-Day 1-
"Keep the thing up! Keep it up!" yelled a passenger.
The passengers, both dead and alive, were flung across the plane. The dead attackers were holding on to their bitten victims, continuing to nourish themselves while the lights flickered violently. The cockpit were blocked by three bodies, all of them bitten but not yet risen from the dead. Two passengers attempted to safely land the plane, since one of the bodies blocking the cockpit happened to be the pilot. The copilot's body lied inside the cockpit with the passengers flying the plane.
A passenger near the back of the plane blocked the seats using her suitcase, and held her Japanese Chin, Kimi, close to her chest. Her long, spiky hair covered her tan face and her dog while she almost placed herself in fetal position.
The clouds disappeared from the windows and all she could see now were trees and buildings in the distance. However, the trees were too close and this is when the passenger decided to curl up with her dog.
The passengers in the cockpit yelled as they flew closer and closer to the ground. A flashing light turned black outside of the windows. A deafening noise followed immediately after.
A few birds flew away from the fallen trees.
Smoke rose high above the scar on the forest.
Flies began to infiltrate the bodies outside of the plane.
The passenger rolled her suitcase down the back ramp of the plane. She groaned as she carried an unharmed Kimi out of the plane. Unharmed, but frightened.
The passenger looked down at the ground. The ramp was two feet away from the dirt. She held Kimi tightly and hopped down to the ground. Her white shoes dug into the dirt, making her only safe landing.
Her passport slipped from the right pocket of her gray shorts to the dirt. She tried to place Kimi to the ground so she could pick it up, but her frightened dog clutched her torn black shirt.
She rubbed Kimi's head softly, calming her down before placing her on top of the suitcase. Kimi whimpered before the passenger removed her shirt. She wore an white open-side shirt underneath, revealing the side of her black bra. She placed her shirt on top of Kimi before kneeling to the ground.
She flipped her passport and looked at the photo of herself. Not much was a difference between the photo and her now. They both had a serious look in their faces, as they were never satisfied with their lives.
Next to her photo was her surname on top of her first name. Konda, then Hana. She placed her finger over her passport and teared up.
The sound of moving chairs and suitcases being pushed around made Hana wipe her own tears quickly. She sniffled and looked inside the back half of the plane. She saw something fall down on the opposite side and wondered what it was.
She walked to the side of the crashed plane and found two bodies walking out of the other half of the plane. They walked through the fire unharmed, their yellow eyes glowing within the fire.
"Zonbi…"
Hana lifted Kimi up and opened her suitcase. She took out a straight scabbard and removed her ninjato from it. She then placed Kimi by the suitcase and ordered it to sit.
Hana walked towards the roamers, holding her sword in front of her. She raised it and swung it diagonally to the left, cutting the roamer's brain in half.
She moved to the next roamer, sliced its raised arms and decapitated it. She quickly placed her two hands on the handle and thrusted downwards, stabbing the growling head in the ground.
More roamers appeared from the other half of the plane, prompting Hana to leave. She placed the scabbard in her back, placed her shirt on her left arm and picked up Kimi. Finally, she grabbed the handle of the suitcase with her right hand and rolled it away from the plane crash.
Her Japanese passport remained in the grass, allowing the roamers to stomp over it.
On the following days, Hana found an RV, much more modern than David's. Using the RV, she was able to navigate New York a lot better, but this also allowed her to see terrible sights she wouldn't have seen in Japan.
On the highway, she saw chlorine gas unleashed on innocent drivers. A couple militiamen were walking around with gas masks, shooting at unarmed civilians. Luckily, Hana was only scouting the area, and found herself leaving the highway through the woods near Albany. Soon, the highway would be discovered by Lori and the others.
On the following weeks, after circling the state, from Buffalo to the Adirondacks, she finally reached New York City. Well, what was left of it anyways.
"Kuso!"
Kimi wriggled its head on Hana's leg as she looked at the flatland. A few buildings stood tall among the steel wasteland that surrounded them.
Suddenly, Hana saw a boat in the distance. She hid behind a pile of steel beams, and watched two girls talking to each other. Lynn and Vonda arrived at the Dust Zone.
A few days later, Hana drove back to Hudson and looked around the bridge. Kimi barked as she saw a body in the water growl at her.
