Chapter 5: The Living and The Dead

“You said your name is Derek, right?” The room had fallen silent after the boy had introduced himself, trying to figure out what they were going to do next.

“Yes sir.” Derek still seemed shaken from the welcome he had received. People generally didn’t like being held and gun point and threatened.

“You can call me David, that’s my brother Jason and my wife Amy.” David had softened his voice to show they weren’t a threat and introduced his family before extending a hand.

Derek took it hesitantly, eyes lingering on Jason.

“Sorry for grabbing you like that kid.” Jason approached him and he eyes him wearily, but all Jason did was give him a smile and a pat on the back.

A groan sounded from the bedroom and Amy gave them a small smile before she disappeared into the room and closed the door behind her. Either Derek didn’t hear it or was polite enough not to ask.

“It’s alright, I kinda understand. You never know who you’re dealing with now.” Derek rubbed at the back of his neck, shifting from foot to foot.

“I uh, I didn’t mean to listen in on your conversation, but you came in from outside right?” He asked, nervously and then it was the brothers turn to eye him suspiciously.

“Yeah, we did.” David turned to his brother with a raised eyebrow, but Jason just gave a small shake of his head.

“What’s it like out there? I haven’t left the apartment since it happened, too scared.”  The teen sounded curious, but Jason could hear the tremor in his voice; how genuinely scared he was.

“We still have no idea, it happened too fast.” Jason shrugged.

“Yeah, feel like one big nightmare.” David sat himself on the arm of the couch while Jason leaned back against the wall, Derek looking even smaller between the two big brothers.

“Since it happened a few hours ago we haven’t come across anyone ‘normal’ except for you.” Jason folded his arms, the machete still in hand while David left the rifle on the coffee table.

“A few hours ago?” the younger asked confused, and the brothers nodded in confirmation. “That can’t be right.”

“What do you mean?” Jason asked with narrowed eyes, standing straighter. The confusion was clear on the younger Warren brother’s face.

“Well, we’ve been stuck in the apartment for two days.” Derek answered, looking a bit closer at the siblings.

“What? You can’t be serious.” David sounded as shocked as he looked, both of them beyond confused.

“Yeah, it happened two days ago. My mother and I was down at the flea, and it was all normal until around 2, I think. Or well, sometime in the afternoon when we were on our way home. There was screaming a few blocks from us and then people were suddenly running in every direction. There were gunshots and even more screaming. It was total chaos. My mom grabbed me, and we started running to the closest police station, but only a few officers were actually there. a good friend of my mom, Officer Martin brought us home, but he uh, he-” Derek stuttered through the last bit, looking grief stricken.

“He didn’t make it?” Jason asked and Derek only gave a nod in return, looking like he would burst into tears at any moment.

“He got grabbed in the hallway, just as we were saying goodbye and we, we tried to help him, but he wanted us safe. He didn’t want anything to happen to us.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

“You said he was one of those things, right?” Derek nodded to answer David’s question.

“How does that happen?”

“He got bit on his arm and grabbed his pistol after. He shot one guy like seven times in the chest, but it was still walking towards Officer Martin.”

“Doesn’t that sound familiar?” David looked at Jason and nodded at him.

Jason stayed silent, looking at Derek quite intensely.

Silence enveloped the room as Derek shifted awkwardly on his feet, looking at the ground while the brother’s were lost in their own thoughts.

David narrowed his eyes as he realised something, turning to the teen. “Where’s your mother now?”

“She’s sleeping in our apartment upstairs. She said she wasn’t feeling good, but I know it’s because she’s sad about Officer Martin dying.” Derek whispered, only glancing up at them for a minute before eh was back to staring at the floor.

“What about your father?” Jason spoke up after staying silent so long, still eyeing the younger boy.

“He died in a car crash when I was 6-years old.”

David winced at the revelation and gave Derek a sympathetic smile. “Sorry to hear.”

“It’s fine, that was a long time ago.” He cleared his throat after the sentence, still looking restless. Before he suddenly spoke up. “You can come up to our apartment if you want to. It’s not much, but at least it’s bigger than this one.” He lifted his arms slightly to gesture at the room around him.

Once again silence filled the room as the brothers looked at each other and had a silent conversation.

“We wouldn’t want to intrude.” David said slowly after a few seconds and Jason nodded to encourage the statement.

