𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

- Troy -

Troy stared blankly at the stream of bottled water running through his hand. The weak surge washed away the red on his palms as he made sure to scrub his fingers and palm clean from the fresh blood. Troy threw some of the water over his face and palmed the back of his neck to cool down his flushed skin. The chill of the night helped, but there was still a festering heat leaving him agitated. A breath later, expanding his chest, Troy's body twitched when throaty snarls filled the sweaty, gun-powered and metallic air. The unintelligent moaning grating to the ear. But he didn't turn around to finish the job. The reanimated corpses were locked in their vehicle... right where he left them to turn after he blindly and erratically crossed that line of no return. Sniffing hard, Troy rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, waiting for the buzzing in his ears to dampen. He glanced over his shoulder. In spite of the darkness, he pinpointed the exact trails of bullet holes in the side of the familiar RV. His eyes took in the busted glass of the windshield, darted to the flat tires, the large smeared out spot coating the exterior; blood. Finally, Troy's chaotic stare peered at the slouched and lifeless body of Mike.

He fucked up. Fucked up bad.

If he just followed what he and Cristine discussed hours ago... this wouldn't have happened. But he couldn't control it. Like so often when his high-strung emotions were involved. It was something he struggled with ever since he was a kid. His dad called it tantrums and his mother... well- when she couldn't stand it anymore, she made sure he stopped his senseless fits. Troy thought he had this under control, but the moment he saw the trailer reason left him. The only thing he needed to do was shoot at the from his hideout behind the rocks. Make it look like it was the Nation who wanted to kill them. Scare Mike and his family so they'd return to the Ranch, but Troy his anger returned. His best friend betrayed him and Troy went through all this effort to get him back when Mike didn't even give a shit about their friendship. Troy needed to hear from Mike's mouth why.

Troy vaguely remembered the discharged bullets from his riffle. He'd stop caring at that point. Mike yelled at him to stop. So he did, briefly, and Troy raised his arm against the glaring lights of the RV. The door busted open with a slam and Troy recognized Mike's silhouette slumping out, grasping at his right arm. He got hit and Troy's chilly blue eyes relaxed briefly with the rest of his unreadable face. Troy gestured at the injury he inflicted upon him and said, "you need to get that looked at Mike. If we go back, we can get you patched up."

"Go to hell!" Mike roared, voice raw and filled with agonizing pain, clutching his shoulder. "They're dead Troy!" Mike swayed on his feet and a trail of blood followed his unbalanced gait. Mike was too angry to cry or listen to Troy's bullshit. They'd never come back from this. Troy just killed his parents and little sister. "You think I'd wanna go back after you murdered my family?!"

"Listen," Troy began, not even acknowledging that he killed his best friend's family. "A lot has happened and we lost a lot of people. Everyone is tense... but running is not an option. You're my best friend and after all these years you just up and leave like that? Not what a best friend does Mike. You owe me the explanation I never got. A real friend would have looked me in the eye and tell me why he'd betray me."

Mike was astonished by Troy's lack of self-reflection and remorse. He was making it about him and his feelings again... about what he felt he owed him. "Why are you trying to make this about you? You think this is some game? A game where the rest of us are your expendable toys soldiers?!" Mike barked back at him incredulous and gasped at the stinging sensation that numbed the side of his body. Blood gushed through his hands that squeezed his injured arm tighter than before to apply pressure.

"I'm just looking out for you as a friend... you'll die out there without the community. It's safer at the ranch where you have your people," Troy responded calmly and offered evenly. "They need you. Like I need my best friend to back me." Troy saw Mike shake his head, eyes wide and searching for his words. The heavy pressure near the back of his skull began to buzz and Troy sucked in a another breath at Mike's furious shout.

"I don't owe you shit you fucking psychopath! We're done!"

The rain of bullets started again and Troy felt the rush course through his veins. The gunshots bounced through the open space of the night, probably audible for miles, but Troy didn't care. Mike was dead to him. In literal sense too. He wasn't going to wait for an apology. Troy watched his best friend's jerk from the projectiles. His arms spasmed like a ragdoll getting thrashed around wildly and his body slam into the side of the RV, then slowly sink down the ground like a heavy sack. The darkened blood smeared on the surface like an ugly painting. Troy's kills were all different. While he didn't go out with the intention to kill him, this was a mercy for what this burned world would do to his friend. It was a mercy kill and Troy would always remember Mike; as dead as he was.

Sucking in his chapped lips, Troy looked away from Mike's lifeless body and remembering what he'd done in a haze of betrayal and anger. He shut his eyes, vaguely thinking where it went wrong. Mike said some pretty messed up stuff to him and Troy simply reacted to it. A distant hum made Troy snap his head in the direction of the noise.

A car.

"Shit," Troy jumped up on his feet, squinted his eyes and was about to head for the horse he brought with him. Cars left tracks and a horse was silent and quicker. Sprinting for his mare, Troy hurriedly untied the reigns and tugged the animal with him. Just as he was about to mount, glaring white spotlights enveloped him and his horse. The animal neighed, spooked by the sudden lights and Troy gave up calming it down by pulling up his riffle. "Get out of the damn car!" Troy swallowed thickly and while he was panicking, arms heavy from holding the rifle so tightly.

"Don't shoot!" The familiar voice begged before the door of the driver side opened. Troy breathed deeply and his brows furrowed tightly. The white lights dimmed and he saw the person exit the car slowly, arms raised. "I'm stepping out slowly son. Don't do anything rash."

"You shouldn't have followed me." Troy's finger twitched on the trigger when the silhouette of James became clear after his eyes adjusted to the muted darkness again. His gaze quick flicked to the massacre of the RV and Troy almost threateningly stepped forward and demanded. "Why are you here?!"

So! I'm definitely early with this chapter, but I'm really excited to start this new character arc and dynamics. So share your thoughts and expect another chapter to drop tomorrow. Hope you guys like the direction I'm taking the story in! I'm on a roll and things are starting to get interesting!!