“Hey, you find anything?” Matthew asks.
Shelby turns, “I found this.” Shelby shows him the cover, “Don’t you remember?”
“Oh yeah. We all used to huddle around in your basement and play that game together.”
Shelby laughs, “Me and Michael always used to kick your ass.”
“You guys were cheaters and you know it.” Matthew chuckles.
Shelby can't help but be overwhelmed with joy. It's the first time she was reminded of the past, but she knows that she should probably keep looking. Shelby sets the magazine back on the shelf.
“Check this out though.” Matthew opens the bag, “We can use this and help Sydney get better right?” Matthew asks.
Shelby grabs one bottle of pills and reads the label, “Yeah, this stuff should help.”
Shelby puts the bottle back in the bag and looks up at Matthew. She smiles as she's about to make a sarcastic remark, but quickly notices two figures outside the front windows of the store, next to their car. Shelby's eyes widen as she realizes that the figures are moving like people, and not infected. Matthew sees her expression and turns around. Matthew sees two men looking through their car windows. Matthew grips his revolver and runs toward the front door. Shelby follows him.
Matthew and Shelby run out of the store with their guns drawn. Matthew points his revolver at one of the men.
“Back up, now!” Matthew shouts.
The two men see them and back away. They slowly raise their hands above their heads. One of the guys seems older and skinny, while the other seems large and slightly younger.
“Woah, woah, woah!” The skinny guys says, “Everyone’s cool here!”
Matthew says nothing and continues to point the gun at the skinny guy. He doesn't want anything to do with strangers after all that he has been through. Shelby is on edge, and her hands are trembling. She continues to aim at the larger guy.
“Don’t shoot guys… common, we were just passing by and saw your car here.” The larger guy says.
Matthew looks at the skinny guy, not moving an inch. Matthews finger is on the trigger. He looks at the two men. The larger man has a shotgun holstered over his shoulder, and the skinny guy has a pistol on his hip.
“My name is Carl. My fat shit friend here is Jimmy.”
“I’m Shelby… this is Matthew.” Shelby says
“It's nice to meet you Shelby.” Carl says, “You guys wanna lower the guns? Let’s talk.”
Shelby slowly lowers her pistol, but Matthew doesn’t. Matthew looks at Shelby. He doesn't look happy that she is trusting these two guys. Carl and Jimmy slowly lower their hands and get comfortable. Matthew hesitates, but inevitably lowers his revolver.
“See, we can all be friendly.” Jimmy says.
“Yeah. We’ve been moving through the country, hoping to head to Quebec. We have some family there. Maybe we can get lucky and find em’, you know?” Carl says.
“Maybe, but I wouldn't get your hopes up.” Matthew says.
There is a tense pause. Carl and Jimmy look at each other. They still feel threatened, but they want to try and warm up to Matthew and Shelby. Matthew looks at them and sees how filthy they are. They must have been travelling for a while.
“Why shouldn't we get our hopes up?” Carl asks.
“I doubt Quebec is any better than here.” Matthew says.
Carl looks down, realizing that he’s probably right.
“What about you guys? Where you headed?” Carl asks.
“We’re going the other way. Maybe get to Nova Scotia and set up on the west coast.” Matthew explains.
Shelby looks at Matthew confused. She realizes that he is lying, and that they are actually heading east instead. She doesn't know why Matthew is being dishonest, but she won't try and expose him.
“We came from ‘Scotia. It’s not much better honestly.” Jimmy explains.
Carl laughs, “Yeah… Nova Scotia was a shit show when we were there. The whole damn city was bombed to try and keep the dead ones under control. Shit just made it worse.”
Matthew nods his head. He doesn't care because he doesn't actually plan on heading west.
“You know, we were looking in your car… It’s pretty empty. You guys set up somewhere?”
Matthew doesn’t respond. He doesn't want these strangers to know anything about them. Shelby doesn't take long before coming clean.
“We’re a part of a larger group not too far from her.” Shelby says.
