The Aftermath

S6E5: Live

       The demonic-like snarls of these creatures reverberate in the dark, unsettling basement, the multitude amount of crawlers symbolizing hopelessness in this cramped space. Just glancing at this troubling sight is enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.
       Skyy's reflexes haven't fully recovered yet. Her mind still racing while her body is frozen in fear and shock. She's left completely defenseless, her knife upstairs upon the nearby dresser. There's no one around to protect her; she's all alone.
       Not only that, but she has to maneuver her away around with the prosthetic leg, her personal handicap. She isn't prepared to fight for survival; she's barely even awake. After trudging through those grueling conditions, a wave of exhaustion hit her almost immediately.
       In her mind, surviving the escape attempt of the sanctuary was all luck, merely getting by in this world while her pitiful existence takes the place of true survivors. The guilt is immeasurable. Compared to the others, she believes that Jeannie and Ryan deserve to be here, not her.
       In her eyes, she's just a follower with zero positive attributes. Witnessing those two warriors die amongst that explosion was heartbreaking. She doesn't know what's more challenging, living through all this torment, or being the one to face the uncertainty of death.
       However, this moment is where she's the most vulnerable. She's tired, beaten and emotionally scarred from this world. There's been more times than not where she's thought of giving up. There would be no foul in her dying. She's useless anyways.
       Her eyes start to adjust to the pitch black basement, noticing the amount of clutter on the basement floor, six crawlers coming into view. The creatures attempt to hide amongst the shadows, their growls making her shudder from the terror.
       There's not much of an approach she can take with this. She's practically surrounded, halfway down this dilapidated staircase. If she were to turn around, there's no telling how far she'll get with her leg. One mistake is all that's needed to determine a life or death situation. If Skyy isn't careful, she'll be finished.
       Suddenly, Skyy hears frantic movement coming from upstairs. She already knows who the first person to come flying down the stairs will be. Judging by the footsteps, the whole group seems to be dashing towards her cry for help.
       "Skyy! Skyy! Where are you?" Matthew shouts worriedly, the remaining group members trailing behind.
       In Skyy's eyes, she has two options. She could either attempt to leave the basement while the crawlers fall shortly behind, potentially endangering her allies, or she can continue down the stairs. The footsteps seem to be getting closer, but the mutants' snarls follow the same guideline.
       She can hear the alarming sound of glass shattering from upstairs. The mutants unleash a series of bellows, their cries echoing through the house. The sound of guns firing is enough for Skyy to realize that no one is coming for her; they're all far too preoccupied.
       Finally, she decides to keep on pushing, looking for some way she can stay alive. At this point, the crawlers have inched closer and closer. If she were to have made any sudden movements, the creatures would've become even more erratic.
She starts to glance around the basement, looking for any approach to make during this dire situation. If she wants to stay alive, she'll need to formulate a plan, quickly. There's only one word running through her mind, motivating her to keep fighting, Live. She'll need to buy enough time until finally fleeing this godforsaken cabin.
Amongst all the immense chaos, Skyy notices her personal beacon of light, a crawlspace. Potentially, that could represent her safe house. If she can maneuver her way around these crawlers, there can be a chance of survival.
Suddenly, the crawlers leap towards the stairs, Skyy quickly responding by jolting over the handrail. At this point, the adrenaline is flowing throughout her entire body. She's ready to fight for her life. There's nothing that will stop her.
However, her energetic attitude hits a barricade, the reality crashing down on her. She's struggling to move, her leg being completely unresponsive. Quickly glancing behind her, the prosthetic hangs by a thread as the crawlers grow closer towards her vulnerable self.
If she had properly secured it before rising from her bed, then perhaps she wouldn't be in this conflict. She could've been in the safety of that crawlspace, providing her with enough time to explore her options.
She starts to go frantic, looking for something, anything to defend herself with. The negative energy starts to dawn her, all she could think was, Is this how I die? She rummages through the clutter of the basement while her prosthetic scrapes along the floor.