“No, it’s totally alright.” He paused a second as if he was thinking about what he was going to say next before he sighed. “Actually, you seem like really nice people and I think it’ll be safer if we stick together.” He scratched the back of his neck before looking up at the men in front of him. “It’s really scary out there and if it’s just me and my mom, it gets even scarier.”

Jason nodded and stepped up, smiling at him.

“Smart kid, it will be safer if we keep together.” Then he tilted his head and raised his eyebrow at the boy. “How old are you Derek?”

“Sixteen.” His eyes widened. “Sir.” He scrambled to add on, not wanting to look disrespectful.

“Well then, Derek. If we’re going to work together you should probably know we have one more person with us.”

Derek nodded in understanding and smiled slightly. “And who is this extra person?”

“Our father.” David replied, arms crossed over his chest now.

“That shouldn’t be a problem at all.” Derek was still smiling as he said this, and David was relieved that they would be getting a little help in all of this. They wouldn’t be able to do this all alone.

The world was taking a turn for the worst for some reason and it would be wise to not go at it alone. They needed people who would watch their backs when they can’t.

“Okay, let’s go.”

David headed to the bedroom, opening the door to find His father on the bed with his leg elevated and Amy standing near the window looking out. He took careful steps to her and once he was close he took her in his arms.

She sagged back into him and sighed, turning around to bury her face in his shoulder.

“We’re going up to Derek’s apartment. There’ is more space up there as well as people who are willing to help us.” Amy nodded along before taking a step back and looking up at him.

David could see the fear in her eyes. Fear of the unknown, fear of what the world is becoming. David felt that same fear but knew he couldn’t show it. That would make Amy even more afraid and he needed her to know that everything was going to be okay. It was going to work out.

“Well, let’s go then.”

Jason and Derek were already on the fire escape when David, Amy and their father came out of the room. Jason had the machete in its pouch hanging from his jeans and the rifle was slung over his shoulder. David helped his wife and father out the window before getting on the fire escape himself.

Looking down at the alley, he could see that the swarm had already cleared out except for one lone straggler shuffling up and down mindlessly. David wondered what their purpose was, it didn’t seem like they had a specific destination or goal in mind. It didn’t seem like there was any logical, reasonable thinking behind their actions.

Derek was the first one up, leading the way with Jason following behind him. David was in the back, his father in front of him in case he needed any assistance, which left Amy in the middle.

It was hard for the brothers to get up the stairs with how narrow they were, but they eventually made it to the apartment above them. The window was open and no sounds came from inside.

“Too many windows.” Richard grumbled as he eyes the thing. He was limping, trying to keep pressure of his leg but every few seconds David would see his father softly hissing in pain.

Derek went in first and Jason followed, he and David both helping their father through the window and Amy went after him with the younger sibling going last.

The 16-year old led the family into the living room and offered the couch to them. “You can take the couch and I’ll pull the coffee table closer for your leg.”

Richard gave and appreciative smile as his sons helped him to the sofa, where he fell down with a relieved smile. The table screeched on the wooden floors and Derek winced just slightly.

“Thank kid.” Richard said as he carefully lifted up his leg, only twisting his face lightly in pain.

“No need to thank me sir.” Derek grabbed the two pillows on either side of him before placing them on the table. David took over when he saw his dad’s face and lifted his leg for him and setting it back down on the pillows.

Silenced enveloped the room, Jason was stood by the closed window, looking out into the alley while Amy and David crowded around their dad and Derek bustled around in the kitchen. The rifle was propped up next to Jason, the machete still on his person.

A creak down the hall broke the silence and Jason narrowed his eyes as his head shot in that direction. David looked at Derek, raising one eyebrow in question.

“That just my mom, be right back.” Derek answered to the silent question as he vanished around the corner.

A few moments later he appeared again, a young woman behind him; his mother. She had mousy brown hair that fell past her mid back, from this far Jason couldn’t make out her eyes but if he had to guess he’d say green or brown. Even though she was wearing loose-fitted clothes her curvy figure could clearly be seen and Jason could only guess her age; a few years older than David.

Her eyes were wide as she glanced around the room, taking in all these unfamiliar faces and she was almost hiding behind her son.