The roamer floated somehow with a neck wound. It was the piranha Liam killed. Hana stuck the katana in his head and watched another roamer growl at her. It was two more roamers.
Hana sighed. This was going to be a giant mess for her to clean up. Hopefully, she thought, she'll never meet the people who caused this.
Fallen Angel
I - Conformity
-Day 173-
The sound of an alarm woke Lincoln up. He opened his eyes and lifted his hands to turn off the alarm, but there were no sounds. He tapped on the nonfunctional alarm and blinked rapidly, trying to figure out where he heard the noise from.
"What the–?" he whispered. "Batteries died? Was the alarm noise in my dream?"
He yawned and looked at the bright room, which Lincoln found weird since the windows were covered with blinds.
Lincoln turned his head over and noticed that Lynn remained as asleep as a log. He smiled at her and quietly snuck out of the bed. Lynn rolled around and clutched the blanket while still asleep.
Lincoln walked outside of his and Lynn's bedroom and found the hallway empty. He walked to the bathroom and actually went inside since there weren't any lines.
The house that Lincoln was in was very similar to his home back in Royal Woods, except that the closet was actually a closet in this house. Also, the house was a bedroom short. Not that it mattered for the Louds.
Despite it being their new home, it didn't feel like it. Especially this morning. It was too quiet in the house.
Lincoln brushed his teeth and left the bathroom. He walked back to his bedroom and found Lynn awake.
"Lincoln! What the fuck! Do you know what time it is?"
"Quiet, Lynn. Mom and Dad are downstairs!"
"No, they're not! Look!"
Lynn opened the curtains in the window and pointed at the clock on the church. Lincoln's eyes snapped awake and he ran downstairs. He looked at the clock, and sure enough, it was late morning. He overslept.
"Oh, that explains why the others aren't here!" said Lincoln as he returned upstairs. "Hey, do you want Zombie Bran or– oh god! Are you kidding me, Lynn?"
Lincoln closed the door.
"Sorry, Lincoln!" exclaimed Lynn through the door. "I'm already late! Vonda's cool with it but… Richard's not! He already doesn't like me! You should've woken me up!"
Lynn opened the door. She came out of the bedroom wearing a white sweater with red sleeves and a red maple leaf on her chest, which she called her Canadian sweater. She also wore red sweatpants with new sneakers that resembled her old sneakers, just having a size difference.
"Sorry you had to see that. Again," said Lynn.
Lynn dashed down the stairs until she was stopped by her parents.
"Lynn!" called out Rita. "We heard you upstairs."
"Mom? Dad? What are you guys doing here?" asked Lincoln.
"It's Sunday, sweetie. We were going to go to church, but it's packed."
"Yeah. A lotta childless parents!" commented Lynn Sr. "Oops! I don't think I should've said that."
"Sunday?" wondered Lynn. "That means…"
"No hunting," said Rita. "Your sisters are doing their morning duties but they'll be back soon."
"Oh. I guess I don't need this."
Lynn walked back upstairs with her bow and quiver. Lincoln walked downstairs and sat in the couch with his parents.
"Mom and Dad? I was wondering…"
"What it is it, son?" said Lynn Sr., grabbing a fishing pole.
"I know this might feel weird… considering everything that happened in the past six months… but can we have a Thanksgiving dinner? It's alright if you two don't want one since it won't feel the same but…"
"Sure, son! We'll have a feast! Or at least a few plates!"
"We will?" gasped Lincoln in excitement.
His parents nodded.
"The best thing we can do is make sure that you and your sisters' lives feel somewhat… normal again," said Rita. "Plus, this will be a great family bonding moment for us. No apocalypse is breaking up what we have."
"It sure won't!" said Lynn as she walked down the stairs. "I can hunt a moose for us if you want me to!"
"Isn't turkey just fine?" asked Lincoln.
"It is, but there aren't any turkeys around here! Now, c'mon, let's go walk around!"
"Can go to Lori's? I want to invite Bobby, Ronnie Anne, and Clyde to Thanksgiving dinner."
"Wait, where are you guys going?" said Rita. "Don't you guys wanna eat breakfast first?"
"Yeah, let's eat cereal quickly," Lincoln told Lynn.
"Fine. I'll brush my teeth."
Lincoln and Lynn walked out of the house. Lincoln wore his winter clothes, which consisted of his red jacket and turquoise scarf. However, he wore his normal sneakers and no hat.
