Forever in Love: A Gabentine Story

Chapter 18 "Attack in the Woods":

Gabe's POV:
Ray and I continued to run towards James as I expected it to be some raiders or maybe a few muertos. But then I remembered that James used to be a whisperer and muertos wouldn't bother him that much. But whatever it was, judging by the tone in James's holler for us, it couldn't have been good at all. We ran until we found ourselves in an open meadow where James looked terrified. "James!" I shouted out to him as he looked at me and said, "Gabe! Ray! Who is this guy?" We ran over to him as he pointed to someone in front of him. I turn my head as my eyes grew wide at the site of who James was referring to. It... It was Asher! I couldn't believe that he was even still alive. I saw him take a shot gun bullet to the back and that alone should have made him bleed out. Yet here he is, still alive and I can only imagine that he isn't very happy with me or my people. Especially Clem.
"Ya miss me, kid?" He asked while staring me down. "You?! I thought... I thought you were dead?!" I said in complete shock. "You think just one shot is enough to kill me? And I thought you had more brains than that." He said as I was still too shocked to get angry at his insults. "So your name is Ray then? I was wondering what it was. Honestly, I thought it was Tim." He said is now I started to get angry. "No, I am Gabe. That's Ray." I said pointing over at Ray. "Oh shit. Sorry for the confusion. But then again, I honestly don't give a fuck what your names are." He said with attitude. "What do you want, Asher?" I asked him giving back attitude as well. "The same thing I wanted last time. Actually, the same thing I have wanted for the last three years. So tell me, where is Clementine?" He asked giving me the death stare. "There is no way in hell that I am telling you where she is!" I said getting angry while he looked like he was getting frustrated as well. "Why are you protecting her?! Should you be more worried about yourself?!" He exclaimed as I explained back, "I am not letting you hurt my wife!" His eyes were wide for a bit until he said, "Oh, she's your wife?! That makes sense then. Amanda is always willing to do whatever it takes to protect the ones he loves most. But let me ask you this kid, how long do you think you can keep her safe from me, Gabe?"
"What do you want with her?" I asked him avoiding his question as I just wanted some goddamn answers. "Oh, I can't disclose that. But she and I have... History together." He said sounding, again. "History? What kind of history?" I asked him as he chuckled before replying, "The kind that ends in blood shed in tears. The kind that breaks a man's soul and spirit. Do you want to protect her when you don't even know what she is." "I know exactly who she is." I said as he said back menacingly, "Oh really? Then please enlighten me." "She is my wife, the mother of my unborn child, and the love of my life! And I will never let you take her away from me!" I said dry my sword from the holster on my back. "If you say so. But allow me to introduce you to my... Let's just say, associates." He then said as we then heard footsteps coming from all around us. It was the one that we saw a group of people wearing muerto skins like James has walked up behind Asher as it clicked that these were the whisperers. I looked over at James who was completely frozen now at the sight of his old group he abandoned. Call Gabriel and friends, I would like you to meet my army." Asher said as one of them only wearing half of a mask looked at James, pointed, and said, "Hey, I know that one. He's a traitor!" "Is that so, Beta?" Asher asked him before looking back at us with a villainous grin. "Where... Where is Alpha?" James asked him as he replied, "Dead. In fact, I might have part of her head still on the bottom of my boot. I am their alpha now. Beta, go get them!" "With pleasure." Peter said quietly as he and a few more of his people begin to charge at us.
They attacked as Ray fired his arrows at them never missing any of them as James held off a few more with his life what I gunned right towards Asher. I went for a punch well the remaining whisperers just stood there and watched but missed as Asher ducked out of the way. , You missed, Gabe. I guess this is round two." He said as he went to punch me with his metal arm, but I ducked that as well. I think kicked his kneecap as he went on his knees and I punched him in the face about four times before he caught my fist in his metal hand. "The hurt." He said menacing Lee and she literally threw me off of him. "I will get her. I will have what she took from me!!" He screamed as he charged at me but I was able to dodge him and kick the area where he got shot. "Ow! Dammit!" He screamed as he then went to punch me but I tripped him and kick him hard in the face. But he quickly got back up and landed a good punch right on my face which dazed me a bit. He landed a few more punches as I then heard Ray yell from behind me, "Gabe, use this!" I then saw Ray throw a smoke bomb at me as I grabbed it, started it, and dropped it to the floor. Teargas begin to come out of it as it gave me the cover I needed to get away from him. I ran back to Ray and James as Ray said, "Gabe, we have to go." I nodded as I ran as fast as I could back to Haven while James and Ray were behind me and luckily neither Asher or his whisperer followers were behind us.
Asher's POV:
The teargas went away as I saw that Gabe and his little friends are gone along with the site of about 5 to 10 of my men were dead. "Goddamnit!!" I screamed as I cooked up some of the grass and frustration. "Asher, they got away." I heard Beta say behind me as I replied, "Oh, you don't say?! The real question is how did you let them get away??!?!" "They fought bravely. You know, maybe we shouldn't...." He said as I replied, "What? Maybe we shouldn't what?!" I asked him as he then just stuttered. "Come on, man! Spit it out!" I said grabbing him by his shirt. "Maybe we should invite them. I mean we had our asses handed to us just with three. Imagine a whole community." He then said is I let him go. "You know, maybe you're right." I told him as I then reached in my pocket for my army knife. Oh good, I'm glad you understand." He said as I then turned around and sliced his throat wide open with blood pouring out. "Oh I understand. I understand that you are a fucking coward." I said as I punched his body over as he bled out and died. "We will not stop!! Now if you want to end up like him, you will all fight harder than he did! Do I make myself clear?!" I asked all of the others as they just nodded. "Good. Then we only have one thing left to do. Let's go find Haven." I said is I began to walk off into the woods with the remaining members of my army behind me.
(Flashback: Three Years Ago)
Asher's POV:
My family and I have been surviving out here in the woods for the last seven years as Annabel has really started to take after me. She's eight years old now it is a rebel like her father. Lindsay when I have to do some hunting while I stayed back with Annabel what she was trying to start us of fire to stay warm. "Be careful with the match, sweetheart. We don't want you getting burned." I told her she replied, "I'll be OK, daddy." It was then that our campaign fire ignited and she looked back at me with the most adorable smile. "I did it!" She explained with pure joy as I replied, "Way to go, Annabel. You are a natural born survivor." She then sat down next to me on the log as we just held out our hands to the fire to keep warm. "Daddy?" She asked me. "Yes, peanut?" I asked her back. "Will you ever leave us?" She asked breaking my heart. "Why would I do that?" I asked her. "Because I hear you and mommy having fights sometimes and I'm scared you're going to leave." She said is I just held her close. "I am never leaving you two. Both of you are my everything." I told her as she smiled.
"Here, let me show you something." I told her as I reached in my pocket and pulled out my old knife from when I was in the army and showed it to her. "Wow! That's cool!" She said is I replied, "Yeah, great for killing walkers or people if necessary." "But I don't want to hurt people." She told me. "I don't either, Peter. The people aren't as nice as they used to be when you were just a baby. Sometimes they will try to hurt you." I told her as she asked, "What if they do hurt me?" "Then Then I would spill their blood all over the grass." I told her and she replied, "And mommy too?" I nodded and said, "And mommy too. We might fight sometimes, but we love each other to death and we always will." She then hugged me tight and said, "I love you, daddy." "I love you too, peanut." I replied to her. It was then that we heard a small scream come from the woods. "Lindsey! Come on Annabel. Let's go help mommy." I told her as she then did to me and we both had it off into the woods.
(End of Flashback)