"Not a Z in sight" Mercy told the others as she stood on the cab of the truck looking out at the empty highway.
"You bored babe?" 10k called to her grinning from his usual spot stood in the truck bed.
"Ugh... so bored" she complained. The group was gathered around the truck bed. Warren, Garnett, Doc and Mack all stood whilst Addy and Cassandra sat on the edge. Mercy repositioned herself so she was sat on the cab of the truck and 10k leant back standing in front of her.
They all chuckled at the girl who loosely wrapped her arms around her boyfriend shoulders leaning her chin on his shoulder as they watched Murphy out in the field emptying his bladder once again.
"Is anyone else worried about Mr Sunshine out there?" Doc commented.
"I know... he's looking worse" Garnett nodded.
"Yeah and he was pretty creepy to start with" Warren added.
"Cmon guys give him a break none of us are looking our best" Addy reasoned.
"Its like one long bad hair day" Mercy commented absent mindedly making everyone chuckle once again.
"What do you think doc?" Garnett asked there resident professional(ish) medical expert.
"I think Ive seen z's that look better than him" was his only reply.
The subject of the conversation must of felt them looking because he turned sharply making them all look away awkwardly. All except Mercy... she stared and he stared back. They locked eyes. She didnt hate him... she certainly didnt like him... but she pitied him... whatever he did in the life before... he didnt deserve this... no one did.
"Speaking of hair whats with all the bald patches?" Mack asked no one inparticular.
"Maybe the vaccine is like zombie chemo" Cassandra suggested.
"Maybe the vaccine isnt working" 10k countered earning him a whack round the head from Mercy.
"Owww... you're violent you are" he complained.
Mercy rolled her eyes at him playfully before kissing his head where she hit it
"Will he make it to California?" Warren asked.
"If we haul ass" Doc answered.
"If he turns I bagsy piking him" Addy called.
"Piking him is the least of our worries" Garnett mumbled before calling "PIT STOPS OVER"
Murphy trudged over looking more zombie than man "what i have a ginormous bladder... sue me"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Where we going again?" Cassandra asked.
The three teens of the group were once again sat in the bed of the truck. 10k leant against the cab with his arm over Mercy who was sat next to him and had her head on his shoulder. Casandra sat leant against the side of the truck bed with her head on her arms which rested on her knees.
"Garnett said it was called province town" 10k answered.
"Apparently it was on Hammonds map and Garnett might know the guy running it" Mercy continued.
Cassandra nodded "this the place with food?"
"Thats what the map said" 10k said unconvinced himself.
"I wonder if they have chocolate... thats probably what I miss the most... what about you guys?" The girl questioned.
"Fresh fruit... specifically apples" 10k told them "what about you love?"
"The kids..." she started. Her boyfriend and best friend stared at her waiting for her to elaborate.
"The kids in my care home... the adults there were useless... never did anything... so I took care of them... practically raised some of them... I miss them the most" when she finished she buried her head in 10k letting him hold her tighter and answer the next question from Cassandra.
"You were in a care home?"
"Since she was four" he answered "her dad was sent to prison and her mum died in childbirth so she doesn't remember either of them"
"Oh..." was her only reply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Surrender all weapons" Addy read out. The large sign signified their appoach to province town.
"They've got to be kidding!" Mercy exclaimed.
It was at that point that they approached the gate. At least 5 armed guards surrounded the area.
"Apparently not" Doc commented.
"But they cant... Garnett..." Mercy continued protesting.
"Their town thier rules Mercy" was her reply from the older man.
"STOP THERE THIS IS A PRIVATE COMPOUND!" Came the call from one of the gaurds.
Garnett got out to negotiate as Mercy whispered furiously to her boyfriend.
"Theres is no way I'm going in unarmed...what if its a trap... or they're nutters... or something happens... we live in an apocalypse 10k a caramel fudging apocalypse..."
Her rant was cut off by soft lips which melded perfectly to hers and she couldn't help but kiss back.
"It'll be fine I won't let anything happen to you" 10k saw right through her anger... he saw the fear that it stemmed from... and he did not let it go unnoticed.
"10k... I can't be unarmed... I just can't..." her voice was vunerable and her eyes held fear.