Lincoln and Lynn looked around. The orange, red, and yellow leaves swept through the streets. They looked at the entrance gate and saw Richard on a platform, guarding the entrance. Then, they both looked at the fences and saw a few roamers more than a dozen yards away.
A few adults smiled and walked by Lincoln and Lynn. Another even thanked Lynn for rescuing her.
"How does it feel to be famous?" asked Lincoln.
"Ha! How does it feel to be a nobody again?" replied Lynn.
"Hey, I was just kidding!"
Both Lynn and Lincoln laughed as they walked to the door. Lynn knocked on it and stood by Lincoln.
"Well, this isn't exactly how I wanted to be known…" sighed Lynn.
Footsteps approached the door. The door opened, revealing Clyde.
"Hey, Lincoln! Hey, Lynn! What's up?"
"Hey, Clyde! Are Lori and Bobby here?" asked Lincoln.
"Yeah, come inside!"
Clyde closed the door and tapped Lincoln's shoulder.
"Hey! Check this out!"
Clyde lifted his left pant leg. His left thigh was attached to a mechanical device that acted as his lower limb. Spinning rotors, metallic strings, tough gears, and other small miscellaneous parts were part of his mechanical leg. However, Clyde pointed at a small sketch on his artificial knee.
"I had a lot of free time, so I decided to sketch One-Eyed Jack's face! Seems pretty good, doesn't it?"
"It does!" said Lincoln. "I gotta say, I never knew you were good at drawing!"
"Loads of practice, buddy. Loads of practice. Anyways, Lori should be down here any second. She just woke up a few minutes ago, so…"
"Why don't we just barge into her room?" asked Lynn. "I mean what's the worst thing she can do to us? Turn us into human pretzels?"
"Bobby is in there with her," said Clyde.
"Oh… I forgot."
"Hey, Lame-o. What are you doing here?"
Lincoln walked up the stairs and met Ronnie Anne halfway through the stairwell.
"Hey, Ronnie! I came to say hi to Lori and I wanted to ask you something as well."
Ronnie Anne and Lincoln sat in the steps. Clyde and Lynn walked to the couch and sat next to each other.
"You know, we haven't talked to each other for a really long time," said Lynn.
"What do you mean?" asked Clyde. "We just talked about Egyptian pyramids yesterday with Lincoln, Ronnie Anne, Tabby, and Rusty."
"I mean just us."
"I thought talking to me alone made you uncomfortable. Hey, just the two of us next to each other makes everyone feel uncomfortable."
"Yeah, 'cause of Francisco. But it doesn't matter. He wouldn't want me to push everyone away. Plus, I don't see him in you."
Clyde forced a smile but he looked down.
"I see someone I like, Clyde. Someone unique, funny… cute."
Clyde and Lynn both blushed. Lynn released her ponytail to hide the side of her face, but this only made Clyde blush more.
"Even if I'm missing a leg?"
"If I had a missing arm, would you still think I'm pretty?"
"Sure! Oh, I see."
Lynn and Clyde locked eyes. They lied their backs on the couch and smiled at each other. Then, Lynn's smile faded away.
"I'm so sorry that I did this to you," she said.
"Don't be. You know, the amputation never made me change my opinion of you?" said Clyde. "Matter of fact, I see you as a more fearless yet loving girl."
Lynn softly punched Clyde's arm and giggled. She then nudged him and pointed at Lincoln and Ronnie Anne. They hid under the couch and watched them.
Ronnie Anne's ponytail was longer, reaching deeper into her back. Everything else about her was the same, though. However, Lincoln grew slightly taller and his voice began to crack.
"You're coming, right?" he asked.
"Yeah…"
"If this feels too uncomfortable for you, I understand. I get it, you're not used to being away from your family and–"
"No, it's not that. I want to be with your family! It's just…"
Ronnie Anne looked away. She didn't have the guts to admit that she liked Lincoln. She always did, but for some reason, the feelings she kept hidden were spiraling inside of her.
"Nothing. Nevermind. I would be more than glad to come to your Thanksgiving dinner."
Lori yawned and snuggled up with Bobby. They both kept eye contact for minutes, kissing each other occasionally.
"The door's locked, right?" asked Lori.
"Yeah," replied Bobby. "Though, there are people downstairs. Wanna go check it out?"
