The Life After: Volume One

Episode Five, Chapter Two. "Regret"

"You remember that man?  Enrique.  The one that I thought got you killed, right?"  I ask.

Shane nods.  "Yeah, I remember that bastard."

"He's dead, you know."

"Well I hope he went slow..."

"That's the thing, Shane.  He did.  I watched the walkers tear him apart...  I killed him."

"You did?  You just sai-"

"I shot his knees and let the walkers make him suffer like I thought you had."

"Don't let it get to ya little brother, he's just another dead asshole."

"I still live with that guilt, now that your back...  There's something I want to talk to you about.  Privately."

"Go on Ryan."  He says.  Ryan stands up and heads outside to the back yard.

"He's been looking to me as a father figure."

"I can tell, just by the way he looks at me, he ain't glad I'm back."

"He says that I've been more of a father to him than you've ever been, Shane."

"Ignore it, he's probably just at that age."

"He's ten, Shane.  Ten.  What the fuck could he possibly be going through?  There something you wanna tell me?"  I begin to raise my voice.

"Not at all."

"I know your past, Shane.  I know it better than anyone.  Mom, Dad.  Jane." 

"Can you just shut the fuck up already, Jake?  What's your point here."

"I know what you did, I know that you killed that little boy in the hit and run last year."

I pause and stand up to walk away from Shane.

"I know, that you've beaten Ryan.  And for what?  He was nine before all this for fucks sake!"

"Yeah whatever little brother, always thinkin' you know the whole story."

"Yeah.  Go ahead and whatever me, Shane.  Doesn't change the fact that I know your a piece of shit!"

"What are you gonna do?  Fight me?"  Shane stands up and steps towards me.

"Back the fuck up, Shane!  From now on, Ryan is off limits to you.  You don't touch him, you don't talk to him, you don't look at him.  Hell, don't fucking think about him.  You understand?"

He rolls up his sleeves and continues to step closer.

"You just ichin' for a fight aren't you?"  He swings his fist and I duck.  Throwing him off guard, I rush forward and tackle him by his stomach.

I pile drive him into the wall and he lets out a hard cough.  I back up and raise my pistol as he raises his.

"You don't wanna do this Shane, you can't."

"Oh I could brother.  You just say the word."

"You gonna kill me in cold blood?"  I ask, holstering the pistol.

"Pull your weapon out!"

"No."

"Do it!"

"I will not, Shane.  Your gonna have to kill me in cold blood."

He gives me a frustrated look and steps up to me.  The cold barrel of the gun touches my face.  He pulls the trigger.

Empty.