He nodded and kissed her forehead holding her tightly.
"Okay love... okay"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One by one they were called up to place their weapons in storage and none of them were happy about it.
Mercy held tightly onto 10k's hand until Garnett called her foreward to go next. As she walked towards the table 10k slapped her ass making her squeal and blush whilst the male gaurds laugh.
She turned to glare at him but he just smiled and winked. Rolling her eyes she slowly started giving in her weapons... her pistols, her axe, her throwing knives, the pocket knife in her bra and...
As she reached into her back pocket she realised that her smallest pocket knife was gone.
With a quick glance at 10k she knew exactly where it was.
She walked through the metal detector with no problems and stood waiting for 10k on the other side.
He unloaded his inordinant amount of weapons onto the table but there was no sign of her knife. He went towards the metal detector then noticed his shoe was untied. Bending down he tied his shoe lace and ,without anyone but Mercy noticing, tucked the small pocket knife under the toe of his boot.
As he stepped forward into the metal arch he pressed down with his boot sending the knife propelling forward through the detector ,that went off alarms blaring and lights flashing, and ending its journey under Mercy's foot.
As the soldiers pushed 10k out back towards the table Mercy got worried... that is until the teen pulled a heavy metal chain out of his trousers.
Passing through the detector again the light flashed green and he joined his girlfriend on the other side.
Before the group moved on 10k leaned down to tie up his other shoelace which had somehow come undone and picked the knife up once again. Sliding his arm round Mercy's waist he slipped the knife back into her back pocket.
"I love you" she whispered leaning into him.
"I love you too" he whispered back kissing her temple.
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The group was led through the compound towards the cafeteria.
"I feel so much lighter without that damn hammer." Garnett commented making the others all nod.
"Yeah, I feel naked, and not in a good way." Doc agreed in his usual manner.
"When we started out, everyone was armed." Garnetts army buddy started to explain.
"Then one day a guy decided to shoot his wife's boyfriend. He turned, and we lost five people. So we made a rule... Only guards could carry inside. Then a trading group came in. Took a gun off a guard... Seven dead that time. We were lucky it wasn't worse. We have a strong perimeter... Never been breached... All our problems are inside"
Mercy pointed at three people at the gate begging with the gaurds to let them back in "whats with them?" She asked.
"Ahh we had some problems with a religous lot a while back... more of a cult really... they think that the apocolypse is the second coming and call the z's the "ressurected"... a couple of our young ones got drawn in but we figured they'd be back"
Mercy watched the two guys and a girl walk into the compound then looked at 10k who had also been watching them. He nodded at her and they came to an understanding... those three were not to be trusted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mercy started paying attention again when they reached the canteen.
"First meal is on me." Army guy explained. "The rest you trade for. No meat of course. Hope you're vegetarian."
"Oh yeah." Doc grinned as everyone grabbed a plate.
"I cant remember the last time i saw fresh veg" Addy said incredulously.
"Or fruit for that matter." Mercy added grabbing an apple and tossing it to 10k.
Catching it he looked at it grinning "Apples!"
Mercy laughed at her boyfriend who took a massive bite of the fruit then winked at her. He then proceeded to pick up a grape and prepared to throw it.
"Open wide" he said before landing a perfect shot in her mouth.
Turning round to talk to Garnett the giggling girl found him still talking to army guy.
"I could use you here." The general told him. "I need experienced soldiers Im sure Warren could take over your team"
Mercys face dropped as Garnett didnt answer he wouldnt leave us... right. Garnett met the young girls eyes and smiled in a fatherly manner.
"That's a tempting offer, Joe." He started. "But my team are more than just a team... I care about them... I cant leave them... besides we got to keep going... got to keep hoping."
Garnett walked over to the team and Mercy wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He hugged her back smoothing her hair and kissing the top of her head.
"Don't worry little one... I'm not going anywhere" he told her.
"You bet your ass your not" she responded making him laugh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Dude. Dude, slow down... They're not gonna take it from you." Doc said looing incredulously at Murphy who was wolfing down his food.