"Aww, no, you're so warm."
Both Bobby and Lori giggled.
"Yeah, let's go check it out," said Lori.
The bedroom opened in the stairs above. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne looked above and saw their sibling. Bobby buttoned his shirt and stopped before the stairs.
"Oh sup, bro!" he exclaimed.
"Hey, Linc," said Lori. "Lynn? What brings you guys here?"
"We want to invite the B and the R.A. and also Darcy to Thanksgiving dinner!" explained Lynn before turning to Clyde. "And you too."
Clyde winked and placed his thumbs up.
"Oh that sounds fun! We'll finally get to do something normal as a family for a change!" gasped Lori.
"Oh, that does sound fun but I don't know…" sighed Bobby.
"Yeah, Bobby," said Ronnie Anne. "We should go. You'll spend time with Lori. C'mon, Mom would want you and Lori to be happy."
Bobby nodded.
"Okay. I'll come. First time I'm having dinner with your family, babe!"
Lori and Bobby cheered gleefully while Lincoln and Lynn stood up. Lynn brushed Clyde's metallic leg and motioned him to walk with her. They walked towards the steps and looked at Lincoln and Ronnie Anne. Lynn then looked at Lori.
"We're gonna go meet up with some friends. Where ya going?"
"Oh, Bobby and I are going to check up on Carol."
"How's she holding up?" asked Clyde.
"Not too well," replied Bobby. "Ever since she lost her parents… it's tough what's she going through."
Lynn, Clyde, Ronnie Anne, and Lincoln walked out of the house while Lori and Bobby headed towards their kitchen.
"Morning Lori, morning Bobby."
Lori and Bobby turned their heads and saw Darcy walking into the kitchen while rubbing her eyes, Lori picked up Darcy and kissed her forehead.
"Morning Darcy, are you hungry?" asked Lori.
"Yes, what did you make?" replied Darcy.
"Nothing yet, but we got some news we're going to have a Thanksgiving dinner with Lori's family," said Bobby.
"Oh, thet sounds fun! I hope we have turkey it's been so long since I've had some," Darcy said excitedly.
"You can go and sit in the living room, will call you in breakfast is ready," said Lori.
Darcy nodded and went to the living room, still very excited for the Thanksgiving dinner they were going to have with Lori's family.
"So, when'd you think you can race me?" Lynn asked Clyde.
The kids laughed as they walked along Main Street. Lynn kicked a few leaves at Clyde while Ronnie Anne shoved Lincoln into a pile of colorful leaves under a tree. Lincoln grabbed Ronnie Anne and pulled her back to the pile of leaves, causing the kids to laugh again.
"Hey, guys! Having fun there?" shouted Dana in delight.
Luan, Benny, Dana, Becky, and Wavehead were by the fences with certain melee weapons. They were patrolling the fences, stabbing the roamers that gathered behind the fences. They weren't holding their usual weapons, instead, they held cruder weapons, such as Luan using Luna's crowbar.
"You guys sure are FALLing for each other!" remarked Luan.
The other teens laughed while Lynn and Clyde chuckled among themselves. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne rolled their eyes and stood up patting themselves to remove the leaves on their clothes.
"Should we LEAF you alone?" added Luan.
Lincoln and Ronnie grinned and clapped.
"Good one," said Lincoln.
The teens and children walked away in different directions. The children turned to their right and walked north in King Street. Then, they headed towards Church Street.
"Grow us both individually and together…" prayed Elder Jeffrey. "...as we seek the peace of your presence. Use our lives, Christ, to reach those who desperately need to know you love them. In Jesus's name, Amen."
The adults flocked outside of the church while Jeffrey looked around for his nephew. He sighed and walked outside of the church.
"Great service, Uncle Jeff!" said Preston.
"Yeah! It's like you're reading my own thoughts, except you use bigger words!" said Leni.
"Thank you, kids. Where were you? I didn't see you kids anywhere."
"Over here!" said Preston.
Preston and Leni pointed at a grassy area by the corner of the church.
"Sometimes we looked inside through the window," explained Preston. "But we heard your whole sermon."
Jeffrey looked at the teens' baskets and mats under their arms.
"I could have saved you a spot. What is all this?" he asked.
"We're having a picnic together!" explained Leni.