“Hi, my name’s Jason Warren. I’m from Delta Squad of the U.S. military. We’re sorry for just appearing in your living room like this, but your son found us down stairs and so generously offered his help.” Jason stepped up as he introduced himself, trying to give off a calming manner. “Thank you for allowing us in your home, I hope you’ll let me and my family stay for the night. We’ll clear out tomorrow morning we just need time for our dad’s leg to get better.” His smile was friendly and David was shocked at how polite and gentle he sounded.

The woman’s eyes were still wide as she stared at the older Warren brother and she startled just slightly as he extended a hand before springing into action.

“Oh no need to thank me. Stay as long as you need. Derek explained the deal with your father’s leg, so be our guests.” She shook his hand before stepping back, this time giving a careful smile to the people.

“Thank you miss.” David said as he stood up from the couch, giving her a bright smile.

“Oh please, just call me Jenny.”

“Well thank you very much Jenny, I’m Amy.” The only Warren woman left stood up, taking small steps to Jenny and extending her own hand.

The two shook hands and smiled as the tension slowly started to leave the room.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Amy, or I guess the circumstances could have been better.” Jenny gave a bitter smile, but a smile none the less.

Amy shrugged, as if to agree, before she took her place next to her father-in-law, who gave the woman a weary smile.

“Thank you so much, and sorry that I can’t get up to properly greet you, but my name’s Richard.” Jenny nodded in his direction and took a step back. The room finally tension free as everyone got comfortable.

“I can’t say that I’ve seen your faces before, not from around here?” Jenny guessed, she and Derek had taken seats at the small dining room table on the other side of the room, Jason leaning against the wall next to the window and the rest of the Warren clan stationed on the couch.

“West Lake City, a few hours up North.” Jason supplied.

“Oh, I heard on the news how hard the city was hit by the storm last week. Is the uh- situation as bad up there as it is here?”

“We don’t really know. We were visiting our parents up in Coral Shores when this all went down. We don’t know what it looks like back home.” David answered Jenny’s question and Amy nodded along.

“If the military was quick enough, they might have been able to have posted some checkpoints around the city, lock up the area. Some people might still be in the city and it might be safe.” Jason commented as he narrowed his eyes, drifting into thought.

“I don’t mean to pry, but you mentioned parents?” Jenny carefully treated as she asked the question, immediately noticed as the brother’s expressions turned sad. Amy turned her head as she tried to keep the tears at bay and Richard looked down at his hands; the hands that had held his wife as she died.

“Our mother didn’t make it.” David’s voice was so soft Jenny almost didn’t hear it and when she did, she instantly felt terrible.

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Jason shook his head, but it was Richard who spoke up; shocking everyone. “It was for the best, the things we’ve seen would have broken her. She’s in a better place, wherever that may be.”

“I’m gonna go up to the roof, see how things are out there.” Jason said, head turned away from the rest f the room. He quickly slipped out the window, leaving the room in a heavy silence.

“David?” Amy asked as she put a hand on his knee. He gave it one good squeeze and an encouraging smile.

“I’ll go check on him.” He followed his brother and Jenny looked stricken as she watched him leave.

“I am so sorry; I didn’t mean to upset him.”

Amy was already shaking her head, a soft smile on her face, her eyes ringed with red. “Nothing to worry about.”

David took the stairs two at a time, heart hammering as he thought about his brother. Once on top he spotted him not too far away, leaning over the ledge with his walkie in hand.

“This is Jason Warren of Delta Squad, is anyone out there?” Jason clutched at the walkie like his life depended on it as she spoke into it, shoulders tense.

Silence filled the roof and Jason closed his eyes, a defeated look across his face.

“I repeat, Jason Warren of Delta Squad does anyone copy?” When silence was still all that he received he sighed in frustration. “Please. If anyone is out there please respond.”

Silence.

“Dammit!” Jason smashed his clenched fist into the ledge and looked like he was about to fling the walkie off the roof. He stopped, his arm raised before he let a completely defeated sigh leave him, his arm falling limply to his side.

“Fuck.” It started of as a whisper before he gradually got louder. “Fucking fuck on a stick.”

“You think anyone is out there?” David startled hi brother out of his curse fest, taking the few steps to be next to him and looking down at the street below.

The things were scattered in the street and still stumbling mindlessly a few stragglers still near the mouth of the alley. Apart from their shuffling feet silence filled the air. No screeching, or car engines rumbling. There were no screaming and giggling children and no shouts as people talked across the street. Complete silence, a ghost town.

