Silent Night

Troubling Times

BAM! BAM! BAM! I jump up awake out of my chair.

"Jayden! Jayden! Open the door!" Kenny shouts as he's banging on the door.

I run over to the door and open it. Kenny and his family scurry in, they aren't looking so good. I lock the door. BAM! BAM! BAM! ARGHHH! The walkers start banging on the door as they growl.

I look over and see that Duck has been bit on the hand. The blood is thundering down onto the floor from the drips of his fingertips. His skin is corrupted yellowish.

"Holy shit..." I say, looking at the bite mark. Kenny looks at me. "He's going to be fine. Our boy is a fighter. He'll get through this." Kenny says, tending to Duck.

Katjaa looks worn out, I could tell she has been crying her eyes out for quite some time. I notice her hands trembling with an uncontrollable twitch. Her clothes are drenched in blood.

"What happened out there? How did this happen?" I ask.

"After the wreck Duck got scarred. He ran away. I couldn't get Ken or you up so I had to go after him. When I found him he was cornered against a wall... I didn't... I didn't have anything to fight the walkers off with so I grabbed him and we ran into an unlocked minivan. We barely made it out alive..." Katjaa says with sorrow filling her tone.

"I found them screaming for help as a bunch of walkers circled around the van. I put all the attention on myself and shot them down." Kenny says.

"How'd ya do that?" I ask. I haven't seen anyone kill a walker before.

"Do what?" Kenny responds. He is definitely confused on what I am talking about.

"Stop them. This guy I was with tore walkers up with his pistol, but nothing would kill them." I say.

"You gotta destroy the brain. It's the only way." Kenny says.

Duck starts coughing, Katjaa wipes his mouth off with a handkerchief. I see that there's blood on it now.

"Kenny..." I say, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Don't do that, Jayden. My boy is gonna survive this, you'll see. He's gonna make it..." Kenny says.

Kenny and Katjaa focus on Duck, looking very gloom and depressed.

"Is there anything I can do?" I ask.

"Some water would be nice. And a blanket he's getting cold." Katjaa says.

"I'll see what I can do." I say, walking away.

I check the cells, I see a bed that has a blanket on it. I pull the blanket off. ARGHH! A walker lunges out of the bed towards me. I'm knocked down due to the shock. The walker tries to sink it's teeth into my face. I push it away.

"Shit!" I say, grunting.

I grab the walker's head and slam it into the wall. I quickly pull my knife out stab the walker in the side of the head. I actually killed it! Kenny is right; this is the only way. That was a close call I think to myself as I stand back up. I spot a mug underneath the bed. I bend down and grab it along with the blanket and walk back to Kenny and Katjaa.

"How'd ya make out?" Kenny asks.

"I found this blanket. It should keep him warm for now. Although, I don't know where I can get water from." I say.

"Looks like there is a water fountain over there. Try that." Katjaa says.

I walk over to the water fountain and turn it on however nothing happens. I press in the button a few more times.