She looks at the crawlspace longingly as if it were water in a desolate desert. Her destination is barely in reach, the pressure building as she senses the presence of the mutants trailing shortly behind her. If she doesn't formulate a plan soon, she'll be finished.
Her hope dwindles in the blink of an eye, slowly starting to accept her defeat. No matter how hard she fights to stay alive, this cursed prosthetic will always hold her back. There's no possible way she can adjust to this handicap; it was never going to happen anyways.
Just as she contemplates on accepting her fate, she spots a metal pipe hidden underneath the shelves. Desperately, she grabs the newly founded weapon as the first crawler leaps in for an attack.
She crawls on the floor, finding the best vantage point for her strike. In order to escape, she'll have to move quickly. The other mutants aren't too far back, it's a cramped space after all. Finally, she swings the metal pipe, busting its head open on impact.
The mangled corpse gets knocked into the other crawlers, giving Skyy enough time to flee towards the safety of the crawlspace. Killing that sole crawler turned out to be a blessing. If she hadn't gone for the attack, she would've been savagely contorted, left alone in a dilapidated basement to rot for eternity.
She eventually reaches the crawlspace, flinging open the small door. This is what success feels like in this world filled with death and distress. For once in her seemingly pitiful life, she's proud of herself for fighting against the odds.
After she makes her way into the crawlspace, she sighs with relief, satisfied to watch her strategic move work perfectly. She goes to close the door, but it's stuck. The inevitable has happened, her prosthetic is preventing the door from shutting while a crawler lurks just in front of her.
It's portentous glare send shivers down her spine, her heart skipping a beat from the immense fear. If she somehow gets through this dreaded night, this moment will forever traumatize her, sending her sanity awry.
She tries to maintain composure, landing one hit on the crawler before the weapon is swatted away. At this point, all seems lost. Her strength has depleted, her weapon being pried away as her defeat grows more and more plausible.
However, she won't quit. This will not be the way she dies in this world, not today. Courage arises within, kicking the crawler with all her might, the prosthetic disassembling from its faulty condition. She instinctively shuts the door, despite the pain rushing through her leg.
The banging soon proceeds, but she still made it. She proved to herself that she has what it takes to survive in this turbulent world. The door should buy her enough time, but the hinges won't last forever. This is her only time to collect her thoughts and formulate a well-devised plan; it's her only shot at seeing her friends again.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group members participate in a bloody war upstairs, slaying all the mutants as a unit. The carnage is absolutely unimaginable, severed limbs from the creatures laying on the floor as if it were a stylistic art piece.
       Chris is locked in, barely missing a beat as he uses Jeannie's bat from the rubble of the sanctuary. All it takes is one hit for each mutant to fall, he's clearly starting to grow unhinged as a maniacal look grows upon his face.
       He has refused to even hold his pistol, getting up close and personal with the dangerous crawlers. There's only one thing on his mind, one thing driving him to keep on living. Revenge has disguised itself as determination and drive, altering Chris's once rational mindset.
       However, Matthew isn't paying any attention to Chris. The one thing that's on his mind is Skyy's safety. She's been a vital source of inspiration for him during this apocalypse, truly shaping his identity throughout the years.
       All he wants is to breeze his way through these obstacles, catering to Skyy's need. They've been through everything together. She witnessed both sides of Matthew but still showcased constant love and support regarding all his negative actions in the past.
       He's aware of how much Skyy has grown in this world, but he still can't help but come to her aid whenever it's possible. It's important for her to be alive. She's been his life for so long; something as astronomical as that will never change.
       Tara glances at Matthew's demeanor, noticing his frantic attitude taking over. If he's not careful, this behavior will lead to a reckless decision, endangering the lives of the whole group potentially. She needs to be by his side; he must calm down before digging his own grave.
       "Matt! You need to snap out of it. Skyy can handle herself, you know that!" Tara states intently, trying to be reassuring.