10k was sat with one arm around Mercy and she had one hand on his leg. Both glared at the three people from the cult suspiciously until 10k spotted Mercy's still full plate.
"Love you've got to eat that" he told her snapping her out of her gaze.
"Yeh I know" she sighed picking up a tomato and popping it in her mouth. 10k kissed her temple as Warren and Garnett walked over.
"So We got the lowdown on the sleeping situation. There's a room that two or three of us can share, and there's a communal bunk." Warren told them.
"Dibs on the room." Murphy called making everyone look at him.
"What? Be less risk of anyone figuring out who I am."
"I think we should give it to those two." Mercy said gestuting to Warren and Garnett and smirking.
"What, no, no, no." Garnett denied.
"We're not a..." Warren started.
"Yeah, you guys take it." Addy nodded her and Mercy grinning as their boyfriends back them up with a "Yeah."
After glancing at eachother the two adults gave up their charade.
"Is it that obvious?" Warren sighed making everyone else in the group nod.
"Well If we're gonna do the time, we may as well do the crime." She laughed and the two walked off as everyone else laughed.
"I wouldn't laugh kids" Doc said to Mercy and 10k "soon that will be you two"
10k laughed as Mercy hid her head in his chest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"That fella seems pretty popular for a guy who just got kicked out of here." Mack commented nodding to one of the returnees.
The girl stood up from their table across the hall and walked out the door. Instantly 10k kissed Mercy's cheek then stood up to follow her.
"Cover me?" Mercy called to him without taking her eyes off the two guys.
"Always" he called back as he walked off.
"Mercy?" Cassandra said warily not knowing what was going on.
"Get ready all of you" she told them still not looking away.
Addy and Cassandra looked at eachother knowing Mercy and knowing that this was not good.
"Why?" Addy said slowly.
"Something is about to go down" Mercy whispered just loud enough for the group to hear.
Suddenly one of the suspected men jumped up on a table gripping the wooden cross around his neck.
"Listen to me, all of you..." he declared as Mercy stood up moving toward him carefully but quickly.
"for I have good news. The major didn't believe in the word of Jacob. But he will. All of you will be given another chance." He pulls the cross apart revealing a hidden knife.
"For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life," he raised it to his neck and Mercy started running.
"so also the Son gives..." he didn't get to finish as he was tackled off the table by Mercy who wrestled the knife away from him knocking him out in the process.
Instantly her almost predatorial eyes scanned the room for the other man. Spotting him with a similar knife across the room she started running at him yelling "STOP HIM!"
"Your too late" he called as thick red liquid dripped from his wrists "I will be resurrected"
It only took a few seconds before half the cafeteria were zombified.
"Strawberry swirl!" Mercy said under her breath pulling the knife from her back pocket and pulling a z's head down to stab it.
Mercy-ing as she went she made her way to her group. From across the room she saw them get trapped in a kitchen by 5 z's. Kicking one down and stamping on his head she stabbed another throwing it at the next. Grabbing the head of the last she pushed the blade through its head.
Throwing open the door she gestured to the group "follow me"
They ran along the corridors doing their best to take out z's as they go though Mercy was doing most of the work.
"I would give my left nut for that z-whacker right now!" Doc exclaimed wiping blood out of his eyes... a reprcussion of pushing the end of a ladel through a z's eye.
"Come on, you guys!" Addy called getting them moving again. They ran till they ran into Warren and Garnett.
"Fancy seeing you here... " doc said after Garnett whacked a bible round the head of a zombie.
"Where's Murphy?" Warren asked.
"The last we saw, he ran out some other door." Mack supplied swinging a pan at a z.
"We need a leash for that guy." Mercy commented.
"10k?" Garnett asked Mercy.
"He'll be back" she said simply hiding the worry in her voice.
"If anyone can make it he can." Her father figure reassured.
"If only he had his gun." Doc said earning a glare from the team leader.
Army guy ran up with two of his soldiers behind him "You guys have to get to the emergency exit before we're completely overrun... Through those doors there's a long hallway ending in a reinforced door. It leads outside the perimeter. Don't stop till you hit the woods, then you can double back around to your truck."
"What about you?" Garnett asked him sending the others towards the exit.
