Chapter 11: Flasback

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JAVI POV

Flashback

Me and Kate walk through their neighborhood; I am armed with a wrench and Kate has a hammer.

Kate: I hate being out so close to dark. It's harder to see them coming...

Javi: We're just gonna get that propane and then come right back.

Kate: I saw it in that pickup truck parked down the road a little, in front of the Wallace's house. I just wish there was an easier way to get it. And that we didn't have to risk life and limb. Every damn day. For food, and water, and gas for the stove. Am I babbling? I babble when I'm scared.

Javi: Nothing's easy anymore, Kate, but that doesn't mean we don't have to try.

Kate: I know. It's just hard to get used to, that's all.

Javi: We get over there, we grab the tank, we get the hell back home.

Javi: If we're lucky, we won't see a single one of those things.

Kate: Fingers crossed...

They reach the house; a propane canister is in the back of the truck in the driveway.

Kate: There it is!

Javi: Let's take it and go.

I pick up the propane canister.

Javi: Empty.

Kate: You've gotta be fucking kidding me! Goddamn it!

Kate throws the canister.

Kate: Of course it's empty. Why would we get that lucky? I mean, it's not like we needed it or anything.

Javier: Hey, keep it down! I know it sucks, Kate, but you gotta watch out.

Kate: I'm sorry. I'm just sick of this shit.

Kate: I just thought... this one time, we deserved to catch a fucking break.

A walker child exits the house and jumps onto my back.

Kate: Oh, my God, Javi!

I throw the walker to the ground and pins it.

Javi: Kate! Your hammer! Now!

Kate: Oh, God. That's... that's...

I smash the walker's head into the ground until it dies.

Kate: I'm sorry... I was just so fucking scared...

Javi: You froze. It's okay.

Kate: I wanted to kill it, I really did, but... I know him. That was one of Gabe's friends: Drew. He was so sweet. He always had a smile on his face. Gabe worshipped him.

Javi: Okay, so you recognized him. That's no reason to let it kill you! And it was going to kill you.

Kate: I know! I know, you're right.

Kate: I don't even know what to call them. If they're not people... If they're just the dead... Muertos.

Javi: That's what we'll call them.

Kate: I thought we were gonna die. (hugs me) I thought... Gabe and Mariana were just going to wake up and we'd just be gone. When it was on you... Oh, my God.

Javi: I'm right here, okay? I'm here, you're here, we're still alive. That's what matters.

Kate: Can we go back now?

We return home to Gabe and Mariana, who are asleep.

Kate: I know we all wanted to stay here, in the house, and wait for David to come back. But it's been three months since he drove away with your mom.

Javi: What are you saying?

Kate: We're not safe here. Not anymore. You and I could have been killed out there, for an empty can! There's gotta be a safer place out there. Somewhere not so isolated.

Javi: So, we'll leave. Go somewhere else, somewhere safer.

Kate: Somewhere with crazy thick walls, okay? And a gate that's twenty feet tall.

Javi: You really think the kids are gonna be happy with this plan?

Kate: The kids will understand. And if they don't, we'll just... make them see it our way. We have to go.

Gabe: How come?

Gabe and Mariana walk up to the other two.

Gabe: What if I don't want to leave?

Mariana: Gabe...

Gabe: We're safe inside the house. And I bet we can find more food in the neighborhood if we just look harder.

Javi Sorry, Gabe, but we're the adults here.

Gabe: So we have no say in this at all?

Javi: It's our call.

Kate: We can't stay, Gabe. It's just getting worse out there.

Gabe: But what about Dad? What's he gonna think if he shows up and we just ditched him? We might never find him again!

Javi: Your dad would want us to do this, Gabe. He'd want us to survive.

Gabe: We've been surviving! Here, at home!

Javi: Barely.

Kate: I'm sorry, Gabe. But... Javi's right.

Gabe: How about you guys go and I stay here?

Kate: You're a kid! That's not how it works.

Gabe: I can take care of myself! If I need any help, I'll just ask my friends!

Kate: Gabe... honey...

Gabe: What? What's wrong with her? Why's she acting so weird? Uncle Javi?

Javier: She's sad. Because when we were out, we saw your friend, Drew. But it wasn't exactly him anymore.

Gabe: You mean, he was one of them?

Kate: We're so sorry, Gabe.

Kate: So you understand why, don't you? Why we have to leave? If that happened to you, I couldn't bear it.

Mariana: When do we have to go?

Kate: Tomorrow. As soon as it's daylight.

Gabe: I wanna leave him a note.

Javi: I'll help you get started, okay?

Gabe: What are we gonna tell him? I want to say something good. Something that won't make him sad.

Javier: Tell him we'll find him. Somehow. We're all gonna see each other again.

Gabe: I like that.

Gabe: I'm going to write it right now, so we don't forget.

Javi Of course.

Mariana: I'll help him.

Kate: Thank you. Really.

Kate hugs Gabe. She gets up and blows out a candle near her wedding photo. Gabe puts a note on the wall. It says:

Dad,

We had to move somewhere else. I don't know where, but Kate says we're not safe here. We're going to find you somehow. Javi promised.

Love, Gabe

Mariana takes her tape player and headphones, leaving behind a stuffed animal. Javi considers taking his baseball bat and signed baseball, but decides not to. Gabe takes a pudding cup. Kate takes a tin of weed. Everyone leaves the house.

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