✓𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧³ | 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥

6.8

He paused for a moment before continuing, "I meant what I said back there, about hoping Dixon's all right." He mostly looked at me whilst saying that, "It's hard to find someone like that, that you'd do anything for."

"He's my dad, I'd do anythin' for him anyway." I replied, holding up my flashlight to guide the way through the darkness.

Hornsby nodded, "I felt that way about Pamela once. Thought I could make her feel the same about me. By helping her build the Commonwealth, run it... letting her take all the credit."

"She doesn't exactly seem like the nicest person ever. I'm surprised you let her." I told him, making him shrug at the thought of it.

"Even by bringing in your communities, which, I admit, was... mishandled. But it was never enough." He did a quick sigh, "I know there was nothing I could do that would ever change how she saw me. Just her chauffeur's son... More importantly, there's something I want to ask you... What comes after?"

"After what?" Carol quipped.

"The unrest in the Commonwealth. Let's say Pamela doesn't survive it." The man began, "That's going to open up a power vacuum. And when that happens, well, just look at history. The people who suffer the most in revolutions are the civilians."

"What's your point?"

"You and your people will hold lives in your hands."

"Until we find our people, there is no 'after.'" I interrupted in annoyance.

"You'll find them. I know you guys-"

He doesn't know shit.

"-And then you'll have a choice to make. Will you let the Commonwealth burn?"

"That's not my problem." Carol simply pointed out.

"Sure." Hornsby understood, continuing on with what he was saying whilst we walking through the sludge beneath us, "Yeah, you want to leave all this behind you. I... I get it. Me, too. But what about the kids?"

My hand squeezed the flashlight tighter when he said that.

"Lilia, you have a son, and siblings. Are you really gonna deny them their only chance for the kind of life we took for granted?"

I glared at the man, who only put his hands up in defense whilst he walked alongside each other with Carol in front, "There's literally dead people walkin' around. The Commonwealth is just a fantasy story waitin' for it's unhappy endin'."

"But, doesn't the next generation deserve better than the one before? A happy ending." He fired back. "Otherwise, what's the point?"

We then halted to a stop. A strong smell of rotting flesh wafted our way in all directions. I turned around, shining the light in the direction we had just came. Walkers were slowly following us, growling loudly as their skin was melting off due to the water decaying their skin barriers. The smell made me want to puke, more than I have been needing to lately.

Hornsby had his arm over his mouth to stop the smell, as Carol shined her light in front of us. There was an exit. 

"Come on, quick, before they catch up." She hurried us, nodding at the exit. I felt relieved to run to the exit. Hornsby was in front, so we could see where he was. We ran through the trees and to a clearing in the woods, halting for a moment to catch our breath. But... our luck had ended.

The engine we heard earlier had found us. Soldiers were stood aiming their guns at us.

Shit.

"Drop your weapons. Now!" One of them ordered. Carol and I did as they said, carefully putting our bows on the ground. I dropped my knives on the floor as she slowly lowered her gun. The soldier looked at the one next to him, who had a radio, "Radio back to Command that we found them. But they put up a fight so we had to put 'em down-"