“I guess so. I’m sick of being out here doing nothing but killing infecteds.” Dan says.
The two men smile, and Dan smiles as well. They are cautious but decide to put their guns away. Dan is lying straight through his teeth.
“Now, we still gotta hold onto your things. We don't trust you just yet.” Dylan says.
“Don't worry, I understand.”
Dan gets up from the couch and looks at the two men next to him. He had lied about everything he just said. He isn't going to join them or be their friend. Dans going to play this situation out. He’ll wait until the perfect moment. He's done seeing innocent people die. He knows he has to put a stop to these kinds of people, but not now. The second man looks at Dan for a moment, and smiles. He feels like Dan isn’t going to try and do anything to them. The two men are cocky. They see that they out number Dan, so they know that they would win if he tried to pull tricks. Dylan feels confident in himself. He has killed and hurt so many people in his life to the point where he is numb to it. He watches Dan and thinks about how he will try and kill him one day. He does this thing all the time. Dylan is a pathological liar. He tells people one thing and does the opposite. Time and time again, Dylan has killed so many people who trusted them with their lives. In his eyes, Dan will be no different.
Dan doesn't bother waiting for any commands and walks past the men. Dan walks to the stairs and the two men follow him. They look at each other with sadistic smiles on their filthy faces. Who knows whether or not the things they said to Dan were even true. The three walk up the flight of stairs.
As he walks up the stairs, he turns his head and looks back at Aarons dead corpse. He genuinely believed that the two of them would survive. After all the times of going through stuff like this, he thought that Aaron would be different. Now he is dead, because of these two degenerates.
He just snaps. Something goes off in his head. He doesn't care anymore about playing it safe and going along with the act. Dan is done with this life where he gets hurt by others. He knows he could easily win, so why bother trying to wait anymore. While on the stairs, Dan spins around to face the two men behind him. With all his power, Dan kicks Dylan in the chest. He flies down the stairs and knocks into the second guy. The two of them fall and hurdle down the staircase. Once they reach the bottom, Dylan slams his head hard on the cold basement floor. The second guy hurt his back, but quickly begins to crawl away toward an open bathroom door. Dan feels nothing. No guilt, no remorse, no mercy. Dan runs down the stairs and charges the crawling man. He grabs him by the collar and by the back of his pants and throws him toward the nearby bathroom door. The man slams his head hard and falls onto his back in between the door and the door frame. The man's head lays perfectly where the door and the frame would meet when closed. Dan grabs the door handle and slams the door shut on his head. Dan opens the door and slams it again. Dan is ruthless, enraged and ready to slaughter. Dan violently continues to slam the door on the man's head until it's nothing but blood and pulp. Dan stops and looks down at the mutilated body. He's not shocked by what he sees, because it's not the first time he's done something like this. Dan hears Dylan groan in pain from behind him. He looks back and sees Dylan trying to get up from the ground. Dan walks over to Dylan and grabs him by the head. He looks at Dan, terrified. He had no way of anticipating that Dan was a psychotic killer. Dan looks into the man's soulless eyes with nothing but rage. Dan suddenly puts his thumbs on Dylan's eyes and pushes as hard as he can. Dylan screams at the top of his lungs in excruciating pain. Dan pushes the man's eyes deep into his skull. Dan continues and drags Dylan by his head with a tight grip. The two walk over to a nearby table. Dan raises the man's head over the table and quickly slams it on the edge. Dan raises his head and slams again. Dan continues until he is out of breath. He drops the dead corpse and stares into his face. In no way is the dead body a resemblance of what the man looked like a few moments ago. Dan is a savage who shows his enemy no mercy. Dylan is dead at the hands of Daniel. Dan continues to look at the dead body until he hears the groans of an infected.