Lynn, Lincoln, Clyde, and Ronnie Anne approached the intersection at where they church was located by. Leni ran up to them after they greeted her.
"I hope you two don't get into anything serious," said Jeffrey.
"Uncle Jeff, I'm already sixteen!"
"You should at least get to know the other young women in this town."
"There aren't any. Besides, Leni is perfect!" said Preston. "She respects our beliefs, she dresses nice, she's so kind, and most importantly, she's innocent."
"Alright. But please don't mess around with her. Some people appear innocent, but they may not be so."
"She's like an angel," said Preston.
Richard walked by with the hat of his former wife. Jeffrey took a quick glance at him before looking back at Preston.
"The Devil was once an angel," stated Jeffrey.
Preston turned around and noticed Richard walking away. He nodded.
"Sorry, the sermon didn't end in my head. I did not mean to make you feel bad or–"
"No, it's alright. I get it," whispered Preston.
"Have fun."
Preston nodded. Leni walked back with him and they both held hands as they headed to the center of town.
Meanwhile, Lynn, Lincoln, Clyde, and Ronnie Anne continued to walk towards George's home.
They noticed a lot of new kids that arrived in Houlton after Halloween. One of the drivers was part of the militia in Royal Woods. However, almost all of the kids weren't from Royal Woods. Most of them were from Huntington Oaks and Detroit.
However, the reunion of adults and their kids gave some of the other parents false hopes, as they longed to reunite with their children. Little did they know, most of them were consumed by roamers, killed by marauders, or starved by lack of food.
Haley did her best to comfort the adults despite her lack of experience in therapy.
Lynn, Lincoln, Clyde, and Ronnie Anne finally arrived in front of George's home. They knocked on the door and Vonda answered it.
"George's not here," said Vonda.
The children walked inside and they found Tabby, Liam, and Rusty sitting next to each other in the couch. While Zach was leaning against of a wall looking at the floor. After Lynn, Lincoln, Clyde, and Ronnie Anne walked inside, Vonda locked the door and closed the curtains so it covered only half of the windows.
"So… what's new?" asked Tabby.
"Nothing yet," said Lynn. "He covers his tracks like a-a-a– hey, Linc, which animals cover their tracks?"
"I don't think any of them do."
"Whatever, he hides his tracks. However, he sure as hell looks suspicious by covering them up. He walks around the town a lot. He's been quiet lately."
"I saw him carry Missy's hat," said Ronnie Anne. "He was walking near the church, didn't you guys see him?"
"Are you sure it was him?" asked Lincoln.
"Yes! I swear, he wears the same clothes every day!"
"Don't we all?" commented Rusty. "Ain't a lotta clothes to go around."
"Yeah, but does it even matter. It's not like there is much need since it's the apocalypse," said Zach.
"Don't you guys think that's important?" said Ronnie Anne.
"Honestly, I don't know at this point," replied Rusty.
"Hack I don't even know if we're close to finding anything suspicious?" added Liam.
"Yeah, I mean it feels like we're in a wild goose chase," said Vonda.
"No, no, it matters!" exclaimed Lynn. "This is important! We don't know whose life will be endangered next!"
"Well we can't do anything until we have definite proof," said Lincoln.
"Can't we include George?" asked Clyde. "I'm sure he'll be of a lot of help."
"Or better yet, how about we get Jason to help us?" said Zach.
"Maybe, but…" sighed Lynn. "He won't believe us. And Jason will believe us but it's best that we don't include them until we find proof. We're doing fine on our own, though. All we need is proof that he's been causing harm to our group!"
Vonda, Lincoln, Ronnie Anne, Clyde, Rusty, Zach, Liam, and Tabby nodded their heads and began chattering among each other. Lynn smiled in pride of leading the small group of hers.
The water moved peacefully. The boat moved steadily as the adults rowed it. Then, Lynn Sr. handed Kotaro, Sergei, and Ted their fishing rods back.
"I got one!" said Kotaro, reeling his rod.
He pulled a small fish out of the creek and placed in a bucket that the men brought. Sergei and Ted cheered.
"What's wrong, Lynn?" asked Ted.
"What do you mean? I'm happy," replied Lynn Sr.
"You don't sound happy."
"Ohh, that's 'cause I'm not! I'm a little worried about something."
"Feel free to tell us, Lynn," reassured Kotaro.
