Woods the night after the Detroit bombings?" asked Black. "Yes or no?"
Black slammed the table again causing Leni to break down and sob. She dug her head into the table and released her tears into the table. Her blonde head offered itself to the barrel of the pistol.
"Answer me!"
"I don't remember!" sobbed Leni. "Please, mister! You have to believe me! I don't remember!"
"Please, don't do this!" shouted Rita. "It's not her fault she's forgetful!"
"I told you not to disrupt me!" yelled Black as he placed his Desert Eagle back into his holster. "Sergeants! Make 'em watch!"
Black grabbed his Bowie knife from the table and walked behind Leni. She pulled her hair back and placed his knife near her throat. Leni screamed.
"Shut up or I'll cut your throat right now!"
"Stop!" yelled Lori, now in tears. "It was in Ketcham Park! We were the ones who caused the fire there! We shot down your soldiers! And you guys left a whole bunch of shit in the little base of yours! T-T-There was a map! You had the town of Houlton marked!"
Black stared at Lori while the guards awaited an order. Leni hyperventilated, almost choking on her tears. Black released his grip on Leni's hair and moved the knife away from Leni.
"Who shot my eye out?" asked Black.
"David. David Jones."
"Ah… very well. I know his wife. She worked for me actually. But anyways… it's what I expected. I left that map there on purpose. Just wanted to see your mental breaking points."
Lori sighed in defeat. Black ordered the soldiers to stand down. He unlocked the handcuffs in the table and shoved Leni to the Louds.
Both rogue guards walked out of the cafeteria with Black. They locked the door and made sure every window and bars were locked down.
Leni held Lori tightly as the Louds hugged her. She felt Lori's warm chest and placed the right side of her face on it. She heard Lori's rapid heartbeat and continued to release her tears.
Luan saw gas spewing out from the vents in the top of the room. She warned the rest of the Louds. They huddled together, unable to prevent themselves from breathing in the gas. The gas sunk into the room and caused Lynn Sr., Rita, Lori, Luan, and Leni to fall unconscious after a few minutes.
The IV bags flowed steadily. The heart rate monitor displayed steady heartbeats. Lynn Sr.'s eyes remained in a trance. Rita was unable to move. Lori was unable to speak. Luan was unable to see. Leni was unable to hear. They were all in a semi-comatose condition. And they were all in a boat.
-Six Days Later-
Lori gasped as she woke up. The other Louds had bags over their heads while she didn't. She still had blindfolds on, but no gag. Then, the rogue soldiers removed the bags from Lynn Sr.'s head, then Rita, then Leni, then Luan, and then another prisoner.
"What? Where are we?" gasped Lori.
"The Wasteland," said Black as he removed her blindfolds.
Lori looked around. She couldn't believe her eyes.
There were enormous piles of junk, scraps, and garbage in the vast dustheap that stretched for miles. A dirt road was paved in the middle of the dumping ground. The stench was unbearable and the height of the platform on the top of a colossal pile made the Louds feel dizzy.
Lori also noticed a monumental herd with immeasurable amounts of roamers scattered around the Wasteland. She stumbled back and held back her vomit.
"You know that's how that other girl felt like when we were on the boat? Damn, she really needed that coma. Sit tight, everyone."
Black unlocked the gate surrounding the platform. The rogues and Black walked out, leaving the Louds behind with one prisoner inside.
The Louds looked at the prisoner. They found her wrapped in a blanket with her spiky hair in a ponytail.
"What's your name?" asked Lori.
"Name? Hana. Hana Konda."
The snow and ice melted in many areas though some were stubborn. However, as the snow and ice melted, the roamers became more active. And the roamers were active in Portland.
Five roamers were banging on the door of the apartment building near his motorcycle. Jace frantically searched the ground floor, looking for a weapon. He felt as if his crowbar and wrench weren't going to be enough. He then opened a drawer and found a can. He grabbed the can and almost tossed it against the wall when suddenly, he felt something heavy. He opened the lid and found a Colt M1911.
"Yes. This can work," whispered Jace as he opened the door.
He backed away and shot the pistol at the roamers. He cringed every time the blood from the roamers' brains splattered to the floor. Soon enough, all five roamers were on the ground.
"Okay," gasped Jace. "Bless you, whoever put that gun in there. I'll keep it there. In fact…"
Jace put the gun back into the drawer and took out a pen. He wrote on the can and placed the gun back inside it.
He wrote: Check Room 3A.
Jace, knowing that roamers were attracted to noise quickly dashed out of the room with his bag. He hopped into his motorcycle and escaped the dead streets of Portland.
He arrived at the main highway and checked his map. He was told not to go north, but the soldier seemed too suspicious for Jace. He turned right and headed north.
-Two Weeks Later-
The RV arrived outside of Bill's cabin. David, George, Dr. White, Lisa, Lynn, and Lincoln exited the RV, looking around the place that once felt safe. Now, the cabin felt eerie and ominous.
Before the gang entered the cabin, they were met with a welcome mat, something that they haven't seen before. David immediately took out his M9 and slowly opened the door.
The blood stains still remained on the wooden floor. The radios were intact and the furniture seemed unmoved. However, Zach's glasses sat on top of the military radio in the corner of the room.
"It's clear," said David. "Where do you guys want to build the antenna?"
Lisa walked around the cabin. She stared at the empty ground and looked above at the roof.
"The power source," said Lisa. "It seems to be missing."
"Someone took it," said Lynn.
"No, the power source just stood up and sauntered into the woods. Yes, of course someone took it!" said Lisa.
"Jesus, sorry," mumbled Lynn.
Lisa walked in circles, trying to figure out how to get a generator to power the radios and antenna.
"Solar power?" proposed Lisa. "I constructed a model of it back home. Works with more than quadruple the efficiency of modern solar panels. With the right materials, I could perhaps construct another model."
"Let's take the antennas back," said Lynn. "No doubt someone's gonna take 'em as well."
"Don't assume it's Richard," said Lincoln. "This could mean the rogues are nearby."
"They would've gone after the radios," said George. "This whole thing makes me feel uneasy. Let's go back home."
The gang returned back to the truck. Before the truck left the cabin, Lynn caught a peek of the trail to the pond and found a roamer hanging from a tree. She shuddered.