Strongest Survivors

The Collector

Season 2 - Episode 8

I sighed as I stared at the ground, standing little away from the group. After my dream I hadn't been able to focus properly, I hadn't been able to bring myself to eat much. The group were currently taking stock, Murphy was sleeping and I was just sat throwing stones at a larger rock.

"Hey, kid. We're gonna look for some food, coming?" Murphy asked, I looked over my shoulder at him and nodded. Few seconds later and Doc was spitting out tree bark claiming that it definitely wasn't edible. Then a car horn sounded, "let's roll, come on Murphys!" Doc called to us, walking off, but Murphy was going a different way. Towards a brain. "What the hell?" I questioned, walking closer to him, he must be questioning it as well. But as he reached for it the floor beneath us gave way, causing me to fall on top of him with a thud.

I looked around, there was a zombie looking at us, eating brain from a bashed in head. Murphy was out. "Dad...dad, wake up." I whispered rocking him slightly, his eyes slowly opened. He rolled over and looked from the Z to me, "what happened?"
"We saw a brain and went to find out what it was doing there, when the floor gave way. Now we're here." I responded, pulling him to sit up.
"Oh, that's just great...." He stopped and looked back at the zombie which held out brain.
"Dad? Hello?" He didn't respond as he reached out and dipped his finger in the juice, about to try it when I knocked him out of it. "What are you doing?!" I snapped.
"Huh? Oh, nothing." He replied, standing up.

"Help! Help! Doc! Warren! Your mission's fallen down the rabbit hole! Vasquez! Your bounty's missing!" He hollered, looking up.
"They'll be looking, besides we're not hard to miss, so they would've noticed straight away." I reassured, leaning on the wall. He just ignored me and knelt next to the zombie, starting to play slaps. He swung, the zombie didn't react, obviously. "At least you didn't flinch." Murphy muttered, before swinging again, it made an attempt to dodge, but still got hit. "Better."
Again, this time it missed completely, "good, hey Jo, come look." He said, I rolled my eyes.
"I can see, you're definitely bored." I chirped, he went to make a snarky comment but the wall opened revealing daylight. Along with it, a guy who instantly tackled Murphy and wrapped a metal restraint around his neck causing him to gag. I screamed before nodding at the zombie, sending it forwards to attack. "Jordan go! I've got this!" Murphy shouted, I looked and saw he was starting to get up, so I did as he said and ran.

I ran fast, my zombie half kicking in and sending me far into the woods. However, when I turned back expecting him to be there, he wasn't. Instead he was unconscious, being carried away. Crap! There was only one thing I could do, follow as best as I could, without getting caught.

By the time I got over the hill, they were completely out of sight, disappeared into the buildings below. A small ghost town. "God dammit, dad. You gotta wake up, I need you to wake up." I mumbled climbing up into a tree, and balancing along the branches to get a better view. I couldn't find anyone, or anything. Continuing my balancing act, I reached the edge and hopped down onto a nearby roof. He had to be somewhere in this town..he had to be.

"Dad. Please, tell me you hear me." I tried again, as I wandered the rooftops.
"Jordan! I'm okay, I'm safe...I think." Came the response, I threw my hands to the sky in triumph and relief from hearing his voice. "Where are you?"
"Don't know. Some large building somewhere, you'll find me. But try n..." He stopped talking and I felt a sudden shock of pain through my neck, almost like I was being tasered. "Dad! Dad! Please, are you okay? Dad!" A tear trickled down my cheek as no reply came. I decided to follow the weak trace, the small feeling I still had with him.

As I was wandering the rooftops, I spotted the group splitting up and searching for us. I jumped across to the next rooftop, the connection suddenly grew strong and I knew he was below me. But how could I get the group to realise...zombie, perfect. "Come on, walk this way..." I smiled as it started walking and 10k's head turned to it, "that's it sniper boy, follow my friend..." I smiled as he did so, then even more as I felt Murphy's control over the Z. He knew we were coming. I groaned as I felt the stinging again, this guy he was with must have hooked him up to some kind of electrocution device. I looked over the roof, cheering silently as 10k knocked down the zombie at the door, talking to someone inside. "Come on, get in...shit." I cursed as he started to walk away, I had to get his attention.