The Walking Dead: Nothing Left But Hell

Chapter 135, End of Vol. 9, Narrator: Akilah

The truck in front of us was completely covered in rubble and dirt. We all pulled over and got out. "Who was in there!?!" I asked. "Marquel and Karen!" Cameron said as he grabbed a shovel. I picked up a walkie talkie. "Karen, Marquel, are you okay?" I asked. "Yeah, just can't see much," Marquel said. "It's okay, we're gonna dig you out, just stay calm," I said. If they breathed too hard they'd run out of air fast. As long as they stay calm they can reserve the air until we get them out. We all started digging. Cameron was staying on the radio with them to keep them calm. "I'm gonna search for some shovels, doing this by hand is too slow," I said. It was especially hard for me since I only have one hand. I ran down the road. I searched everything trying to find a shovel. One of these houses had to have one. I didn't find a shovel but I think I found better. I found a bulldozer. I looked to see if the keys were there. I didn't see them. But I remembered an old trick that my friend used to do. I checked under the seat and just as I thought, the keys were there. I started driving it back to everyone. "Out of the way!" I yelled when I saw them. I started driving in to the dirt. The bulldozer got stuck halfway through. "Shit!" It's stuck, it won't even go in reverse!" I yelled. I turned it off. I heard the radio buzz. "Whatever you just did created a breathing hole, you bought us more time," Marquel said. I could see the car door, but the bulldozer was blocking it. "Alright, I need everyone to push the front of the bulldozer while I try and go in reverse," I said. Aaron, Cameron and Jonothan got in front and pushed. I could feel myself coming loose. "Guys!" Avry said. "What!?!" I asked. "Another landslide, get out of there, now!" he yelled. I jumped out and ran out if the way. So did everyone else. A rock hit LeAnn in the head knocking her unconscious. "LeAnn!" Avry said as he rushed to her. He picked her up and ran her to safety. The rocks began to cover Marquel and Karen more. There was no way they were making it out. "What was that!?!" Marquel said. The look of disappointment in Cameron's face was killing me. "It.....I.....that was another landslide, I don't know what to do," Cameron said. I could tell he was breaking. "Cameron, I don't wanna die," Marquel cried. "I know, I'm trying," Cameron said. "It's getting harder to breathe, I don't know how much longer we have," Marquel said. "It's okay, we're gonna get you out," Cameron said. "Just sit tight," he said. Cameron climbed up on top and started throwing boulders out of the way. But there were too many, clearing that would take all day. "Cameron!" I said. "What?" he asked. "You need to stop!" I said. "I can't!" he said. "It's not your fault, you did everything you could," I said. "No, I can't give up! I have to save them! I have to try!" he said and kept throwing boulders out of the way. This went on for another ten minutes. I heard the radio buzz. "Cameron, it's hard to breathe, and Karen is unconscious," Marquel said. "I think.....Cameron I think she died!" Marquel cried. You could tell from the crack in his voice that he was crying. "You're gonna be okay, I'm getting you out," Cameron said. "No, it's not possible, it's okay. This wasn't your fault. Our luck just ran out," Marquel said. "No, you're gonna make it," Cameron said. "There's the Cameron I met, won't give up. I'm sorry that there's no time for goodbyes Cameron, because this is my last time," Marquel said. I could hear in his voice how weak he was getting. He wasn't gonna be alive much longer. And Karen already passed. "I just wanted to say....," Marquel said. "What?" Cameron said. "I wanted to say, thanks for taking us on the joyride.....we had a lot of-" Marquel said with his last breath. "Marquel! Marquel!" Cameron yelled. I could hear groans coming from the radio. Karen must've turned. "Cameron," I said. He dropped the radio. He fell to his knees. He put a gun to his head. "Cameron no!" I yelled as I ran towards him. KAPOW! His body tumbled down. We went from 11 to 8. We were all speechless. Cole helped me bury the body. "Akilah, are you okay?" he asked. "No, I'd known Cameron since before we came to St. Louis, he was one of the most useful of us," I said. "The strongest, and we all just watched him break. For once, he couldn't save someone. He was always able to, he saved scavengers, enemies, he saved me plenty of time, and we couldn't save him," I said as a tear left my eye. He hugged me as I cried. "You did your best, it's no ones fault," Cole said. "He was supposed to lead us," I cried. "We have to lead ourselves.....for him," he said. I looked down at Cameron's grave. I put his hat on top of it. "We should head back, Aaron and Mykell found another way around," Cole said. "Okay," I said. We walked back to everyone else. Avry was watching over LeAnn, our medical supplies were in Karen and Marquel's truck. He had nothing to use to help her. He was keeping pressure on her head. I looked over at Jonothan. "We need to talk," he said. I walked over to him. "Your friend over there needs to know that she's gonna turn," Jonothan said. "No she's not!" Avry yelled as he turned back. "Yes she is," Jonothan said grabbing his knife. "And if I don't do something we'll all die," he said as he approached LeAnn. "NO!" Avry yelled as he pulled his chain knife. "I can't let you hurt her," he said as he raised his knife. "Then I guess I'll have to hurt you first," Jonothan said and lunged.