State of Decay✔️

Chapter 26: Laid to Rest

By the time Marcus got back from his long drive, it was approaching six PM. He decided, as he parked into the gravel lot and killed the engine, that he was done for the day. Unless some kind of life-threatening emergency camp up, he was just going to kick around the church until it was bed time. He thought he'd earned it. He was tired, emotionally and physically. Hell, mentally and spiritually, too. He and Anson got out of the truck and headed for the front gate. Karen stood in the watchtower. She looked excited to see Anson.

"Hey, uh...do you need me for anything else?" Anson asked, glancing up at Karen.

"No, go hang out with your girlfriend," Marcus replied.

"Thanks!" Anson hurried through the gate and clambered up the tower. Marcus watched them embrace. He was still kind of worried about Karen. From what he'd gathered, she was a college girl, twenty-one years old, and a huge lush, apparently. Anson had seen her through the worst of her detox during the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, but he still heard her complaining from time to time about needing a drink.

He approached the church, leaving the two alone on the tower, and saw his own romance interest sitting on the front steps, smirking at him. He'd intended to walk in there, deliver the information he'd learned about the new enclave to Lily and be done with it, but now he stopped at the foot of the stairs and stared at Maya for a moment.

"What?" he asked.

"Your best friend is in there with his girlfriend," Maya replied.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, come here."

Maya stood up and led him around to the side of the church, where, through the window, they saw Ed standing behind Lily, who sat at her radio desk. He was rubbing her shoulders.

"I'll admit, I wasn't too keen on it when it started," Maya said.

"Really? Why?"

"I dunno. I'm always reluctant to start up any kind of relationship in the battlefield where death is potentially around every corner."

"Oh yeah? What about now?"

"Well...after seeing Ed and Lily together, and Anson and Karen...I'm not so sure anymore. And, I guess, to be honest, I thought the age difference would be kind of weird. Ed's like, what, twenty five, twenty six? And Lily is nineteen...but I figured that I was projecting. I wouldn't want to date a freaking nineteen year old. Of course, Lily's no ordinary teenager. She's tough and I can see why he'd like her," Maya replied.

"Interesting...glad you approve of my best friend in the whole world," Marcus replied.

Maya poked him in the shoulder. "Come on, don't be grumpy."

"Sorry. Long day. And I fucking hate dealing with the Wilkersons."

"Ugh, I know. They're horrible."

Marcus and Maya stared at each other as the silence fell. For a moment, Marcus thought he might suddenly work up the courage to say something, to ask her out and ask her for a kiss or...something. But then the moment passed. He sighed softly.

"I guess I should go in there," he said.

"Yeah, guess so," Maya murmured.

Marcus turned and made his way into the church. As soon as the door opened and he stepped in, Ed straightened up and they both acted like they'd been caught doing something they weren't supposed to. But at least they relaxed when they saw it was Marcus.

"Hey," he said amicably. "I thought I'd fill you in on that other enclave."

"Oh, that sounds great. Thanks, Marcus," Lily replied.