       "B-But, what if she's in trouble?" Matthew asks nervously, yanking his knife out of the decimated crawler.
       Seeing him act neurotic and frantic for Skyy's well-being is interesting to witness. That tough exterior that he portrays upon others has been taken away, completely controlled by fear and anxiety. This must be challenging for him to know that a huge part of his life is hiding away in an unknown basement filled with savage mutants.
       After one look at Matthew, she's instantly reminded of Ryan, longing for someone to care for her like Matthew cares for Skyy. Just as she started to grow comfortable in an unnatural environment, her support system got viciously ripped away from her grasp.
       She understands how Matthew feels. After witnessing such chaos and mayhem, it's petrifying to think about the thought of losing someone you care for deeply. Tara can still vividly remember the day that Ryan died, his pale complexion never failing to haunt her.
       Losing someone you love is like having one's identity being taken away, never returning to a stable state. In order to convince Matthew to be more rational, she'll have to comply to his every request. He needs to be making well-thought out decisions during a drastic moment like this one.
       "T-Tara, I can't lose her. We've been through far too much together," Matthew says defeatedly, holding back his tears.
       She rests her hand on his shoulder, realizing just how sentimental Matthew can be. He acts all tough and secluded, but in reality, he's a damaged soul who just wants to be put back together by spending time with the people he cares for.
       Tara gives off a comforting smile, the others taking care of the mutants while they share a moment with one another. That was a well-needed break for them; a moment where time stopped just for a second. They understand each other's sorrow. In many ways, their similar.
       She starts to slowly back away from Matthew, looking at the closed basement door. Although chaos is erupting upstairs, she can still hear the demonic grunts of the mutants down below. It won't hurt to at least check if Skyy is still responsive.
       "It's alright Matt. I'll call out to Skyy to see how she's doing. However, she has to be the one to fight out of that situation. We need to return to the fight," Tara states informatively.
       For the first time, Tara notices a new side of Matthew. A fresh, timid, and awkward persona that remains by its lonesome. He merely nods at her, not wanting to share another look. All this is too much for him to endure during such a significant battle.
       As she glances back at the group, Matthew notices something. The first person to ever give him the nickname, Matt, was Skyy. It's a small observation, but he can't stop thinking about it. Who knew that such a small change in speech could cause his heart to flutter.
       "Guys! I'm checking to see if Skyy's stable. She's going to have to fight her way out, so we can finally flee this damned cabin," Tara states quickly, already jogging towards the door.
       In this very moment, Tara's leadership skills have shined brightly, showcasing her wisdom and tenacity. Although she's lost a valuable asset to her sanity, she's still committed to living her best life. Not just for her, but for her newly founded friends and allies.
       Ryan's death might've scarred her, but his demise will not be in vain. She must do everything in her willpower to protect this group that she grew accustomed to. These are her people now; this is her new life.
       "Ok, be careful Tara!" Ricky shouts in between gunshots.
       "We'll hold them off, just hurry!" Chris states instantly.
       Although it seems like his resolve has changed, he's still the same caring person who would do anything for their group. Simon glances at Chris, acting like a terminator by making quick work of these crawlers. It's barely even a competition; he's gotten used to all the hardships this world had to offer.
       Simon remains by Stephanie's side, applying several blockades to the windows and doors to prevent anymore mutants from entering. Jess serves as their protector while Simon admires Chris, watching him evolve into a leader once again.
      He recalls Chris's actions at the sanctuary, from jumping in front of him during the C4 explosion to giving him a piggyback while a horde of mutants trailed shortly behind. He's done so much for this group, yet his demeanor still looks shattered and defeated.
       Simon's aware that Jeannie and Ryan's death will take time to overcome; the grieving process is different for everyone after all. However, based on Chris's sudden spurt of worry for his friends just shows how he's still the same as he was in Bunker 03.