Dan turns to look at Aaron on the ground, but what he sees is not Aaron. The reanimated body of Aaron slowly rises to its feet. The infected doesn't look at Dan at first, but Dan pulls out his blade and attracts it quickly. Before it knows it, the infected is dead. Dan lunges and stabs the infected in its skull. He is done seeing innocent people die. He thought that Aaron would survive, but he just ended up like everyone else. Everyone Dan knew turned into an infected, or something much worse. Up until this point, Dan was unturned, but now, he is a monster just like everything else that roams the Earth.
Dan stabs the shovel into the ground. He pulls a large chunk of grass and dirt out and starts to make a pile. Dan looks over and sees Aarons corpse at the other end of the backyard. Dan is digging yet another grave for someone he tried to save. As Dan digs the grave, rain starts to fall onto his head. Dan looks up. It's been a long time since he felt rain touch his skin.
Dan walks over to the corpse of Dylan who wore the brown hoodie. Dan bends down and slowly removes the jacket from the dead body. He knows that if he wants to travel in the rain, he needs to be dressed properly. Dan raises the jacket and looks at it. There is blood and chunks of flesh near the collar. Dan wipes the chunks off of the jacket and puts it on. As he stands over the corpse, he notices something interesting about the man's arm. There is an odd-looking tattoo on his left wrist. It looks like two diamonds with lines on the ends of them. Dan doesn't think much of it, but when he takes a glance over to the other corpse, he sees the same tattoo on his arm as well. Dan doesn't know what this could possibly imply.
Dan walks over to the couch where he had been sleeping and puts his bag back on. As he’s doing so, he looks at the buddle of blood where Aaron died. Dan thinks about him and what their short time together meant.
Dan walks along the train track outside the neighborhood. He walks away from the neighborhood with his hoodie over his head. The rain continues to fall, but this time, Dan is protected from the cold water. The rain slightly washes the jacket, and now only stains of blood can be seen on Dans fur collar. Dan aimlessly walks and looks at the ground. It’s like he’s back to square one.
As he walks, he eventually decides to look up. Dan suddenly notices smoke rising into the sky over the tree line on his right. The smoke is black, so he knows that something must be burning. It would take him a few minutes to get there, but he doesn't know if he wants to. Dan knows that it must have been caused by people, so he is hesitant. After what just happened, he isn't sure if he wants to encounter other survivors.
To his surprise, someone down the train track runs and climbs over the nearby fence. They must have run through the forest and toward the train track coming from the smoke. Dan looks at the man he sees, and notices his wet black hair, his dark jacket, and the pistol in his hand. The man runs across the train track and into the forest on the other side of the track. He doesn't even bother to notice Dan who isn't that far away. Dan is cautious and curious at the same time. He told himself that he didn't want to deal with other people after what happened, but this person feels different. There is something about this man that gives him a much different impression. Dan doesn't know why, but he pulls out an arrow and readies his bow. He suddenly begins to run down the track toward the man.
Dan runs through the woods with his bow ready. He doesn't know why, but he feels like he is hunting down this man. It wouldn't be hard since he is used to hunting animals all the time. He has no reason to do this, but the animalistic urge is there. Dan looks ahead of him and stops running. He thinks that he lost the man since he sees nothing ahead. Dan walks over and crouches down near a tree. He observes and tries to see where the man could be. He begins to realize that it wasn't an urge to hunt that he just felt. It was a desperate urge to find a companion. He can’t help it, but it’s what he wants deep down. Dan doesn't want to be the violent man that he just was. He wants to be better than that and be good.
Chapter 14
East
Matthew looks down at Dan with his gun still drawn. He saw him following him through the woods, so he has no idea what this guy's intentions are. He sees that he is willing to comply. He dropped his bow and arrow and seems unarmed. He’s never seen anyone alone up until this point. Matthew never thought it was possible to last this long all on your own. He is still suspicious though, especially after what just happened at that military camp. Matthew quickly notices the blood stains on the collar of the hoodie. Matthew continues to observe this man. He doesn't see any cuts or wounds, so the blood is probably from an infected, or another person. Matthew doesn’t know what to do with this guy. He seems like bad news, but Matthew is lost, and could really use someone’s help getting back to the store. Matthew looks down at the blood stains on Dans collar.
