Chapter 7 - Collisions

"Where are we going?" Justin asked softly.

Kelly didn't slow her pace. Her eyes scanned the terrain ahead, her tone clipped as she answered, "Lockheaven."

"That sounds nice," Justin ventured, a small, awkward smile tugging at his lips.

Kelly came to an abrupt halt. The sudden movement made Justin stop short, nearly bumping into her. She turned to face him, her green eyes sharp. "It's not," she snapped. Her voice was low but biting, like the edge of a knife. Justin blinked and Kelly took a steadying breath, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "Lockheaven isn't some safe haven, Justin. It's a nightmare. A prison." Justin's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. "They don't save people. They take them," she continued, her voice tightening with each word. "They strip you of everything.. your name, your identity, your freedom. They call it making 'angels,' but all they're doing is breaking you until you're just another pawn in their twisted game."

Justin recoiled slightly, his eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and fear. "But… why would anyone do that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kelly shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Because people people like them don't care about anything but power. They use fear and violence to control anyone who gets in their way."

Justin took a hesitant step closer. "But you've been there? You've… seen it?"

Kelly turned away from him, her gaze falling to the ground. "I've seen what they can do."

"Then why are you going there?"

Kelly's exhaled sharply, her shoulders stiff as she resumed walking. "Because my parents are there,"

Justin started walking to catch up. "Your parents?"

Kelly kept her eyes on the uneven path ahead. "They were taken by Lockheaven." She paused, her voice dropping as though the words were too heavy to carry at full volume. "But then Gordon and Charlie..." Her voice softened at their names, the bitterness melting just enough to reveal the ache beneath. "They took me in. Gave me a chance when they didn't have to.. I thought I'd found something safe. I thought-" Kelly shook her head, the words catching in her throat. "But nothing's safe.. They killed Gordon. And Charlie…" She stopped abruptly, swallowing hard before continuing, her words clipped and brittle. "She gave me a way out. A chance to keep going."

"I'm.." Justin hesitated, taking a breath. "Sorry."

Kelly glanced at Justin briefly, her eyes sharp but not unkind. "What about you? Why are you out here alone?"

"Me and my dad.. We used to live in a warehouse," he began. "It wasn't much, but it was safe.. well, safer than most places. My dad... he made it work." Kelly listened, her steps slowing. "We had everything planned out. He was so careful. We had traps set up outside, food stored in barrels, even this little garden on the roof." He paused, swallowing hard as the memory tightened his throat. "But it wasn't enough. Not when they came."

"They?" Kelly pressed.

"Walkers," Justin whispered. "A horde. Bigger than anything we'd ever seen before. They came out of nowhere, crashing through the windows, tearing through the doors... everything.. I... I don't even remember what started it. One moment, we were eating dinner.. canned beans again.. and the next, my dad shouted for me to grab my backpack, but everything happened so fast."

"What did you do?" Kelly asked, her voice softening despite herself.

Justin shrugged helplessly. "I ran," he admitted. "Dad told me to head for the fire escape. He said he'd catch up, but... but he didn't. I kept looking back, and I couldn't see him. I called out, but the noise was... so loud. Um.. I got out. I got away..." Justin exhaled shakily, his shoulders slumping. "I went back yesterday," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "To the warehouse. But there was nothing.. no sign of him."

Kelly's eyes narrowed as she studied him. "And you think he's still out there?"

Justin looked up at her. "He has to be," he said firmly. "He's smart, you know? He would've found a way, just like I did."

Kelly snorted softly. "You think smarts mean much out here?" Kelly asked, gesturing to the wilderness around them. "Plenty of smart people are dead."

"Maybe," Justin said, wavering. "But my dad's different. He always had a plan. He's... he's a survivor."

Kelly's mind churned with memories she didn't want to revisit.. of Gordon's stern lessons, Charlie's unwavering kindness, and the haunting loss of both. "Hope's dangerous," Kelly said finally. "It'll keep you alive for a while, but it can also kill you if you hold onto it too tight."

"What about you?" Justin countered, frowning. "Isn't that what you're doing? Hoping to find your parents?"