       He's adapted so well to this world that any impossible task would now become possible with his presence. This courageous attitude is what saved the group from falling to pieces throughout their journey together. He's the reason why they're all still here.
       Witnessing Chris contain the will to fight after Jeannie's traumatizing death, it fulfills Simon with hope for the future. If his closest ally could persevere through this obstacle, then it'll motivate Simon to keep on moving forward, unlike in the sanctuary.
       Tara flings open the basement door, seeing nothing but pitch black, almost like entering a dark abyss. This basement has similar intimidation to a void, completely unknown and mysterious. Even if she were to go down there, she'd be ripped to shreds.
       "Skyy! I don't know if you can hear me, but we're surrounded up here. You need to find a way out, so hopefully, this will provide somewhat of a distraction for you," Tara shouts into the ominous basement, waiting for the right moment to slam the door on these creatures.
       She starts to second guess herself, realizing that if she's too late, then this will lead to even more carnage. It won't just spell trouble for Tara, but it'll affect the others as well. Once she hears those signature demonic growls grow closer and closer, that's when she'll slam the door.
The crawlers go frantic, their locations getting lost in this constant darkness. Tara must remain focused however. This won't just cater to Skyy's personal interest of fleeing this dreadful situation, but it'll contain the mutants in one space.
She awaits for the inevitable sound of the creaking steps of the basement. Once the situation grows more concerning, that's when she'll strike. If this isn't perfect, then this would've been for nothing.
A couple of seconds pass, Tara hearing nothing but absolute silence down below. Her heart beats a mile a minute as she tries to differentiate the sounds she notices from upstairs to the basement.
The suspense is heightened, causing her to lean in towards the dark and terrifying atmosphere. Finally, the stairs audibly creak, Tara quickly shutting the door as the first creature leaps at the door.
Successfully, she closes the door, setting off that specific crawler as it repeatedly bodies into the door. She caught it just in time. Perhaps, this will be enough time for Skyy to finally evade that claustrophobic crawlspace.
Skyy inhales deeply, thinking through her next course of action. In order to have a remote chance of making it out of this hellhole, she'd need to flee right this second. It'll be a bloodbath, but she's prepared. It's time that she proves to herself that she deserves to live in a world filled with the almighty.
She jolts out of the crawlspace, crawling to retrieve her prosthetic and previous weapon. Suddenly, she locks eyes with a crawler, one of the stragglers that didn't take Tara's bait. Without hesitation, she swings the pipe with all her might, blood splattering on the concrete walls.
That once faded adrenaline rush has now returned, providing her with enough energy to maneuver around obstacles with her prosthetic still in hand. At this point, there's no hindrance present. She's fighting with complete domination and confidence. This is the most alive she's felt in a long time.
However, the fight isn't over with yet. Three crawlers disperse from the staircase, leaping towards Skyy who resides behind the tall metal shelves. Killing that one mutant attracted the rest, revealing her location.
There's absolutely no way she can outrun this situation. Even if she were to stand and fight, there's no possible way she could take down three mutants with a rusted metal pipe alone. She needs to formulate a cohesive plan, fast.
Just as they spring off the handrail, Skyy puts all her bodyweight onto the heavy metal shelves. It's difficult to gain leverage with only one viable leg, but it's the only plan she's got. This has to work. This needs to work!
Finally, she topples down the bulky metal shelf, temporarily demobilizing the crawlers. They let out agonizing screeches while growing more erratic. Although they're not moving, it's still horrific to look at these abnormally strong forces.
A broad smile appears on her face, the thought of freedom being closer than ever. However, something's off. She's fairly certain that only five crawlers were accounted for. All she could think was, Where's the final mutant? If she isn't mistaken, this is the same crawler she kicked away before entering the crawlspace.
There was a slight dent located on its rotting forehead. Out of all the crawlers she's seen in that basement, that one was the most displeasing to deal with. Without thinking, she quickly makes her way to the steps, longing to flee this cabin in the woods.