"I've got to stay and try to save as many as I can." He called running in the opposite direction.
They took the seargent's directions and threw themselves against the fire exit which didn't budge.
"It's jammed!" Mercy called. A crowd of civillians started building up behind them all pushing to get to the door.
"It won't open! Turn around!" Warren called.
"Turn around! Back up!"
"The door's blocked!" Garnett and Doc joined in trying to move the crowd back. A few z's caught up with those at the edges and one by one the crowd started getting infected leaving those in the middle with no way to escape.
"Guys, we're not gonna make it." Cassandra whispered making Mercy grab her hand. The two girls held on tight to eachother as the crowd kept pushing them against the door.
"We have to turn around! Go back! Go back! Go back! Come on!" Garnetts futile shouts were met only with screams.
"Charlie, I'm scared." Warren whispered to him. He wrapped his arms around her kissing her head then reaching one hand out to grab one of Mercy's.
"Push those Zs back!" Mack tried calling.
"I can't even turn around." Doc called.
"Push!" Mack tried again to no avail.
"Mack!" Mercy shouted at him nodding to Addy who was clearly terrified.
He cupped her face in his hands making her look at him.
"Addy! Addy! Addy! Stay with me! Addy! Come here. Hey, hey. It's okay." He pulled her into a hug as she reached out and grabbed Cassandras hand and he put a hand on Docs shoulder who stopped shouting and put one of his hands on Warrens shoulder.
They stood there amoungst the screams presses against eachother and holding on to one another tightly. Eyes squeezed shut and head buried in Cassandras hair Mercy whispered... "10k... please..."
All of a sudden the door burst open and the group was pulled through by none other than ten thousand himself who quickly shut the door again blocking it with a large wooden cross.
Mercy threw herself at her boyfriend and he held her tight whispering in her ear.
"Its okay... its okay... I've got you... I've got you now." The whole group breathed for a second holding eachother.
"How do we get out of here?" Garnett said getting back to bussiness.
"I've been using the roofs to move" 10k explained.
"Murphy?" Doc asked.
"Haven't seen him."
"We need weapons. Then we'll find Murphy." Warren told them. Garnett nodded in agreement.
"Let's go."
At that moment a creepy looking preacher with a pistol in his hand rounded the corner.
"Greetings brothers and sisters. The Resurrection Church welcomes you. Please raise your hands to the heavens or I will resurrect you where you stand." He called as a few of his followers backed him up.
10k grabbed Mercy and Cassandras hand and the three of them made a break for it heading back to the building.
"Let them go." The Preacher called to his men "The Resurrected will take care of them. The rest of you, come with us. The last of the Resurrected have been secured. And those who died today have the honor of entering into grace ahead of us. Blessed is the path before them. Blessed will their journey be."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10k, Mercy and Cassandra ran untill they were at the entrance of the compound. Mercy pulled the others to a stop.
"Okay Cassy we need you to go get the truck then meet us where ever Revrand crazyass is keeping the others." She told the other girl.
"Mercy and I will go get weapons and break them out" 10k finished.
"But I can't leave you two in her on your own" Cassandra protested.
"We're not alone... we have eachother" 10k assured.
"And as long as we have eachother we'll be okay" Mercy continued smiling at her boyfriend.
Cassandra rolled her eyes "you two are disgustingly cute" she called running off.
"Cassy!" Mercy stopped her "be careful..." her friend nodded at her then headed off on her task dodging the z's as she ran.
10k turned to Mercy and grabbed her hand grinning cheekily making her raise an eyebrow.
"Alone at last" he teased.
"Too bad we've got work to do" she told him after rolling her eyes playfully.
"Come on lover boy we got z's to kill" Mercy ran off towards the armoury 10k hot on her tail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The armoury was a small building with one door which had a small mesh window. Inside two z's snapped at the door trying to get out.
10k looked through the window then took a step back.
"Ladys first" he pronounced grinning and gesturing to the door.
"Coward" Mercy said rolling his eyes.
"Simply a desire to see you work my love" he joked "also the fact that I'm useless without a weapon"
Mercy pulled out her pocket knife twirling it inbetween her fingers.