“I’d hate to see the other guy.” Matthew says.
“You would.”
Matthew pauses, thinking about whether this guy is trustworthy. He's Not the only one who has just killed people. Dan seems like he knows what he was doing, but it was easy for Matthew to sneak up on him, so he has second doubts.
“Why were you following me?”
“I’ve been alone for a long time… Every time I see another person, I can’t just ignore them.” Dan explains.
“You looked like you were trying to hunt me down.”
“I was just being cautious.” Dan says.
Matthew looks around to see if there are any other surprises coming his way. He finds it hard to believe that this guy could be alone for such a long time. It’s almost expected for at this point to have someone else come up from behind him and attack. Matthew looks back at Dan crouched down in the mud.
“You know where we are?” Matthew asks.
“Yeah. I’ve been in this area for a while.”
“Good, I need your help.” Matthew says.
Matthew pulls out the map that he found in the camp from his back pocket and hands it to Dan. Dan looks confused, but he quickly understands what this stranger wants from him. Dan unfolds the map and lays it out in front of him. He observes the map and looks for the surrounding neighborhoods. Dan keeps track of all the places he has been, so if he can find the neighborhood he was just at, he can point out where they are. Dan quickly notices that the map is a map of Ontario, and there is a part on the eastern side that is circled.
“What's the circle for?” Dan asks.
“Not my map, so I don't know. I just need to get back to my people.”
Dan looks up at Matthew, “You have a group?”
Matthew hesitates, “Yes. Can you tell me where we are or not?’
This is the first time that Dan is considering joining someone else's group. Everyone else he had encountered was alone like him, so this is truly something new. Dan looks back down at the map and continues looking. After a while, he accurately pin points their location on the map. Dan places his finger on the map. Matthew crouches down and looks. He pushes his finger through the spot on the map, so he knows where he is. Now the map has a small hole in it, indicating their general location. He quickly picks up the map and stuffs it into his back pocket again. Matthew lowers his gun and turns around. Matthew begins to leave and look for a nearby road. He has no intention of staying with this stranger any longer. He just wants to leave and get back to his family.
Dan stands up and looks at Matthew as he walks away, “Wait!”
Matthew stops and turns his head, “What?”
“My name is Dan. Who are you?”
“Matthew.”
“Okay, Matthew… I know this isn’t something that’s easy, but could you let me come with you? I’ve been alone for so long.” Dan explains.
Matthew hesitates, “No, I’m sorry. I have my own people to take care of… and I don’t really trust you.”
“I won't cause any trouble, and I don’t need anyone to look after me.” Dan pleas.
“I’m sorry… you’ve been alone this entire time… you’ll manage.” Matthew says.
Matthew turns back and walks the other way. Dan watches him leave and walk through the bushes and tree branches. Dan looks up and lets the rain pour on his face. It's the first time that he had given up on another survivor. Dan thinks about following Matthew back to his group for safety, but he doesn't feel welcome. Dan picks up his bow and arrow and walks the other way. The strangers go their separate ways, but they both want the same things deep down; they want to be with other people. Dan suddenly stops in his tracks. He turns around and sees Matthew walk off into the distance. He knows that he is not welcome, but he feels like he must try and prove himself. It is the first time that he is one who has nothing to offer, but now he can change. Dan knows that he will survive with others, but it will take some time.
Matthew steps out of the forest and onto a long-abandoned road surrounded by nothing other than trees. He thinks about Dan for a short moment. He doesn't trust him, so he can’t take any chances. He doesn't regret turning Dan away, but he wonders if he was actually right to not trust him. He is confident that Dan will continue to survive on his own, so he can sleep well at night.
