VI - Angels of Fate
A serene sunrise shined its light onto the quiet town of Houlton.
A man wearing a green cap was holding a basket containing mushrooms.
Looking east from the top of the hill gave him a sense of tranquility as he got a great view of the town that he called home.
After looking at the town, he went deeper into the woods, walking around and whistling. He knelt down and found a small brown mushroom. After inspecting it for a few seconds, he nodded. He plucked the mushroom from the ground and placed it into his basket.
He stood up, walked ahead, and continued to whistle. He then stopped whistling as he heard a rustle near him. He stopped and looked around, slowly reaching for his knife. However, there were no roamers nearby.
"Must've been an animal," said the man.
The man went back to whistling before a hand reached for his face. He struggled to yell as the hand covered his mouth, and he was dragged back behind a tree.
"Get the tape," said Richard.
The man flailed his arms around, but Richard was too strong for him to break free. Richard even grabbed his arms and locked them together while pushing his head against a tree.
Carol ripped off a piece of tape and approached the struggling man. Richard let one hand free, allowing the man to yell for a second before Carol taped his mouth shut. She then began taping the man's wrists together, going round and round until the tape was strong enough to not be ripped apart.
Richard then dropped the man into the ground and aimed his revolver at him.
"Hey, hey, look at me," said Richard. "Is anyone else out there besides you?"
The man shook his head as he made muffled noises.
"Damn. Anyone else coming out here soon?"
The man shrugged as he struggled to rip the tape from his wrists apart.
"Sorry about this, then. You're gonna be in that position for a while. At least until we can capture one more of y'all."
Richard placed the revolver back into his holster.
Carol looked at the man with a worried expression.
"He's going to be okay after this, right?" asked Carol.
"You need those medications, don't you?" said Richard.
"It's not a big deal..."
"We came all this fucking way... don't tell me you were lying to me this entire fucking time."
Carol froze out of fear. She then gulped hard and backed away.
"That's what I thought."
The two then heard engines in the distance.
"Watch him," said Richard.
Carol knelt down by the man as Richard slowly moved towards the road while crouching.
Using the cover of the bushes, he looked at the road and saw armored vehicles passing by. He kept the revolver close to his bearded and scruffy face, his dark eyes darting around. He took deep breaths and kept himself quiet as the Humvees parked some distance away. A few rogue soldiers came out, now inspecting the area.
Carol reached for her pocketknife, contemplating whether to free the tied-up man. However, Richard came back and Carol hid her pocketknife.
"We gotta get out of here," said Richard.
Carol nodded.
Richard then grabbed the man, causing him to make more muffled noises. He took out his knife and placed it against his throat.
"Shush, shush," whispered Richard. "If we let you go, you gon' tell David about us?"
The man shook his head.
Richard clenched his teeth before he scoffed. He then slit the man's throat, causing blood to squirt out into the ground. The tape kept the blood inside the man's mouth as Richard dropped him to the ground.
"Let's go," whispered Richard.
Carol looked at the man in the ground and bit her lips, trying her best to hold her tears back. She then followed Richard as they moved away from the area.
"Area's clear," said one of the rogues.
A few rogues dragged out Lori's unconscious body out of the Humvee and then lowered her into the grass.
A rogue grabbed a hatchet along with a jacket and beanie. He then tossed it into the ground.
A few hours passed.
Luan gasped as she woke up, quickly lifting her head up as she scanned her surroundings. She saw trees, grass, and bushes. She then saw Hana caressing her Japanese chin dog while a blood-stained katana leaned against a log next to her. Near her was a dead roamer in the ground, wearing a green cap.
"Ohayo," said Hana.
"W-Where am I?" stammered Luan.
Hana shrugged as Luan continued to look around. She then saw her sisters laying in the grass unconscious while surrounded by weapons and clothes, including Lori's hatchet and Leni's jacket and beanie. There was also an open dog cage which was empty inside.
"I think I know where I am..." said Luan, realizing this is where she was kidnapped.
She then looked back at Lori and knelt down by her. The bandage around Lori's shoulder was turning redder.
"Oh my god..." whispered Luan.