“There has to be.” Jason’s voice was barely above a whisper and the lost look in his eyes told David that his brother has no idea what the fuck he was doing. But he had to be strong, he had to keep his family safe.

David sighed and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. You aren’t alone. David thought, squeezing lightly. I’m scared shitless, but we aren’t alone.

“We can’t be the only ones left.” Jason said determinedly. He clutched as the walkie once more and look straight into his brother’s eyes. “There has to be more people out there. They’re probably hiding, it’s to dangerous to be out and about.” Jason nodded as he tried to convince his brother to believe what he was saying, or maybe he was trying to convince himself.

“Isn’t there like an emergency frequency that you can tune into or something?” David asked as his hand slipped from his brother’s shoulder.

“Yeah, but its dead. No response.”

David held out a hand and Jason eyed it only a second before giving his brother the walkie. He watched as David turned it over in his hand, trying himself to get a response.

“Hello, is anyone out there?” he waited a few seconds. “Hello?”

Jason silently let his head fall, closing his eyes as he tried to calm his beating heart, because what the fuck were they supposed to do.

“How far’s the range on this thing?” Jason opened one eye to glance up at his brother who looked like a damn idiot as he raised the walkie higher into the air, and he said as much.

“You look like a damn idiot.” That got a laugh out of David, making Jason let out a chuckle himself.

“You don’t look any better.” His brother quipped back and Jason nodded along.

“It has about a 20km radius, but HAM radios or even some CB radios can pick the signal up from further distances.”

David nodded along as if he understood anything his brother said, he didn’t, and handed back the walkie.

Jason stared at the walkie for a good minute before he started walking all around the roof. He tried form every single angle he could try, even stepped onto the ledge as he tried to get something, anything.

After 10 minutes he slid down with his back against the wall, knees drawn up and walkie hanging uselessly form his hands.

“Nothing.” He said, his head hung and eyes closed. David had watched as his brother had trudged all across the roof trying to get someone to respond and had sighed in defeat when all they got was silence. He settled in next to his brother and knocked their knees together.

“We’ll figure something out.” He said into the silence.

He did not expect the respond he got.

“Hello?”

The brothers froze as they looked at each other.

“Did you-”

“No.” they both directed their wide eyes to the walkie in Jason’s hand and gave a jump when they heard the same sound.

“Hello?!”

When Jason did nothing, David slapped his brother who sprung into action at the move.

“Hello? Can you hear me?” He jumped up, holding the walkie close as he clutched at it.

“Hello?” The voices were so faint Jason could barely make anything out above the static.

“Do something, we need to talk to them.” David urged; he had jumped up with his brother and was looking at the walkie like it was their only lifeline.

It might as well be.

Jason muttered a few things to himself before finally letting out a ‘fuck it’ and extending the antenna way beyond the point that it should go.

“Hello? Does anyone copy?” Jason asked again and both brothers held their breath, praying to whatever god was out there to have mercy on them.

As the seconds ticked on, they slowly started to lose hope.

“Hello? Can you hear me?” the brothers almost let out a cry of joy at the answering voice and Jason swore he could have kissed the walkie.

“YES! Yes, I can hear you, can you hear me?” David wasn’t ashamed to admit that he wanted to scream into the walkie, but he held it all in.

“Holy shit! Been trying to get an answer for hours, good to know there’s still people alive out there.” The voice was deep and sounded relieved. Jason let a sigh out as he smiled at his brother.

“Yeah, it feels pretty damn good knowing you’re not alone. This is Jason Warren of the U.S. Army, delta squad. Whom may I be speaking to?”

David was basically shaking in his spot with excitement.

“Wait, wait. Jason is that you?” the brothers was shocked as the voice seemed to have recognized the older warren sibling.

Jason immediately narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest, squaring his shoulders as if to intimidate this person who couldn’t even see him.

“And who is this?” He asked back icily and a chuckle was what they got in response.

“Harvey Morrison, Bravo squad.” He paused as he allowed the information to process and Jason relaxed not even a second after the name was heard.

“Jesus Christ! Harvey?” Jason chuckled with relief, and David watched the interaction confused. Who was Harvey? “Now I know why that fugly voice sounded so familiar.”

“Can’t believe you’re still alive.”

