"They're coming in." the new guy said as he aimed his gun. The door started to come off its hinges. Warren opened up a cabinet and 10k pulled the slab out. She looked at a hesitant Cassandra.
"I don't know," she responded looking at Doc for reassurance.
"We don't have much choice." Warren pressed. She got in and Warren closed the door. Next was 10k. Warren turned to the new guy and Doc. I picked up Doc's medical bag and gave it to him in the cabinet. Next was the new guy.
"Okay baby girl," Warren said to me before opening up a slab. There was a z in there and she cursed. "Who do you wanna bunk with," She asked. I shook my head no. There's no way I'm getting in that thing.
"I'll take my chances out here," I said backing up. I reloaded my pistol and a hand grabbed my wrist. I looked up to see 10k. Confused, I looked at Warren. "Why'd you pull him back out. He was safe." I said glaring at her.
"To keep you safe." She responded and let him drag me to the cabinet. I fought his hold on me struggling as he pulled out the slab. I hit his chest trying to get out. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him. He fell back onto the slab and pulled my body up with him. I struggled and refused. We slid in and Warren shut the door. My breathing was shallow and I started to have a panic attack.
"Hey, it's ok. Calm down. I got you." He whispered to me. I shook my head and pressed my body against the edge of the container. He turned on his side, closing the space between me and the other side. His hand rested on his stomach and the other on my arm drawing little shapes to distract me.
"No, I can't be in here. I can't breathe" I said, shaking at the thought of my past.
"Talk to me, what's wrong" He replied.
"When I was younger me and my dad, before charlie. He was a good man until he came back from a mission one day. He wasn't the same then. He used to lock me into cabinets and I'd be trapped there for days." My voice broke and he pulled my body closer to him. My head rested on his sweaty chest. All of a sudden we heard banging. I sucked in a breath and my body involuntarily shook.
"Get out of here! Go away!" The new guy yelled making too much noise. I didn't hear any of the conversation as my mind went right back to the day I lost my first adoptive father.
10k pov
Karma's body shook in my arms. She wouldn't answer me anymore and I knew she was in her head again. Just like in the car during the tornado. I held her body and rubbed her back. I kept whispering to her it was going to be okay. She started to cry and I felt the cool tears hit my chest. I hushed her and rubbed her hair down. I knew this calmed her down because Mack and Addy would do this when Garnett died. Her breathing wasn't slowing down and she was shaking more and more. I gently pushed her off me as much as I could and tilted her head towards me.
"Karma please focus" I whispered as zombies were right outside our container. She didn't, her eyes unfocused. I kept rubbing her back. I ignored the zombies outside and all that mattered was the girl in my arms.
The zombies are still in the room outside. She opened up to me and I feel like I can do the same with her. I pulled her body into me and she rested her head against my chest. I felt her soft breaths as she fell asleep, I soon did the same.
Karma POV
Light shined through my closed eyelids making me groan and pull my pillow closer to my face. When my pillow laughed I shot up. It wasn't a dream. I untangled myself from him and met with the others who laid out food that Murphy found.
"Murphy, how did you do this? No, I don't even want to know. I take back everything 10K said about you." Doc said. making us laugh.
"Well, you know I thought they got Warren already. No offense, but you were almost dead. But Murphy, man you are unreal. Where'd they all go? How many did you kill? Are we gonna go outside and see them piled like ten-deep on the sidewalk?" 10k said making me stare at him with a big smile on my face. Everyone else looked at him too. Confused he turned to Doc.
"That is the most words I ever heard come out of your soundhole, kid," Doc responded.
"I don't know what Karma did to you in that cabinet but glad to see you joining in more" Warren smiled. I shook my head and looked down, grabbing more food.
"These used to be my favorite food. Where the hell did you find goldfish?" Cassandra asked.
"I'm a goldfish magnet. I didn't know they were your favorite though." Murphy responded. She threw a goldfish at him jokingly. I smiled for the first time we have had a good moment since Charlie. We're becoming like a family. Too bad Addy and Mack aren't here to see this.
"I like a juicy rib eye with a loaded baked potato. Can your psycho food radar find that?" Doc joked, making me laugh.
"Yeah Doc, you're one greedy bastard. You know that?" Murphy responded. Warren made a toast to Murphy, our gatherer of food. We gathered up our things and began to head our way westward.
----
"Three days. We've been walking for three days" I complained.
"Is this entire state uphill? Where are we anyway?" Murphy asked.
"According to this map, we're in the Black Hills of South Dakota," Warren answered.
"I miss the truck," Cassandra added. I grunted in agreement.
"At least we're out of that damn horde." Warren reminded us of our time in Nebraska. I glanced over at 10k.