"Alright. You see, my son asked my wife and I if it were okay to have a Thanksgiving dinner. I told him it was alright, that maybe things will go back to normal, but, AHH! Can things even go back to normal? Hey, Sergei!"
Sergei glared at Lynn Sr.
"Yes?"
"You went with my children to this town, right? I mean you guys traveled together and stuff?"
"What are you going to ask, Lynn?"
"W-Which one of my children took a life? Besides Lori. I know she did, and I wish I didn't see it with my own eyes and hear it with my own ears, but I know she did!"
"I met this guy in a town not too far from here. He would often say, 'don't ask questions you don't want the answer to'."
"Please tell me! Not knowing is driving me crazy! I just want to know… to know… you know?"
"Lynn," said Sergei.
"Yes?"
"Not you. Your baby girl, Lynn. And Luna. Also Lucy."
"Oh, is that it?" gasped Lynn Sr. "That's a relief."
"I don't see how it is," said Sergei. "I wouldn't want any of my kids to take a life. Your girls, though. They're tough."
"Junior, she's one of the toughest. She and Lunes got quite the 'tude. Lucy may not be tough physically but she his mentally. If anyone is surviving this hellhole, it would be them.""They want a normal life too," said Kotaro. "This Thanksgiving dinner, it's a start. After that it's Christmas, then in a blink of an eye, you'll get a grandchild and everything will feel too normal."Lynn Sr. chuckled. He sniffled softly and high-fived the guys. The boat remained still in the creek.
-Four Days Later-
A snowflake lightly fell by a pine tree and down to the white ground. The winds weren't very strong and the dark clouds hung over the town like a blanket. The moon was barely noticable just like the stars.
The candles in the chandelier lit up the peaceful dinner room. The plates were set on the table, the chairs stood in their respective places, and the silverware lied on top of a napkin.
Lynn Sr. and Rita arrived at the house in Vanzilla with Luna, Lynn Jr., Lincoln, Lucy, and Lisa. Luna and Lynn Jr. each held a pot using mitts like their parents, while Lincoln opened the door to the house, allowing them to walk in.
Leni, Lola, and Lana drooled as the parents opened the pots and poured the food into the bowls in the middle of the table. Luan arrived at the dinner room with Lily on her arms.
With two bowls of chicken, a bowl of mashed potatoes, stacks of cornbread, many plates of pies, and many more dishes, life felt joyful once again.
Lori knocked on the door, standing next to Bobby, Ronnie Anne, Darcy, and Clyde. Lori and Bobby were holding jugs of eggnog while Ronnie Anne and Clyde held stacks of cups. Lincoln opened the door for them, allowing them to enter the house.
"I'm surprised the food is not cold yet!" said Leni.
"This weather is no match for Michigan winter," said Lynn.
"Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Loud!" greeted Bobby. "I'm grateful for the invitation!"
"It's the least we can do," said Rita.
"I wish it was under different circumstances," said Lynn Sr. as they all sat down in their seats. "Well, kids… dig in!"
The snow continued to add to the soft blanket in the ground. An owl flew to a pine tree above the graveyard behind the church.
It wasn't a graveyard before the liberation of the Houlton prisoners. It was just an area of land that the church managed before the apocalypse. And now, the area of land has turned into a land of bodies buried six feet under.
Richard stood in the shadow of the pine tree that gave shade to the graves by Carol. His cold breath blew out of his mouth while he heard the owl hoot once again.Carol turned around with mourning eyes.
"Come here," she whispered.
Richard walked next to Carol and looked down at the graves. She leaned her head on his arms.
"I never thanked you for saving my life."
"You didn't need to," Richard whispered back. "It's what I promised."
"You promised something else too."
Richard looked at Carol. She kept her eyes on the two graves. He nodded and turned back to the graves.
"I don't want anyone to take you away from me," said Carol. "Please don't let anyone take you from me, Richard."
"I won't. I'll destroy the rumors. I'll tell 'em to leave us alone if they ever found out. Nothing will happen to you, Carol. Nothing will keep us apart."
A few snowflakes touched the ground under the tree. The owl flew away. And much more time passed.
The Louds chattered among themselves and with Ronnie Anne and Clyde. They felt like a part of the family, especially Clyde, who Rita felt sorry for. She assumed their fate since the fall of Detroit, but the kids confirmed it to her after her liberation.