“You know me, I plan on living ‘till I’m 110.”

“Yeah, you’re like a damn cockroach.”

Laughs echoed through the air before ending with a sigh on both sides.

“I’m glad to know you’re still alive.” Jason broke the silence after a few seconds and agreement came as a response.

“Me too man, where’s your ugly ass at the moment.”

“Small town called Alberton; we’re stuck in an apartment building at the moment. Planning on moving out in the morning.”

A huff was heard then shuffling before a sigh. “I feel ya man. We’re in sorta the same boat, except for the stuck part.”

Static sounded and Jason could feel dread fill him up.

“Listen Harvey, I don’t have much time. I’m using the walkie’s extender and I estimate I have about exactly no time before its fried. So, if you can get to a point about what the fuck is out there it would be greatly appreciated.”

David started to panic eternally. What if it cut out before Harvey could give them anything relevant? They wouldn’t be able to connect to anyone anymore, at all.

“We have no fucking idea man. After operations were put to halt, Bravo along with Alpha were dispatched to a CDC research facility. As soon as we got there though the place blew up, I’m guessing someone from inside the place decided to blow it up. Everyone was still trying to figure out what was happening when these ‘things’ started pouring out.”

“Was anyone still alive on the inside?” Jason asked. He turned his head only slightly; the static had a permanent presence and Jason wasn’t about to miss anything Harvey said.

“Someone made it yeah, one of ours. He didn’t stick around for long though; he was bitten.” Harvey replied and both brothers looked at each confused.

‘Bitten?’ David mouthed to his brother who shrugged.

“What do you mean bitten? And…who was it? That made it I mean?”

“Lieutenant Ethan. He got there before any of us and was inside when the explosion went off. He was still inside when the infected got loose. He tried to control the damage, keep those things from getting out. He was succeeding for the most part, but then h-”

Gunshots interrupted Harvey and cursing followed.

“Fuck. Jason our current location is Lake Summit. We’re inside an office building across from the local high school. If you by some miracle make it to here, alive, we may have found the ideal location. It’s safe to set up a refuge and you know you’re always welcome.” More gunshots and some shouts were heard. A crash and Harvey was cursing again.

“Also, and this is very important, aim for the head; that’s the only way to put ‘em down for good.” Shuffling occurred and the static got louder for a second.

“Oh, and for the love of god, do not get bitten. I repeat, do not get bitten. That how you turn into one of these things.”

The gunshots hadn’t stopped and Jason cursed as he shook the walkie.

“Wait Harvey, what do you mean get bitten? Aim for the head? Harvey?!” Jason frantically asked, but static was all he got in return. He shook the walkie again as if that would help and then the static disappeared altogether.

The line was dead.

“Fuck!” Jason screamed, and this time David really thought he might throw the Walkie; which is why he put a hand on his brother’s arm and slowly took the walkie from his clenched hands.

Silence filled the air as David deposited the device on the ledge of the roof and stared at his brother’s seething form, he was glaring at the walkie as if it was its fault. If looks could kill, am I right?

David pursued his lips as he tried to process all the information he could. All this was because of some explosion? No, something must have happened, but what?

What had Harvey meant by aim for the head? The only way to put ‘em down huh? David combed his memories of the last few hours and realized that the only time those things hadn’t gotten back up was when their heads were hit. They had slashed at the things’ legs and arms, even hit their stomach but they kept on coming. Expect for the one that’s head had went through a fence, and the one that got it’s head split open by Jason.

They had to aim for the head to kill them, that was going to make this easier. Hopefully.

And what did Harvey mean by don’t get bitten? His mind flashed to his mother, dread filling as he remembered the thing coming out of nowhere and grabbing his mother. He remembered the look of terror in her eyes, the shriek that escaped her and that d turned into a gurgle as the thing had ripped a part of her throat out.

Don’t get bitten.

After about 15 minutes of absolute silence Jason finally straightened, a determined look on his face as he headed for the stairs. David frantically grabbed for the walking, although that was pointless, and followed after his brother; stuffing the device into his jackets’ pocket.

“What are you doing? Where are you going?”

Jason looked on a mission as he stomped down the stairs, completely missing the window to Jenny’s apartment.

“I gotta see if Harvey’s telling the truth.” Jason answered simply.