Matthew turns and looks at Shelby. He looks angry with her. She quickly realizes that she shouldn't have said anything.
“Oh, well where are you guys set up?” Carl asks.
“Sorry but that's really not any of your concern.” Matthew says.
“Hey, common man. We’ve been out here for ages! You don't know what it’s like out here” Jimmy says.
Matthew hesitates, “I know exactly what it's like.”
“Look guys… we’re all friends here, right? It would be very appreciated if you offered us some hospitality.” Carl explains.
“I’m sorry but it’s crowded right now… and we know nothing about you.” Matthew says.
“Exactly. You know nothing about us. You have no idea what we’ve been through, and the stuff that we’ve had to do. I can see that you know what I’m talking about, Matthew. No one's a saint these days. You gotta give us a chance, right?” Carl chuckles.
Matthew begins to look agitated. Carl looks over at his friend. They give each other an odd look. Matthew notices this but says nothing. Shelby begins to feel uncomfortable, but she tries not to show it.
“I’m sorry guys, but you’ll have to find your own way.” Matthew explains.
“Well are these areas safe? We were thinking about setting up here for a while.” Jimmy asks.
“I don’t know. I would keep going if I were you.” Matthew says.
Jimmy walks out into the open. Matthew is becoming suspicious now and realizes that they might try doing something stupid. Matthew is ready to raise his gun and fire.
“So, we can’t come with you guys, and this area isn't safe? Where would you recommend we go then, Matty?” Carl says while smiling.
Matthew looks at Shelby for a brief moment. She looks back. Matthew turns and faces Carl.
Matthew smiles, “Well… I hear Nova Scotia’s real pretty this time of year.”
Carl chuckles, “Nova Scotia… You hear this guy?”
Carl turns to Jimmy, and his smile suddenly goes away. Just like that, the two of them reach for their guns to shoot at Matthew and Shelby. Out of nowhere, an arrow flies through the air and strikes Jimmy in the throat. Jimmy chokes on his own blood and falls over. Carl looks at his best friend dead on the ground, with an arrow in his neck. Matthew raises his revolver and shoots Carl in the head. He falls down, and his head smacks the pavement hard. Matthew is relieved to see these two men dead. He didn't like them at all right when they first started talking, and he had a feeling that they would try to do something stupid. Shelby looks down at their bodies in shock. The blood continues to leak from their wounds. Matthew looks at the arrow and quickly realizes that someone had just killed Jimmy from behind the car. Matthew runs around the car and raises his gun. To his surprise, Dan stands in the parking lot with his bow in his hands. Matthew aims at him, but Dan doesn’t seem to be hostile. Matthew slowly lowers his gun but doesn't break eye contact.
“Shelby! Get in the car!” Matthew shouts.
Shelby runs and gets in the passenger side of the car. Matthew looks at Dan, wondering why he is here, and why he saved them just now. Matthew still doesn't trust him, but he is grateful for his help. Matthew turns and walks behind the car. He opens the truck and puts his bag of medication inside. Matthew pulls out a mountain backpack with food and water and closes the trunk. Matthew walks back over to Dan and throws the bag at him.
“That should last you a few days…. I appreciate all your help. The map, and now this… but I can't take you back. I can’t ta
ke chances anymore…” Matthew says.
Dan says nothing, and just looks down at the bag in front of him. He wants to join Matthew, but he realizes that he is going to have to do more to show that he is trustworthy. Matthew hesitates, but ultimately turns around and gets back in the car. Matthew puts the keys in the ignition and turns it on. Matthew drives down the parking lot and gets back on the street. As he drives away, he looks in the rear-view mirror and just sees Dan watching them. Matthew feels bad for leaving him after he helped, but he knows that other people can jeopardize the group. Matthew suppresses his guilt and justifies his actions to himself. He looks over at his cousin. She looks shocked after seeing Matthew kill Carl without hesitation. She turns and looks at him. She sees someone that she never knew before. Matthew sees her expression and feels bad. He begins to wonder if what he did was right.