She shuffled through the items next to Lori and Leni and found a walkie-talkie. She spoke into it.
"Can anyone hear me?"
George grabbed the gate and opened it outwards as David, Bobby, and Haley rushed out.
Luan and Hana carried an unconscious Lori towards the gate before Bobby and David grabbed her.
"Oh my god," said Haley. "What happened to her?"
"She was shot!" exclaimed Luan.
"Jesus..." said David.
Bobby and David took Lori inside the fences while Luan, Leni, and Hana followed them.
George closed the gate and walked next to Haley as they made their way to the infirmary.
Leni held her jacket and beanie in her arms as she kept looking at the ground, unable to concentrate.
"Luan!" exclaimed Benny. "Oh my god, it's really you! We were all-"
Luan ran over to Benny and hugged him. She sobbed into his chest, unable to stop her tears from flowing onto his shirt.
Lynn walked behind her and rubbed her back as she looked around.
Leni then burst into tears as well as her siblings all ran down from their house.
Luna, holding Lily, was saddened at the sight before noticing the stranger rubbing a dog's back as she looked around the town. She then began to connect the pieces.
"Dudes," said Luna. "Where's Mom and Dad?"
Luan and Leni couldn't stop crying. Lily's mouth quivered as a tear fell from Luna's eye.
"Alright. Let's keep moving."
She held back her tears and walked to the infirmary with the rest of her siblings following her.
The sun rose as George and Sergei walked into the woods where Lori and the others were dropped off. George knelt down as he turned the roamer's body over and inspected it. He saw a deep hole through the roamer's skull and a slashed throat.
"Da, it is him," said Sergei. "Suka... what happen?"
"It seems he got his throat slit," said George. "His hands and mouth were taped. But no injuries. He wasn't being tortured like Lori and the others."
George followed the light blood trail that the roamer left behind. Sergei followed him into the other side of the road and then into the woods again. The two then noticed a large spot of blood in the grass next to a spilled basket of mushrooms.
"He was murdered in cold blood," said Sergei. "Think rogues do this?"
"No, I have someone else in mind," said George.
-Ten Days Later-
"Breathe in," said Haley. "Breathe out."
The candles shimmered as Haley moved her stethoscope across Lori's chest. She then removed the earplugs from her ears and placed the stethoscope on the desk.
"Everything looks good. You can put your shirt back on."
Lori placed her tank top back on as Haley walked to the infirmary door.
"You guys can come in now."
Bobby walked in, holding an apple.
"How's my favorite girlfriend doing?" asked Bobby.
"You have other girlfriends she's not aware about?" asked Haley, scratching things off in her clipboard.
"N-No, I was just..."
"Just messing with you. Don't worry, Lori, he's loyal."
Lori kept her head lowered as she walked back into bed.
"I got an apple for you," said Bobby. "You know what they say. A doctor a day keeps the apple away. No wait, that's not right."
Lori grabbed the apple and gave Bobby a soft smile before her frown quickly took over again. She looked at the apple.
"Lisa started experimenting with fruits. She says she grew it in a week or something. Isn't that amazing?"
Lori took a bite. She chewed on the apple before placing it on the drawer next to her bed.
"How is it?" asked Bobby.
Lori didn't reply.
"Not very good?"
Lori grabbed the apple again and bit into it before placing back on the drawer.
"Okay, so it is?"
"I think we should just give her some space," said Haley.
"Oh, okay," said Bobby. "Well, I'll be right outside if you need me. Along with the others."
Bobby walked out of the room.
Haley then placed her pencil down and walked towards the doorway.
"I'll be back too," said Haley. "Gotta give this to Dr. White."
Lori looked ahead, not paying much attention to Haley. Haley walked out of the room.
Lori sniffled as tears came out from her eyes. She let out a soft sob before swallowing hard, trying her best to not break down.
Suddenly, the candles in the infirmary flickered on and off.
"Told you we'd be back," said Lola.
"And we also told you it wasn't going to be you," said Lucy.
Lori kept her eyes closed.
"Can you not?" whispered Lori as she opened her eyes. "I really didn't want you guys to rub–"
Lynn Sr. and Rita stood next to each other with Lola and Lucy sitting on their shoulders. Lori gasped while looking at them.
