[b] Abram - The House - Jess and Floyd[/b]

Abram listened to Floyd after Jess left the room. He sat in chair, watching the man's facial movements. There was one thing that stared the man in the face; this guy obviously didn't like him. 

"I'll stay as long as you'll let me. Heck, if you want, I'll pack my stuff and drive away right now." The man cocked an eyebrow. "However, you'll force me to leave with a guilty conscience." Abram straightened his posture in the chair. "Sir, I know that you're looking out for the girl." He crossed his arms. "However, you've been shot. I know how it feels; I've been shot a total of four times. The last time, it took someone larger than me to get me to safety; his name was Master Sergeant Daniel Crowe... He was good, that boy was." 

"My point is that it takes a lot to defend someone who's injured. I can tell that your friend is a fighter; she's tough!" He motioned his head at the ceiling. "But she's still just a little girl; she can't lift you and carry you to safety. I still stand by my earlier statement, but I honestly don't think that letting me stay at least until you've recovered is not a terrible idea. I've served three tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan; I know how to defend my friends." 

"Now: Let's talk about the elephant in the room." Abram exhaled exaggeratedly. "You don't like me. It's not hard to see. I'm a black man living in the south, I know contempt when I see it. I don't know if it's a racial thing or the fact that I used to be a soldier, but we are obviously not on the same page. I can't do jack to change that."

"I do believe that you two think I am the stupidest man alive." Abram chuckled when the man didn't respond. "Look, buddy, I know that you're not that her baby's father. Heck, I would have been surprised if you were. She's, what, nineteen? You've got to be in your later twenties. Something messed up if you were the little baby's daddy. Don't worry, I ain't holdin' nothing against her; heck I'm even glad she didn't tell me the truth, me being a stranger and all."

"I'll also admit that this ain't the first time I've seen Jessalyn, either." The man adjusted his seat. "I used to live near the old catacombs. See, you live in New Orleans so I'll bet my rifle you know who Tyler and the Raiders are. From my window, I could see every girl that went in to that hole and never came back. Three weeks ago, back in November. "Big Man" Tyler, himself took that girl in. Sound about right?"

"I also saw, that same week, the attack that destroyed the catacombs. I don't know who was at liberty for it, but I do know that the raiders are no more. But they did leave a ton of walkers for me to put a bullet in. I'm guessing that you rescued Jessalyn from the raiders during the attack. You ain't a raider, so much is obvious. And you're on your own so I suppose that army of firepower wasn't yours either."