Path of the Dead - Working Title

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

1230

"So...you're wanting me to wait around two hours for these fucks to show up when I can go to their base right now and settle this now and get Jessica back before he, "pointing a finger at Jacob, "Wakes up and finds out what happened to her."

"What about me waking up?" Jacob stretched his limbs and quickly coiled back up when his stitches reminded him that he was still somewhat injured. He slowly stood up and made his way to the kitchen right after the girls did a better job hiding their injuries within the shadows further back within the kitchen. He walked inside the kitchen and noticed the girls were being rather distant with him and he was about to ask about it, but was stopped by Zach.

"Hey Jacob, leave the girls alone. Besides we need to get some supplies for the place. Isn't that right, girls?"

Revy was confused for a moment but then replied when she realized what he was talking about, "Ye—yeah, that's right. If you could that would be awesome guys." Even though it was hard to see, she gave them what Jacob thought was a genuine smile, but by this time, Zach knew that the smile was more of a mask, doing her best to hide the fear that was choking her from within.

Zach grabbed Jacob's rifle for him and helped him out the door to the elevator to get outside.

Emma knew what Zach was doing, "He'll never listen, will he?"

"That's what makes him who he is. I mean for what I gathered from the few conversations you've had about him, it sounds like the only person he respected enough to listen was Wade. And now that he's dead, there's not really anyone who he thinks has earned enough of his respect for him to listen to."

"That's the thing though. He doesn't listen to anyone, not even you, and he apparently likes you." She saw that she was starting to make Revy a bit uncomfortable, "Look I'm sorry I said that, but I don't understand why he's not listening to what any of us has to say. I figured since you talk to him more than I do the he might have told you something as to why he's acting this way."

Revy looked at her and her eyes began to tear up, "He doesn't. I mean...we did for a little bit, but then he suddenly stopped talking to me as much until before the incident he just sat away from everyone, even me, and listened to that old Walkman that he always had on him. I'm not sure if it's because he's still trying to get over his brother's death or if there's something else that's eating him alive. But whatever it is I don't know and that scares me, Emma. That scares me and I don't know what to do."

Emma closed the small gap between them and held her while Revy cried about her uselessness, "Shh, hey it's ok, Revy. I'm sure we'll be able to find some way to get him out of his shell, don't worry." She wasn't sure if she was saying to convince Revy or herself. They've lost too many loved ones in this epidemic, they didn't need to lose any more than they already have. But she knew that if these boys were to come back without being in any more harm than they were already in then there was going to have to be some kind of price to pay.

And it was a price she wasn't sure if she was willing to pay.

The sky was bright when they opened their eyes, so bright that they almost immediately got a migraine, so they concealed their eyes so the sun wasn't as bright. As they looked around they realized that they were in a location that they didn't quite remember getting to. They slowly stood up only to realize that their equilibrium was completely shot and that they could barely stand let alone walk on their own. Using the garbage can that they were propped against to help steady them as they tried to stand up again, and once they were standing up again, they kept their hand against everything that they could use to keep them steady as they apparently tried to relearn how to walk again.