Soon they reached ladder leading into the alley and Jason almost completely ignored it as he jumped down, hitting the ground with a muffled thud. David was more subtle as he took the stairs, trying to make next to no noise.

The alley was empty except for the one lonesome ‘infected’, as Harvey had called them. It had it’s back to them facing the wall and just…standing still.

“What’s the plan?” David asked as quietly as possible.

Jason seemed to think about it as his eyes roamed the alley before settling on the infected again.

“You stay here, get its attention when I signal, okay?” David seemed weary.

“I don’t think that a good plan.” He said after a few seconds and Jason just rolled his eyes.

“Will I let anything happen to my baby brother?” he asked, and if he expected an answer, he didn’t get one as he immediately said after, “Trust me.”

After staring at him for a few more seconds David finally nodded, still looking anything but pleased. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jason, he was his brother of course he trusted him. it was these ‘things’ these infected ‘people’ that he didn’t trust.

He was scared, he didn’t know what was happening, he didn’t know what was going to happen to them. These things had taken his mother form them, what was stopping them form taking him, or Amy or his father?

But he knew he couldn’t let these thoughts control him. He needed to remember they were dangerous, yes. But he couldn’t let it control his decisions and make him lose all hope. He had to be strong, for his family.

Jason fell into a crouch and soundlessly headed to the same dumpster they had used as a barrier a few hours ago. Once he was hidden, he gave David a nod, who only hesitated a second.

He breathed in once, he needed to be calm. David whistled just loudly enough to draw the infected’s attention, he didn’t want to be swarmed again. Its’ head twisted in his direction before it was coming for him. Three bite marks were clear on its left arm that hung limply at its side, one more poked out form his bloody shirt’s collar on the right side of his neck and a huge chunk of its right shoulder was missing.

It slowly started to shuffle towards David but when it reached the dumpster Jason pushed with all his strength, pinning the infected against the wall with the dumpster. He barely made any movement apart from blindly reaching for the brothers as they stood in front of him. he groaned and scratched at air as the siblings studied him.

“Are they all this stupid?” Jason wondered and David nodded along, eyes surveying the dead man.

“It’s not doing anything to push the dumpster away.” He observed and narrowed his eyes slightly. “And its eyes.”

Jason followed his brother’s gazed and pursued his lips.

The infected’s eyes were a milky white, gaze unfocused. Jason took a step closer to get a better view when he almost retched, stumbling back and raising his hands to cover his nose.

“Fucking hell that stinks.” He grumbled.

David followed in his brother’s footsteps and gave the same reaction, his hand to his mouth to keep from throwing up.

“He smells like rotten flesh.” Jason finally said and David did not want to know how is brother knew what rotten flesh smelled like.

“It’s dead.” David said. “It’s gotta be dead.”

Jason nodded as if he agreed. “It makes sense. They show no human emotion, they don’t react to pain, the eyes, the smell…” Jason trailed off.

“They don’t seem to be thinking, a human would simply push the dumpster away, or climb up the ladder.” David added.

“They lack common sense.” Jason stated.

“They aren’t interested in anything except for-”

“Us.” Jason cut his brother off.

He took a step forward, lifting his shirt to cover his mouth and nose, it helped next to nothing for the smell. He stepped up until he was next to the dumpster; the closest he could get to the infected without climbing on top.

He got the machete out of its pouch and David was stunned as he watched his brother hack into it’s shoulder with no warning.

It gave no reaction, continued growling as it tried t get to Jason. It didn’t cry out in pain or scream or try to get a hold of it wound.

Jason hit it’s chest next, jamming the machete right between it’s ribs. The infected reached for Jason’s wrists, but Jason was quicker pulling the machete out and narrowing his eyes before plunging it back in; this time hitting it’s heart.

He took a step back, leaving the handle sticking out as blood poured down it’s stomach, darkening the white shirt even more.

David stared in horror. “There is literally a knife piercing it’s heart and it’s still kicking.” David couldn’t believe what he was seeing. What were these things?

“Harvey said the only thing that could kill it was a shot to the head.” Jason said idly and David nodded even though it wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.” He breathed, still in disbelief.

“That guy that killed mom, he was impaled with one of the fence posts.” Jason said slowly.

“He stayed down after that.” David agreed.

“And the one from earlier only went down after I hit her head.” Jason ripped the machete from the infected’s chest again and took another step back; seemingly observing it for a minute.