Her head snapped toward him. "That's different," she snapped. "I know they're alive. I heard... I heard my mom..."

"I'm sorry," Justin said quietly. "I didn't mean-"

"Forget it," Kelly interrupted, her tone curt as she quickens her pace. "We need to keep moving."

Justin stumbled after her, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Do you really think we're that different?"

"I don't know," Kelly whispered. "Maybe we're not."

-_-_-

The outskirts of Anderson lay quiet. Kelly trudged forward and Justin lagged a step behind..Ahead, the towering silhouette of a rusted water tower pierced the pale sky, its jagged frame looming like a forgotten sentinel over the desolation. Kelly stopped abruptly.

"We're climbing it," Kelly said, tilting her head toward the structure.

Justin blinked, his brow furrowing as he stared up at the corroded ladder that swayed slightly in the breeze. "Climbing it? Why?"

Kelly didn't look at him, her eyes fixed on the tower. "It's the only way to see the layout of the area. Lockheaven's farm is south of here," Kelly explained curtly, her tone practical but impatient. "If we're going to figure out a way in.. or even confirm it's the right place.. we need to know what we're walking into."

Justin's face tightened at the mention of Lockheaven. "And you're sure it's there?" he asked hesitantly.

Kelly turned to him then, her dark green eyes sharp and unyielding. "It's a lead. That's all I've got. Unless you've got a better idea, we're climbing."

Justin swallowed hard and glanced back at the tower, its ladder seeming flimsier with each passing second. "You think that thing'll hold us?"

"It'll hold. If it doesn't, we'll figure something else out."

Justin still hesitated, shuffling his feet. "I'm not exactly.. good with heights," Justin admitted sheepishly, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. Kelly let out a breath, the corners of her mouth twitching in what could almost be mistaken for a smirk.

As they approach the base of the water tower, Kelly paused only to shrug off her backpack, handing it to Justin. "If your not climbing, stay on watch." Kelly didn't wait for his response, her tone leaving no room for argument. Her fingers curled around the cold metal rungs of the ladder, begining to climb. Each step upward brings a faint groan of rusted steel, the sound cutting through the eerie stillness of the overgrown town.

Justin watched her from below, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Are you sure this is safe?" Justin called up, his voice cracking slightly.

"If it breaks, I'll find out before you do," Kelly snapped.

"Not funny," Justin mumbled under his breath, glancing down at the backpack she'd thrust into his arms. His grip tightened on the straps as he shifts again, his gaze flicking to the horizon in a half-hearted attempt at vigilance.

Up on the narrow platform, Kelly steadied herself, the wind stronger at this height and tugging at her jacket. She gazed out over the landscape. The expanse of trees and hills stretches endlessly, a patchwork of muted greens and browns that seem to swallow the horizon. She narrowed her eyes, searching for the farm.

"There it is," Kelly whispered to herself, her stomach tightening as she spots it. Lockheaven. Even from this distance, the sight of it sets her nerves alight. The cluster of small houses and sprawling fields seemed almost serene, its borders blending into the wild land around it.

The flicker of movement near one of the buildings caught Kelly's attention. A figure, maybe two, but too far to make out any details. She took one last look at Lockheaven. She tried to memorize every detail.. the layout of the buildings, the stretch of the fields, the sparse fencing that marks its perimeter.

"I'm coming down," Kelly called down, her voice sharper than intended. She gripped the ladder tightly as she began her descent, the rusted rungs groaning beneath her weight.

When Kelly's feet touch the ground again, she is met with a sight that sent a jolt of alarm through her. Justin is embracing a man she recognized immediately.. Joseph. "What are you doing?!" she yelled, her tone dripping with disbelief and anger. "Do you have any idea who he is?!"

Justin stepped back from Joseph. "W.. what are you talking about?" he stammered, frowning.

Kelly's gaze locks on Joseph, her teeth clenched. "He's one of them," she spitted. "A angel."

"That's not true!" Justin shouted, his voice cracking as he stepped in front of Joseph protectively. "He's my dad!"

"Kelly, I don't want to hurt you." Joseph spoke up. "I'm not here with them."