"How are you feeling?" asked Lynn Sr.
"N-Not too well," replied Lori.
"Aw, honey, what's wrong?" asked Rita.
"I miss you guys. So, so much. This whole journey. I went through it so we could be together. But everything was... for nothing."
"It wasn't for nothing, honey."
"Yes, yes it was. Because you're not really here. If you were..."
Lori held out her hands. However, that didn't stop her parents, Lola, and Lucy from disappearing. She lowered her hands and frowned.
"...you wouldn't disappear like that."
Lori sighed as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She stood up, grabbed the apple, and walked out of the room. However, she didn't walk to the lobby where she knew Bobby would be waiting for her. Instead, she took a side exit and walked out of the infirmary building.
She marched down the street and towards the main gate before she saw George and Sergei entering the community. The former was bruised in the face and was panting heavily as the latter did his best to keep him standing. Becky closed the gate as Lori ran up to them.
"What happened?" asked Lori.
"Richard just shot me," panted George. "And guess who was with him. Your friend."
"Carol fucking Pingrey..."
"Yeah."
"Where are they?"
"They're in Medway, but David and Sandy's already going after them."
Lori walked past George and stormed towards the main gate.
"Wait, where are you going?" exclaimed George. "Fuck."
"Don't go after her," said Sergei. "We have to get you to infirmary."
"My vest caught the bullet."
"You can barely walk. Come on. Let's go."
Sergei continued moving George towards the infirmary.
Lori opened the gates as Becky ran after her.
"Hey, stop!" shouted Becky. "What are you doing? You're not in the right headspace!"
"I'm fine," said Lori. "Just go!"
Becky grumbled as she closed the gate.
"Come on. At least let me drive."
Becky climbed into the driver's seat of Vanzilla. She started the engine and then moved the van. The two were now off to Medway.
An owl hooted in the distance.
The RV was parked at the parking lot of the Medway Motel.
David opened the door for one of the rooms in the upper section of the motel. Sandy pointed a flashlight inside the room and searched inside it while holding her pistol. David then went in after her.
The room had a mattress with unkempt blankets and cans in the floors, but no proof that it belonged to Richard or Carol.
"Another empty room," said Sandy. "Feels like we're really wasting time here. They gotta be long gone already."
"George said they were here and nowhere else. This is the only place we can really search."
"Yeah, I guess."
As David and Sandy went on to inspect the next room, Richard stood behind the window of an abandoned gas station, aiming through the iron sights of his Ruger 10/20.
Carol held her knife tightly and watched nervously.
"C'mon, Richard!" whispered Carol. "You don't have to do this! Please!"
"Shut the hell up, girl!" growled Richard. "I do have to do this! This is exactly what everything led up to!"
Carol was panting heavily, nearly on the edge of hyperventilating.
"If you're gonna fucking panic, then leave already. Here, fucking take this and get the hell out of my sight."
Richard handed over his revolver to Carol.
Carol grabbed the Python, but before she left, Richard grabbed her shorts.
"I'll find you, okay?" panted Richard.
Carol nodded in fear while clutching her purple tank top.
Richard then released his grip, allowing Carol to run away into the main road. The tall trees next to the main road provided enough shadow from the moonlight for Carol to escape undetected.
Richard wiped the sweat away from his face and panted heavily like a dog. He waited until David and Sandy popped out of the room.
"And another room that's empty," said Sandy.
"We only got a few more," said David.
"Yet I have a feeling you're not gonna want to give up the search."
David and Sandy looked out the window.
"Nah, my flashlight's running outta power," said David. "I would really like haul ass."
"Oh, come on," said Sandy. "It's your friend we're talking about. You told me you wanted to find him some day. And now today's the day."
"Yeah. It's a little hard without him. But as long as you're here... then it ain't too bad."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"You're not bullshitting me?"
"No."
David and Sandy walked out of the room. The former closed the door to the room.
"Heh," smiled Sandy. "And here I thought I understood you-"
A rifle shot crackled through the air. The bullet tore through Sandy's head and splattered blood and brain matter on the window behind her.