“With what we’ve seen so far and with what Harvey said…” Jason trailed off as he raised the machete and brought it down in one swoop, cracking the infected’s skull open. Almost immediately its’ arms fell onto the dumpster, it fell forward and was awkwardly slumped over the dumpster.

“This should kill it.” Jason ended, breathing heavily.

David watched as his brother removed the machete, blood spurted from the wound and slowly started to form a puddle on the dumpster’s lid, trickling down after a few moments.

A loud bang drew the brother’s attention and they spun around as fi they were one man, eyes landing on one of the infected. It must have heard them as it was banging against the metal gate, trying to get at them.

“That noise will attract more of them.” Jason said after a moment of silence was interrupted with more banging.

Jason contemplated his thoughts for barely a second before he was handing his brother the machete.

“Take this.” He said and David scrambled to hold the things, staring up it the older Warren with big eyes.

“What the fuck am I supposed to do with this.” He asked.

Jason gave him appointed look. “I think you know exactly what you’re supposed to do.”

David swallowed, glancing at the infected. Jason neared her and her banging increased as she tried with all her might to get at her prey.

Jason grabbed her wrists, holding them against the gate as she struggled to get at him.

“Come on little brother, all you need to do is put her down.” Jason said, giving his brother an encouraging look.

David swallowed again, with much more difficulty this time. His throat was dry as the desert all of a sudden as he watched the infected thrashing to get at his brother.

He slowly made his way to them, keeping his eyes on the infected. Her lifeless eyes, her snapping mouth, rotten teeth, rotting flesh. This thing had once been a woman. She had had a life, has she been a wife, a mother perhaps.

What was she now?

A monster. Infected by god knows what. Cannibalistic if what he saw was true.

Do they remember who they are, who they…were? Did they know what they were doing? Were they actually still alive, trapped inside as the monster feasted up others? Screaming to be let free?

“David.” His brother’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he shook his head slightly.

“Sorry.” He said, focusing on the infected again.

“Do it.” Was all Jason said, a look in his eye.

David took a deep breath, bracing himself. He wanted to close his eyes as he lifted the machete, he didn’t want to see what he was about to do to this woman. But then he was reprimanding himself. The woman was dead, in her place was a mindless cannibal. He had to remember that.

Instead of bring the machete down on the middle f her head like Jason had done, he swung from the left, hitting the side other face. With the force he used it sliced right through into her left eye, coming to a stop at her nose.

The groaning and struggling ceased as her body crumpled to the floor, Jason taking a step back and letting her go.

David looked at her, a crumpled heap on the floor. Dead, really dead.

He didn’t know he was shaking until Jason took the machete from him. his knees buckled for a second before he slumped against the wall on his left. He took in a shaky breath, trying to calm himself.

“You did good, little brother. You did really good.” Jason said, trying to be as comforting as possible, patting his brother on the shoulder.

David nodded and calmed himself. Or tried to at least.

The two stayed in the alley for more than half an hour as David tried to settle down. When they finally got back to the apartment only Amy and Jenny were present. Amy eyed her husband as she noticed the slightly tremor in his hand. She also noticed the blood on the sheathed machete.

She said nothing.

“You two were up there a while, you okay?” she asked instead.

“This is conversation to be heard by everyone.” Jason said in reply and raised an eyebrow at Amy.

She sighed and pointed down the hall to the bedroom door. “They’re both in there.”

He nodded and headed down the hall and Amy gave David a questioning look. “What’s going on?”

“We’ll explain in a minute.” He said as steadily as he could. Mind still reeling.

After a few seconds Jason reappeared with Derek following behind him. Derek took a seat next to his mother on the couch who immediately took his hand once he was in reach.

Amy stood and plastered herself against David, slipping his arm around herself. She placed her hand over his hand and realised it was beating rapidly. She pursued her lips. She would ask him later tonight about it.

Jason leaned against the small dining table and let silence only envelop the room for a few seconds.

“We made contact with someone who was at the cause of the outbreak when it started.” He said slowly. He watched as everyone’s eyes widened. Jenny pulled her son against her, arm around his shoulder, while Amy clutched a little more tightly at her husband.

He took a deep breath and slowly explained everything Harvey had relayed to them, taking time to answer the questions that was asked.

“So that mean mother…” Amy’s voice trailed off as David nodded and she tried to keep her wail at bay.