Kelly's eyes narrow. "You expect me to believe that? After what your people did?"

"He's not like them, Kelly!" Justin insisted. "He's not!"

"Then explain why you're out here, Joseph," Kelly challenged, her voice sharp as a blade.

Before Joseph can answer, the sound of footsteps interrupts them. Kelly looked behin Joseph seeing figures emerged from the woods, their weapons gleaming in the fading light. At their head is Axel, his eyes locking onto Kelly. "Looks like we caught ourselves a little reunion."

Kelly instinctively reached for her knife but Axel raised a hand, his men leveling their guns at her. "Don't even think about it," Axel warned, his tone calm but deadly.

Justin's face pales as he stumbled back, his wide eyes fixed on the armed men surrounding them. "What's going on?" Justin whispered, his voice trembling.

"Quiet, boy," Axel snapped, his gaze never leaving Kelly. "Jason, tie them up. Both of them."

One of the men, a burly figure with a sneer permanently etched onto his face, stepped forward, a length of rope in his hands.

Kelly's jaw tightens as she glared at Axel. "You think tying me up is going to stop me?" Kelly growled.

Axel chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Oh, sweetheart, this isn't about stopping you. This is about making sure you don't do something stupid."

Justin looked at Joseph. "Dad, do something!"

"Axel, you don't have to do this," Joseph said weakly.

Axel's smile faded. "Don't tell me what I have to do, Joseph," he said, his tone icy. "You've already pushed your luck too far."

Kelly watched the exchange, her mind racing. She tugged against Jason's grip as he binded her hands, the ropes bit into Kelly's wrists as Jason secured them. "Get off me!" Kelly spat, twisting violently, but her defiance was met with silence. Behind her, Justin was dragged away from Joseph, the boy's cried a thin wail against the oppressive quiet of the woods. "Dad! Tell them to stop!"

"Shut him up, or I will." Acel barked at Joseph.

Joseph stepped forward, hesitating before placing a hand on Justin's shoulder. "Justin, calm down. It's going to be okay," Joseph murmured, though the words rang hollow.

Kelly locked eyes with Joseph, her gaze cutting like glass. "You're with them. You let them kill Gordon and Charlie." Her voice trembled with rage, but her words were sharp enough to draw blood.

Joseph's face fell, his mouth opening as if to respond, but Axel interrupted, stepping closer to Kelly. His imposing frame towered over her, his cold blue eyes narrowing. "Enough of this." His tone was clipped, devoid of emotion. "Tell me what you know about Lockheaven."

Kelly's jaw tightened, her green eyes blazing. "Go to hell."

Axel chuckled dryly. "Brave little girl, aren't you? I wonder how long that'll last." He nodded to Jason, who yanked Kelly upright with a jerk that sent pain shooting through her shoulders.

"Don't touch her!" Justin's voice rose again and he lurched toward Kelly, only to be held back by another of Axel's men. "Leave her alone!"

"Keep the kid quiet," Axel growled, waving dismissively.

One of the men holding Justin slapped a hand over his mouth, silencing him. "I don't know anything," Kelly said coldly.

Axel crouched, bringing his face level with hers. His eyes bore into her, unrelenting. "You're lying."

"I'm not," Kelly snapped, refusing to look away.

Axel leaned closer, his breath warm against her skin. "You're going to tell me, one way or another."

Kelly swallowed hard, forcing herself not to flinch. "You think I'm scared of you?"

"You should be." Axel straightened, signaling to Jason with a flick of his wrist.

"Wait," Joseph interjected, his voice unsteady. "Axel, she's just a kid. You don't need to-"

"She's not just a kid," Axel snapped, cutting him off. "She's trouble. And trouble needs handling."

A bag descended over her head from the back, plunging Kelly into darkness. The fabric was rough against her skin, carrying the faint, acrid scent of oil. Her breaths came fast and shallow, the panic clawing at her chest as her world shrank to nothing but the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears. Footsteps shuffled around her, muffled voices blending into an unintelligible hum. The ropes around her wrists tightened further. A sharp tug forced her forward, her steps unsteady as she stumbled blindly.