Matthew and Shelby drive down the road back the way they came. Eventually, they see a group of infected huddled around a bloody corpse. They just finished eating the body and get up to wander the wasteland. Matthew drives up to the group of infected and looks out his window. On the ground is the man that he had ignored while driving into town, but he is dead and ripped into pieces. Matthew continues to drive past the mauled body. Matthew watches the body fade in the rear-view mirror as he gets further and further away. He realizes that man could still be alive if he offered him a ride. Matthew begins to question himself, and the actions that he has made.
Chapter 16
The Only Way
Michael and Sydney step out from the forest and back onto the parking lot in front of the store. Sydney looks exhausted and tired. Michael walks behind her, thinking about the close call his sister just had back there. Michael remembers what he told himself about Moxxie. He remembers that once he returned to the group, he would talk to her and try and see how she really feels about him. The two of them walk toward the store, and Michael quickly notices that no one is outside, and that one of the cars they had parked in front of the store is gone. He wonders where Moxxie and her family are, but he quickly assumes that they are just inside. Sydney looks distracted and isn't paying attention to anything around her. She seems like she has something on her mind, but Michael is too far behind her to notice anything.
The two of them reach the front doors of the store and step inside. They quickly notice how quiet it is. Usually, they would hear the sounds of someone moving something around, or the loud echoing footsteps from the backside of the store, but it’s completely silent. Michael steps forward and looks around. To his surprise, he quickly notices the baby that he and Moxxie found in a basket on the back counter near the storage room. Michael is confused, and the baby starts crying. Neither of them understands why they would leave the baby alone. Michael wants to walk over to the baby, but he hesitates.
Michael calls out, “Moxxie?”
No response. Michael eventually decides to walk over to the baby on the counter. Sydney follows him cautiously from behind. The two of them reach the counter and look at the baby. He seems fine, but neither of them still understands why he was left alone. Suddenly, Michael notices a note left on the counter next to the basket. Michael picks up the note. He’s confused by what it says and does not react at all. Sydney notices the note in his hand.
“What does it say?” Sydney asks.
“It just says… ‘sorry’...” Michael explains.
Michael turns and looks at his sister. They both quickly realizes what is going on here. Moxxie and her family must have left on their own and abandoned the baby as well. Michael looks around the store hoping to see someone around, but nobody's there. Michael never thought that they would just leave them like this. He had been looking forward to talking with Moxxie once he got back, but now she is gone. He has no idea where they went, so deep down, he probably knows that he will never see her again. Michael turns and looks at his sister. She notices that he is upset, and probably feels betrayed. Sydney walks up to him and hugs him. Michael doesn’t hug her back. He can't believe what is happening right now. Sydney feels bad for her brother. She knows how important Moxxie must have been to him.
“I’m sorry Michael.”
Michael just stands there as his sister hugs him. After a moment, Sydney steps back and looks at him. He has turned from sad to angry. He cannot believe how anyone could just leave and abandon a baby. He knows how hard it is for him to face the baby, and the guilt he feels every time he does, and Moxxie knows too. He doesn't understand how she could do this to him.
“How could they just...” Michael asks.
Sydney hesitates, “Linda never seemed thrilled about us, even from the start... “
“How could they just leave, and make us keep the baby?” Michael asks.
“It’s probably best that we hold onto him, Michael. They didn't know what they were doing out there. You saw how weak they were when we first found them.” Sydney explains.
Michael puts his hands on his head in disbelief. He cannot imagine how only him, his sisters, and Matthew can survive, just the four of them. The baby continues to cry, and the cries get louder and more annoying. Michael begins to have some kind of panic attack. Michaels eyes fill with tears, but his anger holds it back. Michael looks down at the baby.
“Shut up.” The baby continues to cry, “Shut… up.”
The baby’s cries intensify, and Michael becomes more annoyed. Sydney watches her brother pace around. She had never seen him so upset before. Michael stops and looks back down at the baby.