“How do we know any of this is true?” Jenny asked as David comforted his crying wife.

“We tried an experiment and can confirm that what we’ve been told is completely true.” Jason stated, Jenny narrowing her eyes at Jason.

“What experiment?” She slowly questioned.

‘What do you mean?” Amy asked, her voice was thick and her eyes watery.

Jason sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. “We headed down to the alley, pinned one of those things against the wall and stabbed it. It didn’t feel a thing. It finally died when we split its head open.”

Jason let that information sink in. jenny was rubbing absentmindedly at her sons’ shoulder while he glanced out the window. Amy was holding David as tight as she possibly could.

“What now?” Amy asked after a few minutes.

David and Jason exchanged glances, and David shrugged at his brother.

“We’re heading for Lake Summit tomorrow.”

Silence.

“Jenny, you and Derek are more than welcomed to come with.” Jason continued after no protests.

Jenny seemed to contemplate it as she stared at her son before nodding. “I don’t see any other options for us.” She admitted truthfully. “We barely have any food left, and we can’t go out and buy any can we?”

Jason nodded.

“Speaking of, we haven’t eaten all day.” Amy piped up and at her words David’s stomach grumbled. Jason nodded as he too seemed to have realised this.

“I guess with everything that’s happened we just forgot.” Jason said, rubbing awkwardly at his neck.

“We don’t have much left, but you’re more than welcome to help yourself to whatever’s in the kitchen.” Jenny offered as she stood, Derek stood with her and excused himself not even a second later; hurrying back down the hall.

“I may know of how tog et more.” Jason said and David furrowed his brow as he stared at his brother.

Jason motioned for his sibling to follow him as he stepped out the window and onto the fire escape again.

They descended, but instead of heading to the alley Jason stopped in front of the apartment that had housed them for barely an hour.

“What are we doing?” David asked as Jason slipped back inside.

“Borrowing some food.” Came Jason’s reply and David sighed, but followed the older one.

“You can’t be serious?” David asked once inside. Jason was already in the kitchen, combing through the fridge.

“I am, check the cupboards would ya?”

David wanted to sigh again, but held it in as he did what his brother asked. Opening the cupboards along the wall.

After a few minutes the fridge and cupboards were emptied, the contents spread out on the kitchen floor.

A carton of milk that still looked fresh, a few eggs, a jar of mayonnaise, canned ham, a few yoghurt cups, half a bottle of juice and a stick of butter, unopened, came form the fridge. The cupboards housed a variety of canned goods form beans to corn and 3 ramen cups, with 2 boxes full of instant-soup, half a loaf of bread and 4 more unopened milk cartons.

“This sure is a lot of food for one person.” David commented and Jason just shrugged.

“Don’t look a gift house in the mouth or whatever.”

“That’s not how the saying goes.” David pointed out.

“Potato, patato.” His brother waved him off.

“Are we just going to steal all this food?” David finally asked the question that had been burning him ever since they got here.

Jason gave him a ‘serious?’ look before he reached into his back pocket, fishing out a few notes.

“Now they can go buy some groceries when they get back.” Jason said sarcastically, throwing the nots onto the kitchen counters.

David sighed. “I’m being serious Jason.”

“Look David, the world is changing. We’re in a really shitty situation and we have no fucking clue what’s out there. but we’ve handled ourselves pretty well so far, I’m especially proud of you for keeping it together. We’ll overcome this somehow I’m sure of it, but we’ll have to stick together for that to happen.”

David nodded, he understood completely what his brother meant.

“I’m gonna be counting on you, I’m gonna be trusting you, so you need to trust me.”

David had no doubt in his mind about trusting his brother.

“So, trust me when I say the guy living here will not give a fuck about missing groceries, okay? At the moment we need it more than them.”

He understood what his brother was saying, it still felt wrong though. But he tried to shake the feeling away as he agreed.

“Yeah, okay.”

“Good, now help me get this food upstairs.”

Jason got a few pillow cases form the bedroom and they quickly filled it up with to food to carry. They had just stepped onto the fire escape when Jason stopped his younger brother, giving him a stern look.

“I know we took easily to Jenny and Derek, but they’re the only exception. From now on we need to be extra careful around other people.”

David stared confused at his brother. “Why?”

“The world just ended…and that can change you.”