Chapter: Troubles With the Past
James Feryana, Shannon Greene & Daniel Crowe - To the Truck
“Well for both of our sakes lets hope I do this right.” Daniel hurried down the stairs, wielding his pistol frontwards as he had done many a time before. Shannon paused for a moment to gather herself before gently pushing James ahead of her. She took a glancing look back toward the broken window and followed the pair downstairs. There was very little to assure her that Daniel didn’t mean to harm them once they were out of here, but there was no way around it now.
James followed closely behind Daniel, knife in hand. “Um, exactly how far did you park the truck?” He walked down the stairs, glancing behind him at Shannon with a look on his face that literally said; Are we really going to do this? Looking back in front of him, he saw the exit door, along with a walker that had apparently walked it’s way in front of it. “Walker,” James whispered.
Daniel raised his pistol level with the walker’s head as it turned around and gnashed its decaying teeth. He fired a single round and put the walker on the floor, proceeding to the half-opened exit door. Precariously, the man pushed through the door quickly checking left and right side to make certain no danger lurked outside. He moved with practiced feet to the corner of the building, peeking his head out and looking towards the railroad. Albeit no shots were fired, the group was still at their spot. “Get ready to run when I say go.” He raised his hand and counted down. Three… two… one… “Go!” He waved his hand forward to motion their advance.
Shannon hunched over James protectively. “Okay,” she said into his ear, pushing him into a run. Together, they ran to the nearby truck, crouched low in case of gunfire. When they hit the truck, Shannon threw open one of the back doors. “In!” she commanded, to which James complied without word. She then moved to circle around the truck, stopping momentarily to look back toward Daniel. She realized then that he had been right behind them the whole time, as she was staring at him in the face. She nodded her head toward the truck before wordlessly getting into the seat next to James.
Daniel quickly turned the key, which he’d left in the ignition, and shifted gears to drive. He drove forward, firmly tapped the brake, and veered a sharp left turn, doubling back onto the street from which he’d come. Gripping the headrest of the seat in front of her, Shannon felt her heart leap into her throat as the trucked veered sharply to the left. She closed her eyes and waited for the ride to smooth out. Leaning forward, she breathed heavily into the headrest.
He kept on the road from which he’d come. “Sorry about that, buddy.” He turned right onto another street. “Do you guys have anywhere in mind? If not, I do,” he said, glancing behind him. Before he turned his eyes back to the road, he noticed that James had tucked against Shannon, looking a little scared.
Shannon couldn’t answer Daniel right away, only responding by turning her head slightly toward James, who was now tucked in beside her. She wanted to smile at that, but it felt like her heart was splitting in two. “Are you okay?” she asked.
James looked up at Shannon’s face, and shook his head slightly. “I-I saw some walkers while we were running earlier,” the boy stuttered, looking like he is going to explode in sadness. “A-and, a-and…” He swallowed deeply, and started to shiver. “T-two of them, l-looked like my parents.” James erupted into tears.
Shannon stared; she didn’t question if James had been mistaken, didn’t even bother to pacify him. She simply didn’t have the energy. Hugging him closer, Shannon lifted her head to finally answer Daniel. “Just drive us wherever you want,” she said, her voice exhausted. Leaning back into the headrest, Shannon felt something rise in the pit of her stomach. She swallowed, trying to abate the feeling, but it came regardless. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was finally mourning for Lexi, and maybe just about everyone else who had left her. Her sobs were nearly silent, a valiant effort, but they were sobs nonetheless.
Daniel absently heard the two in mourning, he’d think them foolish had he not understood exactly what they felt like. His voice interrupted the silence. “Every one of those walkers used to be somebody… but they aren’t more. They’re just empty shells…”
“Bastard,” James cried out suddenly. “You really think that?” He turned his head to look at Daniel. Tears were streaming down from his eyes like a waterfall. “They can’t be like that. They can’t.” James swallowed hard. “It’s like vampires. Their personalities are still there! They’re not gone!” Even the boy himself knew he was telling rubbish, but he couldn’t stop himself.
Daniel pulled the car to a sudden stop. He turned his head to look the boy in the eyes. “No. They’re gone.” He turned back to the road and driving. “Trust me… I put a bullet in my girlfriend’s head.”
“I’ve been on my own for, I don’t even know anymore! I lost everything! I’ve got nothing left!” James cried, his eyes staring straight into Daniel’s eyes like lasers.
“You’ve got Shannon. No, you’re not alone. As far as I know, everyone one of my relatives is dead. You’ve got to grow up and realize what this world is now.” And with that he discussed with him no further.
James simply turned away from Daniel, and instead, nuzzled his head against Shannon, crying loudly to himself. ’You’ve got to grow up and realize what this world is now.’ I already know what this world is. It’s hell on earth.