"Well then... it would be my pleasure"
10k moved to the door swinging it open at a nod from his girlfriend who proceeded to kick the two walkers back pinning them down and mercy-ing them with ease.
Without waisting anymore time they gathered their own weapons putting them in their rightful place.
Loading his sniper and lining it up 10k sighed "much better"
Mercy grabbed a backpack piling in all of the others weapons (plus a few extras) and all the ammo they could find.
"Okay lets go save the others"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am your messiah."
"Oh god whats he doing now" Mercy sighed as she and 10k set themselves up on the roof. They were witnessing below them what seemed to be Murphy controlling zombies.
"Blocking my shot to preacher mad-house thats what" 10k complained looking through his scope.
"I think he's trying to stall... keep your sights on the target... as soon as u get the chance... shoot"
Without any warning the preacher lifted his gun towards Murphy... the bullet flew towards him... he didnt move... someone else did...
"GARNETT!!!" Mercy's scream was followed closely by her jumping over the roof on to the lower one and down again. All sights were on her as she ran towards the preacher who raised his gun again.
"MERCY WAIT!" 10k's frantic shouts followed him as he scrambled down after her.
The truck burst through the gate with Cassandra at the wheel.
Z's and people were everywhere but it all seemed to slow down for 10k who could only watch as a bullet went flying towards his girlfriends head.
At the last second she swerved the bullet grazing her cheek but it did'nt stop her charge.
10k caught up with her just as she reached the object of her anger.
Wrapping his arms around her waist he pulled with all his strength.
"No babe he's not worth it... he's not worth it"
Eventually she went limp in his arms and lifting her shaking form up he carried her into the bed of the truck.
Warren was dragged kicking and screaming away from his body by Doc and Murphy.
"WE CANT LEAVE HIM! WE CANT LEAVE!" Mercy screamed fighting against her boyfriend who held her still.
"DRIVE!" 10k shouted to Cassandra who put her foot down despite the desperate cries of the two distraught females.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The group rode in silence. Warren looked blankly out the window glaring at anyone who tried to talk to her.
Out of habit one seat was left free in the back... it felt wrong not to.
Mercy found herself curled up in 10k's arms as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear.
That was until they found themselves parrallel to the chaos of their former safehaven.
"Stop the truck" came Warrens quiet but surprisingly unwavering voice.
Cassandra looked at Doc unsure of what to do but all she got was a shrug.
"Stop. The. Truck." Warren said again stronger this time.
Cassandra pulled over only able to watch as Warren marched over pulling 10ks sniper from him and holding a hand out to Mercy.
"Its time..." she said recieving a simple nod from the girl who untangled herself from her confused boyfriend.
"Love?"
She gave him a reasuring look and he stopped his questions knowing this was something they had to do.
Taking the rifle from Warren, Mercy set it up on the hood of the truck aiming it at the compound... focusing in... a tear slipped down her face...
"Charlie Garnett I give you mercy"
Fired...
"He loved you he told me to tell you that..."
Mercy nodded.
"He loved you too... he didn't need to tell me that... you coild see it in his eyes..."
The two girls returned to their seats. 10k kissed Mercy's head holding her close to him as they drove off once again
As always Citizen Z's voice followed them...
"Someday maybe we'll find out the real reason the Zombie Apocalypse happened. All this death and destruction. All the pain and heartache. Who do we blame? Maybe it was a government virus that escaped the lab. Maybe it was voodoo. Or maybe God just doesn't like us. Some days though I wonder if we brought this on ourselves. We had a chance to do this whole planet earth thing right, and and we blew it. We got the Apocalypse we deserved. But if we're lucky, some day this will all be over. I hope so. And next time, I hope we get it right."
...all felt the weight of the empty seat...
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An:
Hi guys I hope that was okay I know Im not great at death scenes. I also know not alot of people read thos but just wanted to say a quick thanks to those who do it really gives me that little bit of light in my life that I need 😙😙 so...
THANK YOU 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Also for the few who do read this 10k and Mercy's 'first time' will be coming up soon so would you guys like to see/read that or just know that it happened?? Im good for either but I've never written a scene like that so Im not sure how it would turn out.
Bye for now please comment xxx