"Bobby, help me get these bowls into the kitchen," said Lynn Sr.
"Sure thing, Mr. Loud."
Bobby stood up from his seat and carried two empty bowls to the kitchen. The kids continued with their conversation, except Lori and Rita. They drank their eggnog silently, attempting to keep their eyes away from the kitchen.
"What did you need me for?" asked Bobby.
"Remember that speech I gave you, son?"
Bobby nodded his head.
"What is it that you promised me?" asked Lynn Sr.
"I promised to protect and look after Lori. But if you ask me, I don't think she needs me to protect her. Honestly, she could do fine without me."
"Trust me, she wouldn't."
Lynn Sr. held his chin."What are you talking about, Mr. Loud?"
"Did you kill anyone yet?"
Bobby shook his head. Lynn Sr. placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Look, son. Everything I told you, I still mean it. You gotta protect her from herself. Make sure she doesn't go the wrong road."
Bobby nodded.
"One moment, she was just a teenage girl on her phone all the time, talking to you… now, she's an adult. A fighter. She's got a fire inside of her… and I fear that under enough pressure… when she reaches her boiling point, she'll lash out in ways I can't imagine. Just like after what almost happened to Darcy."
"She told you?"
"Lisa showed me. I still love my daughter… and that's why I want you to make sure she won't be the one tossing people into fires."
Bobby gulped and nodded. Lynn Sr. placed the bowls into the sink.
Lori looked over at Lola and Lucy, happy seeing them live and well. She hates thinking about their near death experience.
"Hey, Lana, pass the salt please!" said a voice to her right.
Lori turned towards her right and saw Lola with a dish of turkey. She smiled as she saw Lola salt her dise.
"Why does this taste so… cheery?" said another voice.
Lori turned to her left and saw Lucy drink the eggnog. She closed her eyes and chuckled a little, when she opened them what saw made her heart dropped.
Lucy had a bite wound on her neck and in a hole in her head, with blood pouring out of the wounds. She turned around to see Lola who had a bite wound on her shoulder and a stab wound in her chest and a another one in her head. As she turned to see Lucy, she was okey. Then, Lola was fine as well.
"Honey, is something wrong?" asked Rita.
"N-no. I think I ate too much. Food was yummy."
The family finished up their meals. The candles in the chandelier remained lit. The snow continued to fall on the content homes of Houlton.
The snow continued to fall everywhere else too.
In the dark woods somewhere in Maine, two survivors talked to each other. One held a lantern while the other opened a can of soup. They both sat on a log and sighed.
"That's it. Here you go," said the thin survivor, handing a can to the other survivor.
"Thanks, dude. Can you hand me that spoon over there?" asked the lantern man.
"There. So… how far do you think we are from Halifax?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen a town in days. This son of bitch weather made everything worse!"
"Just accept it, man. We're lost."
"I know that. I thought I was reading the map–"
A young and tan woman stumbled near the tent where the survivors were sitting by. The thin survivor dropped his can to the ground while the lantern man lifted the light, revealing her face.
"Hey, miss," called out the lantern man. "May we help you?"
"Yes. I'm a little lost. I'm hungry, thirsty, and I'm cold."
"Well, we got food here," said the thin man.
"I got a few water bottles. And we got a couple blankets too!"
"Thank you, guys! Are there anyone else with you two?"
"No, it's just us two!" said the lantern man. "What's your name?"
"My name is Teri! I'm from Michigan."
The lantern man handed her a canteen. Teri grabbed it and stepped back slowly. The thin survivor looked around after hearing a branch snap.
"That's cool! We're from Nova–"
"Dude, you hear that?" warned the thin survivor. "Might be the skin-eaters."
A group stepped out of the woods with guns aimed at the two survivors. Teri covered her ears. The attackers fired their rifles and pistols at the survivors, painting their bodies with blood. A burst of fire instantly killed the thin survivor while the lantern man bled out from many different wounds.
Teri coughed and walked to the two bodies. The small group looked at the red snow and covered it up with the white snow.
"Job well done. The Oaks never fall down!" said one of the group members.
"The Oaks never fall down!" repeated the group, including Teri.
The group looted the two bodies. Teri pointed her flashlight around and realized they haven't seen a roamer in Maine for days.