One Shot 》 Z Nation (Discontinued)

Twenty-Three

10k decided to go fish for the group. I wanted to go help him, but my mind was going to Vasquez. I want to know what he's hiding. To have me stay back and sharpen my knife end, which is sharp enough to slice a strand of hair. I make sure my guns are clean and the knife is sharp.

I heard a twig snap and I brought my head up. A small smile came to my face when 10k arrived with a few trout.

He held them up. "Caught some trout," he said.

"Kid, you are a fishing guru," Doc said happily as he took in the fish. Addy laughed. "What's your secret?"

"Be one with the fish."

"Unless they're zombie fish," I joked. I mean, there are zombie goats. Zombie bears. What about zombie fish? I tilted my head to the side and gave 10k an amused look. "You're not trying to turn all of us Zs, are you?"

"And having to give you mercy?" he retorted as he sat next to me. "How did you know what I was planning?"

I sighed as I smiled. "Because I'm more than just beauty. I got the brains for it, too. Sorry if I'm not your stereotypical blonde."

10k looked at my hair. "You sure you're blonde?" My mouth flew open before I hit him on his shoulder. Then we both started to laugh. I could have sworn that Cassandra glared over here.

Addy leaned over Warren. "Look at that," she teased. "How long do you think they have before they jump each other?"

Warren looked up at the sky. "Let me see..." Then she nodded. "Give it three more weeks."

I stopped laughing as I felt myself blush. I scoot a bit further from 10k while Doc started the fire for the trout, who noticed me scooting away.

"Now look what you did?" Doc got involved. "You just make the three weeks into three months."

I gave Doc a look. "Not you, too, Doc. I thought we were cool."

He shrugged. "Sorry, One Shot." Yeah, right.

Warren cleared her throat. "Hey." Finally, something else to focus on. "We need to get a look at that baby."

"Yeah, well good luck," Addy said. "Super Dad over there won't let anybody touch her. I'm guessing he's afraid we're gonna leave her behind."

I rolled my eyes. "Zombie baby or not, we're not leaving her." I wouldn't say the same thing about Vasquez though. He might actually leave her to the Zs.

Warren nodded. "Something tells me she's gonna outlive us all." Warren looked around our group. "Where's Vasquez?"

"Said something about finding food in town," I said. "But that son of a bitch is lying. He's always disappearing out of nowhere."

"Did he ever tell you where he was going or why?" I shook my head. Warren got up. "Well, I'm gonna find out where he keeps disappearing to. And you three see if you can get that baby away from Murphy." She nodded at Doc. "Save me some fish."

Warren started leaving. I got up and followed after her. "Hey, Warren." I pulled out one of my pistols and handed it to her. "If he goes out of line, shoot him in the foot."

She chuckled as she took my gun. "Gotcha."

》》》》

Ok, we've got an idea for Murphy to hand us Lucy. It might not work, but it was worth a shot. All Doc's got to do is say that we need to give Lucy a little checkup. Yes, she's a zombie but that doesn't mean she can't get a fever or something.

10k, Addy, and I were watching from afar. I wanted to cringe when Doc said that Lucy was using a finger as a pacifier. Sure, it might have been all right if it was on a clean finger. Not a finger that's server from its hand and dirty. We got up and made our way over as Murphy tried to pull the finger out of Lucy's mouth. When he removed it, Lucy started crying.

Murphy gave Doc a look. "Great. You happy now?" He threw Doc the finger before he tried to calm Lucy down.

"Look, Murphy. Nobody's saying you're a bad father," Doc started. "We just think it'd be a good idea to, you know, give the baby a little checkup. That's all."

"There's nothing wrong with little Lulu. And since when are you a pediatrician, huh?"

I raised my brow. "So she feels all right? Her diaper's clean?"

Murphy gave me a sarcastic nod. "Thank you, One Shot. If I ever need a babysitter I'll make sure to not call you."

"Murphy, she's just had sugar water to eat," Addy tried. "Let Doc have a look at her."

"And if you're lucky, Lucy might throw up on him," I added. If Murphy loves one thing it's other people's misery.

He shook his head as he rocked her. "She looks fine to me."

Doc tilted his head. "Takes a village."

Murphy got up and glared at all of us. "I don't know what you're up to, but I don't like it." He got up and pushed past us. Cassandra followed him and we followed them. Murphy turned around. "Stop following me."

"We're not following you," Doc lied. Oh, yeah, we're definitely following him.

"You're afraid of her. Afraid of what she might become. What we might become." He motioned to Addy, Doc, and 10k. "Don't forget, I've seen how you treat babies." This coming from the guy who threw her like a football.

"And we've seen how you treat humans," 10k argued back. Yeah, he treats people like shit. And he thinks we're beneath him because his blood has the vaccine.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt her."

"No one is going to hurt her, Murphy," I said.

He shook his head as he continued rocking her. "Baby and I are going for a walk." He looked at Cassandra. "Make sure they stay here. Nobody leaves."

"Nobody leaves," she repeated in a monotone voice. Murphy started leaving.

Addy was about to follow. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked. Cassandra blocked her way and glared.

"Someplace safe from people like you," Murphy said. He glared at us one last time before walking into the woods.