David flinched before Sandy's body fell down. Her body dragged along the motel wall until her body was completely stiff in the ground.
"Oh shit! Sandy! No!"
David looked to his right and found a man in the gas station with a rifle across his chest. It was Richard.
"You fucker..." growled David as tears flowed out of his eyes.
David jumped down the stairs as another shot was fired. The shot struck the wall above Sandy's body.
Carol kept her head forward. She whispered to herself, trying to calm herself down. But she couldn't. All she could feel was panic and guilt. She continued to run ahead without stopping and without looking back.
David ran out of the parking lot and into the main road. Richard stood still dragging the bolt back until David took out his pistol.
"Shit!" exclaimed Richard.
Richard took cover, dodging a bullet that was fired in his direction. He then ran back into the woods, going in the direction of Bill's cabin.
David fired a few more shots, though Richard disappeared before any of the bullets could touch him. He growled and ran into the woods.
The two men continued running for minutes, even passing by the cabin.
David kept his relentless pursuit. Even the hanging roamer in the woods didn't waste his time as he aimed his pistol at it and quickly shot it down. However, it caused him to run out of ammo. He tossed his gun and continued to chase after Richard.
Richard arrived at the pond.
The moon was high in the air. There was a breeze in the air. But something didn't feel right.
It was too quiet.
Richard didn't see or hear any signs of life around, not even an owl hooting. He looked around, wondering if David was still chasing him. But there was nothing around. He then turned around and looked at the pond again. He recognized this pond. He has looked at his reflection in its water before. But now, his reflection was showing a different face.
He placed his fingers on his face, feeling the scraggly beard that he grew. He then felt his wrinkled skin, realizing how much weight he lost.
Suddenly, David tackled Richard and intended to finish the fight he started almost a year ago.
Lori's red eyes sought Carol.
"What are you gonna do when we find her?" asked Becky.
Lori remained silent.
"Surely there's gotta be a good reason she's with Richard. Maybe she's held against her will? Or maybe..."
"She's his ally," said Lori. "It wasn't an accident. She broke the glasses on purpose."
"Lisa's glasses?"
Lori nodded.
"Oh."
"Richard stabbed my sister and she helped him cover it up. Richard shot George and she helped him. She's not our friend. Not anymore."
Becky gulped as she continued driving the van towards Medway. Then, the headlights shined on someone in the road.
Carol yelped as she moved off the road, covering her eyes as the van screeched to a halt.
"Oh my god..." whispered Carol. "It's you guys..."
Becky and Lori got out of Vanzilla.
"Becky! Lori!" exclaimed Carol. "Thank god! Can you please help me?"
Both Lori and Becky aimed their guns at Carol, causing her to freeze.
"Drop it!" yelled Becky.
Carol looked at the revolver in her hands.
"Oh, no, no..." stammered Carol.
She let the gun slide down her hands and fall to the pavement.
"Listen. It's not what it looks like."
Both girls then lowered their guns as Lori marched towards Carol.
"Lori, I-"
Lori punched Carol in the face.
Carol stumbled back and fell to the ground.
Lori knelt down and grabbed her tank top and continued punching her as Carol shrieked.
"Lori!" exclaimed Becky.
"Stop!" shrieked Carol. "Please, stop!"
Lori stood up and stomped on Carol's face arm before kicking her in the stomach.
Carol retched before flailing her hands around.
"Oh god..." gagged Carol. "Please... please not there..."
Becky then grabbed Lori and dragged her away.
However, Lori shoved Becky away and knelt down again. She grabbed Carol's tank top and exhaled a breath of anger onto her.
Carol looked up at her with fearful, trembling eyes. Blood dripped from the cut wounds that Lori's punches created in her face.
"You… were in bed with him!" growled Lori. "I knew it! I should've never trusted you! I can't believe you fooled me all this time!"
"Lori… please…" gasped Carol.
Lori shoved Carol down. She wiped the blood from her knuckles on Carol's tank top before reaching for the gun in the road.
Carol groaned as she turned over and let the blood spill from her lips to the grass. She coughed out once more, feeling herself getting choked up in her tears and blood.
