Chronicles of the Apocalypse: Across the Ruins (2024)

Chapter 6: Technical Recruitment

Kayla: California. A few years ago we heard there was this great place in the bayou, so we made the journey....but as you've seen, it turned out to be bullshit. How could I have known that fanatics were in control? And they said this lace used to be beautiful....

Shawn: Did your family come with you?

Kayla: My Dad and my boyfriend did....there were a lot of us....

Shawn: So....your boyfriend....is he....

Kayla looks down.

Shawn: I'm sorry.

Kayla: It's fine....

Shawn notices Savannah looking at her tea, with a sad look on her face.

Shawn: Hey, why are you looking so sad for? Isn't the tea good?

Savannah: The tea is good, Mr. Shawn.

Kayla: Oh, I know what's wrong....a few days ago, a gargoyle attacked and took Savannah's teddy bear. The beast took it away and must've though it was alive...

Shawn: OH, don't worry, sweetheart. We'll find your teddy bear. Huh. We just call them flying demons and you call them gargoyles.

Kayla: Where do you think those things came from?

Shawn: Well, there's radiation...chemicals....a strong virus....nature just went batshit crazy.

Kayla: Yeah....the whole planet's been fucked. No wonder Sawyer has such power over everyone here, with people seeing shit like that every day! Poor disillusioned fools....They live a dark world and die just like that, with pain and a ridden disease. I'm a trained nurse....but Sawyer wouldn't even hear of me treating anyone! He said God has task for a woman like me...he only cares about feeding people's bodies to the "Guardian of the temple of God". That damn alligator once they die....he says it's their way into heaven...I tried doing something to help these people, but no... "it's sinful!" And then he just locked us up in that tower! And yet, a stupid flashlight made things worse!

Savannah: Chris gave me that flashlight to help me sleep at night! I get afraid of the dark, but Sawyer got mad and smashed it to pieces!

Shawn: Seriously?

Kayla: Yeah and then he banished Chris, so the man had to hide in the port with all those infected and Skinners!...which in case is good, cause Sawyer is too chicken shit to go after him there....

Savannah: He also wanted to make Kayla marry him! But she didn't want to....he's old and nasty! Urgh!

Kayla: Yeah....he claimed it would be the only way to repopulate in the community, I was lucky to protect my sister! That fucking crazy creep...he's just so....God, will you take us away from here?! Please, Shawn?!

Shawn looks into Kayla' pleading eyes.

Shawn: Of course, we will.

Kyle and James have a conversation.

James: It was good you saved them, Kyle.

Kyle: Kayla's given us some good info.

James: Yeah....that mechanic that's hiding over at the port. His help is required to fix the Myrmidon in the future and I can't handle the repairs alone.

Kyle: Okay....I'll head over there.

James: Kyle, Cassandra and I were going to head over to the port ourselves and invite Chris to join us.

Kyle: You two sure?

James: Yes....take a break. Besides, she and I need to do some bonding....

Kyle nods.