Matthew looks around. He sees nothing of interest around him, but to his right is a long road sign a few yards away. Matthew realizes that even though he knows where he is, he needs to see what roads he has to follow to get back to the store. Matthew walks down the road toward the sign. Once he can read the sign and pinpoint his location on the map, he will know what directions to take to get back to his people. Matthew knows that things will be alright, and that he will be with his family again. As he walks, Matthew pulls the map out again, thinking about the area that was circled. Matthew looks at the area on the map and sees that inside the circle is what seems to be another Military base. It looks like it has an airstrip from what he can tell. It only makes sense that the men at that camp were scouting out other locations, but now they are all dead. Something clicks in Matthews head. He realizes that no one is going to that base anymore. Everyone who planned to is dead now, so it’s basically left for anyone to take. The base would have to have strong fences, supplies, and lots of weapons. It seems too good to be true, but even if it’s occupied already, it seems like the best bet to try and go there. It’s far away. It would take them all day of driving if they had a vehicle and enough gas canisters to keep the car running, but the odds of that are low. A trip to anywhere near Ottawa would take weeks by foot, but it seems like it's their best bet. Right now, they are held up in an unsecure store where any other survivor would think to go for supplies. It’s just not safe for them to be staying there. As he approaches the sign, it seems like he has already made up his mind; Matthew and his group are heading to Ottawa.
Matthew runs his fingers through his slightly wet hair. It’s beginning to dry now that the rain has stopped falling. Matthew looks up at the sky and sees that the sun is setting. He wants to sleep, but he knows that he must get back to the rest of the group. He had been following signs and using them as directions for hours now, so he knows that he must be getting close. Matthew continues to walk, and his eyes slowly start to shut. He knows he can't pass out here in the middle of the road, so he forces his eyes open. As soon as he does, Matthew sees a familiar vehicle not too far ahead. Just down the road, Matthew can see the car that he and Sydney had been driving in before the crash. It is still crashed up against the tree like it was when it happened. Matthew is filled with joy at the sight of this. Now he knows that he is not far from his family.
Matthew starts running toward the car. This entire time, he
had been questioning whether Sydney had survived the crash. Now is the only time he can know the answer to that. Matthew continues to run, and quickly approaches the car. Matthew reaches the passenger side of the car and stops running. Matthew quickly peaks into the window and sees that no one is inside. Matthews eyes tear up with joy. She made it out alive, and she must have made it back by now. Matthew smiles and investigates the car where the two of them once sat. Without hesitation, Matthew begins to run down the road toward the store. Matthew runs fast and runs far. After a few minutes, he needs to stop and catch his breath. Just ahead of him is an intersection. He remembers making a left turn on it, so now he has to go right. The road from here to the store isn't far, so Matthew knows he is close. The sun has gone down a little more, and the daylight is slowly going away. Matthew quickly gathers his breath and continues running.
Matthew runs on the road leading up to the store. There is a slight curve in the road leading to the parking lot, so there are some trees blocking his view from the store, but he knows it’s there. Matthew continues to run and a smile forms on his face when he steps out into the open of the parking lot. Right in front of him is the sporting good shop where his group is held up. It feels like ages since he was last here. Everything he went through, everything he did to get here; it all feels worth it now. Matthew stops running and continues to walk through the parking lot to regain his breath. Matthew approaches and can see figures inside moving around. As he gets closer, he realizes that it is just Linda and her son, Matteo. Maybe Sydney and the rest are in the back. Matthew proceeds to walk toward the building.
Matthew steps through the front doors of the store. As soon as he does, he hears a bell sound go off. This is surprising as he doesn't remember there being a bell sound before. Matthew looks up above the door and sees a makeshift bell alarm system. The group must have put that there. Matthew looks forward and sees Shelby step out from the storage room door. Shelby smiles as soon as she realizes that Matthew is back. She was hoping he would make it back okay and can't help but run toward him. Shelby runs up to Matthew and hugs him. They are both happy to see each other.
Mankind Page 21