Lori grabbed the Python, stood up, and went behind Carol.
"Nothing hurts worse than betrayal," said Lori. "Life will be better with you gone."
Becky walked up to Lori.
"Lori, this isn't you," she whispered.
"Leave me alone!" yelled Lori. "We can't let her live!"
Carol lifted her head up, wiped the blood off her face, and placed her hands on the grass. But before she could she fully stand up, she felt the barrel of the revolver touch the back of her head. She began to cry harder.
"Please... please don't," sobbed Carol.
Lori had the revolver lined it up with Carol's nose. Her finger was on the trigger.
"Becky, please don't let her do this. Please, I beg you."
Carol let out a pained gasp as she continued to cry.
Becky was sweating hard, feeling her heart about to escape her chest. The sight of Carol crying was hard to watch.
"Lori..." muttered Becky.
"When Richard stabbed Lynn, when he killed our own, when he shot at George, you stood with him, didn't you?"
"Lori, I'm so sorry! I know how much of a monster Richard is! I see it now! It's a little late but–"
"A little late?" growled Lori as she cocked the revolver.
"I'm sorry..." sobbed Carol.
"Lori!" exclaimed Becky.
"What?" yelled Lori.
Lori stared at Becky with angry eyes, yet Becky refused to back down. She stared at her back.
"At least give her the courtesy to catch her breath and explain herself."
"Oh, Becky, shut-"
"Take. Your finger. Off the trigger."
Lori looked down at her hand and noticed that she was pointing the revolver at Becky. Her eyes grew fearful. She gulped and lowered her pistol.
Becky let out a deep sigh as she knelt down and grabbed Carol's arm. She helped him up to her feet and moved her hair away from her face.
"Just take a deep breath," said Becky.
Carol continued whimpering as her chest moved back and forth.
"Explain yourself and maybe you'll get out of this alive."
Carol nodded as her quick breaths slowed down. She then gulped and continued whimpering, though her whimpers were already quieting down. She wiped her tears and looked at Lori, who's eyes were filled with fear and anger.
"He's... he's a very manipulative person. And... and I didn't realize that... until I have already fallen in love with him."
Becky's eyebrows lowered.
"But only because I was lonely! I was too blind to see what he really was! But by the time I did, he had already killed innocent people! I wanted to leave, but it was really hard to! You have to believe me!"
"Okay, okay, easy," said Becky.
"Why now?" hissed Lori. "What was it that drilled it into your fucking head that he was evil?"
"I don't know… Lori. I chose to ignore it... until I couldn't. I was... emotionally destroyed. When my parents died, I felt angry at the world. I didn't care what he did. I didn't really see anything wrong with it. But then I started thinking… and when he started killing people... then I knew this is not what my parents would've wanted. But like I said... it was too late."
Lori began tearing up.
Becky lowered her head.
"I don't think you would understand, Lori," said Carol softly. "But please, please try to. I lost the only people I truly loved my whole life… and they were a part of me. Losing them meant... I lost a part of myself. They were my support, my guide, and I lost them."
Lori trembled before falling to her knees, dropping her revolver. She then moved her hands over her teary eyes.
"I'm sorry…" whispered Lori. "I do understand."
Lori then broke into tears as Carol stood in front of her, slightly confused.
Becky rubbed Carol's back before kneeling down next to Lori, rubbing her back.
Meanwhile, in the pond in the woods, David and Richard continued fighting.
Richard tried hitting David with his rifle, but he kept missing him.
David backed up and waited for Richard to strike him as hard as he could.
Richard fell for the bait and made a hard swing, which David responded by shoving his rifle away and gut-punching him.
David then grabbed the rifle and tossed it away.
Richard tackled him against a tree and wrapped his hands around David's neck.
David kicked him away before Richard could tighten his grip.
Richard backed up and took out his knife.
"You feel it now, right?" yelled Richard. "The pain, the sorrow, the rage! It's building up every second! All you're thinking about is ending me! Think how I felt when you sent out Missy to get shot by Sherry!"
David coughed blood.