Although she's proud of all her accomplishments, there's still a slight worry that this crawler is lurking in the shadows, waiting for her to become vulnerable. If it were to pounce out at her, she could be done for.
Skyy arrives at the first step, hopping up each one as if it were a gruesome obstacle. Suddenly, she hears the familiar sound of the crawler's gurgling, serving as nightmare fuel to her. She can't stop now; she's far too close to simply turn around.
Fear is at an all time high as her mind starts to spiral out of control. This situation is far too stressful to face alone. She misses the comfort of her allies, and their loving support. If she was to remain alone in this world, there's no way she would've made it.
Inevitably, the crawler attacks Skyy, her body slamming against the wall as she tumbles down the stairs, her head hitting the concrete floor. Her head starts to spin from the impact, clearly dazed from the sudden shock to her body.
She feels the back of her head, aware of her condition. There was some bloodshed, but surprisingly, she isn't unconscious. After battling these creatures without her leg, dying now isn't an option. She won't stop fighting until it kills her.
Defending herself is at the upmost importance, quarreling with the crawler. It's razor sharp nails intimidate her, inching closer and closer towards her eyes. It's clearly trying to kill her prey before feasting. At this point, it's become evident that the crawler is starting to get past Skyy's defenses.
She tries to shove the creature aside, failing on multiple occasions. In the back of her mind, she panics, solely wondering, Was all that fighting for nothing? She can't have fought and struggled in this world for no reason. This won't be her last stand. Skyy needs to prove that she is a survivor.
The others reached the end of this siege, more mutants still on the prow however. If there was anytime to escape, it'd be right this very second. Matthew listens to the sound of Skyy's voice, hearing the immense struggle.
"Skyy, I'm coming!" Matthew yells confidently as he dashes toward the basement.
Even if they aren't a couple anymore, he still cares for Skyy unconditionally. All of those endearing moments shared with one another will never go to waste. He'd be ruined if she were to meet her demise before his very eyes.
Skyy listens to the sweet tone of Matthew's frantic voice, her arms going numb as exhaustion begins to set in. A smile grows on her face at the realization that she's not alone. She was never alone. Even if she were to die in this basement, she'd live on in her group members' hearts.
However, leaving them now won't benefit anyone. If she were to die, it'll only lead to more negative emotions and torment. Although she's not in the best situation, she won't simply accept this horrid fate. She's a fighter, and a fighter never quits.
A new feelings pulses throughout her body, giving her the strength and determination to fight back against this mutant. It's time for her to finish what she started. This moment will define her, proving that she can survive anything.
As the creature's nails lie ever so closely to her delicate skin, she uses her momentum, repeatedly smashing the crawler's head against the handrail. The small dent in it's disproportionate head growing massive, finally breaking free from its tight grasp.
She wobbles up the staircase, her head pounding from the previous impact. Matthew arrives on the scene, finishing off the demolished crawler while leading Skyy upstairs. Ricky and Jess are on standby with barricades while Chris holds off some remaining stragglers.
Seeing all her allies work side by side to help her during this dire situation is everything. This is what a family looks like. Although they lost their previous lives filled with wonder and enjoyment, their support system has grown stronger than ever.
"Let's head out! Stephanie, lead the way," Jess states seriously.
"On it!" Stephanie responds as the group evades this hostile cabin.
This leaves a painful reminder of the sanctuary, but it's different now. They've all made it out alive, working in unison. Finally, they've reestablished their power as an individual group rather than a group of individuals.
Skyy gets cradled by Matthew, glancing back at her allies. The cabin looks to be in shambles as they barely escape with their lives intact. Although they went through this traumatizing experience, surviving only signifies how interconnected they truly are.
They continue along the now silent road, the once hostile war zone now transforming into a winter wonderland. The group remains to be quiet, realizing just how close they are to this compound. It'll be a strenuous battle, but they have each other. In reality, that's all they need.