“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” Michael screams.
Sydney looks shocked, “Michael!? Don’t yell at him!”
Michael turns and walks away with his hands on his head. Sydney walks up to the baby and tries to calm him down. The cries have gotten worse since Michael started screaming, and she can’t seem to get the baby to stop crying. Sydney looks anxious now, and just wants the crying to stop.
*****
Matthew and Shelby continue to drive back to the store. They are still on edge from what they just experience back in town, and Matthew can’t stop thinking about what he did. He doesn’t know if his way of doing things is right or not. Up until this point, he had just assumed that he knew what he was doing, and that his family agreed with him because they knew he was right. But by the look on Shelby’s face, he begins to wonder if he is just getting ahead of himself. Matthew looks over at Shelby. She is looking out the window of the car at the trees passing by. She doesn't seem to want to talk and is probably dealing with her own issues right now. Matthew wants to know if he is justified in killing people, and he wants an honest answer from his cousin.
“Shelby… was I wrong? Was what I did wrong back there?” Matthew asks.
Shelby takes a moment, “I don’t know…”
“The way you looked at me… It looked like you knew.” Matthew says.
“They drew their guns on us… it’s just sad that this is who we are now. I don’t want it to be who we are.” Shelby explains.
“What about the man on the road? Was I right to ignore him?” Matthew asks.
Shelby doesn't respond. Deep down he knows he probably should have helped the guy, but Matthew doesn't want his group to be compromised. He wants his family to be safe over anyone else. He justifies it to himself, but he wonders if he would make the same decision again if he encountered another survivor in need.
Matthew looks forward and notices that they are much closer to the store than before. He is happy to be back with the rest of the group. He just wants to regroup, sleep, and start travelling east by tomorrow morning. Now he knows that with the medication that they found, Sydney can recover faster and start moving much sooner. Matthew looks back at his cousin; she is still looking out the window. He begins to wonder if she has lost respect for him. He wants to keep the relationship they have, but he also wants to keep them safe.
They continue driving, and eventually reach the parking lot in front of the store. Matthew quickly notices that no one is outside, and tha
t a car is missing. He wonders if the group went out on a run but doesn't jump to conclusions. Matthew pulls up near the front doors of the store and parks the car. Shelby doesn't unbuckle her seat belt or get out of the vehicle. Matthew realizes that she must be in deep thought. Matthew hesitates, but eventually unbuckles his seat belt and gets out of the car. Matthew walks over to the back of the car and opens the trunk. Matthew pulls out the bag of medication, and Shelby also suddenly steps out from the car. Matthew slams the trunk shut, but both him and his cousin freeze as they hear the sound of a baby crying. Matthew looks at Shelby, and Shelby looks back. So many different things are going through their mind. The baby’s cries seem violent and intense. Matthew doesn't bother standing around and longer. He pulls out his revolver and runs toward the doors of the store.
Matthew runs inside with his gun drawn. Shelby follows from behind. Matthew slowly lowers his gun as he sees Sydney holding the baby near the back of the store. Matthew looks around and sees Michael sitting near the storage room door with his hands on his head. They are both confused and have no idea what is going on. Sydney looks frustrated but is still trying to get the baby to calm down. Matthew walks over to her, wondering what all the commotion is about.
“What's going on?” Matthew asks.
Sydney turns, “They left.”
Matthew looks confused, “What?”
“Moxxie and her family left, but they didn't take the baby with them.” Sydney explains.
Matthew does not respond. He looks over at Michael and sees how upset he is. He never knew that Michael cared for them so much, but it all makes sense now. Him and Moxxie did spend a lot of time together for the short amount of time they were with them. He never considered that Michael may have been close with her. Matthew looks back at Sydney and sees the sweat running down her head. He wonders why she is sweating but realizes that she is probably stressed out from all the crying. Shelby walk over and takes the baby out of Sydney’s hands.
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