"I never got to kill the woman who murdered my wife!" continued Richard. "Now, you'll never get to kill the man who murdered your wife!"
"Is that why you killed her?" hissed David. "So you can prove your motherfuckin' point? Fucking psycho bastard."
"We were fucking brothers! But... but you ignored me. You... you decided to give the kill to someone you barely fucking knew. And then you fucking tossed me out like I wasn't meant shit, huh?"
Richard grabbed the tip of his knife.
"You should've listened to me! The whole point of the mission was to turn the group into soldiers to fight the rogues! But no! You got comfortable with them! You began… trusting them. And as a result, we lost people we shouldn't have. All because you wanted to put your nose in businesses that didn't belong to you!"
"So what now?" huffed David. "After you kill me, what then, asshole?"
"I don't know. I kinda don't want to live in this world anymore, David. And it's all your fault."
Richard leaned his arm back and tossed the knife.
David crouched a little and dodged it as it flew across the air, quickly making it way into a tree. The handle of the knife smacked against the bark of the tree, launching it to the ground. David grabbed the knife and lunged towards Richard.
"Shit," muttered Richard as he extended his arm in an effort to block the knife.
However, it was a futile effort. David stabbed Richard upward into his stomach while they both stumbled back into the pond. Blood flew out of Richard's mouth and into his beard as he lowered his eyes.
Richard pulled the knife out of his stomach as David grabbed his neck.
David pushed Richard's head into the pond water as he kept his grip on the knife.
Richard gasped for air and slowly lifted the knife while David held his head in the water.
David looked at his arms and kept his own hands wrapped around Richard's neck. As Richard continued flailing his head, David noticed that he lowered his arms and released the knife.
Richard raised his head and struggled to make one last gasp before bubbles burst out his mouth. He then stopped flailing and began twitching, until he remained stiff. The bubbles popped and Richard's lifeless eyes remained open, staring at the night sky.
David released his grip on Richard's neck. Richard's arms extended outwards and his body lay on the ground while his head remained in the water.
David gasped and closed his wet hands. He sat with his closed fists in front of his mouth. His eyes stared at the moon. He heard an owl hoot while his vision became blurry.
Tears flowed from his eyes as he let out a soft whimper. He now felt truly alone.
Becky parked Vanzilla outside of the cabin. She and Lori followed Carol to the pond in the woods.
The hanging roamer was killed.
Footprints were all over the place.
Lori's flashlight then revealed David's M9 in the ground. Lori picked it up and followed the other girls.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the pond.
Lori and Becky clenched their teeth as they saw a body at the edge of the pond. As they walked closer, they realized that the body belonged to Richard, whose head was submerged in the water.
Carol teared up as she backed away.
"Are you going to cry?" asked Becky. "Didn't you say he was a monster?"
"It's not that. It's…"
Carol gulped as she stared at the roamer, who now looked back at her.
"...I'm pregnant. With his child…."
Becky gasped. She then looked at Carol, who was clutching her stomach.
Lori looked at Richard and knew what she had to do. She cocked the Python and aimed it at the pond.
Roamer Richard looked at Lori and was unable to growl at her. It raised its arms at her, then its head. Its head was then above the water.
Lori aimed at the head and pulled the trigger. The roamer fell in one quick shot, with its blood contaminating the once beautiful pond.
Carol sobbed into Becky's chest.
"It's alright," reassured Becky. "It's alright…"
Lori looked out into the pond. Her mother, father, and two younger sisters stood above the water. They smiled and waved goodbye.
Lori looked at the Colt Python she held. She then looked back at Becky and Carol. A voice repeated inside her head.
"Be the leader," said her late mother.
End Credit Song
Wayfaring Stranger - Troy Baker, Chris Rondinella, & Ashley Johnson
(A/N):
And we're halfway done with Arc 2. The next chapter is most likely going to be as long as this one. This is because there are so many new plotlines that I want to start. I'm looking forward to writing the rest of Arc 2! If you enjoyed make sure to follow/favorite this story! See ya!
P.S. Sorry for killing off your favorite Loud parents. R.I.P.
Another P.S. Thank you, Mademoiselle-Star2018, for the characters, Hana and Jace!